The Necessity of Integration of Internet of Things and Fog Computing for Providing Safe Healthcare Services. Journal of Health and Biomedical Informatics

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National Minimum Data Set for Antimicrobial Resistance Management: Toward Global Surveillance System

Background: Success of infection treatment depends on the availability of accurate, reliable, and comprehensive data, information, and knowledge at the point of therapeutic decision-making. The identification of a national minimum data set will support the development and implementation of an effective surveillance system. The goal of this study was to develop a national antimicrobial resistance surveillance minimum data set. Methods: In this cross-sectional and descriptive study, data were collected from selected pioneering countries and organizations which have national or international antimicrobial resistance surveillance systems. A minimum data set checklist was extracted and validated. The ultimate data elements of the minimum data set were determined by applying the Delphi technique. Results: Through the Delphi technique, we obtained 80 data elements in 8 axes. The resistance data categories comprised basic, clinical, electronic reporting, infection control, microbiology, pharmacy, World Health Organization-derived, and expert-recommended data. Relevance coding was extracted based on the Iranian electronic health record coding system. Conclusion: This study provides a set of data elements and a schematic framework for the implementation of an antimicrobial resistance surveillance system. A uniform minimum data set was created based on key informants’ opinions to cover essential needs in the early implementation of a global antimicrobial resistance surveillance system in Iran

Information Technology(IT): A New Revolution In Urban Health Development

Background and Aim: Urban health is one of the challenges of the 21st century. Rapid growth and expanding urbanization have implications for health. In this regard, information technology can remove a large number of modern cities' problems. Therefore, the present article aims to study modern information technologies in the development of urban health. Materials and Methods: This is a review article based on library research and Internet searches on valid websites such as Science Direct, Magiran, Springer and advanced searches in Google. Some 164 domestic and foreign texts were studied on such topics as the application of ICT tools including cell phones and wireless tools, GIS, and RFID in the field of urban health in 2011. Finally, 30 sources were used. Conclusion: Information and communication technologies play an important role in improving people's health and enhancing the quality of their lives. Effective utilization of information and communication technologies requires the identification of opportunities and constraints, and the formulation of appropriate planning principles with regard to social and economic factors together with preparing the technological, communication and telecommunications, legal and administrative infrastructur

Design and Usability Evaluation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Self-Care Application Based on Android

Background and Aim: Despite the continuous progress in medicine, COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) is still a progressive, incurable and chronic respiratory condition that limits the patients’ functions in various dimensions, and significantly reduce their quality of life. In this way, self-care of patients and the use of related tools have a significant effect in disease control and treatment. The purpose of this research was design and development of an android-based application for COPD. Materials and Methods: This research was a descriptive developmental type with a practical approach. Initially, based on the study of library resources, guidelines, and the examination of the medical records of COPD inpatients in Firouzabadi Hospital, a questionnaire was designed to identify the information requirements, data items and features of the application. Then it was reviewed and finalized by a sample of 10 (randomized and convenience sampling) internal and lung specialist doctors in Firouzabadi and Hazrat Rasool hospitals affiliated to Iran University of Medical Sciences. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, and then scenario tables and UML diagrams were illustrated to show the overall flow of the application. The application was designed and developed using the Java programming language in the Android Studio 2021 platform. After installing the application on the mobile phones of ten COPD patients of the internal and pulmonary clinic of Firouzabadi Shahre Rey Hospital, and using it for a week, the opinions of the patients about the usability of the application were collected through the QUIS questionnaire, and analyzed.  Results: Application sections were determined following experts’ survey, personal information items, clinical information, disease management, reporting, and training points, which were provided to patients after design for use and evaluation. At the end of the research, the results of the evaluation of the usability and satisfaction level of the application showed that from the patients’ point of view, the application is at a good level with an average score of 1.8 (out of 10 points). Conclusion: The developed self-care application can be used to increase awareness, help to manage the disease, increase the level of quality of life, and reduce the complications and disease burden for patients with COPD

Advantages And Limitations Of Using Speech Recognition Systems In Health Care And Practical Means To Solve Their Application

 Background and Aim: The applicability of any technology to enter a certain field is determined by defining the advantages and disadvantages of the system in that field. The aim of this study is to show the advantages and limitations of using speech recognition systems in health care and providing practical solutions to improve the acceptability of the system in that field. Materials and Methods: This is a descriptive research with a review method that employs library resources and online databases such as Proquest, Pubmed, Science Direct, Ovid and Scientific Information databases using key words like speech recognition software, health care, benefits, barriers, and solutions. Results: Speech recognition system has many advantages like increased accuracy of medical documentation, and reduced documentation time. It is a tool for data entry into electronic health records. However, there are several limitations in applying the system in Iran, such as the lack of definition of database system and the high cost of hardware and software.  Conclusion: Considering the study results in relation to the benefits and limitations of systems in healthcare area, solutions such as production of a national integrated database for the exchange of health information, improving database to increase the accuracy of word recognition, and training the users of the system can reduce the limitations of the system to some extent. Also, in the country’s movement towards the implementation of electronic health records and the users’ need to enter data into the computer, the software is a good alternative to keyboard and mouse input.&nbsp

Wireless and mobile systems in telemedicine

Background: It is necessary to deploy mobile and wireless systems in healthcare, because they have many benefits for healthcare systems. The objectives of this article were introducing various systems, applications, and standards of the wireless and mobile telemedicine. Material and Methods: This review study was conducted in 2010. To conduct the study, published articles in the years 2005 to 2012, in English with an emphasis on wireless and mobile technologies in health were studied. Search was done with key words include telemedicine, wireless health systems, health and telecommunications technology in databases including Pubmed, Science Direct, Google Scholar, Web of Sciences, Proquest. The collected data were analyzed. Results: Telemedicine system in the ambulance, telemedicine systems in space, telecardiology systems, EEG system, ultrasound system are some types of wireless and mobile systems in telemedicine. PDA-based mobile and wireless telemedicine application, based PDA drug application, and patient tracking application are some of wireless and mobile applications of telemedicine. The most important standards of wireless and mobile telemedicine are HL7, DICOM, SNOMed, and ICD-9-CM. Conclusion: There are many challenges in the wireless and mobile systems in telemedicine, despite the many benefits. Slow speed in sending pictures and video, lack of attention to the privacy in the design of these systems, environmental variables and the number of users during the day are some of these challenges. It is recommended to consider these challenges during the planning and designing of wireless and mobile systems in telemedicine