Emergency Department Quality Dashboard; a Systematic Review of Performance Indicators, Functionalities, and Challenges

Introduction: Effective information management in the emergency department (ED) can improve the control and management of ED processes. Dashboards, known as data management tools, efficiently provide information and contribute greatly to control and management of ED. This study aimed to identify performance indicators and quality dashboard functionalities, and analyze the challenges associated with dashboard implementation in the ED. Methods: This systematic review began with a search in four databases (Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, and Scopus) from 2000 to May 30, 2020, when the final search for papers was conducted. The data were collected using a data extraction form and the contents of the extracted papers were analyzed through ED performance indicators, dashboard functionalities, and implementation challenges. Results: Performance indicators reported in the reviewed papers were classified as the quality of care, patient flow, timeliness, costs, and resources. The main dashboard functionalities noted in the papers included reporting, customization, alert creation, resource management, and real-time information display. The dashboard implementation challenges included data sources, data quality, integration with other systems, adaptability of dashboard functionalities to user needs, and selection of appropriate performance indicators. Conclusions: Quality dashboards facilitate processes, communication, and situation awareness in the ED; hence, they can improve care provision in this department. To enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of ED dashboards, officials should set performance indicators and consider the conformity of dashboard functionalities with user needs. They should also integrate dashboards with other relevant systems at the departmental and hospital levels

Additional file 1 of Requirements and challenges of hospital dashboards: a systematic literature review

Additional file 1: Appendix A. The result of qualitative evaluation of studies

Comparing the Cost-Effectiveness of Conventional Activated Sludge Wastewater Treatment Systems and Stabilization Ponds (Case Study: Refineries of Kermanshah, Islamabad West and Gilangharb)

Background & Objectives: The economic feasibility of wastewater treatment plants requires applying some methods with ability to assess the cost-effectiveness of their systems. This study aimed to determine and compare the cost-effectiveness of two types of wastewater treatment systems which are used in Kermanshah province. Materials & Methods: This is a descriptive-analytical study in which the information on the wastewater treatment plants were collected from water and wastewater companies and wastewater treatment plants operators, and the data were analyzed statistically using the SPSS software program. All costs, efficiency of treatment processes, and their cost-effectiveness index was calculated for existing systems and they were compared in terms of this ratio. Results: The results showed that, in activated sludge and natural systems, the average total efficiency, which is the result of mean removal of total suspended solids, biochemical oxygen demand and chemical oxygen demand, were respectively 76.37±18.19 and 61.69±19.02. Also the results showed that the difference between the efficiencies of two systems was significant. The cost-effectiveness of activated sludge and natural systems were respectively obtained as 0.23 and 0.58. Conclusions: According to the results, we can say that, despite the lower efficiency, natural systems are better than activated sludge systems and have better cost-effectiveness for wastewater treatment. These results indicates the natural systems is more successful in term of cost-effectiveness, and the most important factor in this success can be attributed to lower required investments and lower maintenance costs, compared to activated sludge systems

Self‐care for coronavirus disease through electronic health technologies: A scoping review

Abstract Background and Aims Considering the rapid spread and transmission of COVID‐19 and its high mortality rate, self‐care practices are of special importance during this pandemic to prevent and control the spread of the virus. In this regard, electronic health systems can play a major role in improving self‐care practices related to coronavirus disease. This study aimed to review the electronic health technologies used in each of the constituent elements of the self‐care (self‐care maintenance, self‐care monitoring, and self‐care management) during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Methods This scoping review was conducted based on Arksey and O'Malley's framework. In this study, the specific keywords related to “electronic health,” “self‐care,” and “COVID‐19” were searched on PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google. Results Of the 47 articles reviewed, most articles (27 articles) were about self‐care monitoring and aimed to monitor the vital signs of patients. The results showed that the use of electronic health tools mainly focuses on training in the control and prevention of coronavirus disease during this pandemic, in the field of self‐care maintenance, and medication management, communication, and consultation with healthcare providers, in the field of self‐care management. Moreover, the most commonly used electronic health technologies were mobile web applications, smart vital signs monitoring devices, and social networks, respectively. Conclusion The study findings suggested that the use of electronic health technologies, such as mobile web applications and social networks, can effectively improve self‐care practices for coronavirus disease. In addition, such technologies can be applied by health policymakers and disease control and prevention centers to better manage the COVID‐19 pandemic

Developing public health surveillance dashboards: a scoping review on the design principles

Abstract Background Public Health Dashboards (PHDs) facilitate the monitoring and prediction of disease outbreaks by continuously monitoring the health status of the community. This study aimed to identify design principles and determinants for developing public health surveillance dashboards. Methodology This scoping review is based on Arksey and O'Malley's framework as included in JBI guidance. Four databases were used to review and present the proposed principles of designing PHDs: IEEE, PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. We considered articles published between January 1, 2010 and November 30, 2022. The final search of articles was done on November 30, 2022. Only articles in the English language were included. Qualitative synthesis and trend analysis were conducted. Results Findings from sixty-seven articles out of 543 retrieved articles, which were eligible for analysis, indicate that most of the dashboards designed from 2020 onwards were at the national level for managing and monitoring COVID-19. Design principles for the public health dashboard were presented in five groups, i.e., considering aim and target users, appropriate content, interface, data analysis and presentation types, and infrastructure. Conclusion Effective and efficient use of dashboards in public health surveillance requires implementing design principles to improve the functionality of these systems in monitoring and decision-making. Considering user requirements, developing a robust infrastructure for improving data accessibility, developing, and applying Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for data processing and reporting purposes, and designing interactive and intuitive interfaces are key for successful design and development

Comparison of the Cost-effectiveness of Activated Sludge Systems with Natural Wastewater Treatment Systems in Kermanshah Province

To determine the economic feasibility of wastewater treatment plants requires methods to determine their cost/effectiveness ratio. The objective of the present descriptive analytical study was to determine and compare the cost/effectiveness ratios of two types of wastewater treatment systems operating in Kermanshah Province. For this purpose, data and information on the wastewater treatment plants under study were collected from both local water and sewage companies and treatment plant operators. The data were then subjected to statistical analysis using the SPSS software program. All the costs assoiated with the erection and operation of the treatment processes were analyzed and plant efficiencies were determined to work out the cost/effectiveness index for each plant as a basis for comparisons. Average values of overall efficiency determined from the mean values of total suspended solids, biochemical oxygen demand, and chemical oxygen demand removals in both activated sludge and natural systems were found to be 76.37±18.19% and 61.69±19.0%2, respectively. Also, the two systems were found to be significantly different with respect to their overall efficiency. Moreover, the cost/effectiveness ratios obtained for the two activated sludge and natural systems were 0.23 and 0.58, respectively. Based on the results obtained, it may be claimed that, despite their lower efficiency, natural treatment systems outperform activated sludge ones due to their higher cost/effectiveness ratio, which makes them superior to the activated sludge process. Natural treatment systems owe their superiority to their lower investment, operation, and maintenance costs

Virtual Reality Games for Rehabilitation of Upper Extremities in Stroke Patients

Introduction Stroke is one of the main causes of physical disability in which doing frequent and early exercise is imperative for rehabilitation. Virtual reality gaming has a high potential in rehabilitation leading to increased performance of patients. This study aimed to develop, validate and examine virtual reality games in chronic stroke patients. Methods This was a single before-after study. To determine the movements and content of games, 9 physiotherapists and 11 game designers were asked to participate in a questionnaire-based survey. Then, to evaluate the impact of games on rehabilitation, patients (N = 10; mean age = 52 ± 4.38) with chronic stroke were asked to play the games three times a week for four weeks. Outcomes included measurement of the ability to perform shoulder, elbow and wrist movements was performed using goniometric instrument, Modified Motor Assessment Scale (MMAS) was used to assess the functional ability of patients and muscle spasticity, and brunnstrom’s stages of recovery test was also used to assess spastic and involuntary muscle movement Results Games have positive effects on the horizontal abduction of shoulder (16.26±23.94, P= 0.02), horizontal adduction of shoulder (59.24±74.76, P= 0.00), supination of wrist (10.68±53.52, P = 0.02), elbow flexion (0.1±1.5, P= 0.00), and wrist flexion (0.06±1.34, P = 0.03). However, they had no effects on the flexion of shoulder, flexion of elbow, extension of elbow, and extension of wrist (p-value> 0.05). Conclusions The results showed that games improve the range of motion of the participants in terms of horizontal abduction and abduction of the shoulder, elbow flexion, and supination and flexion of the wrist. Due to the small sample size in this study, we recommend more studies with larger samples and a control group

Viral Diseases in Potato

Viruses are among the most significant biotic constraints in potato production. In the century since the discovery of the first potato viruses we have learned more and more about these pathogens, and this has accelerated over the last decade with the advent of high-throughput sequencing in the study of plant virology. Most reviews of potato viruses have focused on temperate potato production systems of Europe and North America. However, potato production is rapidly expanding in tropical and subtropical agro-ecologies of the world in Asia and Africa, which present a unique set of problems for the crop and affect the way viruses can be managed. In this chapter we review the latest discoveries in potato virology as well as the changes in virus populations that have occurred over the last 50 years, with a particular focus on countries in the (sub-)tropics. We also review the different management approaches including use of resistance, seed systems, and cultural approaches that have been employed in different countries and reflect on what can be learnt from past research on potato viruses, and what can be expected in the future facing climate change. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2020.Peer reviewe