The Internet as a Resource for Consumer Healthcare

With emerging access to the Internet and valuable healthcare resources online, healthcare consumers have quickly adopted the World Wide Web as a resource for healthcare information. Because growing numbers of consumers are accessing healthcare information online, it is important to explore how they are using this information in healthcare decision-making, and the eventual outcomes for their health.All English-language articles indexed in Medline related to the use of Internet technology in healthcare education, and published in peer-reviewed journals between 1998 and 2000, were screened for review. 37 studies met the eligibility criteria. Although demographics remain uneven, with a distinct Internet access gap existing between the economically advantaged and disadvantaged, results of studies described in this paper support the effectiveness of Internet-delivered healthcare information in changing clinical outcomes. Electronic mail and telehealth applications hold promise as a new mode of communication and information transfer for patients and providers, while at the same time raising issues related to inaccurate and misleading information.The findings of this review support Internet-delivered technologies as an effective strategy for the transfer of data and knowledge as well as support for the patient-provider interaction. From the patient’s perspective, the Internet provides information, a new mode of connection to the healthcare environment, and access to virtual support groups. Additional research is needed to assess the impact and best approaches for use of the Internet as a link to the clinical environment for communication and sharing of patient-centered clinical information.     

基于物联网及远程医疗的新型应急救援系统

物联网技术应用于区域应急救援,可实现物资人员的识别与实时定位、伤员生理信息采集与传输、基于移动手持设备的实时信息传输与交互以及应急救援资源整合、信息集成与指挥决策,从而辅助救援行动、提高救援效率。物联网技术应用于社区应急医学救援体系构建,平时利用健康小屋监测社区居民的生活环境、健康状况,建立健康档案,进行应急教育和宣传;发生突发事件时利用基于个体/家庭的紧急时间报警系统,以及社区的医疗服务人员实行紧急处置和就地救助,提高反应速度、争取救援时间。     

大脑保健工具新理念:青少年之计算机与网络教育

近年来,电子游戏、家庭电脑、网络已经成了我们生活中的重要部分。计算机的普遍使用,开拓了大脑保健与潜能研究的新方向。科学家的研究表明:使用计算机有利于儿童大脑功能的开发和各种潜能的提升。小孩从出生到8岁之间的学习速度是惊人的,他们用所有的感官和整个身体去吸收和经     

The Healthcare Account Executive-A Sales Approach to Healthcare Marketing

No abstract available for this article.     

Patients' Reasons for Refraining from Discussing Internet Health Information with Their Healthcare Providers

This exploratory study examined factors that constrain patients from discussing Internet health information with their healthcare providers. Participants (N?=?714) were asked to list reasons why they have not talked with their providers about Internet health information they had found. Factors (N?=?767) included patient attributions about the information, systems or circumstances, fear of treading on the provider's turf, face-saving concerns, and patient perceptions of provider attributions about the information. Comparisons between those who had and those who had not talked to their healthcare providers about their Internet research revealed significant differences in types of constraining factors indicated. Issues concerning an increasingly Internet-savvy public and provider–patient relationships are considered in the discussion within the framework of the goals, planning, action theory. Continued efforts in provider and patient education can help to overcome barriers that restrict communication concerning Internet health research.     

The Integrated National Healthcare System in Uruguay and the challenges for Primary Healthcare

The article examines the results of the overview of PHC (Primary Healthcare) in Uruguay in 2009, within the context of the multicentric study of PHC with a view to identifying possibilities of redefining PHC as a strategy to achieve universal healthcare systems, taking into account the healthcare system's segmentation and fragmentation. The methodology included document analysis, key informant interviews and triangulation of information sources. The results presented are based on the analytical model structured in five dimensions: delivery, financing, resources, and integrated and intersectoral PHC. At the macro level, one can observe the recent implementation of a sector reform through the creation of the Integrated National Health System (SNIS) that favors the development of the PHC from an integrative standpoint. Actions have been defined to overcome the segmentation of the system and the fragmentation of care. However, at an operational level, the segmentation that existed before the SNIS as well as the low levels of healthcare coordination have yet to be modified. This is related to management ability and organizational factors. The lack of adequate human resources for the implementation of the PHC strategy is identified as a relevant factor.     

苏州市“互联网+”妇幼健康新模式的探索与实践

目的:介绍“互联网+”在苏州市妇幼健康管理中的应用,探讨妇幼卫生信息化建设的新模式以及在妇幼健康管理中的成效?方法:应用智能手机?计算机和互联网技术,完善基于区域卫生信息平台的妇幼卫生信息管理系统,开展妇幼保健业务绩效考核?结果:为妇女儿童提供便捷?人性化服务,对其健康状况进行实时监测和管理?结论:“互联网+”妇幼健康新模式,实现了全程?全人和全面的妇幼健康管理?     

The Educational Needs of Healthcare Managers and Executives in the Key Strategic Areas of Healthcare

Management approaches used by many healthcare organizations lag behind those of similar competitive industries. The authors of this article report findings from an exploratory study of executives' perceptions of training needs in managerial strategy. The authors asked executives to rate the level of knowledge required for each of five key areas in strategic management and then to assess actual levels of knowledge in the field. They found that (a) strategic management is vital in this competitive industry, (b) there is a disconnect between what healthcare managers should know and what they actually know about the tasks of strategic management, and (c) more resources need to be devoted to strategic management training and the development of managers at all levels of healthcare organizations.     

Internet policy and procedures for health care organizations: the approach of Partners Healthcare System, Inc

The internet, and in particular the World Wide Web, are becoming significant elements of health care organization's strategic information technology plans. The Internet, although having great potential, also poses risks to the organization, and its use must be managed. The article discusses the Internet policies and procedures developed by Partners Healthcare System, with emphasis on the philosophies behind and the major components of the policies and procedures.     

The Medicalization of Body Size and Women's Healthcare

Cervical cancer screening services in South Africa have failed to reach the majority of the population and to significantly reduce mortality. A household survey in a predominantly Black African population living in a low-income township on the outskirts of Cape Town was undertaken to ascertain the characteristics of women reporting never having been screened. In our group of 664 representatively sampled women, 45% of women reported having had a cervical screening test. However, in what at first glance appears to be a fairly homogeneous population, there were significant differences in the types of women who access and who do not access cervical smear services. The underserved tend to be the older, poorer, less educated, and unemployed (or working in the informal sector) women. They tend to live in nonpermanent dwellings without a partner, they do not know anyone else who has had a cervical smear, and they have not recently sought care for other ailments, or used contraception. Cervical cancer is a slow-to-develop, eminently preventable disease, and yet opportunistic screening through antenatal and family planning services has failed to reach the women most at risk. Efforts in the future must include targeting older women in health centres where they present for other curative services (diabetes, hypertension). Most importantly, areas of the community with the greatest concentration of marginalized women need to be targeted through peer education and other innovative programs. As the underserved tend to be the poorer and less educated women in the community, we must ensure that messages are culturally relevant and appropriate and have a holistic focus on women's physical, mental, and emotional health.     

The Status of TQM in Healthcare

Abstract

The face of the healthcare industry has changed dramatically over the last few years. This study examines the literature related to Total Quality Management (TQM) and Benchmarking (BM) applications in healthcare. Recommendations for healthcare managers and administrators, as they chart operational and strategic directions for their organization, are provided. In this context, a conceptual framework which stresses the significance of viewing the healthcare organization as an open system is provided. The framework underscores the fact that TQM and BM efforts should not be viewed in isolation. Rather, these efforts should be viewed as an integral part of the operational and strategic facets of the healthcare organization.     

对2013年医改的期盼

国家实施医改已三个年头,成绩有目共睹:对医疗服务及医疗保障投入持续加大,城乡居民基本医疗保险覆盖面大幅度提高,基层医疗机构人员、设施和设备得到明显改善,公立医院改革试点稳步推进.     

The New England Healthcare EDI Network

The New England Healthcare EDI Network (NEHEN) is a collaborative of providers and payers in eastern Massachusetts that created, manages, and operates a shared insurance EDI infrastructure. NEHEN currently has 12 provider and three payer members, and supports over 1,000,000 insurance EDI transactions per month. This paper describes the philosophies that define the NEHEN business model and discusses its governance structure, technology, operational issues associated with its implementation, and its current status, along with lessons learned from the NEHEN undertaking.