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Burns : Journal of the International... Sep 2023Burns are global public health devastating and life-threatening injuries. Telehealth can be an appropriate answer for the effective utilization of health care resources,... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Burns are global public health devastating and life-threatening injuries. Telehealth can be an appropriate answer for the effective utilization of health care resources, prevention referrals and reduce socio-economic burden of burns injuries. Thus, this study aimed to systematically evaluate the applications, opportunities, and challenges of using telehealth in burn injuries management.
METHODS
A structured search was conducted according to PRISMA statement guidelines in the Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and Science Direct as well as the Google Scholar for studies published until June 28, 2022. Of the total 2301 yielded studies, 36 articles were included in the final review. Quality appraisal was done according to the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) version 2018. Thematic analysis was applied for data analysis.
RESULTS
Patient triage, transfer, and referral (38.9%) follow-up (22%), care (22%), consultation (9%), education (3%), and rehabilitation (3%) were the most prevalent application of telehealth, respectively. Our findings identified 72 unique concepts, eight initial themes, and two clinical and administrative final themes for opportunities of using telehealth in burn injury management. Furthermore, we identified 27 unique concepts, three initial themes, and two clinical and administrative final themes for remaining challenges.
CONCLUSIONS
Despite providing pivotal opportunities such as improving burn injury diagnosis and quality of care, increasing patient and provider satisfaction, and cost containment using telehealth in burn injuries management, the concept faces challenges such as the impossibility of the physical examination of patients and technological difficulties. Our findings provide valuable information for policymakers and decision-makers infield of burn injuries and effective planning for using telehealth technology.
Topics: Humans; Burns; Telemedicine; Triage; Referral and Consultation
PubMed: 37537108
DOI: 10.1016/j.burns.2023.07.001 -
Journal of Medical Internet Research Aug 2023The health care industry has faced various challenges over the past decade as we move toward a digital future where services and data are available on demand. The... (Review)
Review
The health care industry has faced various challenges over the past decade as we move toward a digital future where services and data are available on demand. The systems of interconnected devices, users, data, and working environments are referred to as the Internet of Health Care Things (IoHT). IoHT devices have emerged in the past decade as cost-effective solutions with large scalability capabilities to address the constraints on limited resources. These devices cater to the need for remote health care services outside of physical interactions. However, IoHT security is often overlooked because the devices are quickly deployed and configured as solutions to meet the demands of a heavily saturated industry. During the COVID-19 pandemic, studies have shown that cybercriminals are exploiting the health care industry, and data breaches are targeting user credentials through authentication vulnerabilities. Poor password use and management and the lack of multifactor authentication security posture within IoHT cause a loss of millions according to the IBM reports. Therefore, it is important that health care authentication security moves toward adaptive multifactor authentication (AMFA) to replace the traditional approaches to authentication. We identified a lack of taxonomy for data models that particularly focus on IoHT data architecture to improve the feasibility of AMFA. This viewpoint focuses on identifying key cybersecurity challenges in a theoretical framework for a data model that summarizes the main components of IoHT data. The data are to be used in modalities that are suited for health care users in modern IoHT environments and in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. To establish the data taxonomy, a review of recent IoHT papers was conducted to discuss the related work in IoHT data management and use in next-generation authentication systems. Reports, journal articles, conferences, and white papers were reviewed for IoHT authentication data technologies in relation to the problem statement of remote authentication and user management systems. Only publications written in English from the last decade were included (2012-2022) to identify key issues within the current health care practices and their management of IoHT devices. We discuss the components of the IoHT architecture from the perspective of data management and sensitivity to ensure privacy for all users. The data model addresses the security requirements of IoHT users, environments, and devices toward the automation of AMFA in health care. We found that in health care authentication, the significant threats occurring were related to data breaches owing to weak security options and poor user configuration of IoHT devices. The security requirements of IoHT data architecture and identified impactful methods of cybersecurity for health care devices, data, and their respective attacks are discussed. Data taxonomy provides better understanding, solutions, and improvements of user authentication in remote working environments for security features.
Topics: Humans; Confidentiality; Telemedicine; Pandemics; COVID-19; Internet; Computer Security
PubMed: 37490633
DOI: 10.2196/44114 -
Telemedicine Journal and E-health : the... Mar 2024Telemedicine systems were rapidly implemented in response to COVID-19. However, little is known about their effectiveness, acceptability, and sustainability for safety...
Telemedicine systems were rapidly implemented in response to COVID-19. However, little is known about their effectiveness, acceptability, and sustainability for safety net populations. This study systematically reviewed primary care telemedicine implementation and effectiveness in safety net settings. We searched PubMed for peer-reviewed articles on telemedicine implementation from 2013 to 2021. The search was done between June and December 2021. Included articles focused on health care organizations that primarily serve low-income and/or rural populations in the United States. We screened 244 articles from an initial search of 343 articles and extracted and analyzed data from = 45 articles. Nine (20%) of 45 articles were randomized controlled trials. = 22 reported findings for at least one marginalized group (i.e., racial/ethnic minority, 65 years+, limited English proficiency). Only = 19 (42%) included African American/Black patients in demographics descriptions, = 14 (31%) LatinX/Hispanic patients, = 4 (9%) Asian patients, = 4 (9%) patients aged 65+ years, and = 4 (9%) patients with limited English proficiency. Results show telemedicine can provide high-quality primary care that is more accessible and affordable. Fifteen studies assessed barriers and facilitators to telemedicine implementation. Common barriers were billing/administrative workflow disruption ( = 9, 20%), broadband access/quality ( = 5, 11%), and patient preference for in-person care ( = 4, 9%). Facilitators included efficiency gains ( = 6, 13%), patient acceptance ( = 3, 7%), and enhanced access ( = 3, 7%). Telemedicine is an acceptable care modality to deliver primary care in safety net settings. Future studies should compare telemedicine and in-person care quality and test strategies to improve telemedicine implementation in safety net settings.
Topics: Humans; Ethnicity; Minority Groups; Poverty; Telemedicine; United States; Safety-net Providers
PubMed: 37707997
DOI: 10.1089/tmj.2023.0260 -
Kidney360 Feb 2024
Topics: Humans; Telemedicine
PubMed: 38421858
DOI: 10.34067/KID.0000000000000370 -
The Oncologist Oct 2023Breast cancer is affecting millions of people worldwide. If not appropriately handled, the side effects of different modalities of cancer treatment can negatively impact...
Breast cancer is affecting millions of people worldwide. If not appropriately handled, the side effects of different modalities of cancer treatment can negatively impact patients' quality of life and cause treatment interruptions. In recent years, mobile health (mHealth) interventions have shown promising opportunities to support breast cancer care. Numerous studies implemented mobile health interventions aiming to support patients with breast cancer, for example, through physical activity promotion or educational content. Nonetheless, current literature reveals that real-world evidence for the actual benefits remains unclear. In this systematic review, we focus on analyzing the methodology used in recent studies to determine the effects of mHealth applications and wearable devices on the outcome of patients with breast cancer. We followed the PRISMA guideline for the selection, analysis, and reporting of relevant studies found in the databases of Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library. A total of 276 unique records were identified, and 20 studies met the inclusion criteria. Study quality was assessed with the Effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP) Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies. While many of the studies used standardized questionnaires as patient-reported outcome measures, there was minimal use of objective measurements, such as activity sensors. Adoption, drop-out rates, and usage behavior of users of the mobile health intervention were often not reported. Future work should clearly define the focus and desired outcome of mHealth interventions and select outcome measures accordingly. Greater transparency facilitates the interpretation of results and conclusions about the real-world evidence of mobile health in breast cancer care.
Topics: Humans; Female; Breast Neoplasms; Quality of Life; Delivery of Health Care; Telemedicine; Mobile Applications
PubMed: 37536278
DOI: 10.1093/oncolo/oyad217 -
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Aug 2023Shared decision making is crucial in the pain domain. The subjective nature of pain demands solutions that can facilitate pain assessment and management. The aim of the... (Review)
Review
Shared decision making is crucial in the pain domain. The subjective nature of pain demands solutions that can facilitate pain assessment and management. The aim of the current study is to review the current trends in both the commercial and the research domains in order to reveal the key issues and guidelines that could further help in the effective development of pain-focused apps. We searched for scientific publications and commercial apps in 22 databases and the two major app stores. Out of 3612 articles and 336 apps, 69 met the requirements for inclusion following the PRISMA guidelines. An analysis of their features (technological approach, design methodology, evaluation strategy, and others) identified critical points that have to be taken into consideration in future efforts. For example, commercial and research efforts target different types of pain, while no participatory design is followed in the majority of the cases examined. Moreover, the evaluation of the final apps remains a challenge that hinders their success. The examined domain is expected to experience a substantial increase. More research is needed towards the development of non-intrusive wearables and sensors for pain detection and assessment, along with artificial intelligence techniques and open data.
Topics: Humans; Mobile Applications; Pain Management; Artificial Intelligence; Telemedicine; Pain
PubMed: 37571747
DOI: 10.3390/s23156965 -
Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences Mar 2024Health care providers need a better understanding of virtual care to recognise and use it for service delivery. (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Health care providers need a better understanding of virtual care to recognise and use it for service delivery.
AIM
To provide a more comprehensive definition of the concept of virtual care.
METHOD
This study was conducted based on Walker and Avant's concept analysis method. A comprehensive review of the published texts in English from 2012 to 2022 was performed using the PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, ProQuest, Science Direct, Ovid, CINAHL and Google Scholar databases.
RESULTS
The main aspects and attributes of virtual care, including the use of any information and communication technology in various formats such as platforms, telephone calls, messages, email consultation, remote monitoring, secure and two-way digital communication between health care providers and patients, the possibility of providing remote care synchronously or asynchronously, more interaction between patients and caregivers, the possibility of transferring information between patients and health care providers and within the teams themselves, symptom management, sending diagnostic results in the form of video visits, and providing follow-up care, are attributes that distinguish virtual care from telehealth, telemedicine and other methods of providing remote healthcare services.
CONCLUSION
Considering the positive and negative consequences of implementing virtual care, the findings of this study developed a basis for an operational definition of the concept so that providers can understand the meaning of virtual care and consider it when providing virtual care to patients. The findings of this study can be used in many international and national contexts in the health care system and in future studies on interventions to increase the use of virtual care.
Topics: Humans; Delivery of Health Care; Telemedicine; Health Personnel; Caregivers; Communication
PubMed: 38009448
DOI: 10.1111/scs.13227 -
Telemedicine Journal and E-health : the... Feb 2024Telemedicine may increase access to clinical care, particularly for mobility-limited communities such as the spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) community. However, much of...
Telemedicine may increase access to clinical care, particularly for mobility-limited communities such as the spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) community. However, much of the information on exposure to and attitudes toward telemedicine in neuromuscular diseases generally and SMA specifically is anecdotal or from focus groups. Gaining greater insight into patient perspectives is important, given telemedicine's potential for expanding access to care and growing use of telemedicine as a result of technology advances and the COVID-19 pandemic. Cure SMA collected information on the SMA community's exposure to, comfort with, and perceived effectiveness of telemedicine through its 2021 Community Update Survey. The final analytic sample represented 463 SMA-affected individuals, resident in the United States. Descriptive analyses, correlations, and ordered logit regression models were used to characterize the sample and identify predictors of exposure, comfort, and perceived effectiveness. Data were analyzed on weighted and unweighted bases to account for differences between the survey sample and the SMA community. Stratified analyses were used to compare self-completed surveys with caregiver-completed surveys. 463 individuals answered questions about telemedicine. Approximately four-fifths of these respondents had used telemedicine previously. Factors predicting greater likelihood of prior telemedicine use included male gender, increasing income, having received drug treatment for SMA, history of mental illness, and having non-neutral views regarding comfort and perceived effectiveness of telemedicine. Several factors were also significant predictors of comfort with and perceived effectiveness of telemedicine. Stratified analyses indicated differences between self-completed and caregiver-completed surveys. These results can provide insight into patient experiences with telemedicine and can inform approaches to its use by health care professionals and clinical trial sponsors.
Topics: Humans; Male; United States; Pandemics; Muscular Atrophy, Spinal; COVID-19; Caregivers; Telemedicine
PubMed: 37566530
DOI: 10.1089/tmj.2023.0293 -
Der Nervenarzt Mar 2024The rapid advancement of digital medicine and health technologies in neurology offers both significant potential and challenges. This article outlines fundamental... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
The rapid advancement of digital medicine and health technologies in neurology offers both significant potential and challenges. This article outlines fundamental aspects of digital medicine related to neurological research and highlights application examples of digital technologies in neurological research.
AIM
To provide a comprehensive overview of current digital developments in neurology and their impact on neurological research.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
In this narrative review articles from various sources and references related to digital medicine and health technologies in neurology were compiled and analyzed.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The data presented indicate that digital health technologies and digital therapeutics have the potential to decisively shape neurological care and research; however, it is emphasized that a critical evaluation and evidence-based approach to these technologies are essential to determine their actual value in neurology.
Topics: Humans; Telemedicine
PubMed: 38095660
DOI: 10.1007/s00115-023-01581-6 -
Occupational Therapy in Health Care Oct 2023Using an integrative review methodology, this paper describes the current literature on the use of telehealth technology to conduct occupational therapy home... (Review)
Review
Using an integrative review methodology, this paper describes the current literature on the use of telehealth technology to conduct occupational therapy home assessments. Searches of ProQuest Health and Medicine, PubMed and CINAHL accessed articles from January 2001 to 18 April 2021. Based on the screening and eligibility criteria, 10 articles published in English were included in the review. Three primary types of studies were identified: the feasibility of using telehealth technology to conduct home assessments; the efficiency of using telehealth technology to perform home assessments; and patient and therapist satisfaction using telehealth technology. This review ascertained that occupational therapy home assessments can be performed using telehealth technology, they are an efficient alternative to in-person assessments, and home assessments conducted via telehealth can be effective in achieving patient outcomes. Satisfaction with the use of telehealth, as an alternative service delivery model, has been identified by both patients and occupational therapists. The use of telehealth technology can increase the capacity of the occupational therapy profession to carry out home assessments although in-person home assessment is more accurate in detecting hazards in the home.
Topics: Humans; Occupational Therapy; Telemedicine; Personal Satisfaction; Occupational Therapists
PubMed: 35357275
DOI: 10.1080/07380577.2022.2056779