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Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.... Jun 2023Ethnic, racial, and sex disparities continue to persist in medicine despite efforts to diversify the profession. In competitive surgical specialties such as plastic...
UNLABELLED
Ethnic, racial, and sex disparities continue to persist in medicine despite efforts to diversify the profession. In competitive surgical specialties such as plastic surgery, those disparities are particularly pronounced. This study aims to evaluate racial, ethnic, and sex diversity in academic plastic surgery.
METHODS
We compiled a list of major plastic surgery professional societies, plastic surgery journal editorial boards, and plastic surgery accreditation boards to evaluate ethnic and sex diversity in society, research, and accreditation domains, respectively. Demographic data were collected and analyzed using the Mann-Whitney test and the Kruskal-Wallis test.
RESULTS
White individuals are significantly overrepresented across the professional and research domains, and Asian individuals are overrepresented in the professional domain when compared to non-white races. White individuals make up a total of 74% of the society domain, 67% of the research domain, and 86% of the accreditation domain when compared to all non-white surgeons. Male surgeons made up 79% of the society domain, 83% of the research domain, and 77% of the accreditation domain when compared to all non-male surgeons.
CONCLUSIONS
Ethnic, racial, and sex disparities persist in academic plastic surgery. This study, which looked at societies, editorial boards, and accreditation boards, demonstrated a persistent ethnic, racial, and sex homogeneity among leadership. Changes are required to continue to diversify the field and provide women and underrepresented minorities the tools needed to succeed.
PubMed: 37396840
DOI: 10.1097/GOX.0000000000004991 -
Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare 2023While interprofessional (IP) competency and Interprofessional Education (IPE) has received increasing attention in health, agreement on specific competencies and...
BACKGROUND
While interprofessional (IP) competency and Interprofessional Education (IPE) has received increasing attention in health, agreement on specific competencies and teaching approaches is frequently limited by profession-specific understandings. As part of a quality improvement initiative focused on improving delivery of IPE offerings, this enquiry maps current regulatory and curricula requirements for IP practice to health professional students from 12 professions trained across Aotearoa New Zealand's national vocational education provider.
METHODS
Requirements for IP competency in national accreditation documents and in an operative teaching curricula were mapped for 12 professions, namely, clinical exercise physiology, counselling, massage, medical radiology, midwifery, nursing, occupational therapy, osteopathy, paramedicine, physiotherapy, social work, and sport and exercise science. A desk audit was conducted to identify the presence of core IP competencies for each profession. This involved a four-step process 1) Examination of regulatory standards for each profession to confirm IP requirements for each profession; 2) Examination of an operative curricula from each profession to identify the presence and translation of IP regulatory requirements to each of the profession-specific programs of study; 3) Mapping to identify within domains the core (common) IP competencies across the professions, and 4) Consideration of the similarities and differences between accreditation documents and curricula.
RESULTS
Of 12 professions, 10 clearly identified IP competency as an expectation. Clinical Exercise Physiology and Counselling were exceptions with explicit requirement for IP competency not evident. Coordination and collaboration were the most identified competency domains in accreditation documents and curricula. In descending order of prevalence, communication, shared values, reflexivity, role-understanding, and teamwork were also identified requirements amongst the 10 professions with IP competency requirements.
CONCLUSION
The IP competencies identified as common across professions can be used to inform development of teaching and assessment. Greater alignment between teaching curricula and required competency standards in this area is recommended.
PubMed: 38050484
DOI: 10.2147/JMDH.S438791 -
Forensic Science International. Synergy 2024This paper reviews evidence placed before a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) established by the State of Queensland, Australia, to consider the quality and reliability of DNA...
This paper reviews evidence placed before a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) established by the State of Queensland, Australia, to consider the quality and reliability of DNA evidence. It also assesses whether the criticism levied in that report, of ISO/IEC 17025 being insufficient to assure the quality and reliability of DNA evidence, is warranted. The main conclusion drawn is that properly applied and embraced as a means of continuous improvement, conformance with ISO/IEC 17025:2017 alone is sufficient to assure the quality and reliability of the scientific outputs from a forensic science laboratory. Furthermore, it is clear from the observations and findings of the CoI and those recorded in this paper that the forensic science laboratory in question did not conform to ISO/IEC 17025:2017. Had it done so then the risk of the quality failures that led to the CoI would at least have been reduced and perhaps even avoided.
PubMed: 38304717
DOI: 10.1016/j.fsisyn.2023.100449 -
Foods (Basel, Switzerland) Nov 2023The demand for ethical foods is rising, with halal foods playing a significant role in this trend. However, halal standards vary globally, which can have substantial... (Review)
Review
The demand for ethical foods is rising, with halal foods playing a significant role in this trend. However, halal standards vary globally, which can have substantial implications. Multiple Halal Certification Bodies (HCBs) can approve food products but they often prioritize national regulations over international alignment. To explore the similarities and differences in halal standards, we conducted a critical analysis of various standards, including Pakistan's halal standards, the Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries, Majlis Ugama Islam Singapore, Majelis Ulama Indonesia, GCC Standardization Organization, Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia, ASEAN General Guideline, and the halal standards of Thailand, Iran, and Brunei, through a literature survey. While some commonalities exist, differences stemming from various Islamic schools of thought pose challenges for regulators, consumers, and food producers. Controversial issues include stunning, slaughtering, aquatic animals, insects, and labeling requirements. For example, all standards except the GSO allow non-Muslim slaughterers, and stunning is permitted in all standards except those of Pakistan. These disparities underscore the need for standardization and harmonization in the halal food industry to meet the growing demand for ethical foods.
PubMed: 38231601
DOI: 10.3390/foods12234200 -
Journal of Education and Health... 2023Risk management processes accreditation in emergencies and disasters can determine the effectiveness and efficiency of these processes. Universities, as the highest...
BACKGROUND
Risk management processes accreditation in emergencies and disasters can determine the effectiveness and efficiency of these processes. Universities, as the highest level of education, should provide a safe environment for educational services and activities of these people.
AIMS
The present study aimed to review and compare different accreditation models for emergencies and disaster risk management in selected countries. Reaching other accreditation models together and identifying their similarities and differences, along with considering the implementation of each model, can significantly help the countries which aim to design and develop a risk management accreditation model or upgrade their models.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
In this qualitative comparative study, the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Japan, and South Africa were selected based on research criteria. A literature review compared university emergency and disaster risk management accreditation models. The obtained data were collected in a researcher-made matrix, and a content analysis method was used for data analysis. Differences and similarities of selected countries in the fields of accreditation program(s), accreditation institute, start year, obligation, accredited organizations, number of criteria, criteria titles, accreditation focus, accreditation stages, number of stages, scoring method, and ranking method were compared.
RESULT
Designing a local model for the accreditation of disaster risk management in universities based on the crisis management system in each country can lead to improving the level of responsiveness and quality of services in emergency situations and health promotion.
PubMed: 37727429
DOI: 10.4103/jehp.jehp_590_22 -
The Lancet Regional Health. Southeast... Nov 2023The South-East Asia Region (SEAR) adopted the goal of "measles and rubella elimination by 2023". The goal was revised in 2019 to 'measles and rubella elimination by... (Review)
Review
The South-East Asia Region (SEAR) adopted the goal of "measles and rubella elimination by 2023". The goal was revised in 2019 to 'measles and rubella elimination by 2023' The strategies adopted to reach the goal included achieving ≥95% coverage with 2 doses of measles- and rubella-containing vaccine (MCV2; RCV2); establishing effective case-based surveillance supported by an accredited laboratory network; and implementing rapid response measures to control measles outbreaks. Of the 11 countries in the Region, to date five countries have eliminated measles and rubella and two more have controlled rubella. An estimated 242 million cases and 4.7 million deaths due to measles were averted between 2014 and 2022. The high-level political commitment, programmatic infrastructure and partnerships developed for the elimination of polio and maternal and neonatal tetanus played a critical role in this achievement. WHO, supported by key partners, provided technical support and strategic guidance for programmatic improvements, generated evidence to guide policy and strategic shifts, strengthened capacity of health workforce and conducted periodic programmatic reviews. However, unexpected occurrence of COVID-19 pandemic impacted vaccine coverage and quality of surveillance, thereby delaying achievement of the goal, and necessitating a revision of the target date of elimination.
PubMed: 38028171
DOI: 10.1016/j.lansea.2023.100303 -
PloS One 2023This is the first systematic review aims to build the evidence for the impact of accreditation on quality improvement of healthcare services, as well as identify and...
OBJECTIVE
This is the first systematic review aims to build the evidence for the impact of accreditation on quality improvement of healthcare services, as well as identify and develop an understanding of the contextual factors influencing accreditation implementation in the hospital setting through the lens of Normalisation Process Theory (NPT).
DATA SOURCES
Data were gathered from five databases; MEDLINE, PUBMED, EMBASE, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library. And supplemental sources.
STUDY DESIGN
This systematic review is reported following PRISMA guidelines with a quality assessment. Data were analysed using a thematic analysis guided by the NPT theoretical framework.
DATA COLLECTION/EXTRACTION METHODS
Data were extracted and summarized using prespecified inclusion/exclusion criteria and a data extraction sheet encompassing all necessary information about the studies included in the review.
PRINCIPAL FINDINGS
There are inconsistent findings about the impact of accreditation on improving healthcare quality and outcomes, and there is scant evidence about its effectiveness. The findings also provide valuable insights into the key factors that may influence hospital accreditation implementation and develop a better understanding of their potential implications. Using the NPT shows a growing emphasis on the enactment work of the accreditation process and how this may drive improving the quality of healthcare services. However, little focus is given to accreditation's effects on health professionals' roles and responsibilities, strategies and ways for engaging health professionals for effective implementation, and ensuring that the goals and potential benefits of accreditation are made clear and transparent through ongoing evaluation and feedback to all health professionals involved in the accreditation process.
CONCLUSIONS
While there are contradictory findings about the impact of accreditation on improving the quality of healthcare services, accreditation continues to gain acceptance internationally as a quality assurance tool to support best practices in evaluating the quality outcomes of healthcare delivered. Policymakers, healthcare organisations, and researchers should proactively consider a set of key factors for the future implementation of accreditation programmes if they are to be effectively implemented and sustained within the hospital setting. Systematic review registration: International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews PROSPERO 2020 CRD42020172390 Available from: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=172390.
Topics: Quality Improvement; Delivery of Health Care; Quality of Health Care; Hospitals; Accreditation
PubMed: 38051746
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0294180 -
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) Apr 2024Hospital accreditation has become ubiquitous in developing countries. While research acknowledges that accreditation can enhance healthcare quality, efficiency, and...
Hospital accreditation has become ubiquitous in developing countries. While research acknowledges that accreditation can enhance healthcare quality, efficiency, and safety, concerns persist regarding hospitals' management of conflicts stemming from the diverse institutional logic inherent in this process. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate how professional and market logic, alongside conflicts arising from institutional demands, affect compliance with hospital accreditation. To this end, we conducted a multiple-case study in four Brazilian hospitals employing in-depth interviews and on-site observations. The triangulation of narrative analysis and the outcomes of multiple correspondence analysis revealed that when professional logic predominates, there is a greater propensity to tailor accredited activities by segmenting the tasks between physicians and nurses with the intention of mitigating existing conflicts. Conversely, when conflicts occur over established goals between professionals and orientated marked logic executives, the accreditation process is impeded, resulting in non-compliance. Ultimately, the findings underscore the alignment between the pursuit of legitimacy and efficiency within the accreditation process. We conclude by delineating the theoretical and practical implications of scrutinizing the internal dynamics of institutional logic.
PubMed: 38727471
DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12090914