-
PloS One 2021In this paper, we use a Delphi approach to investigate whether, and to what extent, blockchain-based applications might affect firms' organizations, innovations, and...
In this paper, we use a Delphi approach to investigate whether, and to what extent, blockchain-based applications might affect firms' organizations, innovations, and strategies by 2030, and, consequently, which societal areas may be mainly affected. We provide a deep understanding of how the adoption of this technology could lead to changes in Europe over multiple dimensions, ranging from business to culture and society, policy and regulation, economy, and technology. From the projections that reached a significant consensus and were given a high probability of occurrence by the experts, we derive four scenarios built around two main dimensions: the digitization of assets and the change in business models.
Topics: Blockchain; Delphi Technique; Geography; Humans; Surveys and Questionnaires; Technology
PubMed: 34788307
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258995 -
BMC Public Health Mar 2022Occupational safety and health (OSH) surveillance systems track work-related fatalities, injuries and illnesses as well as the presence of workplace hazards and... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Occupational safety and health (OSH) surveillance systems track work-related fatalities, injuries and illnesses as well as the presence of workplace hazards and exposures to inform prevention efforts. Periodic evaluation is critical to the improvement of these systems to meet the demand for more timely, complete, accurate and efficient data processing and analysis. Despite the existence of general guidance for public health surveillance evaluation, no tailored guidance exists for evaluating OSH surveillance systems to date. This study utilized the Delphi technique to collect consensus among experts in the United States on surveillance elements (components, attributes and measures) to inform the development of a tailored evaluation framework.
METHODS
A Delphi study approach with three survey rounds invited an expert panel to rate and comment on potential OSH surveillance evaluation framework elements, resulting in an optimal list of elements through the panel's consensus. Additionally, experts completed a review of OSH surveillance systems they worked with and answered questions regarding the development of an evaluation framework. Descriptive statistics of the ratings were compiled for the Delphi process. Major themes from experts' comments were further identified using content analysis to inform contextual information underlying their choices.
RESULTS
Fifty-four potential experts across the United States were contacted to participate in the Delphi study. Ten experts began the first survey round with eight then seven experts continuing in the subsequent rounds, respectively. A total of 64 surveillance components, 31 attributes, and 116 example measures were selected into the final list through panel consensus, with 134 (63.5%) reaching high consensus. Major themes regarding current OSH surveillance focused on resources and feasibility, data collection, flexibility, and the inter-relatedness among elements.
CONCLUSIONS
A Delphi process identified tailored OSH surveillance elements and major themes regarding OSH surveillance. The identified elements can serve as a preliminary guide for evaluating OSH surveillance systems. A more detailed evaluation framework is under development to incorporate these elements into a standard yet flexible approach to OSH surveillance evaluation.
Topics: Consensus; Delphi Technique; Humans; Occupational Health; Public Health Surveillance; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 35287647
DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-12895-6 -
American Journal of Obstetrics and... May 2022
Topics: Delphi Technique; Humans; Outcome Assessment, Health Care
PubMed: 35500999
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2022.03.001 -
Journal of Advanced Nursing Oct 2023To develop clinical practice recommendations for nurse-administered intramuscular injections in mental health. (Review)
Review
AIM
To develop clinical practice recommendations for nurse-administered intramuscular injections in mental health.
BACKGROUND
Intramuscular injection is the main route of long-acting injectable antipsychotics' administration that appear to improve the long-term prognosis of mental illness. Specific guidelines related to the nurse administration of intramuscular injections need to be updated and to explore not only the technical aspects of this procedure.
DESIGN
A modified RAND/University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) appropriateness method Delphi study was conducted between October 2019 and September 2020.
METHODS
A multidisciplinary steering committee conducted a literature review and developed a list of 96 recommendations. These recommendations were submitted in a two-round Delphi electronic survey to a panel of 49 experienced practicing nurses from five mental health hospitals in France. Each recommendation was rated for its appropriateness and applicability in clinical practice on a 9-point Likert scale. Consensus among nurses was evaluated. The steering committee discussed the results after each round and approved the final set of recommendations.
RESULTS
A final set of 79 specific recommendations were accepted for their appropriateness and applicability in clinical practice. Recommendations were classified in five domains: legal and quality assurance aspects, nurse-patient relationship, hygiene, pharmacology, and injection technique.
CONCLUSION
The established recommendations placed patients at the heart of the decisions concerning the intramuscular injection and underlined the need for specific training programs. Future research should focus on the integration of these recommendations in clinical practice, by both before-and-after studies and regular assessments of professional practices with relevant indicators.
IMPACT
The recommendations developed for good nursing practices explored not only the technical aspects but integrated the nurse-patient relationship. These recommendations may impact usual practices of administration of long-acting injectable antipsychotics and most of them could be applied in many countries.
NO PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION
Due to the study design.
Topics: Humans; Mental Health; Injections, Intramuscular; Delphi Technique; Antipsychotic Agents; Mental Disorders
PubMed: 37209291
DOI: 10.1111/jan.15709 -
BMC Medical Informatics and Decision... Nov 2021A subgroup of patients with asthma has been reported to have an increased risk for asthma-associated infectious and inflammatory multimorbidities (AIMs). To...
Establishing an expert consensus for the operational definitions of asthma-associated infectious and inflammatory multimorbidities for computational algorithms through a modified Delphi technique.
BACKGROUND
A subgroup of patients with asthma has been reported to have an increased risk for asthma-associated infectious and inflammatory multimorbidities (AIMs). To systematically investigate the association of asthma with AIMs using a large patient cohort, it is desired to leverage a broad range of electronic health record (EHR) data sources to automatically identify AIMs accurately and efficiently.
METHODS
We established an expert consensus for an operational definition for each AIM from EHR through a modified Delphi technique. A series of questions about the operational definition of 19 AIMS (11 infectious diseases and 8 inflammatory diseases) was generated by a core team of experts who considered feasibility, balance between sensitivity and specificity, and generalizability. Eight internal and 5 external expert panelists were invited to individually complete a series of online questionnaires and provide judgement and feedback throughout three sequential internal rounds and two external rounds. Panelists' responses were collected, descriptive statistics tabulated, and results reported back to the entire group. Following each round the core team of experts made iterative edits to the operational definitions until a moderate (≥ 60%) or strong (≥ 80%) level of consensus among the panel was achieved.
RESULTS
Response rates for each Delphi round were 100% in all 5 rounds with the achievement of the following consensus levels: (1) Internal panel consensus: 100% for 8 definitions, 88% for 10 definitions, and 75% for 1 definition, (2) External panel consensus: 100% for 12 definitions and 80% for 7 definitions.
CONCLUSIONS
The final operational definitions of AIMs established through a modified Delphi technique can serve as a foundation for developing computational algorithms to automatically identify AIMs from EHRs to enable large scale research studies on patient's multimorbidities associated with asthma.
Topics: Algorithms; Asthma; Communicable Diseases; Consensus; Delphi Technique; Humans
PubMed: 34749701
DOI: 10.1186/s12911-021-01663-y -
Journal of Surgical Education 2020Mediastinal mass resection and thymectomy are complex and related operations that are core components of competency for a general thoracic surgeon and an important...
OBJECTIVES
Mediastinal mass resection and thymectomy are complex and related operations that are core components of competency for a general thoracic surgeon and an important learning objective for thoracic surgery trainees. This study aimed to design a combined competency assessment instrument for mediastinal mass resection and thymectomy.
DESIGN
A comprehensive competency assessment instrument was designed by a process of logical analysis by 3 expert thoracic surgeons with an interest in mediastinal surgery. The instrument was then assessed and refined using a modified Delphi process.
SETTING
The Delphi questionnaire was distributed to all members of the Canadian Association of Thoracic Surgeons in 2018 to 2019.
PARTICIPANTS
The first round of the Delphi review was completed by 58 respondents (response rate 43.9%). Respondents represented all Canadian provinces with a wide range of clinical experience and a high rate of involvement in resident education.
RESULTS
A first draft of the competency assessment instrument included 42 steps in 6 categories. A total of 3 rounds of Delphi review were performed. Cronbach's alpha for the final round was 0.83. Ultimately, 29 items were retained from the original instrument and two modified and three new items were added. The final instrument has 34 steps in 5 categories.
CONCLUSIONS
A nationwide consensus was established on the key components of assessing competence to perform mediastinal mass resection and thymectomy. The resulting instrument could be used to guide competency based assessments of thoracic surgeons and trainees.
Topics: Canada; Clinical Competence; Delphi Technique; Humans; Surgeons; Thymectomy
PubMed: 32571689
DOI: 10.1016/j.jsurg.2020.06.004 -
Bulletin of the World Health... Jul 2022
Topics: Delphi Technique; Global Health; Humans; Public Health
PubMed: 35813517
DOI: 10.2471/BLT.22.010722 -
European Journal of Hospital Pharmacy :... Mar 2023To develop and validate a standardized Best Possible Medication History (BPMH) form that could be used by clinical pharmacists.
OBJECTIVE
To develop and validate a standardized Best Possible Medication History (BPMH) form that could be used by clinical pharmacists.
METHODS
The draft version was presented to a focus group and was adapted following their comments. A three-rounds e-Delphi method was used to validate content, usability and face validity of the BPMH form. We supplemented the quantitative analysis with a qualitative analysis of comments for each Delphi round.
RESULTS
The draft BPMH form contained 23 items grouped into eight tabs. Refinement of these tabs and items by the focus group resulted in 7 tabs and 21 items, which were included in the Delphi survey. The consensus was obtained for all tabs within the second round (p=0.072). Consensus was reached on 76% (16/21) of items in the third round. 20 items were included following the qualitative analysis of the experts' comments in the third round.
CONCLUSIONS
The findings of this study provide data on the content of the BPMH form. This form can be used to help clinical pharmacists to collect a complete and accurate medication list on admission. It could have an impact on inpatient safety and improve inpatient management. Studies with an international e-Delphi should be conducted for wider use.
Topics: Humans; Delphi Technique; Pharmacists; Consensus; Reproducibility of Results
PubMed: 35414586
DOI: 10.1136/ejhpharm-2021-003095 -
Journal of Advanced Nursing Sep 2022To use the Delphi technique to identify and prioritize recommendations for research and practice to improve the mental wellbeing of nurses and midwives in the United... (Review)
Review
AIM
To use the Delphi technique to identify and prioritize recommendations for research and practice to improve the mental wellbeing of nurses and midwives in the United Kingdom (UK).
BACKGROUND
Although there is evidence that self-reported mental wellbeing among nurses and midwives in the UK is poor, interventions have not adequately considered the wider context in which they work. The wide range of individual, organizational, occupational and wider sector-level factors that can influence wellbeing requires the involvement of different stakeholders to identify the most pressing actions required.
DESIGN
A three-round Delphi technique was conducted in 2019.
METHODS
In the first round, 16 subject matter experts generated, reviewed and discussed recommendations from a review of the research evidence with potential to support the mental wellbeing of nurses. A second group with 23 stakeholder representatives then rated and provided feedback on the developed recommendations through two additional rounds. Recommendations that received an 'essential' or 'important' rating from at least 80% of participants were retained and prioritized.
RESULTS
In total, 45 recommendations met the consensus agreement and were retained. More than half (57%) involved action at the organizational level, 27% to public policy and 13% to research. Only one recommendation is related to the individual. Collectively, these recommendations highlight the importance of taking direct action to tackle poor mental wellbeing among the workforce and initiating change at the policy and organizational level.
CONCLUSION
Our findings emphasize the need to take a systemic approach to improving the mental health of nurses and midwives in the UK with input from different stakeholders. There is a clear consensus that action is needed at the organization and policy levels, rather than at the individual level as is current practice.
IMPACT
This study provides a framework, alongside a set of practical recommendations, that provides a starting point for different stakeholders to understand, address and support the mental wellbeing of nurses and midwives. Although UK-focused, it has relevance to healthcare workforces internationally.
Topics: Consensus; Delphi Technique; Female; Health Personnel; Humans; Mental Health; Midwifery; Pregnancy; United Kingdom
PubMed: 35832013
DOI: 10.1111/jan.15359 -
Clinical Neurophysiology : Official... Jun 2020To establish a clinician-led guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of Hirayama disease (HD) using a modified Delphi technique.
OBJECTIVE
To establish a clinician-led guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of Hirayama disease (HD) using a modified Delphi technique.
METHODS
Based on a combination of a systematic review and opinion of ten experts, a protocol for the consensus of the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up assessment of HD was established. A modified 3-round Delphi survey was then performed by more than 40 panelists from various countries of the world. Both levels of evidence and levels of agreement were derived in all statements of finial guideline.
RESULTS
A total of 47 experts from 6 countries were enrolled in the expert panel in this study. Highly consistent results were achieved during the three Delphi rounds. An expert-led guideline finally constructed includes 24 statements related to diagnosis, treatment and follow-up assessment of HD.
CONCLUSIONS
The modified Delphi technique used in this study resulted in an expert-led guideline concerning several clinical aspects of HD.
SIGNIFICANCE
This clinician-led guideline may provide a helpful direction for clinical practice with regard to the diagnosis and treatment of HD.
Topics: Delphi Technique; Humans; Practice Guidelines as Topic; Spinal Muscular Atrophies of Childhood
PubMed: 32311591
DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2020.02.022