Studies in health technology and informatics
-
Stud Health Technol Inform · Jan 2009
Understanding the impact on intensive care staff workflow due to the introduction of a critical care information system: a mixed methods research methodology.
The Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is a complex and dynamic tertiary care environment that requires health care providers to balance many competing tasks and responsibilities. Inefficient and interruption-driven workflow is believed to increase the likelihood of medical errors and, therefore, present a serious risk to patients in the ICU. ⋯ Little objective research, however, has investigated these assertions. This paper reports on the design of a research methodology to explore the impact of a CCIS on the workflow of Respiratory Therapists, Pediatric Intensivists, Nurses, and Unit Clerks in a Pediatric ICU (PICU) and a General Systems ICU (GSICU) in Northern Canada.
-
Stud Health Technol Inform · Jan 2009
Computer laboratory in medical education for medical students.
Five generations of second year students at the Zagreb University School of Medicine were interviewed through an anonymous questionnaire on their use of personal computers, Internet, computer laboratories and computer-assisted education in general. Results show an advance in students' usage of information and communication technology during the period from 1998/99 to 2002/03. However, their positive opinion about computer laboratory depends on installed capacities: the better the computer laboratory technology, the better the students' acceptance and use of it.
-
Stud Health Technol Inform · Jan 2009
Developing an immersive ultrasound guided needle puncture simulator.
We present an integrated system for training ultrasound guided needle puncture. Our aim is to provide a cost effective and validated training tool that uses actual patient data to enable interventional radiology trainees to learn how to carry out image-guided needle puncture. ⋯ Force measurements have been made on real tissue and the resulting data is incorporated into the simulator. Respiration and soft tissue deformations are also carried out to further improve the fidelity of the simulator.
-
Stud Health Technol Inform · Jan 2009
Remote videolaryngoscopy skills training for pre-hospital personnel.
Videolaryngoscopy (VL) is a novel technology that can facilitate rapid acquisition of intubation skills with simultaneous teacher and learner visualization of laryngeal structures. Videolaryngoscopy improves laryngeal visualization, and improves intubation success in difficult airway management compared to standard direct laryngoscopy. First responders need enhanced airway management tools to improve intubation success rates in civilian pre-hospital and military battlefield settings. ⋯ User acceptance was good. Remote training paradigms for advanced technology solutions such as videolaryngoscopy can accelerate the diffusion of life-saving new technologies, especially when there is limited access to specialized training. Videolaryngoscopy visualization and difficult airway intubation success rates were better than direct laryngoscopy.
-
The use of diamond for advanced applications has been the dream of mankind for centuries. Until recently this dream has been realized only in the use of diamond for gemstones and abrasive applications where tons of diamonds are used on an annual basis. Diamond is the material system of choice for many applications, but its use has historically been limited due to the small size, high cost, and inconsistent (and typically poor) quality of available diamond materials until recently. ⋯ Because of diamond's unique properties as a bio-compatible material, better understanding of diamond's quantum effects and a convergence of mass production, semiconductor-like fabrication process, diamond now promises a unique and powerful key to the realization of the bio-electronic devices being envisioned for the new era of medical science. The combination of robust in-the-body diamond based sensors, coupled with smart bio-functionalized diamond devices may lead to diamond being the platform of choice for bio-electronics. This generation of diamond based bio-electronic devices would contribute substantially to ushering in a paradigm shift for medical science, leading to vastly improved patient diagnosis, decrease of drug development costs and risks, and improved effectiveness of drug delivery and gene therapy programs through better timed and more customized solutions.