Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 30 in total

Abstract:
Sort:
  1. Mohd Roffeei SH, Abdullah N, Basar SK
    Int J Med Inform, 2015 May;84(5):375-85.
    PMID: 25701266 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2015.01.015
    PURPOSE: This study examined the types of social support messages exchanged between parents and/or caregivers of children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) who communicate via Facebook (FB); it studies two autism support groups: Autism Malaysia (AM) and Autism Children Club (ACA).
    METHOD: A total of 3637 messages including both postings (381) and comments (3256) were gathered from August to November 2013. The study employed a deductive content-analysis approach. The qualitative data were analyzed for social support themes adapted from the Social Support Behavior Code (SSBC). Before collecting the data, email was sent to the FB groups' moderators to gain formal consent from the members.
    RESULT: The finding indicated that the highest percentage of messages offered dealt with Informational support (30.7%) followed by Emotional support (27.8%). Network and Esteem support messages were responsible for 20.97% and 20.2%, respectively. Tangible Assistance was the least frequent category (0.4%). A majority of these messages discussed and addressed challenges and difficulties associated with caring and raising ASD children, as well as issues such as children's social lives and self-care routines.
    CONCLUSION: Understandings of how FB is used to seek social support could impact supporting and maintaining effective communication among parents and/or caregivers of children with ASDs. This information could also improve approaches used by health professionals in developing, improving and evaluating social support systems for parents/caregivers.
    Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
    KEYWORDS: ASD; Autism; Facebook; Social support; Support group
  2. Ahmadi H, Nilashi M, Ibrahim O
    Int J Med Inform, 2015 Mar;84(3):166-88.
    PMID: 25612792 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2014.12.004
    This study mainly integrates the mature Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework and recently developed Human-Organization-Technology (HOT) fit model to identify factors that affect the hospital decision in adopting Hospital Information System (HIS).
  3. Yusof MM, Kuljis J, Papazafeiropoulou A, Stergioulas LK
    Int J Med Inform, 2008 Jun;77(6):386-98.
    PMID: 17964851
    The realization of Health Information Systems (HIS) requires rigorous evaluation that addresses technology, human and organization issues. Our review indicates that current evaluation methods evaluate different aspects of HIS and they can be improved upon. A new evaluation framework, human, organization and technology-fit (HOT-fit) was developed after having conducted a critical appraisal of the findings of existing HIS evaluation studies. HOT-fit builds on previous models of IS evaluation--in particular, the IS Success Model and the IT-Organization Fit Model. This paper introduces the new framework for HIS evaluation that incorporates comprehensive dimensions and measures of HIS and provides a technological, human and organizational fit.
  4. Yusof MM, Papazafeiropoulou A, Paul RJ, Stergioulas LK
    Int J Med Inform, 2008 Jun;77(6):377-85.
    PMID: 17904898 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2007.08.004
    BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Evaluation of health information systems (HIS) enables the assessment of the extent to which HIS are fulfilling their objectives in supporting the services of healthcare delivery. This paper presents an overview of evaluation in health informatics and information systems.
    METHODS: Literature review on discourses, dimensions and methods of HIS and IS evaluation. A critical appraisal of selected HIS and IS evaluation frameworks is undertaken in order to identify HIS evaluation dimensions and measures. The frameworks are compared based on their inclusion of human, organizational and technological factors.
    RESULTS: We found that an increasing number of evaluation studies deal with two distinct trends of HIS: one considers human and organizational issues and the other is concerned with the employment of a subjectivist approach. Our review indicates that current evaluation methods complement each other in that they evaluate different aspects of HIS and they can be improved upon.
    CONCLUSIONS: Evaluation is complex; it is easy to measure many things but not necessarily the right ones. Nevertheless, it is possible to consider, a HIS evaluation framework with more comprehensive and specific measures that would incorporate technological, human and organizational issues to facilitate HIS evaluation.
  5. Choong MK, Logeswaran R, Bister M
    Int J Med Inform, 2007 Sep;76(9):646-54.
    PMID: 16769242
    This paper concentrates on strategies for less costly handling of medical images. Aspects of digitization using conventional digital cameras, lossy compression with good diagnostic quality, and visualization through less costly monitors are discussed.
  6. Salahuddin L, Ismail Z
    Int J Med Inform, 2015 Nov;84(11):877-91.
    PMID: 26238706 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2015.07.004
    This paper provides a systematic review of safety use of health information technology (IT). The first objective is to identify the antecedents towards safety use of health IT by conducting systematic literature review (SLR). The second objective is to classify the identified antecedents based on the work system in Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) model and an extension of DeLone and McLean (D&M) information system (IS) success model.
  7. Raja Ikram RR, Abd Ghani MK, Abdullah N
    Int J Med Inform, 2015 Nov;84(11):988-96.
    PMID: 26160148 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2015.05.007
    This paper shall first investigate the informatics areas and applications of the four Traditional Medicine systems - Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Ayurveda, Traditional Arabic and Islamic Medicine and Traditional Malay Medicine. Then, this paper shall examine the national informatics infrastructure initiatives in the four respective countries that support the Traditional Medicine systems. Challenges of implementing informatics in Traditional Medicine Systems shall also be discussed.
  8. Esmaeilzadeh P, Sambasivan M, Kumar N, Nezakati H
    Int J Med Inform, 2015 Aug;84(8):548-60.
    PMID: 25920928 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2015.03.007
    The basic objective of this research is to study the antecedents and outcomes of professional autonomy which is a central construct that affects physicians' intention to adopt clinical decision support systems (CDSS). The antecedents are physicians' attitude toward knowledge sharing and interactivity perception (about CDSS) and the outcomes are performance expectancy and intention to adopt CDSS. Besides, we include (1) the antecedents of attitude toward knowledge sharing-subjective norms, social factors and OCB (helping behavior) and (2) roles of physicians' involvement in decision making, computer self-efficacy and effort expectancy in our framework.
  9. Yusof MM
    Int J Med Inform, 2015 Jul;84(7):486-99.
    PMID: 25881560 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2015.03.001
    Clinical information systems have long been used in intensive care units but reports on their adoption and benefits are limited. This study evaluated a Critical Care Information System implementation.
  10. Abidi SS
    Int J Med Inform, 2001 Sep;63(1-2):5-18.
    PMID: 11518661
    In this paper, we highlight the involvement of Knowledge Management in a healthcare enterprise. We argue that the 'knowledge quotient' of a healthcare enterprise can be enhanced by procuring diverse facets of knowledge from the seemingly placid healthcare data repositories, and subsequently operationalising the procured knowledge to derive a suite of Strategic Healthcare Decision-Support Services that can impact strategic decision-making, planning and management of the healthcare enterprise. In this paper, we firstly present a reference Knowledge Management environment-a Healthcare Enterprise Memory-with the functionality to acquire, share and operationalise the various modalities of healthcare knowledge. Next, we present the functional and architectural specification of a Strategic Healthcare Decision-Support Services Info-structure, which effectuates a synergy between knowledge procurement (vis-à-vis Data Mining) and knowledge operationalisation (vis-à-vis Knowledge Management) techniques to generate a suite of strategic knowledge-driven decision-support services. In conclusion, we argue that the proposed Healthcare Enterprise Memory is an attempt to rethink the possible sources of leverage to improve healthcare delivery, hereby providing a valuable strategic planning and management resource to healthcare policy makers.
  11. Suleiman AB
    Int J Med Inform, 2001 May;61(2-3):103-12.
    PMID: 11311664
    The people of Malaysia generally enjoy a high standard of health. This is largely attributed to the comprehensive range of health services provided by the Government and the private sector at affordable costs. However, there are changing trends that now seriously challenge this status quo. The changing population structure, lifestyle, disease patterns and globalization are causing healthcare costs to rise. New and innovative ways will have to be devised to further improve the health status and at the same time contain costs. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) presents unprecedented opportunities to help the health sector in Malaysia reinvent itself and transform the way health and healthcare is managed and delivered in the future. Malaysia's Telehealth initiative under the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) project is designed to realize Malaysia's health vision and goals and meet future health challenges. Multimedia and Internet technology will be fully harnessed to deploy services that will shift the emphasis from episodic management of illness to proactive promotion of lifelong wellness and disease prevention. Health information content and interactive applications will engage the people to work as partners of health with healthcare professionals in maintaining their own health or managing their illnesses.
  12. Mohan J, Razali Raja Yaacob R
    Int J Med Inform, 2004 Mar 31;73(3):217-27.
    PMID: 15066550
    Telehealth refers to the integration of information, telecommunication, human-machine interface technologies and health technologies to deliver health care, to promote the heath status of the people and to create health. The Malaysian Telehealth Application will, on completion, provide every resident of the country an electronic Lifetime Health Record (LHR) and Lifetime Health Plan (LHP). He or she will also hold a smart card that will contain a subset of the data in the Lifetime Health Record. These will be the means by which Malaysians will receive "seamless continuous quality care" across a range of health facilities and health care providers, and by which Malaysia's health goal of a nation of "healthy individuals, families and communities" is achieved. The challenges to security and privacy in providing access to an electronic Lifetime Health Record at private and government health facilities and to the electronic Lifetime Health Plan at homes of consumers require not only technical mechanisms but also national policies and practices addressing threats while facilitating access to health data during health encounters in different care settings. Organisational policies establish the goals that technical mechanisms serve. They should outline appropriate uses and access to information, create mechanisms for preventing and detecting violations, and set sanctions for violations. Some interesting innovations have been used to address these issues against the background of the launching of the multimedia supercorridor (MSC) in Malaysia.
  13. Bai L, Gao S, Burstein F, Kerr D, Buntine P, Law N
    Int J Med Inform, 2020 11;143:104269.
    PMID: 32927268 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2020.104269
    BACKGROUND: The negative impact of unnecessary diagnostic tests on healthcare systems and patients has been widely recognized. Medical researchers in various countries have been devoting effort to reduce unnecessary diagnostic tests by using different types of interventions, including information and communications technology-based (ICT-based) intervention, educational intervention, audit and feedback, the introduction of guidelines or protocols, and the reward and punishment of staff. We conducted a review of ICT based interventions and a comparative analysis of their relative effectiveness in reducing unnecessary tests.

    METHOD: A systematic Boolean search in PubMed, EMBase and EBSCOhost research databases was performed. Keyword search and citation analysis were also conducted. Empirical studies reporting ICT based interventions, and their implications on relative effectiveness in reducing unnecessary diagnostic tests (pathology tests or medical imaging) were evaluated independently by two reviewers based on a rigorously developed coding protocol.

    RESULTS: 92 research articles from peer-reviewed journals were identified as eligible. 47 studies involved a single-method intervention and 45 involved multi-method interventions. Regardless of the number of interventions involved in the studies, ICT-based interventions were utilized by 71 studies and 59 of them were shown to be effective in reducing unnecessary testing. A clinical decision support (CDS) tool appeared to be the most adopted ICT approach, with 46 out of 71 studies using CDS tools. The CDS tool showed effectiveness in reducing test volume in 38 studies and reducing cost in 24 studies.

    CONCLUSIONS: This review investigated five frequently utilized intervention methods, ICT-based, education, introduction of guidelines or protocols, audit and feedback, and reward and punishment. It provides in-depth analysis of the efficacy of different types of interventions and sheds insights about the benefits of ICT based interventions, especially those utilising CDS tools, to reduce unnecessary diagnostic testing. The replicability of the studies is limited due to the heterogeneity of the studies in terms of context, study design, and targeted types of tests.

  14. Godinho MA, Jonnagaddala J, Gudi N, Islam R, Narasimhan P, Liaw ST
    Int J Med Inform, 2020 10;142:104259.
    PMID: 32858339 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2020.104259
    OBJECTIVE: This review aimed to examine how mobile health (mHealth) to support integrated people-centred health services has been implemented and evaluated in the World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific Region (WPR).

    METHODS: Eight scientific databases were searched. Two independent reviewers screened the literature in title and abstract stages, followed by full-text appraisal, data extraction, and synthesis of eligible studies. Studies were extracted to capture details of the mhealth tools used, the service issues addressed, the study design, and the outcomes evaluated. We then mapped the included studies using the 20 sub-strategies of the WHO Framework on Integrated People-Centred Health Services (IPCHS); as well as with the RE-AIM (Reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation and maintenance) framework, to understand how studies implemented and evaluated interventions.

    RESULTS: We identified 39 studies, predominantly from Australia (n = 16), China (n = 7), Malaysia (n = 4) and New Zealand (n = 4), and little from low income countries. The mHealth modalities included text messaging, voice and video communication, mobile applications and devices (point-of-care, GPS, and Bluetooth). Health issues addressed included: medication adherence, smoking cessation, cardiovascular disease, heart failure, asthma, diabetes, and lifestyle activities respectively. Almost all were community-based and focused on service issues; only half were disease-specific. mHealth facilitated integrated IPCHS by: enabling citizens and communities to bypass gatekeepers and directly access services; increasing affordability and accessibility of services; strengthening governance over the access, use, safety and quality of clinical care; enabling scheduling and navigation of services; transitioning patients and caregivers between care sectors; and enabling the evaluation of safety and quality outcomes for systemic improvement. Evaluations of mHealth interventions did not always report the underlying theories. They predominantly reported cognitive/behavioural changes rather than patient outcomes. The utility of mHealth to support and improve IPCHS was evident. However, IPCHS strategy 2 (participatory governance and accountability) was addressed least frequently. Implementation was evaluated in regard to reach (n = 30), effectiveness (n = 24); adoption (n = 5), implementation (n = 9), and maintenance (n = 1).

    CONCLUSIONS: mHealth can transition disease-centred services towards people-centred services. Critical appraisal of studies highlighted methodological issues, raising doubts about validity. The limited evidence for large-scale implementation and international variation in reporting of mHealth practice, modalities used, and health domains addressed requires capacity building. Information-enhanced implementation and evaluation of IPCHS, particularly for participatory governance and accountability, is also important.

  15. Al-Samarraie H, Ghazal S, Alzahrani AI, Moody L
    Int J Med Inform, 2020 09;141:104232.
    PMID: 32707430 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2020.104232
    BACKGROUND: Despite attempts to reform the healthcare delivery system in the Middle East, expectations for its progress have been-and for some still are-somewhat slow.

    OBJECTIVE: This study reviewed progress in the use and adoption of telemedicine in Middle Eastern countries. The key dimensions affecting the progress of telemedicine in these countries were identified.

    METHOD: A systematic review of the literature was conducted on 43 peer reviewed articles from 2010 to 2020. The review followed the scientific process of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines of identification, selection, assessment, synthesis, and interpretation of findings.

    RESULTS: The results showed that progress made in the utilization of telemedicine was insufficient and varies across Middle Eastern countries. Certain cultural, financial, organizational, individual, technological, legal, and regulatory challenges were found to prevent telemedicine from being fully used to the point where the full range of medical services can be provided. For example, doctor and patient resistance, poor infrastructure, lack of funding, poor system quality, and lack of information technology training were associated with the low adoption of telemedicine in the region.

    CONCLUSION: This review provides a number of recommendations that will help policymakers to move toward the integration of innovative technologies in order to facilitate access to health information, health services, and training. It also recommends that health initiatives should focus on health education and health promotion in order to increase public awareness of the benefits of telemedicine services in the region.

  16. Rofaiel DP, Hession P, Flaherty GT
    Int J Med Inform, 2021 Oct;154:104566.
    PMID: 34520934 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2021.104566
    OBJECTIVES: The internet is an important source of travel health information. Individuals living with chronic illnesses consult patient organisation websites for illness-related information. We analysed the scope of online travel health information available to patients with pre-existing medical conditions.

    STUDY DESIGN: A descriptive content analysis of patient organisation websites was conducted.

    METHODS: The Google® search engine was interrogated using search terms related to the principal chronic diseases from the Global Burden of Disease Study. Data relating to 41 travel health variables were extracted from each eligible website. An aggregate quality score was derived for each organisation based on the presence of specific website information. Visitor usage and search analytics for each organisation's website were also described.

    RESULTS: We examined 145 official organisation websites relating to 10 major chronic illnesses. The largest number of websites was retrieved for patients with cancer (n = 36). Only 21 (16.5%) websites provided information on fitness-to-travel considerations. COPD websites had the highest average quality score (17.68%), followed by diabetes (14.91%) and dementia (13.28%). Mental health illness websites had the lowest score of 1.33%. There was a trend towards increased emphasis on pre-travel preparation and medications. Insect bite avoidance, malaria, animal bites, jet lag, and repatriation were addressed to the least extent.

    CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis exposes significant deficits in the coverage of travel health topics. Patient organisations should provide accessible pre-travel health advice to website users. Future research should elucidate the influence of web-based pre-travel health information on the behaviour of travellers with chronic disease.

  17. Jamal AA, Aldawsari ST, Almufawez KA, Barri RM, Zakaria N, Tharkar S
    Int J Med Inform, 2020 09;141:104202.
    PMID: 32506051 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2020.104202
    BACKGROUND: The use of social media is widespread globally. It provides a quicker and faster means of efficient exchange of communications. The use of Twitter Applications to seek mental health advice is becoming popular.

    OBJECTIVES: This study aims to identify the determinants associated with Twitter use in psychiatric consultations and to assess the level of satisfaction in using the microblogging platform. In addition, the level of e-health literacy is also assessed among users.

    METHODS: The target population included Twitter users seeking psychiatric consultation. A leading psychiatrist's twitter account with 4.5 million followers was selected and consent obtained. A validated Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire was adopted to assess the level of satisfaction in Twitter use and e-health literacy. The questionnaire was tagged to the chosen Twitter account and reminders were sent until the sample size was reached. Data was analysed using SPSS version 22.0. The analysis included descriptive statistics tabulation, multi-response analysis, and cross-tabulation for satisfaction variables and the chi-square test was used to measure association between different variables.

    RESULTS: The study obtained 155 completed response sheets, of which 52 were Twitter users seeking psychiatric advice while the rest sought general health advice. Most of the study participants were females (71.6 %). Women, single status and income range between 4000-9000 Saudi riyal were found to be significantly associated with Twitter use for psychiatric consultation. Generally, most of the participants were satisfied with Twitter in seeking psychiatric consultation that reduced financial disbursement. Furthermore, concerns were expressed regarding the waiting period, word limitations and issues of privacy. The e-health literacy was higher among the participants.

    CONCLUSION: Psychiatric consultations via Twitter is more popular among women. By addressing privacy issues and reducing response time, Twitter may be used as a major platform to deliver mental health services to the population.

  18. Ramadas A, Quek KF, Chan CK, Oldenburg B
    Int J Med Inform, 2011 Jun;80(6):389-405.
    PMID: 21481632 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2011.02.002
    Introduction: The Internet has emerged as a potentially effective medium for information exchange. The Internet's potential has been recognised and web-based education programmes have been steadily adopted in recent years in preventing and managing chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus. This review provides a descriptive discussion of web-based behavioural interventions for the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus.
    Method: Systematic literature searches were performed using MEDLINE, EMBASE, PUBMED, PsycINFO, Web of Science and Cochrane Library to retrieve articles published between 2000 and June 2010 which fulfilled all inclusion criteria. Methodological quality assessment and data synthesis were then performed.
    Results: Twenty articles representing 13 different studies were reviewed. None of the studies were ranked as low in the methodological quality. Goal-setting, personalised coaching, interactive feedback and online peer support groups were some of the successful approaches which were applied in e-interventions to manage type 2 diabetes mellitus. Strong theoretical background, use of other technologies and longer duration of intervention were proven to be successful strategies as well.
    Conclusion: The web-based interventions have demonstrated some level of favourable outcomes, provided they are further enhanced with proper e-research strategies.
  19. Wong YJ, Ng KY, Lee SWH
    Int J Med Inform, 2022 Jan 05;159:104687.
    PMID: 35007924 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2022.104687
    PURPOSE: With one-quarter of the world's population estimated to have latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), it is important that the drop-outs from the LTBI cascade of care are minimized. Digital health technology could play an important role in case detection and treatment adherence. This study aims to evaluate the use and impact of digital health technology in LTBI care.

    METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted on six electronic databases from database inception until May 31st 2021. Studies that reported on the clinical use or economic analysis of digital health technology for LTBI care were included. Two investigators independently evaluated, extracted relevant studies, and assessed the risk of bias of using the Cochrane tools. The studies were synthesized qualitatively.

    RESULTS: Fifteen articles describing 14 studies were included. Voice and/or textual reminders and synchronous video call to improve LTBI treatment adherence were the most commonly examined digital health interventions. Other interventions examined the use of mobile phones to improve the number of patients who returned for tuberculin skin test follow-up measurement (screening retention) and eLearning videos to enhance health literacy in LTBI care. The economic analysis supported the use of textual reminders in LTBI treatment as a cost-effective option for widescale implantation.

    CONCLUSIONS: Despite limited evidence on the effects of digital health technologies in LTBI, available studies suggest they are at least equivalent to current practice. This means digital health can potentially supplement current practice, to constantly monitor and engage with people undergoing LTBI screening or treatment, as an initiative to ensure the provision of continuous and optimal care to all LTBI-affected individuals.

  20. Ali N, Tretiakov A, Whiddett D, Hunter I
    Int J Med Inform, 2017 01;97:331-340.
    PMID: 27919392 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2016.11.004
    PURPOSE: To deliver high-quality healthcare doctors need to access, interpret, and share appropriate and localised medical knowledge. Information technology is widely used to facilitate the management of this knowledge in healthcare organisations. The purpose of this study is to develop a knowledge management systems success model for healthcare organisations.

    METHOD: A model was formulated by extending an existing generic knowledge management systems success model by including organisational and system factors relevant to healthcare. It was tested by using data obtained from 263 doctors working within two district health boards in New Zealand.

    RESULTS: Of the system factors, knowledge content quality was found to be particularly important for knowledge management systems success. Of the organisational factors, leadership was the most important, and more important than incentives.

    CONCLUSION: Leadership promoted knowledge management systems success primarily by positively affecting knowledge content quality. Leadership also promoted knowledge management use for retrieval, which should lead to the use of that better quality knowledge by the doctors, ultimately resulting in better outcomes for patients.

Filters
Contact Us

Please provide feedback to Administrator (afdal@afpm.org.my)

External Links