The Impact of Health Information Technology on Hospital Performance: A Systematic Integrative Literature Review

Objective: To review, categorise, and synthesise findings from literature on health information technology (HIT) functionalities, HIT use, and the impact of HIT on hospital performance. Materials and Methods: We conducted a systematic integrative literature review based on a compre-hensive database search. To organise, categorise and synthesise the ex-isting literature, we adopted the affordance actualization theory. To align the literature with our research framework, we used four categories: 1) the functionalities of HIT and how these functionalities are measured;2) use and immediate outcomes of HIT functionalities;3) different perfor-mance indicators and how HIT functionalities affect them;and 4) what hospital characteristics influence the outcome of hospital performance. Results: Fifty-two studies were included. We identified four types of HIT. Only ten studies (19.2%) define the use of HIT by explicitly meas-uring the use rate of HIT. We identified five dimensions of hospital per-formance indicators. Every dimension showed mixed results;however, in general, HIT has a positive impact on mortality and patient readmis-sions. We found several hospital characteristics that may affect the rela-tionship between HIT and hospital-level outcomes. Discussion: Further efforts should focus on embedded research on HIT functionalities, use and effects of HIT implementations with more performance indicators and adjusted for hospital characteristics. Conclusion: The proposed framework could help hospitals and researchers make decisions regard-ing the functionalities, use and effects of HIT implementation in hospi-tals. Given our research outcomes, we suggest future research opportuni-ties to improve understanding of how HIT affects hospital performance. .

Evaluating and Addressing Interoperability Constraints in Health Information Systems for Enhanced Healthcare Delivery in Zimbabwe

Interoperability constraints in health information systems pose significant challenges to the seamless exchange and utilization of health data, hindering effective healthcare delivery. This paper aims to evaluate and address these constraints to enhance healthcare delivery. The study examines the current state of interoperability in health information systems, identifies the key constraints, and explores their impact on healthcare outcomes. Various approaches and strategies for addressing interoperability constraints are discussed, including the adoption of standardized data formats, implementation of interoperability frameworks, and establishment of robust data governance mechanisms. Furthermore, the study highlights the importance of stakeholder collaboration, policy development, and technical advancements in achieving enhanced interoperability. The findings emphasize the need for a comprehensive evaluation of interoperability constraints and the implementation of targeted interventions to promote seamless data exchange, improve care coordination, and enhance patient outcomes in healthcare settings.

Survey and Research on Health Information Assistance Needs of Junior Middle School Students in Different Regions of Guangdong Province

Objective:To study the health information assistance needs of junior high school students in 8 different regions of Guangdong Province in a cluster,to understand the current situation of junior high school students'health information assistance needs,and to collect feasibility data for hospitals and schools to jointly promote the healthy development of students.Methods:In June 2019,a group of junior high school students from 8 different regions in Guangdong Province[678 students(in 2 towns),352 students(in 2 counties and prefecture-level cities),and 1098 students(in 4 provincial-level cities)]were selected in a group.A questionnaire survey was conducted by 2128 people,the results of the questionnaire survey were collected,and statistical analysis was performed.Results:Of the 2128 junior high school students in 8 different regions,only 52.07% had confidence in their health,and there were no regional differences.Health information for students seeking professional medical assistance includes:1578 person-times(74.15%)of nutritional diets,1084 person-times(50.94%)to eliminate tiredness,1190 person-times(55.92%)to improve sleep quality,1002 person-times(47.09%)to reduce anxiety,making him happier and stronger 1164 person-times(54.70%).Students in different regions asked for help on how to make their hearts happier and stronger.The results suggest that provincial and county-level students have greater needs than urban students.Conclusion:The results of this research show that junior high school students in different regions of Guangdong Province have insufficient awareness of health,and there is a large demand for various health help information,and the focus is on prevention.It is of practical significance to strengthen and meet the health information needs of junior high school students.

Seeking Health Information Online:The Moderating Effects of Problematic Situations on User Intention

Purpose： This study investigates how online user intention in searching health information is affected by problematic situations.Design/methodology/approach： Based on the Theory of Reasoned Action, the Technology Acceptance Model, and Sense-making theory, we propose two dimensions of problematic situations： urgency and severity of health issues being searched online. Data were collected through a questionnaire survey among 214 Wuhan University students and analyzed using hierarchical regression analysis.Findings： Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and subjective norm can influence user intention to seek health information online. The urgency of problematic situations has a negative moderating effect on the relationship between perceived ease of use and user intention and the relationship between subjective norm and user intention. The severity of problematic situations has a negative moderating effect on the relationship between subjective norm and user intention.Research limitations： The respondents of the survey are limited to students in one Chinese university, so whether this study＇s results can be applied to another population or not remains to be verified. In addition, only two dimensions of problematic situations are considered in this study. Practical implications： The paper puts forward the moderating effect of problematic situations and verifies it, which is the compensation for online health information-seeking behavior research. Besides, our analyses have implications for professional design of health care systems and related consumer information searches, and improve their performance. Originality/value： Previous work has reported the effects of problematic situation on user intention to seek health information online, ignoring its influence on other factors. This empirical study extends that work to identify the influence of problematic situation when seeking intention-behavior data in two dimensions, urgency and severity.

Research on the Model of Consumer Health Information Seeking Behavior via Social Media

Purpose: We aim to create a model of consumer health information seeking behavior via social media, then to have a better understand of it. After that further efforts should be made to provide targeted recommendations for media managers to promote health communication via social media. Methods: Our custom model was derived from literature review, empirical research was tested by the use of questionnaire investigation, and then the collected data were analyzed by structural equation model tool SmartPLS. Finally, the custom model was modified according to the experimental results of SmartPLS. Results: A total of 239 (66.39%) of the respondents were female and 121 (33.61%) were male. The maximum of two stages of age were 18 - 29 (70.56%), 30 - 39 (13.89%). Wechat (60.28%), QQ Zone (55.22%), Micro-blog (48.89%) were the most commonly used social media to obtain health information. About 44.72% of respondents used social media to obtain health information multiple times a day. The whole numerical values of AVE, cronbach’s alpha, CR and square roots of AVE were above the benchmarks of themselves and showed great reliability and validity. All the 11 hypotheses had obvious statistical significance, the P-value of eight path coefficients exhibited <0.001, one path coefficient exhibited <0.01 and two path coefficients exhibited <0.05. Conclusions: A suitable model of consumer health information seeking behavior via social media was created and some inner relationships were found. Namely, gratification of health information and its platform had a positive effect on attitudes toward health information seeking behavior. Health information literacy and health status were proved to have a significant influence on attitudes toward health information seeking behavior, subject norms and perceived behavioral control respectively. In addition, attitudes toward the health information seeking behavior, subject norms and perceived behavioral control were proved to positively associate with health information seeking behavior intention.

Enriching online access to health information for the public: Efforts from a medical library in China

Purpose: Disseminating medical and health information is a mission of a public medical library. This paper describes a practice of a medical library in providing online access to health information for the general public.Design/methodology/approach: A four-step workflow is developed to integrate and disseminate heterogeneous health information from medical associations. First, a raw data repository is developed to manage the original submissions from information providers.Second, each document in the raw data repository is represented in a standardized XML schema. Third, the medical terms are identified and manually annotated, enriching the semantics of health information. Lastly, all the semantically enriched XML documents are converted to HTMLs for online dissemination.Findings: A health information website, CHealth, was developed for Chinese speakers. It provides free online access for all without any login or IP constrains. CHealth is available at www.chealth.org.cn.Research limitations: The current workflow is time-consuming and labor-intensive due to the lack of information submission/exchange standard and commonly agreed-on consumer health terminology in Chinese.Originality/value: In this work, the target audience of the medical library has been extended from traditional academic/professional to the general public. Methodologies in library sciences have been combined with those in consumer health informatics in CHealth development.

Application of VPN Technique in the Construction of Public Health Information System

Summary： Data communication and sharing of five level network of Public Health Information System, i.e. nation, province, district （city）, county, and town, as far as to the countryside level were described, and how to apply the three solutions, i.e. Access VPN, Intranet VPN, and Extranet VPN of VPN technique to achieve the appropriation of the public network was also presented.

The Elder Health Information Technology Framework for Geriatric Care in Rural India: A Policy Initiative

Healthcare monitoring and analysis of healthcare parameters is a reality to reduce costs and increase access to specialist and experts that holds the future for geriatric care in India. This paper proposes distinct methods towards the implementation of rural elder health information technologies (IT), which includes electronic medical records, clinical decision support, mobile medical applications, and software driven medical devices used in the diagnosis or treatment of disease for the older adult population in the villages of India. The purpose is online patient satisfaction at the microlevel (village panchayat) through methods accessible and affordable by establishing a common standard of operations at the village primary care units giving way to early disease detection and routine screening among the aged population avoiding institutionalization. The rural elder health IT framework is of great interest for all stakeholders in the field, as it benefits the investors and the consumers, adding to the technological infrastructure, thereby opening new avenues of research in health informatics, telemedicine and enhancing the scope of geriatric research, which in turn enhances the health-related quality of life for the rural older adults in the remote villages of the nation.

The Impact of Computerized Health Information System on Medical &Administrative Decisions, Sana’a Hospitals, Yemen (2017-2020)

Background: Health information systems (HIS) play a major role in decision-making. The aim is to identify the components of computerized HIS and their relationship to administrative decisions at the main referral hospitals for Sana’a city. Method: This applied research is a descriptive, cross-sectional study in which the HIS of 7 hospitals affiliated with Sana’a city hospitals during “2017-2020”, was evaluated based on Self-administered questionnaires. Data were collected by using Self-administered questionnaires and analyzed in SPSS 16 by using descriptive statistics. Results: A total of 626 users (95.7%) had responded. 73%, 75%, 69%, 70%, 71% of users mentioned that resources were available, for physical, software, human, organizational, and decision computerized HIS, respectively. The study showed a strong relationship between computerized information systems with their physical, software, human and organizational components, and medical and administrative decisions. While the study showed the absence of a relationship between demographic factors and computerized information systems with their hardware, software, human and organizational components, medical and administrative decisions, except for gender with organizational components, age, qualification with hardware and software components, and years of experience with all study variables. Conclusion: The application of HIS at hospitals in decision-making has several challenges, including the lack of updating of hardware and software components Furthermore, the absence of specific, focusing on developing their technical staffs, and mobilizing financial resources to achieve implementation properly. Therefore, establishing the technical management with clear roles and tasks with multi-disciplinary, and increasing the support of the administrative leadership in the process of implementing HIS are recommended.

Analysis on the Risks of Health Information Platform under the Environment of Big Data

Big Data applications in the health service field have gradually been paid more close attention. Based on big data technology, more and more health information platforms are beginning to take effects, such as disease prevention, precision medicine, reducing expenditures for medical care and public health, improving medicine research and development. Meanwhile, the platforms have to face a lot of risks, such as health data disclosure, dispute of health data ownership, implicit contradiction explicit, unsustainable platform operation and so on. With the solutions of these risks, the construction of the public platform can provide better service for the citizens, hospital, pharmaceutical company, R＆D institutions or and other parties.

The portrayal of hearing loss information in online Mandarin videos

Background/purpose:With increasing accessibility to the Internet,patients frequently use the Internet for hearing healthcare information.No study has examined the information about hearing loss available in the Mandarin language on online video-sharing platforms.The study’s primary purpose is to investigate the content,source,understandability,and actionability of hearing loss information in the Mandarin language’s one hundred most popular online videos.Method:In this project,publicly accessible online videos were analyzed.One hundred of the most popular Mandarin-language videos about hearing loss were identified(51 videos on YouTube and 49 on the Bilibili video-sharing platform).They were manually coded for different popularity metrics,sources,and content.Each video was also rated using the Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool for Audiovisual Materials(PEMAT-AV)to measure the understandability and actionability scores.Results:The video sources were classified as either media(n=36),professional(n=39),or consumer(n=25).The videos covered various topics,including symptoms,consequences,and treatment of hearing loss.Overall,videos attained adequate understandability scores(mean=73.6%)but low(mean=43.4%)actionability scores.Conclusions:While existing online content related to hearing loss is quite diverse and largely understandable,those videos provide limited actionable information.Hearing healthcare professionals,media,and content creators can help patients better understand their conditions and make educated hearing healthcare decisions by focusing on the actionability information in their online videos.

Community workers contribution for data quality improvement in routine health information system: Live births number estimation by capture recapture method

The lack of reliable vital statistics raises questions about the role of the health information system in acquiring such data, which are essential for planning health services and for the general management of the population’s needs. This study analyzed completeness of the vital data registration system and assessed the potential contribution of a community worker net-work to this system in rural Benin. The capture-recapture method was used in this interventional study to estimate the number of live births from three sources: the Routine Health Information System, the municipality, and community workers in two groups of villages. Log linear modelling was carried out with a Bayesian Information Criterion-weighted estimate of the number of live births. The exhaustiveness of the Routine Health Information System was improved by the contribution of the community workers from 29.3% to 42.5% in the first group, and from 61.7% to 77.5% in the second group. Estimating live births by the capture method in rural settings based on the contribution of community workers could be a more efficient alternative to censuses in acquiring reliable vital statistics.

Linking the health data system in the U.S.:Challenges to the benefits

In order to improve patient care in the United States there,the government made a mandate called HIE(Health Information Exchange).This order was created from the belief that sharing digital health in-formation between,across,and within health communities will improve one's healthcare experience across their lifespan.Patient health information,i.e.the personal health record,should be shareable between healthcare providers;such as private practice physicians,home health agencies,hospitals and nursing care facilities.Most of the U.S.hospitals now have electronic health records,however,with a lack of standards for structuring health information and unified communication protocols to share health information across providers,only a small percentage of U.S.hospitals engage in computerized HIE.In order to understand barriers and facilitators in the U.S.of HIE adoption,we reviewed the published research literature between 2010 and 2015.Our search yielded 664 articles from Medline,PsychInfo,Global health,InSpec,Scopus and Business Source Complete databases.Thirty-nine articles met our inclusion criteria.This article presents the compiled organizational and end user barriers and facilitators along with suggested methods to achieve continuity of care through HIE.

Online Vaccine Information in a Knowledge Exchange Social Website (KESW)

Background: The potential for misinformation on usercontrolled Knowledge Exchange Social Websites (KESWs) is concerning since it can actively influence Internet users’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to childhood vaccinations. Objective: The present study examines the accuracy and predictors of health information posted to a Knowledge Exchange Social Website (KESW). Methods: A sample of 480 answers to childhood vaccination questions were retrieved and rated for accuracy. Multiple logistic regression modeling was used to examine whether answer characteristics (best answer, professional background, statistical information, source disclosure, online link, word count, vaccine stance, and tone) predict accuracy. Results: Overall, only 56.2% of the posted answers were rated as “accurate.” Accuracy varied by topics with between 52.8% - 64.3% being rated as accurate. When Yahoo Answers’ “best answers” were examined, only 49.2% rated as accurate compared to 57.7% of all other answers, a finding attributed to widespread nominations of vaccine misinformation as “best answers” for questions addressing the side effects of vaccines. For all other types of questions, “best answers” were more likely to be accurate. Regression modeling revealed that discussions of personal choices regarding childhood vaccinations predicted the accuracy of posted answers, with those who mentioned vaccinating their own children proving more likely to communicate accurate vaccine information, and those expressing vaccine hesitancy proving more likely to share factually inaccurate statements about vaccines. Conclusion: The high prevalence of misinformation on KESWs suggests that these websites may serve as a vector for spreading vaccine misperceptions. Further research is needed to assess the impact of various KESWs and to develop effective, coordinated responses by public health agencies.

Bridging Healthcare and Health IT

Health IT （Information Technology） is new to the healthcare industry, even though the term surfaced in 2008 the true meaning of what it is and how data aggregation, evaluation, and validation of patient data and information drives a successful quality healthcare organization. Understanding of key factors, what quality is and how it is measured, helps bridge together healthcare and technology for an organization to be successful in reporting quality measures for the best patient care.

Evaluation of the Usability of a Telehealth System for COVID-19 According to the Perception of the User Professional

With the advent of the pandemic, the Brazilian Ministry of Health structured in record time the Telehealth Service of the Unified Health System called TeleSUS, an ecosystem based on the intensive use of information technology involving automated mechanisms and a personalized health care center at distance. In addition to constant evaluations carried out in the service as a public health strategy, at clinical and epidemiological levels, the team involved in the project was also concerned with evaluating the system developed to enable the operation of remote care, from the conception of the organization of health actions to the technological development of the digital health tool. The objective of this study was to carry out an evaluation of a telehealth system, measuring the degree of satisfaction of users of health professionals regarding its usability and identifying factors that positively and/or negatively influence the evaluation.

Psychometric evaluation of a Swedish version of Krantz Health Opinion Survey

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of a Swedish version of The Krantz Health Opinion Survey (KHOS). A convenience sample of 79 persons (47 men and 32 women) was recruited from The Heart and Lung Patients’ National Association at ten local meeting places in different areas in Sweden. The questionnaire was examined for face and content validity, internal consistency and test-retest reliability. The findings showed that the Swedish version of KHOS is acceptable in terms of face and content validity, internal consistency and test-retest reliability over time among 79 individuals >65 years of age and with a cardiac disease. In conclusion, wider evaluations of the psychometric use of KHOS for other populations and settings are recommended.

A Personalized Adverse Drug Reaction Early Warning Method Based on Contextual Ontology and Rules Learning

Background: The fatality of adverse drug reactions (ADR) has become one of the major causes of the non-natural disease deaths globally, with the issue of drug safety emerging as a common topic of concern. Objective: The personalized ADR early warning method, based on contextual ontology and rule learning, proposed in this study aims to provide a reference method for personalized health and medical information services. Methods: First, the patient data is formalized, and the user contextual ontology is constructed, reflecting the characteristics of the patient population. The concept of ontology rule learning is then proposed, which is to mine the rules contained in the data set through machine learning to improve the efficiency and scientificity of ontology rule generation. Based on the contextual ontology of ADR, the high-level context information is identified and predicted by means of reasoning, so the occurrence of the specific adverse reaction in patients from different populations is extracted. Results: Finally, using diabetes drugs as an example, contextual information is identified and predicted through reasoning, to mine the occurrence of specific adverse reactions in different patient populations, and realize personalized medication decision-making and early warning of ADR.

Control of neglected tropical diseases in Asia Pacific: implications for health information priorities

Poverty magnifies limitations posed by traditional biases and environmental risks.Any approach towards disease control needs to recognise that socially embedded vulnerabilities can be as powerful as externally imposed infections.Asia Pacific has a specific panorama of infectious diseases,which,in common with other endemic areas,have a tendency to emerge or re-emerge if not carefully monitored.Sustained control aiming at elimination requires strong emphasis on surveillance and response.Well-designed informatics platforms can improve support systems and strengthen control activities,as they rapidly locate high-risk areas and provide detailed,up-to-date information on the performance of ongoing control programmes.

High-quality Health Information Provision for Stroke Patients

Objective： High-quality information provision can allow stroke patients to effectively participate in healthcare decision-making, better manage the stroke, and make a good recovery. In this study, we reviewed information needs of stroke patients, methods for providing infbnllation to patients, and considerations needed by the information providers. Data Sources： The literature concerning or including information provision for patients with stroke in English was collected from PubMed published from 1990 to 2015. Study Selection： We included all the relevant articles on information provision for stroke patients in English, with no limitation of study design. Results： Stroke is a major public health concern worldwide, ttigh-quality and effective health information provision plays an essential role in helping patients to actively take part in decision-making and healthcare, and empowering them to effectively self-managc their long-standing chronic conditions. Different methods for providing information to patients have their relative merits and suitability, and as a result, the effective strategies taken by health professionals may include providing high-quality information, meeting patients＇ individual needs, using suitable methods in providing information, and maintaining active involvement of patients. Conclusions： It is suggested that to enable stroke patients to access high-quality health information, greater efforts need to be made to ensure patients to receive accurate and current evidence-based information which meets their individual needs. Health professionals should use suitable information delivery methods, and actively involve stroke patients in inforrnation provision.