Revolutionizing Healthcare—The Integration of Virtual Worlds, AR, and Metaverse Technology

This paper explores the transformative impact of virtual worlds, augmented reality (AR), and the metaverse in the healthcare sector. It delves into the ways these technologies are reshaping patient care, medical education, and research, while also addressing the challenges and opportunities they present. The paper highlights the potential benefits of these technologies and emphasizes the need for comprehensive regulatory frameworks and ethical guidelines to ensure responsible integration. Finally it outlines their transformative impact and discusses the challenges and opportunities they present for the future of healthcare provision.

Integration of Medical Care and Endowment: A New Exploration of Endowment Mode in the Context of Population Aging

China's aging pressure is increasingly serious. The elderly people are difficult to seek medical advice,the elderly dependency ratio is soaring,finance fails to bear such heavy load,and social endowment service pressure is also constantly increasing. Traditional endowment mode is already incapable of satisfying current endowment demands. On the basis of the population aging,this paper came up with the new endowment mode " hospital + nursing home" and analyzed its feasibility. Finally,it reached the conclusion that this endowment mode is helpful for solving problems of endowment and medical care,and alleviating the problem of population aging.

Health Workers’ Documentation Process as a Prerequisite to the Integration of Patient Care at a Regional Referral Hospital in Uganda

Background: Integrated patient care is necessary for better care outcomes. Documentation enhances the integration of care;however, in the Ugandan setting, documentation of care is poor (e.g., omissions and incomplete records) and integration of patient care is not visible. This study presents a review of patient health records that was undertaken to understand documentation of care at a regional referral hospital in Eastern Uganda. This information will help in developing a documentation model to facilitate the integration of patient care in Uganda. Methodology: This retrospective review involved 513 patient health records from the medical-surgical, pediatric, and obstetric/gynecological departments of Jinja Regional Referral Hospital. Data were collected using checklists. Stratified sampling was used to capture variations in ward unit records and identify a fair representation of each department. Data were analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics. All analyses were performed with SPSS version 22. Results: On average, the study hospital attended to 1000 patients per day and discharged 100 patients per ward unit per month. Our record review showed that documentation by both nurses and doctors was incomplete, and care was fragmented. However, doctors documented care more often than nurses, although the integration of patient care was not evident in doctors’ documentation. Conclusion: To establish integrated patient care, documentation must meet standards set by relevant professional bodies. The findings of this study will inform the development of a feasible documentation model to facilitate the integration of patient care in Uganda.

Observation on the Effect of Integrated Medical and Nursing Care in Patients with Pulmonary Tuberculosis Combined with Lung Cancer

Objective:To explore the effect of integrated medical and nursing care in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis combined with lung cancer.Methods:From August 2021 to August 2022,60 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis combined with lung cancer were admitted.All patients were diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis according to the Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Pulmonary Tuberculosis and with lung cancer by pathology.The patients were randomly divided into two groups,with 30 cases in each group.The control group received daily nursing care,whereas the study group received integrated medical and nursing care.The sputum conversion rate,tumor remission rate,and quality of life of patients were observed and analyzed.Results:The item function score and symptom function score of the observation group were higher than those of the control group(P<0.05);the total effective rate of the observation group was significantly higher than that of the control group(P<0.05);the sputum conversion rate of the observation group was significantly higher than that of the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion:For patients with pulmonary tuberculosis combined with lung cancer,the application of integrated medical and nursing care can help consolidate the treatment effect and improve the quality of life of patients;thus,it is worthy of promotion and application.

Exploration on the Implementation of the Integration of Medical and Preventive Model in China’s Primary Health Care Institutions

Objective To explore the different modes and approaches of medical and preventive integration in current primary health care institutions in China.Methods Through literature analysis,field research,telephone interviews,and other methods the implementation status was evaluated to systematically study the main experience and effect of implementing medical and preventive integration services in pilot areas.Results and Conclusion At present,there are three implementation modes of medical-prevention integration,namely,vertical mode based on the medical community,internal mode with optimized service process,and internal mode with great service capabilities.The three medical-prevention integration modes have their respective focuses,but they need to be further improved in terms of policy support,technical staffing,information system construction,and drug use.

Analysis of Professional Quality Cultivation Strategies for Infant and Child Care Service Talents from the Perspective of Collaboration of Medical Care,Parenting,and Education,and Integration of Industry and Education

The collaboration of medical care,parenting,and education aims to integrate nursing,midwifery,infant and child care services,and management with speech and hearing rehabilitation technology,among other elements related to the infant care industry chain.This integration targets pediatrics talent training in nine infant care positions,including nursing,infant health care and management,and child rehabilitation,to ensure that the capabilities and quality of professional talents can meet the health care needs of infants and young children.This article briefly explains the background of the“collaboration of medical care,parenting,and education,and integration of industry and education.”It analyzes the necessity of cultivating infant and child care service talents based on the perspective of“collaboration of medical care,parenting,and education,and integration of industry and education.”Based on this perspective,we conducted an in-depth study of the cultivation of professional qualities of infant and child care service talents.

Evaluating the average access to care and continuity of care patients in Tehran teaching hospitals

Background: Standards of Joint Commission International emphasize on the organizational performance level in basic functional domains including patient right, patient care, medical safety and infection control. These standards are focused on two principles: expectations of the actual organizational performance and assessment of organizational capabilities to provide high quality and safe health care services. The aim of this study is to evaluate the possibility of improvement in Access to Care and Continuity of Care for patients (ACC) in teaching hospitals of Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in hospitals affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences during 2012. Data collection was performed using author-designed questionnaire of “Access to Care and Continuity of Care patients” based on JCI standards (2013). A total of 171 questionnaires were sent to 26 hospitals and 154 (90%) questionnaires were successfully completed and used for data analysis. The questionnaire was reviewed by experts and the Cronbach’s alpha was calculated to be 0.967. The effects of the two variables of hospital type (general, specialty) and the number of beds on mean scores of ACC standards and each of its domains were analyzed using T-test or Mann-Whitney test depending on the distribution due to Kolmogorov-Smirnov test result. Results: In general, the mean of ACC standards was found comprehendible and applicable by 82.3 (SD = 11) of the respondents. The highest and lowest mean scores of ACC questions belonged to hospitals H21 (90 ± 6) and H14 (67 ± 12), respectively. There were not any significant effects of hospital type and the number of beds on the ACC scores. Conclusion: There was not any important effect of hospital type and bed numbers on ACC, although there was a 9%-15% possibility of improvement in accreditation scores of ACC standards in hospitals of Tehran University of Medical Sciences. A complete accreditation score in this domain didn’t seem achievable in these hospitals. However, it is proposed that future managerial planning of the studied hospitals lead to a complete accreditation score.

Implementation Strategy of“Eight in One”of Integrated Medical and Care Service System in China:A Case Study of Anshan City of Liaoning

With the gradual intensification of aging in China,the issue of elderly care has become the primary issue that needs to be urgently solved in society.The construction of a reasonable and scientific integrated medical and care service system can not only efficiently allocate medical resources and services,but also better meet the needs of the elderly.Due to the involvement of multiple disciplines such as architecture,sociology,psychology,and behavioral science in the construction of the system,as well as the restriction of various objective factors such as medical capacity,spatial scale,and operating costs,the government and elderly care institutions have always been unable to find the best solution for how to scientifically and reasonably construct an integrated medical and care service system.This paper is based on Anshan City,Liaoning Province,which has prominent aging issues and distinct characteristics of the elderly population.Through extensive field research in elderly care institutions,and face-to-face communication with personnel from relevant government departments such as the Municipal Commission on Aging,the Civil Affairs Bureau,the Health Commission,the Medical Insurance Bureau,and the Human Resources and Social Security Bureau,it truly understands the problems that arise in the construction of the urban integrated medical and care service system.From three aspects:urban situation,institutional situation and the needs of the elderly,it is proposed to establish a clear departmental linkage mechanism with clear rights and responsibilities,a policy guarantee mechanism tailored to local conditions,a multi-measure operation mechanism,a technology first intelligent response mechanism,a warm and efficient service mechanism for the people,an overall layout mechanism,an evaluation and supervision mechanism for full process control,and a talent supply mechanism of external introduction and internal training.It aims to provide reference for the construction of an integrated medical and care service system in similar cities.

Evidence of Linkages between Patient Safety and Person-Centred Care in the Maternity and Obstetric Context—An Integrative Review

The aim was to evaluate the current state of knowledge pertaining to patient safety and its link to person-centred care. The international relevance of patient safety has expanded, as have the models of person-centred care. Inspired by this new trend, we collated and summarized the literature for evidence of the two topics. The study was guided by Russell, Whittemore and Knafl’s integrative review framework. An electronic database search was conducted for relevant articles from 2005 to 2016. This review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. The structure and process of the evaluation of the evidence are described and the findings interpreted by means of a thematic synthesis. One theme emerged: trustful, safe communication in the relationship between the patient, family members and healthcare professionals and two domains;safety culture and multidisciplinary capacity building. The dominant dimension in the safety culture domain is respectful communication, which implies sharing experiences that lead to a sense of control during labour and birth and is related to the women’s feeling of personal capacity. The dominant dimensions in the multidisciplinary capacity building domain are collaborative teamwork, coordination and risk management, knowledge sharing and patient-centred communication. In conclusion, to enhance patient safety, it is necessary to develop patient-focused, evidence-based skills and guidelines as well as a supportive organization. Due to their interaction with patients, midwives’ communication competence on the part of midwives is essential for supporting the birth and fulfilling the women’s needs and expectations.

Clinical Efficacy of the Integrated Medical Care Model Combined with Psychological Intervention in Tuberculosis Patients with Lung Cancer

Objective:To explore the clinical efficacy of the integrated medical care model combined with psychological intervention in pulmonary tuberculosis patients with lung cancer.Methods:From January to December 2022,60 pulmonary tuberculosis patients with lung cancer admitted to our hospital were selected as the research subjects.Using the random number table method,the patients were divided into two groups,a control group and a study group,with 30 cases in each group.The chest computed tomography(CT)examination results,mental state assessment(including depression scale and anxiety scale)scores,incidence of adverse reactions,treatment effect,and length of hospital stay were compared between the two groups.Results:The treatment effect of the patients in the study group was better than that of the patients in the control group(P<0.05);the duration of hospitalization,chest CT examination results,mental state assessment scores,and incidence of adverse reactions of the study group and the control group,were significantly different(P<0.05).Conclusion:The integrated medical care model combined with psychological intervention can effectively improve the treatment effect of pulmonary tuberculosis patients with lung cancer and prevent the occurrence of adverse reactions;thus,it should be promoted in clinical practice.

Retrospective analysis of hepatitis C infected patients treated through an integrated care model

AIM To determine if our health system's integrated model reflects sustained virologic response(SVR) outcomes similar to those in clinical trial data, maximizes adherence, and averts drug interactions.METHODS Subjects with chronic hepatitis C had their medical records reviewed from November 1st, 2014 through March 1st, 2016. Patients eligible for treatment were entered into an integrated care model therapy algorithm. The primary outcome was SVR12 based on intention to treat(ITT) analysis. Inclusion criteria consisted of both treatment na?ve and experienced patients over the age of 18 who were at least twelve weeks post-therapy completion with any genotype(GT) or METAVIR score. Secondary outcomes included adherence, adverse events, and number of drug interaction interventions.RESULTS At the time of analysis, 133 patients had reached twelve weeks post therapy with ITT. In the ITT analysis 70 patients were GT 1a, 26 GT 1b, 23 could not be differentiated between GT 1a or 1b, 8 GT 2, 4 GT 3, and 2 patients with multiple genotypes. The ITT treatment regimens consisted of 97 sofosbuvir(SOF)/ledipasvir(LDV), 8 SOF/LDV and ribavirin(RBV), 7 SOFand Simeprevir(SMV), 6 3D and RBV, 1 3D, 11 SOF and RBV, and 1 SOF, peg interferon alpha, and RBV. The overall SVR12 rate was 93% in the ITT analysis with a total of 6 patients relapsing. In patients with cirrhosis, 89% obtained SVR12. All 33 patients who were previous treatment failures achieved SVR12. Drug-drug interactions were identified in 56.4% of our patient population, 69 of which required interventions made by the pharmacist. The most common side effects were fatigue(41.4%), headache(28.6%), nausea(18.1%), and diarrhea(8.3%). No serious adverse effects were reported.CONCLUSION Dean Health System's integrated care model successfully managed patients being treated for hepatitis C virus(HCV). The integrated care model demonstrates high SVR rates amongst patients with different levels of fibrosis, genotypes, and HCV treatment history.

Study on the quality of life and the factors influencing it in elderly patients

A society of advanced age is arriving with the increasing number of elderly patients. Little attention has been paid to the quality of life of elderly patients, which is decreasing gradually. This article aims to study the quality of life among elderly patients and explore the factors influencing it, in addition to exploring effective ways to improve the quality of life of elderly patients.

Evaluation of a simulation-based workshop on clinical performance for emergency physicians and nurses

BACKGROUND: Simulation-based medical education has been growing rapidly and becomes one of the most popular teaching methods for improving patient safety and patient care. The Simulation Subcommittee of the Hong Kong College of Emergency Medicine organized an educational program emphasizing the team training, clinical decision-making and communication skills. This study aimed to evaluate the attitude of the participants toward a new training program and the change in the knowledge on clinical performance in emergency physicians and nurses after attending the educational program.METHODS: A course evaluation form was filled in by the participants at the end of the workshop. An assessment of 20 multiple-choice questions with 5 options was administered to the participants before and after the 2-day simulation-based training workshop.RESULTS: A total of 72 doctors and nurses working in the Accident and Emergency Department were enrolled. The average pretest and posttest scores were 12 and 14.3 respectively. The percentage improvement in the mean score of the pretest and posttest was 11.5%. The Chi-square test showed signifi cant improvement in the pretest and posttest score grading(P=0.00). Paired t-test revealed signifi cant difference between the mean scores of the pretest and posttest(P=0.00).CONCLUSIONS: Participants had positive attitude toward this new training program. Significant improvement of the knowledge on clinical performance in healthcare professionals in the Accident and Emergency Department was observed after the participation in this simulation-based educational program.

Practical strategies for increasing efficiency and effectiveness in critical care education

Technological advances and evolving demands inmedical care have led to challenges in ensuring adequate training for providers of critical care. Reliance on the traditional experience-based training model alone is insufficient for ensuring quality and safety in patient care. This article provides a brief overview of the existing educational practice within the critical care environment. Challenges to education within common daily activities of critical care practice are reviewed. Some practical evidence-based educational approaches are then described which can be incorporated into the daily practice of critical care without disrupting workflow or compromising the quality of patient care. It is hoped that such approaches for improving the efficiency and efficacy of critical care education will be integrated into training programs.

Promoting Clinician Well-Being and Patient Safety Using Human Factors Science: Reducing Unnecessary Occupational Stress

Our healthcare delivery system has accumulated complexity of payment, regulation systems, expectations and requirements. Often these are not designed to align with clinical thinking process flow of patient care. As a result, clinicians are utilizing enormous mental (cognitive) resource to comply with these complexities, over and above the baseline mental effort required to give good care to the patient. Recent studies suggest a significant number of physicians, advanced practice providers and nurses no longer want to stay in healthcare due to difficult work expectations and conditions that have become unreasonable. Technology has benefitted healthcare delivery, but also is a conduit of many expectations that have been grafted upon clinician workloads, exceeding the resources provided to accomplish them. Cognitive load is a measure of mental effort and is divided into Intrinsic, Germane and Extraneous Cognitive Load. Extraneous Cognitive Load (ECL) is what is not necessary and can be removed by better design. High cognitive load is associated with increased risk of both medical error and clinician burnout. Chronic high level occupational stress occurs from dealing with this job/resource imbalance and is showing serious personal health impact upon clinicians and the quality of the work they can provide for patients. Since organizational systems have become more complex, leadership methods, clinician wellbeing and patient safety efforts need to adjust to adapt and succeed. Safety efforts have tended to predominantly follow methods of a few decades ago with predominant focus upon how things go wrong (Safety I) but are now being encouraged to include more of the study of how things go right (Safety II). Human Factors/Ergonomics (HFE) science has been used in many industries to preserve worker wellbeing and improve system performance. Patient safety is a product of good system performance. HFE science helps inform mechanisms behind Safety I and II approach. HFE concepts augment existing burnout and safety interventions by providing a conceptual roadmap to follow that can inform how to improve the multiple human/technology, human/system, and human/work environment interfaces that comprise healthcare delivery. Healthcare leaders, by their influence over culture, resource allocation, and implementation of requirements and workflows are uniquely poised to be effective mitigators of the conditions leading to clinician burnout and latent medical error. Basic knowledge of HFE science is a strategic advantage to leaders and individuals tasked with achieving quality of care, controlling costs, and improving the experiences of receiving and providing care.

Service Delivery Factors That Influence Utilization of HIV Integrated Primary Health Care Programme in Embu Referral Hospital, Kenya

Globally, there are approximately 36.7 million people living with HIV. Integration of HIV treatment with primary care services improves effectiveness, efficiency and equity in service delivery. The study sought to establish service delivery factors that influenced utilization of integrated HIV and primary health care services in Embu Teaching and Referral hospital. A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was used to collect data at a specific period and point of time from a sample of 302 seropositive clients who were selected using simple random method. Data collection tool was structured and semi-structured questionnaire. The tool was reliable at Cronbach’s alpha of 0.817. SPSS version 23 was used to analyze the data. A binary logistic regression model was used to predict the relationship between service delivery and utilization of integrated services. Results: Majority of the respondents (59.6%) were aged over 35 years with majority being female (58.9%) and the married were 57.6% of the total sample. On service delivery factors, majority (94.7%) felt that their health status had improved. Action taken when clients developed side effects, 78.8% reported that the drugs were changed. Action taken following drug side effects significantly affected utilization, χ2 = 1.305, p = 0.001, df = 1. The findings showed that waiting time significantly influenced utilization, χ2 = 9.284, df = 1, p = 0.002. Source of information on self care also significantly influenced utilization, χ2 = 10.689, df = 1, p = 0.001. Kind of treatment at the facility also significantly influenced utilization, χ2 = 5.713, p = 0.048. Conclusion: significant factors that influenced utilization of integrated services were source of health care information, secondly waiting time was another factor which influenced utilization. Majority of the respondents were satisfied with duration of time they take before they were served;they reported to take utmost 1 hour to be attended to and action taken by health care provider following side effects was another factor that influenced the utilization.

Interdepartmental miscommunication regarding radiology:Addressing chronic challenges and exploring solutions

Effective communication and collaboration among healthcare professionals are crucial for delivering high-quality patient care.Interdepartmental miscommunication poses a significant challenge to healthcare systems,potentially undermining the quality of healthcare services provided.In the same manner,communication barriers between referring physicians and radiologists can specifically affect radiology services and patient outcomes.This article attempts to put the spotlight on the ever-present chronic challenges of this issue and prompt readers to recognize the relevant potential pitfalls in their daily clinical practice.Practical solutions are explored and proposed,which should be tailored to the specific needs and issues that each individual institution may face.

Ten misconceptions regarding decision-making in critical care

Diagnostic errors are prevalent in critical care practice and are associated with patient harm and costs for providers and the healthcare system.Patient complexity,illness severity,and the urgency in initiating proper treatment all contribute to decision-making errors.Clinician-related factors such as fatigue,cognitive overload,and inexperience further interfere with effective decision-making.Cognitive science has provided insight into the clinical decision-making process that can be used to reduce error.This evidence-based review discusses ten common misconceptions regarding critical care decision-making.By understanding how practitioners make clinical decisions and examining how errors occur,strategies may be developed and implemented to decrease errors in Decision-making and improve patient outcomes.

Wearable Healthcare and Continuous Vital Sign Monitoring with IoT Integration

Technical and accessibility issues in hospitals often prevent patients from receiving optimal mental and physical health care,which is essential for independent living,especially as societies age and chronic diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular disease become more common.Recent advances in the Internet of Things(IoT)-enabled wearable devices offer potential solutions for remote health monitoring and everyday activity recognition,gaining significant attention in personalized healthcare.This paper comprehensively reviews wearable healthcare technology integrated with the IoT for continuous vital sign monitoring.Relevant papers were extracted and analyzed using a systematic numerical review method,covering various aspects such as sports monitoring,disease detection,patient monitoring,and medical diagnosis.The review highlights the transformative impact of IoTenabled wearable devices in healthcare,facilitating real-time monitoring of vital signs,including blood pressure,temperature,oxygen levels,and heart rate.Results from the reviewed papers demonstrate high accuracy and efficiency in predicting health conditions,improving sports performance,enhancing patient care,and diagnosing diseases.The integration of IoT in wearable healthcare devices enables remote patient monitoring,personalized care,and efficient data transmission,ultimately transcending traditional boundaries of healthcare and leading to better patient outcomes.

Patient-centered medical home and integrated care in the United States: An opportunity to maximize delivery of primary care

The reciprocal relationship between mental and physical health is well established.Undiagnosed,untreated,and poorly managed mental health conditions are associated with numerous physical health complications,poor treatment adherence,and decreased quality of life.Despite growing evidence regarding the importance of effectively addressing these conditions in primary care,the rates of identification remain low and follow-up and management by primary care providers has been criticized.The objective of this review was to demonstrate the role of Patient-Centered Medical Home(PCMH)and mental health integration in addressing comprehensive health care needs in primary care patients,and to describe common barriers and facilitators to the implementation of these types of programs.