Tele-ACP amidst COVID-19 pandemic and beyond

BackgroundWhen COVID-19 hit Singapore in 2020, the public was advised to avoid visiting the hospitals unless for essential services. Advance Care Planning (ACP) services in hospital and community had to be stopped to reduce exposure for the public. However, it was not feasible for ACP services to stop with no foresight of when it could resume. Ironically, ACP should all the more be advocated amidst the pandemic.Henceforth, the team planned and implemented a tele-ACP workflow in February 2020 to ensure accessibility in continuity of care and reduce waiting time for ACP appointments.MethodsTele-ACP is conducted only via Zoom, given its security and encryption features. Criteria of patients include ability to read basic English, having electronic device with internet access, and having no severe hearing or speech impairment.Pre-ACP appointment: Zoom details including a guide were sent to patients and/or NHS.On appointment day: Before session starts, ACP Facilitator will ensure that patient and/or NHS are at a space where there is privacy. Internet stability will also be checked.Post-ACP appointment: Signatures will be obtained electronically or via post, while ensuring personal data is well-protected.ResultsFrom February 2020 to November 2022, 105 tele-ACPs (14 General ACPs and 91 Preferred Plan of Care) were completed. 45 were completed in 2020 and 2021 each, while 15 were done in 2022 (as of November). The average duration for tele vs in-person ACPs is both about 90 minutes, indicating that the effort and time spent are not any less despite ACP discussions being done virtually.ConclusionsLooking at the number of tele-ACPs completed and how it is still actively carried out despite COVID-19 situation being stable and restrictions lifted, tele-ACP is clearly in healthy demand. This shows that tele-ACP is here to stay, being both sustainable and transferable to multiple settings.

Supply chain risk and SME business continuity strategies in the food industry during COVID-19 pandemic

PurposeThis study aimed to (1) identify supply chain risks faced by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in food businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic and (2) investigate the business continuity management (BCM) strategies employed by organisations during the COVID-19 pandemic.Design/methodology/approachSemi-structured interviews were conducted, involving eight SMEs in the Malaysian food industry. Their responses were analysed using a thematic analysis.FindingsThe thematic analysis indicated that supply risks, demand risks, operational risks, logistics risks and financial risks were amongst the challenges that the respondents faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also provided evidence which showed the importance of flexibility, redundancy and collaboration to avoid or reduce the impact of such risks.Originality/valueThis paper fills the void in the literature by exploring the BCM practices amongst SMEs in the food businesses of a developing country, during the COVID-19 disruptions. Previous studies in the area had mainly focused on large organisations.

Medical Dental Integration in Wisconsin: Integrating dental hygienists into pediatric well child visits and prenatal care

Disparities exist in access to early oral health care, disproportionately impacting minority ethnic groups and populations with low socioeconomic status. Medical dental integration provides an opportunity to create a new dental access point for early prevention and intervention as well as care coordination. The Wisconsin Medical Dental Integration (WI-MDI) model expanded early access to preventive oral health services by integrating dental hygienists (DHs) into pediatric primary care and prenatal care teams to address oral health inequities with the goal of reducing dental disease. This case study will describe how DHs were incorporated into the medical care teams in Wisconsin and how legislation expanding scope of practice made this possible. Since 2019, five federally qualified health systems, one non-profit clinic, and two large health systems have enrolled in the WI-MDI project. Thirteen DHs have worked across nine clinics in the WI-MDI project and over 15,000 patient visits to a medical provider included oral health services provided by DHs from 2019 to 2023. Dental hygienists working in alternative practice models such as those demonstrated in the innovative WI-MDI approach are positioned to reduce oral health disparities through the provision of early and frequent dental prevention, intervention, and care coordination.

Evaluation of the Implementation of Business Continuity Management Using COBIT 2019 Framework in Public Sector

The research is based on the global struggle with the COVID-19 pandemic, where countries are facing challenges in managing the flow of essential goods, including medical devices, medicines, and consumer goods. In this regard, the Indonesian National Single Window System (SINSW) can play a critical role in managing the import and export of goods required to combat the pandemic. The experience of the pandemic has emphasized the need for SINSW to enhance its capacity to meet demands in normal and emergency situations. Therefore, Lembaga National Single Window (LNSW), a unit of the Ministry of Finance, needs to develop and evaluate its business continuity governance to meet domestic needs and business requirements. To measure the level of business continuity management capability, this study utilizes the COBIT 2019 framework, specifically the DSS (Deliver, Service, Support) 04 domain. The research aims to address the problem of measuring the level of business continuity management capability and providing recommendations for improving LNSW's business continuity governance. Based on the assessment, the DSS04-Managed Continuity process capability value owned by LNSW has only partially achieved level 1 process capability, and further activities and work products are required to fulfill the next level of achievement. The study is expected to contribute to LNSW by providing a mapping of the maturity level of business continuity management and recommendations for improvement based on the evaluation results. By enhancing the level of business continuity management capability, it is anticipated that the quality of public services will improve. Moreover, the author's work paper, which utilizes the COBIT 2019 framework to assess the level of capability, can be utilized by LNSW as a self-assessment tool for regularly evaluating business continuity management and as a reference for future researchers in this field. © 2023, Success Culture Press. All rights reserved.

An opinion paper on requirement for a practitioner's handbook designed for business continuity and resilience in government: a South African context

PurposeThis paper aims to find a suitable structure for a practitioner's handbook that addresses the structural elements of the business continuity (BC) practice.Design/methodology/approachThe case study using the mixed method, quantitative with a questionnaire and conceptual research approach was what has been chosen. The four steps to the research process are outlined: one, choosing the topic, two, collecting relevant literature, three, identifying specific variables and four, generating a structure. The design brought on by years of experience, should be put into an organised system and handbook that can be reused, without having to reinvent the wheel.FindingsA BC handbook should be as relevant to the executives and management as to their employees. By adopting a BC practice in a government department, state-owned entity, agency or municipality. Assurance will be ascertained for reliable, improved service delivery and reputation with much less interruption. Therefore a handbook with a "cradle to the grave” BC approach should outline, with examples of standards, awareness, policy, BC programme plan, BC structures, business impact and risk analysis, strategy, budgets, scorecards, monitoring and evaluation, recovery and BC plans, together with the audit and an International Standards Organization (ISO) 22301 certification process.Research limitations/implicationsThe research was limited to literature, questionnaires and identified variables pertaining to BC management (BCM) in the South African Government.Practical implicationsThe implications of the case study is that out of the variables identified and the relevant literature and standards, a structure for a relevant post-COVID-19 government practitioner's handbook could be made available.Social implicationsThe use of a BCM handbook for government would assist in the continuation of services through manmade and natural disasters. The service to the citizen, including but not limited to water, electricity, sanitation, medical and health services, and the food supply chain are just a few areas that can be positively impacted upon by good BCM. By implication the reliance of government structure are treated most in time of disasters as experienced through the two year period of the COVID-19 pandemic.Originality/valueThe government departments in South Africa do not have or have not implemented BCM due to the lack of clear guidelines. The COVID-19 pandemic however had accelerated the requirement for a top down BCM approach. To ensure that the scope of BCM is not limited, the possibility of having a set handbook for the government practitioner will ensure that service quality remains intact. Such a handbook related to government BCM practice is long outstanding.

Management of the covid crisis on board a marchant navy vessel

The merchant navy vesselAtalante was on a scientific mission in March, April 2020 as the Covid pandemic spread across the planet. The maritime crew were faced with a double risk, the interruption of routine medical care and the appearance of a cluster on board. These two risks were avoided by adapting quickly and effectively to this exceptional situation. A replacement for the usual medical treatment has been put in place and health measures have been rigorously applied. This answer is interesting to consider in the event of SSE (exceptional health situations) involving medicine in a situation of isolation.Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Masson SAS

The Consequences of Discontinuing a Home Care Service for Patients with Severe Mental Illness After the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Continuity of care has been considered, as a key component of the treatment process, especially after discharge from the hospital. Establishing treatment continuity is critical to achieving successful treatment outcomes. Roozbeh Home Care Program was developed to ensure the continuity of care in patients with severe mental illness. This study aims to investigate the consequences of discontinuing a home care service including; relapse, readmission, service satisfaction, severity and disability, in patients with severe mental illness in Iran. Forty-three patients who received home care service for more than 6 months were included. They were assessed 3 and 6 months after receiving the service; and 12 months after the program discontinuation. There was a significant difference between the hospitalization rate during (0.42 ± 0.64) and 1 year after the program's discontinuation (0.65 ± 1.46). The majority of the caregivers (70%) were highly satisfied with the home care services. Among the patients who received the homecare services, 40.4% were highly satisfied; and 21.2% were moderately satisfied. There was no significant difference between disability (as measured by World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule), clinical improvement (as measured by Clinical Global Impression-Improvement Scale), or severity of illness (as measured by Clinical Global Impression Severity of the Illness Scale) during and 1 year after program's discontinuation. During the time of receiving the service, hospitalization rate was reduced. Patients and caregivers were satisfied with the service. Providing psychiatric services at home should be considered as a solution to maintain the continuity of care.

Gestion de la crise covid à bord d'un navire de marine marchande : Atalante

Résumé Le navire Atalante de la marine marchande effectuait une mission scientifique en mars, avril 2020 alors que la pandémie de Covid se répandait sur la planète. Le personnel de bord a été confronté à un double risque, la rupture de soins médicaux courants et l'apparition d'un cluster à bord. Ces deux risques ont été évités en s'adaptant rapidement et efficacement à cette situation exceptionnelle. Une suppléance à la médicalisation habituelle a été mise en place et les mesures sanitaires ont été appliquées avec rigueur. Cette réponse est intéressante à considérer en cas de SSE (Situations sanitaires exceptionnelles) impliquant la médecine en situation d'isolement. Summary The merchant navy vesselAtalante was on a scientific mission in March, April 2020 as the Covid pandemic spread across the planet. The maritime crew were faced with a double risk, the interruption of routine medical care and the appearance of a cluster on board. These two risks were avoided by adapting quickly and effectively to this exceptional situation. A replacement for the usual medical treatment has been put in place and health measures have been rigorously applied. This answer is interesting to consider in the event of SSE (exceptional health situations) involving medicine in a situation of isolation.

Distance learning in the wake of COVID-19 in Morocco.

The integration of information and communication technologies (ICT) has been one of the priorities of the Moroccan education system that date back to pre-COVID-19 period. Since 1999, the National Charter for Education and Training has accorded great importance to distance education (DE) and learning. Several programmes and initiatives (such as GENIE, NAFIDA, Telmidtice, Lycée Attahadi, …) were launched and funded by the government to promote the use of ICT in schools. With the outbreak of COVID-19, the shift to distance education was mandated to ensure pedagogical continuity. In the current study, a mixed-method research approach was used to assess the extent to which the adoption of distance learning in public educational institutions can ensure pedagogical continuity in Morocco during the outbreak period started from April to June 2020. The Analysis of the data collected from the quantitative study showed that the COVID-19 pandemic, DE was used occasionally due to the lack of technological equipment or knowledge and expertise to use it. During the COVID-19 crisis, 1teachers resorted to self-training and used available social media tools to support learners by sharing various resources with them. In addition, the data collected from the participatory observation of two virtual classes on the «Zoom¼ and «Teams ¼ platforms showed that the use of videoconferencing in Morocco contributed, even partially, to solving the problem of pedagogical continuity. The experience of lessons broadcast in synchronous mode showed promising results at the technical level in terms of student participation and interactivity, resource sharing and transfer and a favorable classroom climate. However, there is still a lot of work to be done at the pedagogical and didactic level to better exploit the potential of this technology. On the other hand, the Ministry of Education is expected to make a huge effort to guarantee equal access to technology and the internet in order to ensure equitable education, especially in rural areas.

Course model redesign for continuity of instruction

The purpose of the chapter is to illustrate instructional models that were implemented by Samford University McWhorter School of Pharmacy to comply with COVID-19 social distancing restrictions. While the second half of Spring 2020 was completely online (statewide shutdown), the university remained open in a hybrid manner for the 2020-21 academic year. There are three sections in the chapter: didactic, interprofessional, and advanced pharmacy practice experiences. The didactic section discusses course delivery methods and active learning, office hours, remote testing, student feedback, and contingency planning. The interprofessional section illustrates some of the school's synchronous and asynchronous interprofessional learning activities before and during the COVID-pandemic, as well as interprofessional education assessment methods. The last section of the chapter discusses how advanced pharmacy practice experience "direct patient care" was redefined, examples of the experiences, and contingency plans that were put into place to ensure on-time graduation for the classes of 2020 and 2021 pharmacy students. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Role of Talent Management in Business Continuity

Talent Management plays a crucial role to support the business continuity and empower the most important asset for the company - its people. The role that Talent Management has played was highlighted in different aspects across the organization, starting from developing competent HR team and HR department structure that can influence company culture by taking an active approach in this regard. The journey started by working with the executives and stakeholders across the business to evaluate the current company culture, assess potential gaps or opportunities, and create a strategic plan to align the organization's culture with its values and goals. Moreover, a deliberate building of core and supplementary HR systems serving the business strategy while respecting culture readiness has taken place. This started off with developing leadership development programs, conducting a competency management system for better training and skills development, relying on assessment tools in recruitment and using these tools in the on-boarding, knowledge sharing approach, creating a performance management culture and working on continuous development and improvement. The Leadership Development Program was achieved on 3 phases: Assessment phase, Development phase and re-assessment phase. One of the main objectives that we tried to focus on while implementing the leadership development program was to find employees who are potential leaders and nurture them early enough. In addition, it was crucial to identify a Leadership Competency Profile to have a clear, compelling vision of how the skills we were building in the leadership development program connect to the leadership road map in the company. In addition, and in the light of Covid-19 and the absence of Employee Training in 2020, the HR department came out with an initiative to carry out internal knowledge sharing workshops across the company. These workshops aimed at increasing employees' awareness with the different functions across the company in addition to increasing the level of engagement, communication, and presentation skills for employees. There is always a need to measure where we are and the progress done so far to know where we want to be and adjust the process accordingly. Therefore throughout all of these processes and programs, different feedback surveys were conducted to take necessary action plans. This helped in getting all employees onboard with us. Ultimately the alignment that was made between the Talent Management and the overall company's business strategy resulted in the company's ability to maintain a competitive advantage. A huge progress was made but the process continues to sustain this role. Copyright © 2023, Society of Petroleum Engineers.

COVID-19 and continuity planning: One university's perspective

In 2018, New York University shifted from conventional continuity of operations planning to what the team has dubbed ‘continuity for action'. Prior to 2018, business continuity efforts at the university were decentralised. Now, however, the university uses a relational database that allows data to be accessed quickly to meet the needs of an emergency. The migration of plans into this database has taken time, but the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the utility of the approach. This paper describes the university's adoption of the ‘continuity for action' approach and offers insights into how business continuity planning data plays a critical role in speeding an organisation from response into recovery. © Henry Stewart Publications, 1749–9216.

New Normal at United Energy Pakistan Limited

The Coronavirus pandemic challenged most industries in ways unimaginable, forcing people to consider a variety of operational models which were previously unthinkable. UEP also adapted a Work-From-Home (WFH) model for its office-based staff to ensure operational continuity. A few months into the Pandemic, discussions at UEP were initiated to determine how the organization intends to manage office resumption once the Pandemic eases. A holistic strategy was devised to seek inputs of stake holders, research global and local trends to arrive at an informed decision. The findings indicated that while globally there were discussions around New Normal the local companies were generally not inclined in changing the way they work. UEP also sought feedback on the work-from-home setup from its employees via pulse survey and focus groups. Based on the results and multiple deliberations it was decided to move towards a hybrid model as the New Normal for UEP. A key focus area throughout the process was the impact on employees and the subsequent impact on Talent Management at UEP. This paper will discuss the series of events which led to the formalization of the "New Normal for UEP" and how it has impacted UEP's Talent Management. The paper will also briefly touch upon the post implementation feedback and lessons learnt from focus groups and highlight areas of improvement to fine tune the working model to what suits UEP best. Copyright © 2023, Society of Petroleum Engineers.

Pausing the Pandemic: Understanding and Managing Traveler and Community Spread of COVID-19 in Hawaii.

In the absence of a vaccine, nonpharmaceutical interventions such as social distancing and travel reductions were the only strategies for slowing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Using survey data from Hawaii (n = 22,200) collected in March through May of 2020 at the onset of the pandemic, the differences between traveler spreaders who brought the disease into the state and community spreaders were investigated. In addition to describing the demographic attributes and comparing them with attributes of those who were vulnerable to COVID-19, logit models explaining travel behaviors were developed and tested. Traveler spreaders were likely to be male, younger, and returning students. Community spreaders were more likely to be male, essential workers, first responders, and medical personnel at the highest risk of exposure. Using spatial statistics, clusters and hotspot locations of high-risk individuals were mapped. As transportation researchers are in a position to combine their critical analytical capabilities and experience with relevant databases on mobility and the spread of infectious diseases, this analysis could support efforts to respond to and slow the spread of the pandemic.

Ten Takeaways from the COVID-19 Pandemic for Transportation Planners.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created significant challenges but also unprecedented opportunities for transportation researchers and practitioners. In this article, the major lessons and gaps in knowledge for those working in the transportation sector are identified, including the following: (1) integration between public health and transportation; (2) technology to support contact tracing and tracking of travelers; (3) focus on vulnerable, at-risk operators, patrons, and underserved members of society; (4) re-engineering of travel demand models to support social distancing, quarantine, and public health interventions; (5) challenges with Big Data and information technologies; (6) trust relationships between the general public, government, private sector, and others in disaster management; (7) conflict management during disasters; (8) complexities of transdisciplinary knowledge and engagement; (9) demands for training and education; and (10) transformative change to support community resilience. With a focus on transportation planning and community resilience, the lessons from the pandemic need to be shared and customized for different systems, services, modalities, and users. While many of the interventions during the pandemic have been based on public health, the management, response, recovery, adaptation, and transformation of transportation systems resulting from the crisis require multi-disciplinary, multi-jurisdictional communications and coordination, and resource sharing. Further research to support knowledge to action is needed.

Reflections on the strategies deployed of pedagogical continuity throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and its influence on the academic trajectories of FaHCE- UNLP sociology students

In this article we intend to analyze the experience of going through Sociology studies in the Faculty of Humanities and Educational Sciences in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. In Particular, we will describe the academic -institutional strategies deployed in the face of the challenge of ensuring pedagogical continuity, such as adapting the regulations regarding promotion and teaching regimes;changes in the subjects teaching methods;review of programs and evaluation formats and other interventions implemented ad hoc. Without losing sight of the sudden and unprecedented nature that forced the implementation of the aforementioned strategies, we will explore how their influence was on the initial and final stages of the academic trajectories of Sociology students. To do this, we will analyze the information contained in the academic-administrative records available in the Faculty put in dialogue with documentary information and the perceptions of the institutional actors involved.

Care transition of older adults from hospital to home

Objective: To analyze the quality of care transition of older adults who were discharged from hospital to home. Methods: This is a cross-sectional observational study, conducted with 156 older adults after public hospital admission, located in the municipality of Piracicaba, state of Sao Paulo. Data were collected in patients' electronic medical records and by telephone calls with older adults, their relatives and/or caregivers, up to four weeks after hospital discharge. We used a questionnaire with sociodemographic data and the Care Transitions Measure, version validated for Brazil. Results: The mean duration of the last hospitalization was 8.27 days, mostly caused (72.44%) by COVID-19 and 75% of older adults had between 1 and 3 comorbidities, with hypertension (57.7%) being the most frequent. The mean CTM-15 score was 68.6. Factor 1, Management preparation, obtained the highest score (70.5), and Factor 4, Care plan, the lowest (59.14). There was a positive correlation between the 4 factors of Care Transitions Measure, also among these factors is the number of drugs used to treat older adults, according to the Anatomical Chemical Therapeutic Classification. Conclusion: We evidenced the quality of the transition of care in the hospital close to the value considered satisfactory, with two of the four factors with a score greater than 70;however, there is a need to adopt strategies to improve the discharge process from hospital to home, especially with regard to preferences imported and care plan for older adults.

The impact of remote care approaches on continuity in primary care: a mixed-studies systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The value of continuity in primary care has been demonstrated for multiple positive outcomes. However, little is known about how the expansion of remote and digital care models in primary care have impacted continuity. AIM: To explore the impact of the expansion of remote and digital care models on continuity in primary care. DESIGN AND SETTING: A systematic review of continuity in primary care. METHOD: A keyword search of Embase, MEDLINE, and CINAHL databases was used along with snowball sampling to identify relevant English-language qualitative and quantitative studies from any country between 2000 and 2022, which explored remote or digital approaches in primary care and continuity. Relevant data were extracted, analysed using GRADE-CERQual, and narratively synthesised. RESULTS: Fifteen studies were included in the review. The specific impact of remote approaches on continuity was rarely overtly addressed. Some patients expressed a preference for relational continuity depending on circumstance, problem, and context; others prioritised access. Clinicians valued continuity, with some viewing remote consultations more suitable where there was high episodic or relational continuity. With lower continuity, patients and clinicians considered remote consultations harder, higher risk, and poorer quality. Some evidence suggested that remote approaches and/or their implementation risked worsening inequalities and causing harm by reducing continuity where it was valuable. However, if deployed strategically and flexibly, remote approaches could improve continuity. CONCLUSION: While the value of continuity in primary care has previously been well demonstrated, the dearth of evidence around continuity in a remote and digital context is troubling. Further research is, therefore, needed to explore the links between the shift to remote care, continuity and equity, using real-world evaluation frameworks to ascertain when and for whom continuity adds most value, and how this can be enabled or maintained.

Urban-rural divide and COVID-19: engaging teachers to assess and improve the Philippine basic education-learning continuity plan

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed poverty and exacerbated social inequality. Our role as academics is to illuminate these social issues to help policy makers address them adequately. Hence, we conducted this ethnographic study situated within the discourse urban-rural divide to assess the Philippine Basic Education-Learning Continuity Plan (BE-LCP), a COVID-19 education response, through the help of three teachers who, like us, the researchers, have been exposed to the rural and urban areas in Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte. In our effort to promote social justice and equity in education, we have privileged the voices of those in the marginalized rural sector. We interviewed the teacher key actors, conducted autoethnography and participant observation, and studied secondary sources available. Data sources were triangulated, and data transcripts were analysed through thematic analysis, drawing on relevant theories and literature. Interrelated social factors instigated by the government's biased past policies are (a) socioeconomic impact of COVID-19, (b) digital divide, (c) school location, and (d) parental education. While the pandemic affected urban and rural residents, the latter felt a severe impact. This study underscores the teacher agency in the BE-LCP policy: Teachers recommended monitoring learning outcomes, attending to low-performing learners, supporting home-based learning, and providing teaching resources. © 2023 National Institute of Education, Singapore.

Applications of Industry 4.0 for Pandemic Responses and Business Continuity: A TOE-DCV Integrated Approach

The fourth industrial revolution, also known as Industry 4.0, covers a broad range of technologies. The applications of Industry 4.0 help in interconnectivity as well as automation process and support seamless operations. Not many studies have taken place to examine how different applications of Industry 4.0 could help in turbulent situations or in crises like COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, there is a research gap. In such background, the aim of this study is to investigate how different applications of Industry 4.0 could help to respond to such turbulent situation and help in business continuity and sustainability of operations. The present study develops a theoretical model combining technology–organization–environment framework and dynamic capability view to examine the role of Industry 4.0 applications for business continuity and sustainability of business operations especially for managing any turbulent situation like COVID-19 pandemic. The theoretical model was validated using partial least square structural equation modeling technique considering 338 respondents from different industries. The study found that there is a greater need to adopt Industry 4.0 applications for managing business operations during any turbulent situation. The study also found that there is a significant moderating impact of corporate governance in adopting Industry 4.0 applications to manage business operations especially during crisis. IEEE