Auditing The Completeness and Legibility of Computerized Radiological Request Forms.

Certain Saudi healthcare organizations transfer outpatients to medical imaging departments for radiological examinations in a manual process that relies on the use of paper-based forms. With the increased implementation of electronic medical records in Saudi Hospitals, little is known about the completeness and legibility of information captured in  electronic-based medical imaging forms. The purpose of this study is to audit the completeness and legibility of medical imaging paper-based forms in comparison with electronic-based medical imaging forms. As a secondary objective, we also examined the number of errors found on the forms.An observational retrospective cross-sectional study was utilized to audit the completeness and legibility of both paper and electronic forms collected between March 1 and May 15, 2015. The study measured the association among categorical variables using Chi-Square analysis. The results of this investigation show a significant association between form completion and type of record (i.e., paper vs. electronic) where electronic-based systems were found to be more complete than paper-based records. Electrnoic based records were also found to improve form legibility, promote user adherence to complete the forms and minimize entry errors. In conclusion, electronic-based medical imaging forms are more complete and legible than paper based forms. Future studies should evaluate other hospitals and compare both legibility and completeness of electronic-based medical imaging forms and conduct usability evaluation studies with users to explore the impacts of system design on both completeness and legibility of electronic forms, in general, but more specifically, electronic-based medical imaging forms.

Collecting Patient Data from Sensor-Based Systems: Benefits and Challenges.

The purpose of this study is to review the literature on the use of sensor-based technology in the collection of healthcare data from health consumers and/or patients. A literature search was conducted in November 2015 through the PubMed database. A total of 4,800 articles were retrieved using the terms "sensors-based systems in healthcare" and "sensor monitoring in healthcare". After scanning the articles, and applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 10 articles were found relevant and included in the review. This study highlights the benefits and challenges when using sensor-based systems in the collection of health consumer and/or patient information. Some of the benefits in the collection of data are remote monitoring features and the real-time data collection features. Some of the challenges are privacy, security, and sensitivity to technology issues. Future work should evaluate the quality of the research evidence on sensor-based technologies and how such information impacts quality of care.

A Literature Review on Health Information Exchange (HIE).

Developing a national Health Information Exchange (HIE) for Saudi Arabia has developed into a priority for the Saudi Ministry of Health. In the process of conducting a literature review of existing opportunities and challenges of health information exchange in international hospitals and the possible implications of such studies on Saudi Arabia, an initial search was conducted in April 2015 yielding 31 articles from PubMed, Science Direct and other database using key terms such as: health information exchange, data exchange, health data exchange, data interoperability in health, lessons of data interoperability, opportunities of health information exchange, challenges of data integration, and challenges of data format and ontology. Research studies that were not related to the health care sector, that were not in English, or found not relevant to the purpose of the study were excluded. Only six studies were included in the review. Results show that there are many opportunities and challenges found in the literature which may impact how Saudi Arabia implements the national Health Information Exchange (HIE) strategy. Three primary challenges for HIE were identified including data formatting, semantic ontology, and building the HIE infrastructure. Opportunities for Saudi Arabia in implementing the HIE were also found in the literature such as improving the quality of healthcare services and reducing healthcare costs. Saudi Arabia is advancing in the electronic medical record (EMR) implementation especially with current changes on the level of authority and ministry structure. Building an EMR foundation will make the HIE simpler to implement for the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health.

The Implementation Experiences of an Endoscopy Information System (EIS) on the Improvement of Workflow Processes in a Saudi Endoscopy Department.

The objective of this paper is to investigate the experiences in implementing a smart capsule system for a Saudi endoscopy department. The study was conducted at a leading Saudi healthcare institution located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A case study approach was used in the study. Endoscopy Information System (EIS) system data documentation, key informant interviews, and meeting documents were the data collection sources used in the study. A thematic analysis of the data was conducted. Preliminary data showed improvements in hospital clinical workflow as a result of implementing the new EIS. Although the findings of this study are preliminary, more work is needed to evaluate the overall impact of the new EIS on clinical workflow, patient wait times, usability, and data accuracy.

Remote Patient Monitoring System Implementation at a Cardiac Care Centre in Saudi Arabia.

The objective of this paper is to report the implementation experiences of a remote patient monitoring system at a cardiac care center in Saudi Arabia. Key informant interviews, meeting documents, and experience of the researcher were part of the data collection sources used in the study. A thematic analysis of the data was conducted. Our preliminary work shows improvements in patient monitoring within the cardiac care center as a result of the new patient monitoring system. Lessons learned are also reported as well as study limitations. Future work will further investigate the impacts of the patient monitoring system on physician and patient satisfaction and health outcomes.

Vagal Nerve Stimulation (VNS) Therapy System Implementation at a Neurology Department in Saudi Arabia.

The objective of this paper is to report on the implementation of a Vagal Nerve Stimulation (VNS) Therapy System at a neurology department in Saudi Arabia. Key informant interviews, meeting documents, and experience of the researcher were part of the data collection sources used in the study. A thematic analysis of the data was conducted. The preliminary work shows improvements in epilepsy treatment within the neurology department as a result of the new Vagal Nerve Stimulation (VNS) therapy system. We discuss the lessons learned and identify the limitations of the study. Future work will further investigate the impacts of the VNS system on physician and patient satisfaction and health outcomes.

Using a digital marketing platform for the promotion of an internet based health encyclopedia in saudi arabia.

The objective of this paper is to investigate the experiences of using a digital marketing platform to promote the use of an internet based health encyclopedia in Saudi Arabia. Key informant interviews, meeting documentation, and Google Analytics were the data collection sources used in the study. Findings show that using a digital marketing platform led to a significant increase in the number of visitors to the health encyclopedia. The results demonstrate that digital marketing platforms are effective tools to be used for promoting internet based health education interventions. Future work will examine long-term educational impacts and costs in using digital marketing platforms to promote online healthcare sites in Saudi Arabia.

A pharmacy inventory management system in saudi arabia: a case study.

The objective of this paper is to report on the preliminary findings of the implementation process of a pharmacy inventory management system at a local Saudi hospital. Meeting documents, key informant interviews, and experience of the researcher were part of the data collection sources used in the study. A thematic analysis of the data was conducted. Preliminary findings show that the implementation process of the pharmacy inventory management system needs the involvement and support of senior management and experienced technical expertise. Future research will focus on investigating the impacts of the pharmacy inventory management system on workflow and medication errors.

The implementation experiences of a pharmacy automation drug dispensing system in saudi arabia.

The objective of this paper is to investigate the experiences of implementing a pharmacy automation drug dispensing system in Saudi Arabia. Key informant interviews, meeting documents, and experience of the researcher were the data collection sources used in the study. A thematic analysis of the data was conducted. Study results discuss the organizational challenges prior to implementation as well as details of the implementation process. Preliminary results show improvements in the services provided by the pharmaceutical department. Lessons learned are also discussed. The work presented in this paper is preliminary and more research is needed to evaluate the overall impact of the new pharmacy automation system on services provided by the pharmaceutical department.