A mobile app (IDoThis) for multiple sclerosis self-management: development and initial evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the most common neurological disorders worldwide, and self-management is considered an essential dimension in its control. This study aimed to develop an evidence-based mobile application for MS self-management and evaluate it. METHODS: This study was undertaken in three phases: content preparation, design, and evaluation. In the content preparation phase, the researchers extracted MS self-management needs based on related guidelines and guides, existing apps on the self-management of MS, and the field experts' views and confirmation. The design phase was conducted in five steps: defining app functionalities, depicting the wireframe, preparing the media, coding the app, and testing the app's performance. The app was developed using the Android Studio environment and Java programming language for the Android operating system. The performance of the developed app was tested separately in several turns, and existing defects were corrected in each turn. Finally, after using the app for three weeks, the app was evaluated for its short-term impact on MS management and user-friendliness using a researcher-constructed questionnaire from participants' (N = 20) perspectives. RESULTS: The IDoThis app is an offline app for people with MS that includes five main modules: three modules for training or informing users about different aspects of MS, one module for monitoring the user's MS condition, and a reporting module. In the initial evaluation of the app, 75% (n = 15) of participants mentioned that using this app improved MS self-management status at intermediate and higher levels, but 25% (n = 5) of the participants mentioned that the effect of using the app on the self-management tasks was low or was very low. The majority of users rated the user-friendliness of the app as high. The users found the sections "exercises in MS" and "monitoring of MS status" beneficial to their self-management. Still, the fatigue and sleep management sections are needed to meet users' expectations. CONCLUSION: Using IDoThis app as a self-management tool for individuals with MS appears feasible, that can meet the need for a free and accessible self-management tool for individuals with MS. Future directions should consider the users' fatigue and sleep management expectations.

How are ontologies implemented to represent clinical practice guidelines in clinical decision support systems: protocol for a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Clinical practice guidelines are statements which are based on the best available evidence, and their goal is to improve the quality of patient care. Integrating clinical practice guidelines into computer systems can help physicians reduce medical errors and help them to have the best possible practice. Guideline-based clinical decision support systems play a significant role in supporting physicians in their decisions. Meantime, system errors are the most critical concerns in designing decision support systems that can affect their performance and efficacy. A well-developed ontology can be helpful in this matter. The proposed systematic review will specify the methods, components, language of rules, and evaluation methods of current ontology-driven guideline-based clinical decision support systems. METHODS: This review will identify literature through searching MEDLINE (via Ovid), PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, ScienceDirect, IEEEXplore, and ACM Digital Library. Gray literature, reference lists, and citing articles of the included studies will be searched. The quality of the included studies will be assessed by the mixed methods appraisal tool (MMAT-version 2018). At least two independent reviewers will perform the screening, quality assessment, and data extraction. A third reviewer will resolve any disagreements. Proper data analysis will be performed based on the type of system and ontology engineering evaluation data. DISCUSSION: The study will provide evidence regarding applying ontologies in guideline-based clinical decision support systems. The findings of this systematic review will be a guide for decision support system designers and developers, technologists, system providers, policymakers, and stakeholders. Ontology builders can use the information in this review to build well-structured ontologies for personalized medicine. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42018106501.

Exploring Self-management Needs of Persons With Multiple Sclerosis: A Qualitative Study for Mobile Application Development.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a common cause of neurologic disability in young adults. Individuals with MS deal with the day-to-day effects of the disease on their lives. Self-management can help with these challenges. This study aimed to explore MS self-management needs according to experiences of persons with MS and was conducted as part of a research project to develop an MS self-management mobile application. Methods: We used a qualitative method to elicit self-management needs among 12 individuals with MS and conducted semistructured interviews with them. The participants were chosen based on snowball sampling. The interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Finally, qualitative data were analyzed using a content analysis method (inductive way) to identify the underlying themes and subthemes. Results: The analysis resulted in the emergence of 7 themes: the source of information, basic needs, understanding MS, physical exercises in MS, useful nutrition in MS, MS monitoring, and communication. Within these 7 themes we identified 23 subthemes. Conclusions: The themes that emerged in this study show what needs are essential to help persons with MS improve their self-management capacity. These findings can help in the development of self-management mobile applications for supporting individuals in managing MS.

Development of a core data set for pelvic floor disorder patients registry.

OBJECTIVES: Pelvic floor disorders (PFDs) are important public health concerns due to their increasing prevalence. Hence, there is an increasing need for developing systematically collected quality data to assist appropriate clinical decision-making. This study aimed to develop a core data set for patients with PFDs based on the PFDs registry. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 2019. Data were retrieved from electronic databases including PubMed, Embase and Google scholar. Available documents and data systems in clinical centers were also assessed. The Delphi technique was applied to reach a consensus about the data elements using a questionnaire. A panel of experts evaluated the content validity of the questionnaire. RESULTS: We developed a dataset for PFDs that included two classes of data (65 data items) identified from the related literature. In the Delphi survey, 74 data elements were determined by the experts and final data were divided into two demographic and clinical categories that included 12 and 62 data elements, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This dataset has the potential for standardizing the data by providing accurate, consistent, complete and uniform data elements. Furthermore, it can provide valuable research facilities for clinicians and researchers in the healthcare system resulting in improvement of the quality of care and containment of costs.

Factors Influencing User Satisfaction with Information Systems: A Systematic Review.

User satisfaction has been considered as the measure of information system effectiveness success. User satisfaction is difficult to define but is considered an evaluation construct. Globally health organizations, particularly hospitals, invest a huge amount of money on information system projects. If hospital information systems (HISs) are to be successful, factors influencing or related to user satisfaction should be taken into account at the time of designing, developing or adopting such systems. The current study aimed to provide a comprehensive review of factors related to user satisfaction with information systems. The researchers systematically searched PubMed, Science Direct, and IEEE electronic databases for articles published from January 1990 to June 2016. A search strategy was developed using a combination of the following keywords: "model," "user satisfaction," "information system," "measurement," "instrument," and " tool." Reported dimensions, factors, and their possible influence on user satisfaction with information systems were extracted from the studies wherever was possible. Overall factors influencing user satisfaction with information systems can be categorized in seven dimensions: Information quality, system quality, vendor support quality, system use, perceived usefulness, user characteristics, and organizational structure & management style. If all these factors are considered properly in the process of developing, designing, implementing, or purchasing information systems, the higher user satisfaction with the system will be likely. Otherwise, it would end up with unsatisfied users that will finally contribute to the system failure.

Mobile Applications for Multiple Sclerosis: a Focus on Self-Management.

INTRODUCTION: The explosion of mobile phone users along with the importance of user's role in managing their health provides a unique opportunity for m-Health applications in the management of chronic illnesses such as Multiple sclerosis (MS). AIM: To identify available MS applications and to characterize the content of MS self-management applications. METHODS: Two popular online application stores (iTunes, Google play) were searched for multiple sclerosis -related apps using the following keywords: multiple sclerosis, disseminated multiple sclerosis, disseminated sclerosis, and MS. Apps were considered eligible if they had been customized only on multiple sclerosis. First, data was extracted from the description page for any eligible application. To achieve the study goal, the secondary analysis was performed only for self-management applications. RESULTS: Search of two popular markets identified 1042 applications (747 applications from Google play, and 295 applications from iTunes). Of these, 104 unique applications met the inclusion criteria. Almost a quarter of eligible applications (26%) had been designed for multiple sclerosis self-management. Other purposes of the identified applications were diagnosing & treating (7.7%), doing tests (7.7%), connecting & communication for MS patients (4.8%), raising awareness of multiple sclerosis (15.4%), accessing to journals & news (6.7%), conferences & meetings (17.3%), supporting & donating to MS community (14.4%). CONCLUSION: It appears the mobile applications provide a multidimensional tool for patient with Multiple Sclerosis to improve their condition self-management. These applications can contribute to empowerment of the patients, and help their adherence to the therapeutic and management regimen of their conditions. Moreover, they can be utilized to collect information on the MS progress pattern in personal level for each individual patient. This information may provide health care professionals with evidence to help their patients toward enhancing self-management of their disease.

Suggested Minimum Data Set for Speech Therapy Centers Affiliated to Tabriz University of Medical Sciences.

BACKGROUND: The minimum data considered as a conceptual framework, based on the achievement of effectiveness indicators and it ensures to access of precise and clear health data. The aims of the present study were identified and proposed a data element set of speech therapy centers affiliated with Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study that was cross - sectional type, performed in 9 speech therapy clinic from medical university in 2014. Firstly, the minimum data elements set evaluated using the check list in these centers. Using the findings from the first step and survey of internal and external documentation forms, designed a questionnaire containing a minimum data speech therapy files and it shared between 36 Speech therapy experts using 5 options of Likert scale. Validity of questionnaire was examined through its validity and reliability of content by retest. For data analysis, data processing was performed using descriptive statistics by SPSS21 software. RESULTS: The minimum data set for speech therapy were divided into two categories: clinical and administrative data. The Name and surname, date of birth, gender, address, telephone number, date of admission and the number of treatments, the patient's complaint, the time of occurrence of injury or disorder, reason and age of disease considered as the most important elements for management data and health history. For the most important elements of clinical information were selected Short-term and long-term aims and development of speech history. CONCLUSION: The design and implementation of suitable data collection of speech therapy for gathering of data, we recommended planning for the control and prevention of speech disorders to providing high quality and good care of patient in speech therapy centers.

A comparative study of the proposed models for the components of the national health information system.

INTRODUCTION: National Health Information System plays an important role in ensuring timely and reliable access to Health information, which is essential for strategic and operational decisions that improve health, quality and effectiveness of health care. In other words, using the National Health information system you can improve the quality of health data, information and knowledge used to support decision making at all levels and areas of the health sector. Since full identification of the components of this system - for better planning and management influential factors of performanceseems necessary, therefore, in this study different attitudes towards components of this system are explored comparatively. METHODS: This is a descriptive and comparative kind of study. The society includes printed and electronic documents containing components of the national health information system in three parts: input, process and output. In this context, search for information using library resources and internet search were conducted, and data analysis was expressed using comparative tables and qualitative data. RESULTS: The findings showed that there are three different perspectives presenting the components of national health information system Lippeveld and Sauerborn and Bodart model in 2000, Health Metrics Network (HMN) model from World Health Organization in 2008, and Gattini's 2009 model. All three models outlined above in the input (resources and structure) require components of management and leadership, planning and design programs, supply of staff, software and hardware facilities and equipment. Plus, in the "process" section from three models, we pointed up the actions ensuring the quality of health information system, and in output section, except for Lippeveld Model, two other models consider information products and use and distribution of information as components of the national health information system. CONCLUSION: the results showed that all the three models have had a brief discussion about the components of health information in input section. But Lippeveld model has overlooked the components of national health information in process and output sections. Therefore, it seems that the health measurement model of network has a comprehensive presentation for the components of health system in all three sections-input, process and output.