ABSTRACT
Background: The rehabilitation process for multiple sclerosis (MS) patients is long and complex, which can lead to reduced rehabilitation outcomes and reduced quality improvement. Thus, there is a need to use new methods to boost traditional rehabilitation. Innovations such as telerehabilitation can be helpful to remove the obstacles to treatment, but evidence for their effectiveness is limited. The objective of this work was to compare the clinical effectiveness of telerehabilitation with traditional interventions in MS patients. Methods: Seven bibliographic databases (PubMed, Cochran Library, Scopus, Science Direct, Web of Science, Embase, and ProQuest) were used in this research. The initial search resulted in the extraction of 8,239 articles; after the review of the title, abstract, and full text, 11 articles were selected. In addition, backward reference list checking of the selected studies was conducted. Studies that were related to our objectives were included. Quality assessment was performed using the CONSORT checklist. Then, data extraction was done using the form set by the researcher in Word 2016 software. Results: Overall, telerehabilitation achieved more positive effects compared to traditional rehabilitation on physical (n = 6), cognitive (n = 3), cognitive, and physical outcomes (n = 2), respectively. Synchronous telerehabilitation was more effective than other modalities (n = 8). In four studies, virtual reality-based telerehabilitation was used. Also, telerehabilitation in home offered better clinical outcomes compared to rehabilitation center (n = 9). Conclusions: This review provides evidence for the potential effectiveness of telerehabilitation for the improvement of clinical outcomes in MS patients. However, more robust randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm the observed positive effects.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUNDS: Healthcare is a social and economic challenge in many countries, exacerbated by today's increasing demand. Many studies demonstrate that hospitals that move towards smartness, and some of their processes are smart, can provide more appropriate treatments and deal with problems more flexibly. It is axiomatic that implementing smart hospitals and healthcare tools requires a clear objective. However, the concept of a smart hospital lacks a comprehensive and broadly accepted definition, leading to varied interpretations and misconceptions. Many developments touted as 'smart' merely digitize existing hospital environments without truly embracing the full potential of smart technology. Furthermore, research studies have neglected to consider industrial perspectives, which will soon cause a gap between industry and academics in this concept. OBJECTIVES: This research aims to explore the attributes of a smart hospital and use them to propose a definition for it, considering both scholarly and industrial viewpoints. METHOD AND RESULTS: The PRISMA method is employed to select academic and practical papers providing definitions and insights into smart hospitals or healthcare. 17 studies are analyzed, and a total, 83 characteristics are identified to describe the smart hospital. These features are categorized into three primary categories: "technologies", "services", and "goals". The most important features are determined by analyzing the frequencies of these characteristics across all the studies. In the results section, these data are presented in graphical form, highlighting both academic and industrial perspectives separately, as well as a combined analysis. Furthermore, an attempt is made to uncover trends in smart hospitals from 2015 to 2023. CONCLUSION: A comprehensive definition of the smart hospital, encompassing both academic and industrial perspectives, is proposed using the investigated characteristics. This study also presents research opportunities and discusses the existing gap between academia and industry concerning smart hospitals.
