RESUMO
BACKGROUND: The rise of virtual healthcare underscores the transformative influence of digital technologies in reshaping the healthcare landscape. As technology advances and the global demand for accessible and convenient healthcare services escalates, the virtual healthcare sector is gaining unprecedented momentum. Saudi Arabia, with its ambitious Vision 2030 initiative, is actively embracing digital innovation in the healthcare sector. METHODS: In this narrative review, we discussed the key drivers and prospects of virtual healthcare in Saudi Arabia, highlighting its potential to enhance healthcare accessibility, quality, and patient outcomes. We also summarized the role of the COVID-19 pandemic in the digital transformation of healthcare in the country. Healthcare services provided by Seha Virtual Hospital in Saudi Arabia, the world's largest and Middle East's first virtual hospital, were also described. Finally, we proposed a roadmap for the future development of virtual health in the country. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The integration of virtual healthcare into the existing healthcare system can enhance patient experiences, improve outcomes, and contribute to the overall well-being of the population. However, careful planning, collaboration, and investment are essential to overcome the challenges and ensure the successful implementation and sustainability of virtual healthcare in the country.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Hospitalized older adults are at risk of receiving potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) doses, driven in part by age-independent dose defaults used by electronic health records (EHRs), leading providers to prescribe for older adults as they do for younger adults. We studied whether an automated EHR-based medication support tool would reduce PIM dosing for hospitalized older adults. DESIGN: Pre-post study design. SETTING: Tertiary care, level 1 trauma, academic medical center in Oregon. PARTICIPANTS: Hospitalized adults 75 years and older in the inpatient, nonemergency setting prescribed medications with geriatric-specific dose considerations. INTERVENTION: An EHR-based, automated set of evidence-based, age-specific dose and frequency defaults called the Geriatric Prescribing Context (GPC). MEASUREMENTS: The process measure is percentage of orders consistent with geriatric dose recommendations, and outcome measures are average dose (AD) in milligrams and total daily dose (TDD) in milligrams in the 12 months before and after implementation. RESULTS: Use of recommended geriatric doses with the context improved for all 10 of the most commonly ordered medications. In the year after implementation, there was a trend toward decreasing TDD and AD across all drug classes. CONCLUSION: The GPC is a simple, elegant, and effective means to align prescribing practices with safety standards for older adults, improving prescribing safety for all. It works within the current prescriber workflow without triggering alert fatigue and requires minimal resources for development and maintenance.
