Raj Gururajan

Wireless solutions developed for the Australian healthcare: a review

Despite the emergence of innovative wireless solutions in healthcare, the current status of health information systems (HIS) is primitive and a myriad of problems have crept into the development of these systems. Gartner research shows that the status of the HIS is about 10 years behind the expectation, and other studies have identified several issues in implementing IT healthcare applications. Wireless technologies and portable computing devices could be put into greater use in healthcare to provide timely and quality care and to remedy some of the organisational problems. In this paper, we present a review of wireless solutions in Australian healthcare. Our study reveals that, despite the sophistication and maturity of the wireless technology, healthcare organisations in Australia are far from deploying enterprise-wide wireless solutions, and this is in part due to complexities in deploying them and associated management problems such as the lack of broader vision and drive and support for new initiatives. We also provide some key recommendations for successful wireless implementation in healthcare.

Challenges for implementing wireless hand-held technology in health care: views from selected Queensland nurses.

Many health-care providers in Australia are exploring the use of wireless technology to improve service delivery. It appears that the solutions so far have been dictated by the hardware vendors and that the business case is yet to drive the implementations. A focus group discussion was facilitated with eight senior management staff involved in health care in Western Australia. This resulted in a set of challenges, which were used to invite opinions from nursing staff in Queensland. A total of 31 interviews were conducted. The analysis returned a set of 63 themes, which were grouped. These groupings reflected the challenges as lack of user-friendly applications, unreliable technology, substandard testing, shortage of staff, concerns for security, reliance on technology, existing problems, work schedule, training, outdated health policy, coverage of wireless links, confidentiality and lack of awareness. The interviews clearly indicated the need for training and awareness procedures. The present study provides some of the information necessary to realize an enterprise-wide implementation of wireless technology.

A study of the use of hand-held devices in an emergency department

In a project conducted in 2002 and 2003, the use of hand-held computing devices was examined in a hospital emergency department in Western Australia. Personal digital assistants (PDAs) were used for the wireless development. The study addressed three major issues: development methodology, communication between the mobile devices and existing databases, and user interfaces. The software was tested by about 20 health-care staff, including nurses, doctors, administration staff, information technology staff and front-desk receptionists. The wireless development proved a valuable experience for everyone involved. The product is currently undergoing rigorous testing to meet the standards of the healthcare industry.

Making the Most of Virtual Expertise in Telemedicine and Telehealth Environment

Virtual expertise is a critical component of telehealth projects and it needs to be effectively managed if telehealth is to deliver on its potential. There are many issues within telehealth that relate in some way to the management of knowledge and we identify from a range of papers these specific issues. We propose a virtual expertise platform that provides the basic building blocks for effect leveraging of expertise in this domain. The platform includes management directives and goals, a collaborative culture, an appropriate ICT platform and a knowledge tools layer that interact facilitate knowledge sharing and ultimately improved patient care. We also emphasise how social media tools can be used as part of the knowledge tools layer to improve virtual knowledge sharing before and after the telehealth events.

Exploratory study to understand the phenomena of adoption of wireless handheld devices in the Australian healthcare system

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to understand the phenomenal of wireless handheld technology in healthcare environment.Design/methodology/approach – The paper adopts a mixed method approach and a qualitative approach with focus group and survey techniques.Findings – The study indicates that organizational readiness, technical readiness, clinical practice, social aspects as well as compatibility of new hardware with the existing system, play a crucial role in the adoption of wireless handheld devices in Australian healthcare systemsResearch limitations/implications – Future research in this domain needs to examine implications of wireless handheld technology at an organizational level in the healthcare environment and its adoptability to unique healthcare settingsOriginality/value – The research has established that access to data, communication enhancements, policy development, high quality information transmission and easy interfaces, are some of the factors influencing the acceptance of wireless ...

Technology Management, Data management, Improved outcomes, Efficiency and Software limitation influencing the use of wireless technology for healthcare in Pakistan

The commercialization of internet and maturity of wireless technology have brought changes in the industrialised and developing world. The use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in Pakistan is on the rise in almost every industry. Despite the early stage of the technology and the lack of adequate resources and standardization, the use of ICT is expected to continue to grow in the Pakistani healthcare environment. In the Pakistani healthcare system, use of ICT technology has emerged as an important ingredient in formulating a business strategy that helps them to improve customer services, business processes and communication channels, both within the institution and with external stakeholders. This paper presents the results of our study into the use of wireless technology in the Pakistani healthcare system, and the determinants that were identified for the adoption of wireless technology in the Pakistani healthcare environment. The study used the quantitative approach to collect physicians views about the determinants of wireless technology. 150 healthcare professionals were surveyed to identify the drivers and inhibitors of wireless technology in the Pakistani healthcare environment.

An empirical study to determine factors that motivate and limit the implementation Of ICT in healthcare environments

BackgroundThe maturity and usage of wireless technology has influenced health services, and this has raised expectations from users that healthcare services will become more affordable due to technology growth. There is increasing evidence to justify this expectation, as telehealth is becoming more and more prevalent in many countries. Thus, health services are now offered beyond the boundaries of traditional hospitals, giving rise to many external factors dictating their quality. This has led us to investigate the factors that motivate and limit the implementation of ICT applications in the healthcare domain.MethodsWe used a mixed method approach with the qualitative aspects leading the quantitative aspects. The main reason for this approach was to understand and explore the domain through the qualitative aspects as we could be part of the discussion. Then we conducted a quantitative survey to extract more responses in order to justify the claims explored in the qualitative process.ResultsWe found that there are a number of internal and external factors influencing ICT adoption in the healthcare environment so that services can be provided via ICT tools. These factors were grouped under factors contributing to improved outcomes, efficiency and the management of technology. We conceptualised that these three groups of factors drive ICT implementation to assure health services.ConclusionsThe main lesson learned from this research was that Information Systems discipline needs to urgently consider health informatics as a serious growth area. We also found that as IS researchers, we need to ‘mix’ with the health environment in order to understand the environment and then develop suitable methods to answer posited research questions.

The impact of diet counselling on Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: an Indian case study

Objective: The main objective of this paper is to investigate the impact of diet counselling on patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). Despite a number of approaches to T2DM management being already available, healthcare professionals in India still struggle to achieve health targets without the adjunct therapy of diet coaching or counselling. Research design and methods: The study assessed the impact of counselling using a pre and post-test experimental design on separate case and control groups. The design of the study included the assessment of 150 adult subjects with T2DM and the effect of periodic intensive diet and exercise counselling on anthropometric measurements, plasma glucose, HbA1c, serum lipid profile and blood pressure levels. The subjects were grouped into three cohorts; those who were willing to attend only one session on diet and exercise counselling (Group 1), those who were willing to attend only dietary counselling with periodic follow-up (Group II), and those who were willing to attend both dietary and exercise counselling with periodic follow-up (Group Ill). Results: The results of the investigation showed that Group Ill participants were generally likely to follow dietary principles more carefully, and were more involved with their interactions with the counsellor. Results also indicated that subjects who received periodic, intensive diet counselling did not show symptoms of progression to diabetic complications, and also did not progress to insulin therapy for the management of their disease.. A six-month counselling program clearly indicated that this intervention had a positive effect on the management of non-insulin dependant T2DM.

Clinical usefulness of handheld wireless technology in healthcare: A cross‐national study of Australia and India

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to investigate the drivers and inhibitors of clinical usefulness of handheld wireless technology in healthcare domain in Australia and India. Because of cultural differences in these two countries the paper also attempts to show how a cross‐national study of this nature can be carefully designed and undertaken to produce useful results.Design/methodology/approach – A mixed‐method research design was used in this study. First, qualitative approach was used to develop the list of drivers and inhibitors in Australia and India via interviews and a research model was developed. This was then followed by a quantitative approach where questionnaire was developed and distributed to 300 health professionals each in both Australia and India. The collected data were analysed using a combination of optimal scaling and partial least square (PLS) techniques.Findings – The result of the study was very interesting. The PLS application to the raw data did not support any of the hy...

Category captain arrangements in grocery retail marketing

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine shelf management practices of grocery retail chains and their category captains (CCs) in the marketing of consumer packaged goods. Design/methodology/approach – This is a qualitative, exploratory study that is set in a duopoly retail environment in the Asia-Pacific region. The study employed 18 in-depth interviews with executives and managers of two umbrella retail organisations and their suppliers/manufacturers. The method of data analysis employed was content analysis. Findings – Despite CC input in merchandising decisions, it is the retail chains that have the final say on shelf matters. There is no risk of strategic loss of power in employing CCs to manage store product categories on behalf of, or in partnership with retailers provided the retail chains closely monitor the activities and decisions/recommendations of the captains. Research limitations/implications – The paper is developed from data obtained from the grocery retail industry of one econom...