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This paper presents a review of the most recent and popular research papers on the use of artificial intelligence in the healthcare sector. SMEs consist of 60-65% of Indian medical device market. Many doctors are operating through private hospitals which come under the category of SMEs segment. Technology is proving to be a boon for all the sectors, artificial intelligence an emerging technology has the potential to change the fortune of SMEs in health care sector. In this paper there will be discussion on how artificial intelligence can help the healthcare sector in different ways. SMEs working in healthcare can take a learning from this paper and can utilize it for betterment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: The purpose of this paper is to make an enquiry into workplace spirituality in health care systems. Based on a theoretical study of spirituality and its growing importance in health care systems; workplace spirituality is discussed with doctors and elements of spirituality which are applied in treating patients are identified. The study has also explored the individual level and system level challenges while practicing spirituality through the identified elements in the health care systems. METHODOLOGY ADOPTED: This is an inductive form of research which involved enquiry into the existing literature of spirituality and further records the focused discussions of doctors for capturing the idea of spirituality in health care systems, identification of elements of spirituality and implementation challenges of spiritual elements in health care systems. FINDINGS: The idea of spirituality in healthcare systems includes the trust and belief in supreme power, peace of mind, spiritual care and identifying spirituality as an asset. Gratitude and prayers, counseling, inclusion of the yogic techniques and investment of self in the work are identified as elements of spirituality in healthcare systems. Analysis of data also implied challenges in implementation of spirituality in health care systems. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The findings of the study have identified the elements of spirituality in health care systems not addressed in the previous research. The present study suggests to consider the emotional labor and stres s of the doctors developed in the treatment process as the role of doctors is crucial in maintaining the integral health of patients. The implementation challenges of spiritual practices in health care systems are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, the whole world is fighting the pandemic of COVID-19. In these circumstances, the medical professionals and Doctors are being viewed as the frontline warriors who are risking their lives for the sake of helping, caring, and curing these patients. However, in these difficult times, there are few medical professionals and health care providers who are taking advantage of this situation and milking distressed and distraught patients at will. A conflict between professional and personal ethical values makes them depressed and puzzled. It is tough for them to maintain a good image of their profession and business. The objectives of this study are to review the ethical conflict amid the ongoing Covid pandemic and post-Covid pandemic (vaccination period) in the context of medical professionals and health care providers. The paper is designed based on a literature review. Almost fifty-two research papers, articles, survey reports, and newspapers were studied in the context of ethics in business/profession. After reviewing moral distress is ongoing and post -pandemic period, the researchers have tried to present the medical professionals and health care providers' critical situation to give priority to their professional ethics or personal interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the SPECIAL ISSUE OF THE 1ST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE IN HEALTHCARE MANAGEMENT 2021. Topics discussed include papers presented covered diverse topics such as digital healthcare, mental health, public health and health economics as well as healthcare marketing and health caregiving; and selected papers are getting published in this special issue.

OBJECTIVES: This paper is one of the first studies that identifies factors that inhibit access to healthcare services and healthcare-seeking behaviour (HCSB) in rural India during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: The data source was the household sample survey of the World Bank on 'COVID -19-Related Shocks in Rural India 2020, Rounds 1-3'. Binomial and multinomial regression analysis was carried out to estimate the determinants of health care avoidance and HCSB. RESULTS: Families belonging to low consumption quartiles not only delayed obtaining health care but also underutilized formal health resources at public and private facilities. The majority of non-agricultural households, as well as those that reduced their consumption during the outbreak, were forced to self-medicate through pharmacies. Family planning, immunization, child growth monitoring, and routine medical check-ups were among the services that were not availed during the pandemic. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study emphasize the need of removing financial obstacles to care during the COVID-19, as well as the importance of child-related care continuity (child development monitoring, antenatal care, and immunization) and routine check-ups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 pandemic has long-lasting impact in social, personal, and economic area globally. When we think of the economic recovery of India in the future, we face the challenge of moving forward more sustainably. An international NGO ARUP had published a worldwide report named 'Health.Care.Without.Harm'; mentioning that only healthcare sector itself is accountable for about 4.4 percent of universal net emissions. The present study, therefore, highlights the vulnerabilities in the linear economy and how the pandemic crisis challenges the linear economy and provide opportunity to uptake circular practices and sustainable development within India's healthcare economy. The paper outlines the recommendations on the circular economy by suggesting policy and market-driven solutions for the healthcare sector's sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This paper will discuss current approaches to performance reporting and whether there are real benefits to healthcare organisations or whether it is a time consuming activity that adds little to improving quality healthcare and organisational performance. Most importantly, this paper will argue that performance reporting will not prevent another major healthcare scandal, such as that seen at Bundaberg Hospital or NHS Mid Staffordshire Trust. The paper will also outline learnings for Australia from other health systems where performance reporting is part of management practice. Approach: While performance reporting is largely designed to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare organisations, this paper will explore the approach from a practical managerial perspective. Context: This paper explores performance reporting across a range of Australian healthcare organisational settings to highlight differing approaches to improving performance. Main findings: Performance reporting can be an effective tool to improve organisational performance. For performance reporting to be successful, managers and clinicians need to work collaboratively to identify areas for performance improvement and useful measures to address these. Additionally, organisations must choose a meaningful suite of measurements that can help drive performance improvement. Real time performance reporting, such as through performance dashboards, provides managers with the opportunity to make timely, incremental improvements. Finally, performance reporting must be done in a way that does not detract from providing safe, quality patient care. Conclusions: Performance reporting can be a useful management tool for healthcare organisations, however organisations must consider timeliness of performance reporting and select a number of measurements that have impact for their given facilities and avoid the wholesale analysis of data that has little opportunity to improve practice or performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this scoping review was to examine the nature and extent of the evidence for the use of a stage theory of adult development, Constructive Developmental Theory (CDT) within healthcare leadership. DESIGN: A systematic methodology was employed, utilising inclusion and exclusion criteria and searching across seven databases. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Summary of literature in response to three key questions. RESULTS: A Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses - Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) flow diagram illustrates the study selection process with 154 records screened, 35 full-text articles assessed for eligibility and 7 studies included in the final analysis. Three themes emerged from the data: (1) healthcare as a complex system, (2) complexity of leadership in healthcare, (3) developmental leadership progression in healthcare. CONCLUSIONS: This review highlighted that CDT could provide a roadmap for individual change and adult developmental growth, thereby supporting the opportunity for more complex thinking and perspective taking within healthcare leadership. For the healthcare leader, the benefit of an awareness, understanding and application of CDT, is the potential for an increased capacity for recognising and dealing with complex challenges both personally and professionally. The study protocol is registered with Open Science Framework (OSF). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents reflections about 'waiting' for healthcare, in particular outpatient 'waiting' for specialist orthopaedic surgical appointments. Waiting for healthcare is a substantial and growing problem across the globe. There is significant interest from Western governments to make waiting time for services publicly available and measured against defined targets. As yet there is little consistency in how waiting is defined and monitored, and therefore little is understood about the impact of waiting on patients, in defined targets. As yet there is little consistency in how waiting is defined and monitored, and therefore little is understood about the impact of waiting on patients, in terms of health, social and financial aspects. This paper explores current understandings of waiting list impacts for patients with an orthopaedic complaint, drawing on initiatives to manage orthopaedic waiting lists from one Australian public hospital. Abbreviations: CDC - Consumer Directed Care; GP - General Practitioner; THC - The Canberra Hospital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contains analyses of the number and characteristics of health service managers in Australia at the time of the 2011 Census of Population. It updates the work carried out by the authors in relation to the 2006 Census. It gives an estimate of the number of managers in hospitals and medical and other health services separately and as an aggregate. It relates the number of managers per type of service to the resident population and the number of people employed in each service and compares them to averages for managers in all industries. Further, it estimates changes that have taken place between 2006 and 2011. The analyses include the diversity in managers in four categories: chief executive officers/general managers, managers not further defined, specialist and service managers. The paper goes on to examine the age of managers by sex and how they compare with the average for all industries, and some of the factors that might affect the differences encountered. It also investigates changes in the age of managers in the five-year period 2006- 2011. In addition, the relative importance of the various fields of study and levels of education of health service managers are examined, as well as changes that have taken place in the inter-census period. The income of health service managers and the hours that they worked are assessed and compared to the average for all industries. Marital status is compared with the average for all industries and differences due to age and sex are considered. The analyses are concerned with evolving trends in the country of birth of health service managers and the Indigenous status of managers in hospitals and medical and other health services, in comparison with the average for all industries. Finally, the paper discusses findings and some of their implications for health service management training and career path development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides analyses of the number and characteristics of managers of aged care residential services in Australia at the time of the 2011 Census of Population. It documents the growth in capacity of these services, number of people employed and managers. The paper goes on to assess the diversity in the geographical distribution of managers. It examines the age and sex characteristics of managers in aged care residential services and compares them to health services and all industries. It estimates and reviews the average age of female and male managers at different levels of management. The analysis of the fields of study of these managers reveals the different pattern of the field of study of managers in aged care residential services and their level of education in comparison to the average for all industries. It also discloses gendered specialisation in the fields of study. Other analysis estimates the average income of managers in aged care residential services in comparison with those in health services and average in all industries. It examines the income of managers at different levels, with diverse levels of education and functions, and also differences in income of female and male managers. The analysis of marital status discloses a pattern in aged care residential service managers that is distinct from the pattern for all industries. The paper examines the changing origins of managers of aged care residential services according to their country of birth. It also assesses the relative representation of Indigenous people in the management of these services. Finally, it discusses issues of relevance to the organisation and management of aged care residential services and the training of their managers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oral health has a substantial influence on quality of life and has been linked to general health, yet there is much work required to determine its optimal management. Methods: This discussion paper drew upon government reports, research literature, existing reviews and media releases to discover the challenges and opportunities when incorporating dentistry into primary healthcare. Results: Oral health outcomes have improved over the generations, the dental practice service mix has changed, the number of dental clinicians has increased and the workforce mix is changing, possibly leading to a change in perspectives on work-life balance. There is unequal access to dental care alongside a dental workforce maldistribution. Dental care is funded separately to general healthcare and is largely supplied by the private sector. Subsidised dental care has been managed by the states but federal politicians of major political parties are investigating new funding arrangements. Conclusions: The challenges to incorporating dentistry into primary healthcare are great. However, major political parties are interested in oral health. The oral workforce is going through a process of rapid change in practitioner number, type and possibly attitudes, thereby giving an opportunity to modify its delivery systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Activity in health services is expanding faster than population growth and that of the production of all goods and services in Australia. This paper is concerned with the number and characteristics of its managers in relation to the number of people employed and resources used. It also assesses different trends in hospitals and other medical and health services. Methodology/Design: Design of the analyses follows specifications set by the authors for tabulations prepared by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) from the censuses of population conducted by ABS in 2006 and 2016. Analysis: Assesses changes in the number and variations in the characteristics of managers of hospitals and medical and other health services, in relation to the number of people employed, contrasted with changes in all industries. Findings: There are different trends in hospitals and medical and other health services, with a decline in the number of employees per manager in medical and other health services and a slight rise in hospitals. The older average age of health service managers continued to rise, similarly to that for all industries. The proportion of female managers in health services, below the average for all employees, increased somewhat during the decade. The distribution among the various fields of study remained about the same; but level of education, higher than the average for all industries continued to rise. The growth in average income of managers during the decade was somewhat lower than in all industries, due to a lower increase rate in medical and other health services. The proportion of managers of indigenous status rose substantially - almost double the proportion in all industries. Implications: The findings are of relevance to those concerned with the management of health services and training of the growing number of managers of health services in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Millions of Indians fall into poverty because of the private high Out of Pocket pattern of health financing, due to the absence of insurance coverage. Conditions like HIV and AIDS also influence poverty due to a lifelong treatment requirement. Access to insurance coverage (commercial or voluntary) has been denied to People Living with HIV (PLHIV) through various clauses. However lately, there have been certain experiments on inclusion of HIV into new or existing schemes. This paper provides a systematic review of coverage, managerial and financial systems of selected cases of HIV insurance pilots in India with an objective to explore its sustainability and ability to be replicated. A cross-sectional descriptive analysis of existing literature and in-depth case studies of relevant health insurance schemes were used for the review. Data was compiled using qualitative data collection tools such as in-depth interviews with officials. The schemes were analysed using two frameworks viz. managerial ability and coverage ability. The managerial ability was analysed through a Strength-Weakness-Opportunity- Threat (SWOT) analysis. The coverage ability was analysed through three dimensions viz. a) breadth b) depth and c) height. In India, there are two types of insurance policies vis-à-vis HIV coverage. These were categorised as HIV-specific and HIV-sensitive policies. Of the seven pilot schemes reviewed, the small-scale health insurance schemes show limited success owing to smaller pool and limited managerial capabilities. The large schemes offer avenues for mainstreaming but pose issues of governance as well as marketing among PLHIVs. The findings of the research identify a specific set of issues and challenges for sustainability and replication from three perspectives viz. a) market, b) cost recovery and sustainability and c) equitable coverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Competencies have emerged as being important to develop health professionals, including managers in healthcare. Professional institutions adopted specific competency frameworks to guide designing professional development opportunities for health service managers, in particularly managers working in the area of health informatics. The fast-growing nature of healthcare settings means that the required competencies continue to evolve. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this protocol is to outline a reflexive thematic analysis process, including using an automated content analysis approach and identify what is missing in existing health service management competency empirical studies in relation to health informatics competencies. METHODS: A rapid literature review has been performed using a PRISMA approach for eligibility screening, with 185 publications meeting the inclusion criteria. The Leximancer natural language processing software was used to transform a large corpus of literature from natural language into semantic themes and concepts. A reflexive thematic analysis was then undertaken using the text mining automated content analysis approach to identify predominant concepts and the co-occurrence between them. RESULTS: A search strategy was developed using three primary electronic databases: 1) Scopus; 2) ProQuest; and 3) the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL); and five secondary electronic databases: 1) Web of Science 2) PubMed; 3) ACM Digital Library; 4) Open Access Theses and Dissertations Database; and 5) Google Scholar. The initial search undertaken on 10 November 2020 resulted in 1,212 publications. The results of the reflexive thematic analysis will be submitted for publication by November 2021. CONCLUSIONS: New understanding and knowledge in the area of health management competencies, specifically relating to informatics will be developed. Health informatics competencies will be defined for Australian health service managers. Further, this study helps inform the discourse regarding automated content analysis for the healthcare and informatics industry, healthcare organisations and university course requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While health reform in Australia has been marked by piecemeal, incremental changes, the overall trend to increasing Commonwealth involvement has not been accidental or driven by power-hungry centralists: it has been shaped by broader national and international developments including technological change and the maturing of our nation and its place internationally, and by a widespread desire for a national universal health insurance system. In many respects the Australian health system performs well, but the emerging challenges demand a more integrated, patient-oriented system. This is likely to require a further shift towards the Commonwealth in terms of financial responsibility, as the national insurer. But it also requires close cooperation with the States, who could play a firmer role in service delivery and in supporting regional planning and coordination. The likelihood of sharing overall responsibility for the health system also suggests there is a need to involve the States more fully in processes for setting national policies. This article draws heavily on a lecture presented at the Australian National University in October 2015. It includes an overview of Australia's evolving federal arrangements and the context within which the current Federalism Review is being conducted. It suggests Australia will not return to 'coordinate federalism' with clearly distinct responsibilities, and that greater priority should be given to improving how we manage shared responsibilities. There is a long history of Commonwealth involvement in health, and future reform should build on that rather than try to reverse direction. While critical of the proposals from the Commission of Audit and in the 2014 Budget, the lecture welcomed the more pragmatic approaches that seemed to be emerging from the Federalism Review discussion papers and contributions from some Premiers which could promote more sensible measures to improve both the effectiveness and the financial sustainability of Australia's health and health insurance system. The Commonwealth's new political leadership in 2015 seemed interested in such measures and in moving away from the Abbott Government's approach. But the legacy of that approach severely damaged the Turnbull Government in the 2016 federal election as it gave traction to Labor's 'Mediscare' campaign. In addition to resetting the federalism debate as it affects health, the Turnbull Government now needs to articulate the principles of Medicare and to clarify the role of the private sector, including private health insurance, in Australia's universal health insurance system. Labor also needs to address more honestly the role of the private sector and develop a more coherent policy itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: There have been two major transitions for healthcare in Indonesia: the implementation of government decentralisation and universal health insurance. A universal public health insurance called Badan Penyelenggara Jaminan Sosial (BPJS) was launched in January 2014 and aims to cover all Indonesian people. Objective: The objective of this paper is to discuss the funding of healthcare in Indonesia through a comparison with other South East Asian countries. Methodology: A search for relevant literature was undertaken using electronic databases, Ovid Medline, ProQuest Central, and Scopus from their commencement date until December 2015. The grey literature from the Indonesian government, the WHO's and World Bank's website, has been included. Results: There were nine articles from Ovid Medline, eight from ProQuest Central, and 12 from Scopus that met the criteria. Seventeen articles were duplicates leaving 12 articles to be reviewed. Nine documents have been identified from grey literature. Discussion: Most people in Indonesia sought health services from the private sector and were out-ofpocket financially or did not receive the required care. The private sector delivered 62.1% of health services compared to 37.9% by the government. Despite some inappropriate use of previous health insurance, the BPJS is expected to have improved management and will cover all citizens by the end of 2019. Conclusion: Indonesia has undergone a series of changes to health system funding and health insurance. There are lessons that can be learnt from other countries, such as Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam, so that Indonesia can improve its health funding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION & OBJECTIVE Telemedicine has become a breakthrough solution for improving access to health care services. In Vietnam, telemedicine is a key national program developed by the Ministry of Health and the government. However, the implementation process encountered many challenges, and the number of successful businesses in this field is still limited. This study integrated the technology acceptance model and the extended valance framework to develop an efficient behavioral model for investigating the relationship between trust in provider, perceived ease of use, perceived benefit, and perceived risk on usage intention. METHODS The proposed framework was verified through in-depth interviews with three experts in the Vietnamese health technology market and was tested by 246 participants via a web-based survey. RESULTS Generally, the findings showed that perceived ease of use and perceived benefit positively and significantly affected usage intention, whereas perceived risk negatively and significantly influenced usage intention. Trust in the provider positively and significantly influenced usage intention and perceived benefit, but negatively influenced perceived risk (β = -0.677, p = 0.000). Perceived ease of use significantly and positively affected perceived benefit, whereas the effect of perceived ease of use on perceived risk was not statistically significant (p = 0.128). CONCLUSION The proposed hypothetical model offers empirical insights for healthcare professionals, service providers, and authorities. Moreover, it can serve as a theoretical basis for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION This research is a continuation of the authors past contributions on this important subject, that has included the first comprehensive analysis of the composition and characteristics of health service managers in Australia, in terms of their service, qualifications and other important attributes. OBJECTIVES This article contains an analysis of the number and characteristics of health service managers in relation to health services provided in Australia in 2006 compared with that of 2021. DESIGN Design of the analyses follows specifications set by the authors for tabulations prepared by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) from the censuses of population conducted by ABS in 2006 and 2021. The analysis of health service managers in terms of growth in numbers and change in their characteristics will be reviewed. FINDINGS A substantial increase was found in the number of health service managers in relation to the population and people employed. Also, there have been considerable changes in the characteristics and qualifications of health service managers during the 15-year period. The study also reported on the nature of the changes in hospitals and medical and other health services, and the surge in the number of managers in medical and other services, that in 2021 outnumbered those in hospitals. IMPLICATIONS The findings are relevant to policy development aimed at improving the health status of the population. There were implications as well to the planning of health services, training of their labour force and related educational resources. An agenda is also put forward for additional research in view of its findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This paper explores the workplace bullying of healthcare trainees and the resultant effects on the trainees. Design/Setting: Semi-structured interviews are used with three healthcare trainees. Results: The results indicate that the healthcare trainees are subjected to a range of work-related and personrelated forms of bullying behaviours. The effects of these behaviours are substantial and are manifested in psychological, physiological and physical forms. Conclusions: Workplace bullying is a significant issue impacting on healthcare trainees and needs to be addressed. Further research is needed to aid in the development of appropriate policy and intervention. Sustained efforts are required to curb the bullying of trainees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From 1 January 2013, all public and private health services in Australia are required to be accredited against National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards promulgated by the Australian Commission for Safety and Quality in Healthcare (ACSQHC). [1] The new accreditation requirements specify the completion of forty-seven clinical audits. As it is anticipated that administering the audits will be time-consuming and this will reduce time spent delivering clinical care, South Eastern Sydney Local Health District (SESLHD) has developed a system of audits to meet the requirements. The Measuring Aspects of Excellent Care (MAXC) system of audits is based on the measurement of process indicators. This paper describes the design process and implementation strategies used. The MAXC system of audits has been used by two facilities to achieve accreditation under the new standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses various topics related to health service management and discusses articles, books and literature from Australia and other countries. It mentions that Library Bulletin is the part of Health Management and Planning Library of the Australasian College of Health Service Management (ACHSM). It mentions that Productivity Commission of Australia proposing various package of reforms to address the issues related to the Caring for Older Australians. It offers information on the paper related to Healthcare Sector Business Council of Australia that contains financial and resource-related facts about the health. It offers information on the article related to the treatment of cancer and hospital care.

Objective: Using evidence to inform decision-making processes has the potential to overcome problems within health service sectors. Previous studies have argued that evidence should be viewed broadly to include both research and non-research evidence. However, overseas studies have confirmed a general lack of use of evidence in managerial decision-making. In order to encourage the practice of evidence-informed health service management among middle and senior health service managers in the Australian context, understanding of how managers perceive evidence as well as their current practice is the first step. This paper will report some of the relevant findings from recently completed research in the State of Victoria, Australia that will address these two questions. Design and Setting: With Fellows and Associate Fellows of the Victorian branch of the Australasian College of Health Service Management as the study population, the methods consisted of three key elements: a questionnaire and two focus group discussions. The discussions before and after the survey were recorded and subjected to content analysis. Main outcome measures: The main outcome measures were the rating of the usefulness of evidence types, the rating of importance of evidence types, the frequency of evidence use, the use of evidence types in the last three months and the ranking of evidence types used by participants for various management decision types. Results: 116 out of 411 participants provided enough useful data to be included in the final analysis resulting in an effective response rate of 28.2%. Managers view evidence broadly and acknowledge its importance. They routinely use evidence to guide the managerial decision-making processes. However, both qualitative and quantitative research evidence is rarely used. In contrast, 'internal data' generated within their organisation was the form of evidence most preferred by managers, followed by examples of external practice and personal experience. Further investigation of the level of validity and reliability of 'internally developed data' to guide management decision-making is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The motivation behind having brilliance as a focus for a project in healthcare is about trying to understand it, and from that, trying to find ways of spreading such understanding widely so that brilliance is more pervasive in health services. One member of the team commented that they had been referred to as running a brilliant team, and responded 'that if that was the case, how bad must the rest have been?' Sometimes it is not easy to see brilliance in what we do, let alone measure it, but on reflection we can remember times when the teamwork was just right, although we did not know it at the time, but now see it as having been a special time. Hugh B MacLeod of the Canadian Patient Safety Institute (CPSI) has been pivotal in inspiring this work, and some of his input is outlined. This paper describes more of the background and motivation behind the project as well as some of the potential ways in which the Health Management Research Alliance (HMRA) is investigating and going about this project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented which discusses articles in the issue on topics including, relationship between resources, capabilities, and value in healthcare, addressing inequities in health services; and impact of education programs on COVID vaccination rates to promote equity in care delivery.

The purpose of this research is to discuss the significance of health care insurance compensation for obtaining comprehensive medical treatment in India. Through a systematic review survey focusi ng on the keywords like out-ofpocket, health technology assessment and health care system was conducted by searching Google Scholar, Science Direct, PubMed and ProQuest Database. It is observed that India ranks among the greatest out-of-pocket (OOP) healthcare expenditure across the globe. This seems to be notwithstanding the deployment of several public health plans and the provision of a significant variety of both private and public health coverage schemes. Decrease in the treatment quality across many healthcare institutions of government is a key cause causing the typical Indian individual to constantly rely on medical services provided by private firms, heading up OOP expenses. Among the most significant problems in implementing universal health care (UHC) in India is a poor acceptance of insurance products and awareness between many Indians. The burden of large OOP expenditures on people might be lessened by increasing medical insurance acceptance, which may be accomplished by enhancing India's medical claims system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To develop a detailed account of changed practices in everyday work in the redesign of primary healthcare program. Design: The research aimed to produce layered and rich descriptions of the complex and multidimensional remaking of health practices. Empirical data was gathered through ethnographic methods including; interviewing, self-reporting, observation and shadowing. The subjects of the research were involved as active participants in the research design, data gathering and analysis. Setting: HealthOne was a New South Wales government attempt to provide a local and responsive model to improve chronic disease management in primary and community healthcare settings. We report specifically on the HealthOne program implemented in a suburb of Western Sydney. Main outcome measures: The research did not aim to evaluate the program but to uncover instances of professional learning though identifying changes in professional practice. These were noted and observed by the researchers and research participants or through reflexive conversations with the program planners, healthcare workers and the research team. Results: Drawing on the work of a number of learning and practice-based theory writers, particularly those using a socio-material approach, we describe how practice change has occurred and how work practices have been remade at this site - especially in the role of the General Practice Liaison Nurse (GPLN). Conclusions: The research demonstrated the potential for new categories and practices of health work to emerge; this was especially seen in the work of the GPLN but also extended to new ways of working through General Practitioners and community health networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It is well established that effective clinical leadership improves the quality of healthcare service provision and promotes leadership outcomes. [1,2] Leadership capacity and capability of allied health professionals is needed for successful clinical service provision, [3] but less is known about allied health leadership than about other clinical groups. Aims: The literature review aimed to identify research about leadership and leadership development of allied health practitioners in healthcare settings. Methods: A database review was undertaken using SCOPUS, CINAHL, Medline and Business Elite databases from December 2014-September 2015. Three leadership journals were also hand searched. A total of 1665 articles were identified. These were scanned and 129 articles were retrieved with 70 articles shortlisted for in-depth review. Results: After application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, seven journal articles were included in the literature review. Review of the studies identified two areas of primary focus: leadership styles and outcomes and leadership development programs. Conclusions: Findings showed that there are currently a limited number of robust published reports in relation to leadership and allied health practitioners. Implications for Practice: Well-designed research studies to further evaluate leadership skills of allied health practitioners as well as to determine the effectiveness of leadership programs in developing transformational leaders are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hong Kong has sought without progress in the past 25 years to introduce reform proposals to enhance the long-term financial sustainability of its healthcare system. Through a systematic review of the consultation documents released over the years, this paper examines what might have been done right or wrong and pinpoints lessons learned for healthcare leaders, executives and reformers facing looming opportunities for reform. The findings suggest that the phased-approach of introducing reform options, involving step-by-step public consultations, to engaging the community to give their views on the healthcare financing reform options has not been effective. Other factors, including changes in the stewardship of the reform initiatives and the top-down elitist-led preparations of pre-launch work, added to the resultant inaction of not taking any of the reform proposals forward for launch and to produce reform. The study proposes that a broadly participatory approach, involving a wider base of members of the community in an inclusive guiding coalition charged to drive the reform from prelaunch to implementation, be undertaken. This coalition should start afresh and, based on renewed evidencebased assessments of the need and urgency of reform, proceed accordingly to formulate, if indicated, an overarching healthcare financing reform agenda that motivates people with conflicting interests to take mutually beneficial actions or that gives stakeholders the right incentives to work effectively together. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE To describe the perceived research capacity and support at the individual, department and organisation levels among clinicians in a state funded health district in Sydney, Australia. METHODS We asked allied health, medical, nursing, management and administrative staff across Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District to fill in the Research Capacity in Context survey online. The survey includes questions about individual skills and capacity regarding research, available support and encouragement for research from the department and organisation, and motivators and barriers to involvement in research. Descriptive analyses (means and proportions) were reported separately for each staff category. RESULTS Four hundred and thirty-nine people responded, approximately 7% of total staff, of whom around 80% were clinicians. Response rate was highest from allied health clinicians (approx. 26%), rates were 4-6% for the other staff categories. Participants rated their individual research capacity as poor to good for most aspects, medical staff rated themselves higher than allied health and nursing. Respondents identified the lack of quarantined time and necessity to prioritise clinical duties as the key barriers to engaging with research. The most identified motivators were desire to improve services and outcomes for patients and resolving clinical problems. CONCLUSIONS Clinicians in the public health service are motivated to engage with research to improve services for their patients but they lack the time and support. If health services wish to encourage research activity among clinicians, they need to free up time from delivering clinical care and provide access to training and operational support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Telehealth has been used to care for patients at a distance in specific clinical and demographic situations, but the demand for physical isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic has expanded its application to the broader community. This systematic literature review, of very recent publications, elucidates the new ways telehealth has been implemented, confirms it’s acceptability, accessibility and safety by collating reviews, trial and cohort studies from peer reviewed journals meeting defined risk of bias criteria. Five literature reviews, three qualitative studies and 22 quantitative studies were included, which confirmed that telehealth is a safe medium for delivery of surgical health care, is accessible and efficient for the majority of patients and clinicians across the age and socioeconomic spectrum. It is time and resource efficient for providers and recipients and improves the delivery of patient-centred care. Many providers have published innovative solutions to the difficulties of telehealth, such as conducting a physical examination or technological limitations at the remote site. Health care can now be delivered directly to the home or the workplace. Routine in-person postoperative review of patients should be replaced by patient-led telehealth unless there is a specific reason for face-to-face review. Assessment and management of new cases could be managed more efficiently if a carefully planned digital referral process is developed and adopted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents abstracts of articles related to healthcare in Australia including "Overweight and obesity among Indigenous children: individual and social determinants," by K. Thurber and colleagues, "Population health improvement: a community health business model that engages partners in all sectors," by D. A. Kindig and colleagues, and "Health workforce planning in OECD countries: a review of 26 projection models from 18 countries," by T. Ono.

A response from the author of the article "Improving the Health System with Performance Reporting - Real Gains or Unnecessary Work?" is presented.

OBJECTIVE The available literature reveals that usage of Maternal Health Care Services (MHCSs), including antenatal care (ANC), has decreased significantly in developing countries due to the Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic. However, the COVID-19 related factors on MHCSs utilization in Bangladeshi women are yet to be examined. Therefore, this study examines the effect of COVID-19 on the use of ANC services among rural communities in Bangladesh. METHOD A community-based qualitative study was conducted from May 01, 2021, to July 20, 2021, among selected pregnant women residing in ten villages of the Kushtia District, Bangladesh. A total of ten focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted. Open Code 4.0 software was used to transcribe, translate, and analyze the data thematically. RESULTS Findings suggest that the measures taken by the government against the COVID-19 pandemic have significantly decreased the optimum usage of ANC services. The need to shift the role of the health workforces is a vital factor that has a negative effect on women's attitude towards seeking MHCSs. Anxiety, dirty and poor environment of the health facilities, low quality of care, stigma, and risk minimization strategies are among other factors meant that pregnant women refrained from seeking ANC services. CONCLUSION Undoubtedly, COVID-19 related factors have decreased the possible usage of ANC services among rural communities in Bangladesh. Additional necessary health workforces are needed to be recruited urgently. A special wing for pregnant women in each health facility may be opened as a one-stop ANC service center for the COVID-19 period. Policymakers should take necessary actions to reduce anxiety among pregnant women and motivate them to use MHCSs for safe motherhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: This study will investigate whether removing the Quality Accounts purpose and aim led to differences in the number of Infographics, Tables and Graphs used over four years. DESIGN: A content analysis was performed on the Quality Accounts of six Hospitals and Health Services from 2016 to 2019. Statistical analysis was then performed to examine differences in the use of Infographics, Tables and Graphs in the Quality Account SETTING: The six Hospitals and Health Services were operating in a rural geographical area in the state of Victoria, Australia. RESULTS: Even though some significant differences were found, this was largely due to yearly variability in the use of Infographics, Tables and Graphs. The six Hospitals were quite different in their Quality Account presentations because these reports are structured to a particular community. CONCLUSIONS: The removal of the purpose and aim has not affected the number of Infographics, Tables and Graphs. While limitations are noted, a number of future research opportunities stem from this study to enhance the Quality Account and overall understandability of Hospital reports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Big data offers the knowledge required for healthcare providers to streamline customer service processes that customize healthcare and create best practices for communicating with clients or patients. A more detailed and customized experience can be offered to customers. But there are many challenges that healthcare organizations are facing. The research aims to study big data challenges in the healthcare sector. A literature review is performed to discover big data problems in healthcare. A questionnaire is utilized for the survey research in the hospitals. Target populations are the staff who are working in the hospitals. For analysis, exploratory factor analysis is being performed. All the challenges are grouped into five factors. All the parameters are satisfied for the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is unique and will be useful in elucidating the level and sources of job stress among nurses working in government and private sector health institutions in the Kurdistan Region. This research could be useful in developing future nursing and healthcare manpower planning policies. In this research work, the objective is to evaluate the job stress among hospital nurses in the Kurdistan region. The research part basically explains about work-related stress and how it is harmful to the health of the employees. METHODS: With the help of questionnaires, the authors collected primary data from the nurses working in 34 public and 56 private hospitals all over the Kurdistan region. To collect the data author used a simple random sampling method. The proposed study is descriptive in nature and authors collected data from 252 staff nurses working in the Kurdistan region. To do the analysis author used statistical tools like descriptive statistics, mean, cluster, chi-square, and correspondence analysis. To analyses, the data author used statistical software package SPSS 28. RESULTS: The results reveals that the ranking of four job stress domains like job factor, organizational factors, interpersonal relations factors and environmental factors. In that the interpersonal relations factors are ranked number one and the second rank is organizational factors third one is environmental factors and the last one is job factor. CONCLUSIONS: In Kurdistan region hospital staff nurses stressed due to routine shift and poor organizational structure are mostly influenced on organizational factors that are why it's ranked number one among the four domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to calculate the medical costs of Covid-19 patients for hospitals based on the severity of clinical care. DESIGN: The study was conducted in a hospital in Istanbul/Turkey. A micro-costing approach was performed using historical cost data for one year. All direct and indirect medical inputs were determined in quantities and monetary values for four types of Covid-19 patients in the hospital. RESULTS: The analysis calculated the unit cost of an outpatient to be 459,99 ..., while the cost per day for inpatient to be 1.184,63 ..., for non-intubated in intensive care unit to be 1.938,11, for intubated in the intensive unit to be 2.393,99 .... The study also indicates that the total cost of a non-intubated patient in intensive care units is 1,54 times higher than the total cost per inpatient. An intubated patient's cost is 2,08 times higher than an inpatient's cost. CONCLUSION: This study indicates that Covid-19 patients incur significantly high costs for hospitals. The findings of the study provide empirical data for different types of patients which can be used in clinical management and can help all related governing bodies to plan their actions and make the decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study attempts to identify factors of dissatisfaction that significantly influence customers to give low rating to the hospital on online platforms, based on the context of India. The study conducts a qualitative analysis of a sample of 669 reviews given to private for-profit hospitals on online platform. Through textual analysis of the reviews, five distinct factors of dissatisfaction were identified. Each factors were statistically tested to identify those that were significantly present in reviews that gave low rating to the hospital. Three out of five factors, inferior medical care, inappropriate behaviour of staff and profiteering attitude, were found to be significant. Within these three factors no significant difference was found in their strength of association with the low online rating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author reflects on better approach to healthcare reform in Australia. Topics discussed include reform on primary healthcare (PHC) focusing on delivery of general services, the 20144 Report of the Commonwealth Fund which ranked Australia in the second position for quality, and health care access which is concerned on affordability and cost related issues.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Improving the Health System with Performance Reporting - Real Gains or Unnecessary Work?."

Public Private Partnership Programme is a cooperation between different healthcare professionals in both public and private sectors in Hong Kong. Over the decades, many programmes have been developed which cover various diseases, including chronic conditions and surgery for cataracts, as well as vaccinations. However, these programmes are not successful because of the unsatisfactory service charges in the private sector, overlapped aims and resources and wrong estimation of needs. To become successful, programmes reform is required by rearranging resources, annual reviews, more financial support and extending the coverage of diseases. Promotions of programmes are beneficial to all stakeholders. Overall, better coordination between both sectors is the essential factor which can lead the programme to success and maintain a better health care system in Hong Kong. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES This study presents the case for a reciprocal health care agreement (RHCA) between Australia and South Korea. DESIGN AND SETTING The research utilised a qualitative social scientific methodology. Document analysis was conducted on government reports, official statistics and media articles in English and Korean. MAIN OUTCOMES In Australia, the Health Insurance Act 1973 enables health care agreements with 11 nations, however, Korea has no similar legislation in place. Therefore, Korea would need to build a broader consensus on the need for a RHCA in full, based on the precedent of Australia's agreements with other nations, as well as on the Korean Pension Act, which has enabled reciprocal (equal treatment among the countries) pension agreements with 28 nations through an exceptive clause. RESULTS The active government commitment and involvement of the Ministry of Health and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Australia, and of the Ministry of Health & Welfare and Ministry of Foreign Affairs in South Korea, would be essential for a successful RHCA process to come to fruition. CONCLUSIONS While a potential health care agreement between Australia and Korea would constitute a significant step forward in strengthening people-to-people links between these two significant trading partners in the spirit of health diplomacy, the feasibility at the current time is very low indeed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medicine maladministration can result in various side effects to patients, including serious complications, extended medical care, incapacity and death. In Hong Kong public hospitals, the pattern of medication error consists of prescribing error usually made by physicians, dispensing error resulting from pharmacists and dispensers, drug administration error caused by nurses and patientcare workers and technology-related error associated with technology used in the drug administration process. Medication Administration Record (MAR) and ward stock are the usual inpatient medication system within the Hospital Authority public hospitals before the development of the electronic system, while the Inpatient Medication Order Entry (IPMOE) functions to provide real-time accessibility in patients' medication profiles by different professions and health units. However, several factors are related with medication errors. For instance, the ambiguous handwriting orders in the MAR prescribed by physicians affect the transcription by pharmacists and the administration procedures in ward by nurses. Administering medicines in ward stock before pharmacists vetting increase the chance of making errors. Poor interface issues between users and system, and the computer overreliance also contributed to technology-related errors. In order to reduce the occurrence of medication incidents, implementation of Automated Pharmacy Distribution Systems helps moving towards a closed loop medication management system. Modifying technologies in barcode assisted medication administration and enhancing the IPMOE with a pop-up message could help intercepting drug administration errors to patients. The elimination of the potential risks arising from the prescribing, dispensing and drug administration processes brings the achievement of medication safety in Hong Kong public hospitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elderly Health Care Voucher Scheme is a financial support provided by the government to the elderly for having more choices in selecting private primary health care services. It has been launched for more than ten years (including pilot scheme). The success of the voucher depends on its effectiveness so that Hong Kong elderly can benefit from it. The aim of this article is to analyse whether the voucher scheme has achieved its goals and what improvement can be made. The scheme is successful in encouraging the elderly to use private primary care, considering that the participation rate of the scheme is high, and elderly could use private health care services to supplement public health care services. Yet, the amount of the subsidy is insufficient to support the needs of the elderly and the providers of the voucher are not enough for Hong Kong elderly. Also, it is found that private health care services give the old generation an impression of expensiveness and unreliable even with the support of the Health Care Voucher. To improve the Elderly Health Care Voucher Scheme and solve the problems, the government should increase the amount of the voucher, set standards for regular monitoring, cooperate with private health care providers and invite more providers. Ultimately, the elderly would enjoy greater flexibility in choosing medical services in meeting their needs and the scheme can effectively achieve its purpose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Hong Kong, arthritis is the third leading chronic disorder among the older people. It could create a huge amount of burden on the health care system if patients cannot achieve good diseases control and have recurrent flare up of diseases. To maintain stable control and minimize acute flare up, medication adherence is essential. Studies revealed that drug education has the highest evidence in improving medication adherence. Pharmacists who are expert in drugs can provide counseling to arthritis patients, improving their drug adherence and disease activities. As a result, research evaluating the effectiveness of pharmacist counseling service on improving arthritis patients' medication adherence and disease activities in Hong Kong has been initiated in a specialist out-patient clinic of a local acute hospital. This research aims to improve patient medication adherence and enhance medication safety. A validated Compliance Questionnaire on Rheumatology (CQR-19) is used to measure the medication adherence. From the preliminary data, over 90% of the recruited subjects are non-adherence at baseline and thus, detailed drug counseling is necessary. During the first visit, pharmacists will provide a 20 minutes drug counseling service to the referred patients. This includes discussion on drug administration schedule, importance of drug adherence, side effects management and pain management. Besides, pharmacists also have different roles in other aspects such as drug information and procurement. Pharmacists would assist in providing evidence-based information and recommendations to physicians and nurses for drug-related enquiries. These attempts to improve therapeutic outcomes and minimize medication errors, enhance medication safety and reduce hospitalization. Design of the multidisciplinary care model and results of this study would provide a reference for the future development of clinical pharmacist service in rheumatology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health expenditure at around 5.7% of GDP is low for a developed society like Hong Kong, where a dual track of public and private services in its health care system is unique. The low level of expenditure has been steady over the last three decades, apparently not affected at all by a major change in the Government in 1997. The public and private sections have equal share of the total health dollars consistently over the years, despite the increase of Government's annual spending from 11% to 17% since 1990, implying a similar trend in the private sector, which is funded predominantly by out of the pocket expenses with some insurance contribution. However, Hong Kong has the longest life expectancy in the world. This has resulted in the increase in the demand for health and long-term care, casting doubt on whether the traditional model of financing and delivery of care will be sustainable. The Government has pledged that that no one is denied adequate medical treatment due to lack of means, a stance in existence for decades and being reflected by the steady state of public and private share of health expenditure. Apart from two major re-structuring of the governance system, there has been little change in the service provision organisations. The system is often criticized for being heavily hospital based and acute-centric, particularly in the public services. Primary care is taken up predominantly by the private sector, mostly in clinical services, not focusing on prevention. It is apparent that there is a significant service gap, that needs to be examined and addressed systematically before a practical solution can be formulated. A more holistic, humanistic and better integrated system of care, with innovative care patterns, shall be the way forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Aging in Japan is advancing most rapidly in the world and is expected to increase demand for medical services in the near future. Aging is uneven and progress of aging varies from regions resulting in great differences in medical needs. In order to supply the needs for medical services, theJapanese government developed the "Regional Medical Vision", which estimates the near future requirements for medical resources. However, this is a plan for redistribution of medical resources taking into account future changes of a population composition based on the current situation. In fact, each region has a diversity of medical needs, and it is difficult to use average medical needs even if they are adjusted by population structures. In consideration of such situation, we tried to estimate the social burden of major diseases of each region in order to estimate the medical needs. We picked up cerebrovascular diseases (CVD, ICD10 code: I60 - I69) and dementia (ICD10 code: F01, F03, G30), and calculated their social burden of all 47 prefectures in Japan that have authority for health policy. METHOD: Modifying the COI method developed by Rice D, we newly defined and estimated C-COI of CVD (ICD10 code: I60 - I69) and dementia (ICD10code: F01, F03, G30). C-COI consists of five parts; direct cost (medical), morbidity cost, mortality cost, direct cost (long term care (LTC)) and informal care cost (family's burden). Direct cost (medical) is medical cost of each disease. Morbidity cost is opportunity cost for inpatient care and outpatient care. Mortality cost is measured as the loss of human capital (human capital method). These three costs are known as components of original cost of illness by Rice D. Direct cost (LTC) is long term care insurance benefits. Family's burden is "unpaid care cost" by family, relatives and friends inhome and in-community (opportunity cost). We calculated such costs at 2013/2014 prices using Japanese official statistics. RESULTS: The total C-COI of CVD in Japan was about 6,177 billion JPY, the maximum was 621 billion JPY in Tokyo and the minimum was 33 billion JPY in Tottori (Tokyo/Tottori=18.8), whereas the total C-COI of dementia was 3,778 billion JPY, the maximum was 341 billion JPY in Tokyo and the minimum was 22 billion JPY in Tottori (Tokyo/Tottori=15.5). The C-COI per capita of CVD in Japan was about 48 thousand JPY, the maximum was 66 thousand JPY in Kagoshima and the minimum was 38 billion JPY in Saitama (Kagoshima/Saitama=1.7), whereas the total C-COI of dementia was 3,778 billion JPY, the maximum was 46 thousand JPY in Shimane and the minimum was 22 thousand JPY in Chiba (Shimane/Chiba=2.1). CONCLUSION: We substantiated a method to calculate the social burden of medical care and LTC care for each prefecture using CCOI methods. In both diseases, a large difference was found in total costs per capita and components ratio between prefectures. The situations of social burden of diseases has diversity among prefectures. When estimating the future medical needs of each region, it is necessary to take each regional condition into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]