bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Design of a Filmless Hospital
Authors: Tong Carrison K.S. , Wong Eric T.T.
Published: May 2010

More rapidly than any technological advance in medical history, filmless hospital is changing the clinical and business aspects of radiology practice by delivering substantial cost savings, improved efficiency and quality, and greater access in an era of high demand and severely constrained resources. Systems are available in many variations, from mini-PACS to hospital-wide or enterprise-wide PACS. However, among the variations, the basic structure of a PACS is similar as shown in Figure 1.
Quality Control, Quality Assurance, and Business Continuity Plan in PACS
Authors: Tong Carrison K.S. , Wong Eric T.T.
Published: May 2010

As PACS gains widespread use, the importance of Quality Control (QC), Quality Assurance (QA), and Business Continuity Plan (BCP) in PACS is rising. The purpose of QC/QA is to measure the quality and performance of a PACS for minimizing the chance of getting any avoidable risk. However, in the real world, there is still some risk in any complicated system. Therefore, BCP is used to reduce the impact and downtime of hospital PACS system operation due to changes or failures in the company operation procedure. The purpose of BCP is to make sure that the critical part of PACS system operation is not affected by critical failure or disaster.
Quality Management Benefits
Authors: Tong Carrison K.S. , Wong Eric T.T.
Published: May 2010

To illustrate the benefits of implementing QM in PACS, a successful case based on the Six Sigma approach is given below. It involves a project aiming at the 2005 Hong Kong Quality Management Award. A brief description of the Award and its judging criteria is given, followed by an outline of the Grand Award holder’s submission and the Project Leader’s clarification of project-related issues during the Judging Panel interview. Hong Kong Quality Management Association and the Hong Kong Productivity Council have jointly organized the “Hong Kong Quality Management Convention” on a bi-annual basis at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre since 1991. The Convention is a renowned quality event in Hong Kong with active participation from both Hong Kong and Mainland China (e.g. over hundred of delegates from various cities of China in 2003). With the rapid development of quality circles in local organizations, the Hong Kong Quality Circle Award was introduced in 1993, being the exclusive award to recognize employees’ effort and contribution towards the improvement of productivity in their industry via quality circles. The purpose of the Award is to reward employees’ contribution in quality enhancement and to recognize the companies’ commitment in quality management. Over the years, award-winners have been recognized for their determination to tackle issues from the grass-root level in pursuit of operational efficiency and effectiveness. This Award offers the participating companies excellent opportunities to benchmark their quality practice among their counterparts and enhance their competitive advantage in their industry. It also improves their corporate image and enhances the morale of the circle members. Organizations with principal activities based in Hong Kong are eligible to compete for the Award. The final and binding decisions on the award are vested with the Hong Kong Quality Management Association and the Hong Kong Productivity Council. To qualify for the award, the participants have to undergo a stringent adjudication process.
Epilogue
Authors: Tong Carrison K.S. , Wong Eric T.T.
Published: May 2010

Today’s filmless radiology through PACS provides greater speed and superior image quality. However, when workflow is encumbered by inefficiencies, the benefit to the organization – and ultimately the patients – may not be fully realized. Even with the latest equipment installed, many organizations face delays in report-turnaround time and a backlog of patients waiting for appointments. Diminished security and quality can lead to a variety of problems for filmless radiology facilities or departments, including: • Delay in diagnosis and treatment • Emergency department bottlenecks • Increased length of stay • Patient dissatisfaction • Referring physician dissatisfaction • Potential loss of outpatient business • Loss of revenue • Poor public image
An Introduction to Online Data Retrieval and Issues
Authors: Eom Sean
Published: May 2010

This chapter introduces online citation data retrieval using the Web of Science and Dialog Classic. The Web of Science provides access to multidisciplinary citation index information from approximately 8,700 high impact research journals in the world. Users can navigate to electronic full-text journal articles, with complete bibliographic data, cited reference data, and direct links to the full text. A citation index, developed by The Institute for Scientific Information (ISI), is an alphabetical listing by author of all the references found in footnotes and bibliographies of journals covered in the index. This chapter overviews three search options: general search, cited reference search, and advanced search. The following section provides some useful information about the procedure to retrieve cocitaion frequency counts using Dialog Classic, using the free ONTAP® (ONline Training And Practice) site. This chapter points out several technical limitations of using ISI online citation index databases, including Multiple Authorship: all citation index files permit retrieving records only by last name and initials of first author only. Another limitation is Name-citation records by an author of the same last name and initials may not be authored by the same author. Another limitation is Synonyms: To further complicate matters, the same author’s initials can be recorded in many different ways. Some examples of synonym are Keen, P. or Keen, P. G. W. Lee, S. or Lee, S. M.
A Knowledge Strategy Oriented Framework for Classifying Knowledge Management Tools
Authors: Elia Gianluca
Published: May 2010

Many classifications and taxonomies of knowledge management tools highlight mainly specific characteristics and features of a single tool, by ignoring the holistic and systematic dimension of the classification, and the explicit elements of linking with the knowledge management strategy. This chapter aims at proposing a general framework that integrates the technological side of knowledge management with the strategic one. Thus, this framework could represent a powerful instrument to guide knowledge engineers in the implementation phase of a knowledge management system, coherently with strategical choices for knowledge management. Chapter is articulated in two main parts: the first one is focused on reminding some relevant approaches to knowledge management (Hoffmann 2001; Skyrme 2000; Ruggles 1997; Radding 1998; Maier 2002); the second part presents the framework, with a detailed description of its components.
Media Centric Knowledge Sharing on the Web 2.0
Authors: Spaniol Marc , Klamma Ralf , Yiwei Cao
Published: May 2010

The success of knowledge sharing heavily depends on the capabilities of an information system to reproduce the ongoing discourses within a community. In order to illustrate the artifacts of a discourse as authentic as possible it is not sufficient to store the plain information, but also to reflect the context they have been used in. An ideal representation to do so is non-linear storytelling. The Web 2.0 in its “bi-directional” design therefore is an ideal basis for media centric knowledge sharing. In this article we present a novel solution to this issue by non-linear storytelling in the Virtual Campfire system. Virtual Campfire is a social software that allows a modular composition of web services based on a Lightweight Application Server in community engine called LAS. Hence, Virtual Campfire is capable of fully exploiting the features of the Web 2.0 in a comprehensive community information system covering web-services for geo-spatial content sharing, multimedia tagging and collaborative authoring of hypermedia artifacts.
E-Democracy
Authors: Francq Pascal
Published: May 2010

The success of the Internet has launched McLuhan’s idea of the global village. Over the years, the Internet has become a real political medium which has inspired the emergence of the concept of e-democracy. Despite some successful applications, many limitations prevent its wide expansion. Some of these limitations can be solved with social software, in particular with the emerging Web2.0 applications. This kind of applications may contribute to a better application of e-democracy processes for local political decisions.
Community and Collaboration Tools to Frame the New Working Environment
Authors: Corso Mariano , Martini Antonella , Piva Alessandro
Published: May 2010

This chapter focuses on the community and collaboration tools as means of creating business communities of practice (CoPs). First, the state-of-the art of these tools is presented with respect to diffusion and usage, and then emergent communities are analysed in terms of targets, goals, models and barriers. The research is based on 16 retrospective case studies that cover more than 50% of the banking sector in Italy by number of employees and refer to 33 communities. The findings provide interesting elements and suggestions to develop a community in a banking context. The authors aim to develop actionable knowledge to support management in understanding how to manage a business CoP, in order to create value for both the organization and its members.
Web 2.0 Collaborative Learning Tool Dynamics
Authors: Vivitsou Marianna , Lambropoulos Niki , Papadimitriou Sofia , Gkikas Alexandros
Published: May 2010

Social web asynchronous communication environments provide the space for content creation, idea sharing and knowledge construction within a participatory and collaborative framework that encourages online community establishment and evolution. However, community development is a long-term process and necessitates the adoption of appropriate theoretical principles to support a developmental scheme ensuring the community’s exploratory, knowledge-based and reflexively expanding character. This chapter discusses and analyses the techniques and tools used in an online course aiming to enable Greek teachers develop their pedagogical and digital skills in order to keep update, form new relationships and grow professionally. To this end, e-course design was based on formal learning principles underlying the virtual classroom activities during which a collaborative culture was built. Also, the course structure involved informal learning principles, which were integrated into social web activities implemented on weblog and wiki artefacts created and used by participants as individual and collaborative learning tools. Through the analysis of quantitative and qualitative data gathered during the study it became evident that weblogs and wikis contributed to the growth and evolution of Greek educational networked communities and that a new online identity emerged.
Knowing in Organizations
Authors: Kupers Wendelin
Published: May 2010

Based on a phenomenological understanding of knowing and knowledge in organisation, this chapter aims to contribute to an integral perspective on conceptual and methodological research development. Adopting an advanced phenomenological approach, knowing is argued to be an embodied and emotional process. Furthermore, an integral “pheno-practice” is proposed, allowing a more comprehensive and inclusive approach, analyse, and interpretation for investigating processes of knowing in organisations. Following a dynamic, processual turn, the concept of an “inter-knowing” is discussed by which knowing is understood as a relational emerging event. By concluding, some implications for theory and research are provided.
A Complex Adaptive Systems-Based Enterprise Knowledge Sharing Model
Authors: Small Cynthia T. , Sage Andrew P.
Published: May 2010

This paper describes a complex adaptive systems (CAS)-based enterprise knowledge-sharing (KnS) model. The CAS-based enterprise KnS model consists of a CAS-based KnS framework and a multi-agent simulation model. Enterprise knowledge sharing is modeled as the emergent behavior of knowledge workers interacting with the KnS environment and other knowledge workers. The CAS-based enterprise KnS model is developed to aid knowledge management (KM) leadership and other KnS researchers in gaining an enhanced understanding of KnS behavior and its influences. A premise of this research is that a better understanding of KnS influences can result in enhanced decision-making of KnS interventions that can result in improvements in KnS behavior.
Facilitating E-Learning with Social Software
Authors: Bernsteiner Reinhard
Published: May 2010

This article explores how social software tools can offer support for innovative learning methods and instructional design in general, and those related to self-organized learning in an academic context in particular. In the first section, the theoretical basis for the integration of wikis, discussion forums, and Weblogs in the context of learning are discussed. The second part presents the results of an empirical survey conducted by the authors and explores the usage of typical social software tools that support learning from a student’s perspective. The article concludes that social software tools have the potential to be a fitting technology in a teaching and learning environment.
Towards an Integrated Model of Knowledge Sharing in Software Development
Authors: Kautz Karlheinz
Published: May 2010

This article adds to the discussion on knowledge management (KM) by focusing on the process of knowledge sharing as a vital part of KM. The article focuses on the relationship between knowledge, learning, communication, and participation in action, and the role of social interaction and technical media in the knowledge sharing process. We develop an initial theoretical framework of knowledge sharing on the basis of a literature study. Drawing on an empirical study of knowledge sharing in a software development company, we discuss what supports and what hinders knowledge sharing in software development. Finally, we use this knowledge to improve the theoretical framework.
E-Collaboration and E-Commerce in Virtual Worlds
Authors: Kock Ned
Published: May 2010

Virtual worlds can be defined as technology-created virtual environments that incorporate representations of real world elements such as human beings, landscapes and other objects. Recent years have seen the growing use of virtual worlds such as Second Life and World of Warcraft for entertainment and business purposes, and a rising interest from researchers in the impact that virtual worlds can have on patterns of e-collaboration behavior and collaborative task outcomes. This article looks into whether actual work can be accomplished in virtual worlds, whether virtual worlds can provide the basis for trade (B2C and C2C e-commerce), and whether they can serve as a platform for credible studies of ecollaboration behavior and related outcomes. The conclusion reached is that virtual worlds hold great potential in each of these three areas, even though there are certainly pitfalls ahead.
Socializing a Knowledge Strategy
Authors: Jones Peter H.
Published: May 2010

Proponents of the resource-based view of strategic management have argued for processes that align organizational knowledge resources to business strategy. In this view, a unique competitive advantage accrues from accelerating organizational learning and non-appropriable knowledge. An empirical approach known as socialization counters theories of both institutionalization and “strategic alignment.” Socialization diffuses an organization’s knowledge strategy through values leadership and practice-led process redesign. Consistent with structuration theory (interaction of agency and structure), socialization creates enduring, flexible process structures co-constructed by leaders and participants in a domain of practice. Socialization results in durable, accessible processes, uniquely configured to business strategy, and more resilient than acquired process structures. Values leadership orients participants toward the goals, meaning, and value of organizational knowledge inherent in indigenous processes. Socialized business processes are driven by strategic intent, are non-appropriable by competitors, and are oriented to enduring organizational values that protect process integrity. A socialization approach integrates practice-level internal knowledge networks to support business processes and strategy, leveraging and exchanging knowledge more effectively than authoritative (“top-down”) institutionalization.
Genetic Learning
Authors: Bruha Ivan
Published: May 2010

This chapter discusses the incorporation of genetic algorithms into machine learning. It does not present the principles of genetic algorithms (because it has been already done by many more or less large monographs) but rather focuses particularly on some important issues and enhancements of genetic algorithms design is faced by, namely: (a) the ways of initialization of a population for a genetic algorithm, (b) representation of chromosomes (individuals) in genetic algorithms (because it plays an influential role in the entire processing), and (c) discretization and fuzzification of numerical attributes for genetic algorithms (since they are not in its genuine form able to process these attributes). Furthermore, this chapter surveys new trends of dealing with the variable-length chromosomes and other issues related to the genetic learners. It concludes by discussing some directions of further improvement of the genetic learners, namely two topologies with the ‘meta’ level.
Exact Markov Chain Monte Carlo Algorithms and Their Applications in Probabilistic Data Analysis and Inference
Authors: Lee Dominic Savio
Published: May 2010

This chapter describes algorithms that use Markov chains for generating exact sample values from complex distributions, and discusses their use in probabilistic data analysis and inference. Its purpose is to disseminate these ideas more widely so that their use will become more widespread, thereby improving Monte Carlo simulation results and stimulating greater research interest in the algorithms themselves. The chapter begins by introducing Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC), which stems from the idea that sample values from a desired distribution f can be obtained from the stationary states of an ergodic Markov chain whose stationary distribution is f. To get sample values that have distribution f exactly, it is necessary to detect when the Markov chain has reached its stationary distribution. Under certain conditions, this can be achieved by means of coupled Markov chains—these conditions and the resulting exact MCMC or perfect sampling algorithms and their applications are described.
Design and Development of Knowledge Bases for Forward and Reverse Mappings of TIG Welding Process
Authors: Ganjigatti J. P. , Pratihar Dilip Kumar
Published: May 2010

In this chapter, an attempt has been made to design suitable knowledge bases (KBs) for carrying out forward and reverse mappings of a Tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding process. In forward mapping, the outputs (also known as the responses) are expressed as the functions of the input variables (also called the factors), whereas in reverse mapping, the factors are represented as the functions of the responses. Both the forward as well as reverse mappings are required to conduct, for an effective online control of a process. Conventional statistical regression analysis is able to carry out the forward mapping efficiently but it may not be always able to solve the problem of reverse mapping. It is a novel attempt to conduct the forward and reverse mappings of a TIG welding process using fuzzy logic (FL)-based approaches and these are found to solve the said problem efficiently.
Managing the Quality of UML Models in Practice
Authors: Nugroho Ariadi
Published: May 2010

Many studies have been carried out to investigate what makes up good quality software. Some of the early models that define the quality of software come from Boehm (1976) and McCall (1977). Works in this field of quality models have traditionally focused on quality of the final software product. Since the 1970’s models of software have been used and this has recently attracted much attention through the popularity of model-driven software development (MDSD). However, quality of software models has rarely been considered (Lange & Chaudron, 2005). In the software development life cycle, the ability to assure software quality long before the testing phase may save a lot of money since less defects found in the testing phase will mean less effort to be allocated for rework. Currently, the importance of model quality is starting to gain attention from computer scientists. Work in this area has since focused on developing tools, metrics, and frameworks to improve the quality of models that guide implementation, particularly in the context of UML modeling which has become the de facto standard for building object oriented software. Quality of models can be considered from many different perspectives. In this chapter, we will consider the following perspectives: Firstly, is the model complete in the sense that it describes the information that developers need to know about a system? Secondly, we look at the degree in which a model of a system and an implementation correspond. This degree of correspondence indicates to what extent analyses of—or predictions based on the model are valid for the implementation. We present the main findings from case studies into quality of modeling in the software industry as well as findings from a survey amongst professional software developers. We also provide a discussion on the contemporary methods for design quality assessments.
Quality Improvement in Automotive Software Engineering Using a Model-Based Approach
Authors: Farkas Tibor
Published: May 2010

Premium quality and innovation are the cornerstones of the leading positions of car manufacturers and suppliers in the world market. The permanently increasing complexity of in-car electronics and the rapidly growing amount of automotive software running on embedded electronic control units, places higher demands on quality assurance for the future. Quality cannot be implemented into software on embedded control units after their development. Methods for defects detection have to be constituted to automatically stop development to fix a problem before the defect continues downstream. In addition preventive actions have to be taken in respect of front-loading quality and reliability. An automatic and tool independent check of custom development rules, quality standards and enterprise wide guidelines can support the quality assurance process in the development of automotive control software. In the domain of automotive software engineering there is a lack of automated checking for standard conformance. Especially, a formal and tool independent notation of rules to follow is missing. In this chapter, the model-based design of automotive vehicle functions is taken as an example to show how textual rules describing development standards to be met can be transformed into a formal notation using the open standards Meta Object Facility and Object Constraint Language. Thereafter these rules can be checked automatically. The feasibility of this approach is shown by a software demonstrator.
The Impact of ICT Governance within Australian Companies
Authors: O’Donohue Breanna , Pye Graeme , Warren Matthew J.
Published: May 2010

This chapter focuses upon the Australian Standard for the Corporate Governance of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) AS8015 (Standards Australia, 2005) and presents research findings that can be applied as recommendations to enhance the effective implementation of this Standard’s principles within an organization. These recommendations relating to the principles outlined within the Standard concern such factors as, identifying and addressing issues surrounding the implementation of this Standard and the actions that could be undertaken to improve the effectiveness of ICT governance by sharply focusing upon the governance aspects of ICT within business, as opposed to the management aspect of ICT.
Improving ICT Governance
Authors: Toleman Mark , Cater-Steel Aileen , Kissell Brian , Chown Rob , Thompson Michael
Published: May 2010

Acting upon the recommendations of a review of information and communications technology (ICT) governance and services at USQ, a major restructure was effected merging ICT units previously scattered across the university. The new Division of ICT Services embodies both CobiT and ITIL principles. To ensure the radical change was managed professionally, a change manager was seconded to the project. The value and importance of this role was underestimated and in retrospect it was removed too early. With the new structure now in place, a single service desk has been implemented and service level agreements have been formulated. This chapter describes the new reporting structure of the Division of ICT Services, the internal structure, the goals of the Division and how they align with the USQ corporate goals. Care was taken to ensure that the new ICT structure was logical and conducive to operational effectiveness, efficiency and sound ICT governance. The new structure provides pathways and opportunities for career progression, reflects a client focus and provides role delineation and functional accountability.
Governance of Software Development
Authors: Dubinsky Yael , Yaeli Avi , Feldman Yishai , Zarpas Emmanuel , Nechushtai Gil
Published: May 2010

Governance is the exercise of control and direction over a subject such as a society, an organization, processes, or artifacts, by using laws and policies that are defined, deployed, and executed. In this chapter we develop this definition into a formal conceptual model that can be applied to a variety of governance domains. At the heart of this model lies the concept of the governance solution and its lifecycle. The governance solution embodies the set of mechanisms—decision rights, policies, controls, and measurements—applied to a governance scope in order to achieve some governance goals. As part of the lifecycle, the effectiveness of the governance solution is measured, and corrections and alignments are made as necessary. We demonstrate how this model can be applied to multiple governance domains by providing examples from IT governance as well as software-development governance. We conclude by providing a detailed scenario in the software-development governance space, which looks at large software organizations undergoing transition to agile development methodology. We further demonstrate how the governance model is instantiated and evolved in the context of this scenario.
An Overview of Models and Standards of Processes in the SE, SwE, and IS Disciplines
Authors: Mora Manuel , Gelman Ovsei , O’Connor Rory , Alvarez Francisco , Macías-Luévano Jorge
Published: May 2010

This chapter develops a descriptive-conceptual overview of the main models and standards of processes formulated in the systems engineering (SE), software engineering (SwE) and information systems (IS) disciplines. Given the myriad of models and standards reported, the convergence suggested for the SE and SwE models and standards and the increasing complexity of the modern information systems, we argue that these ones become relevant in the information systems discipline. Firstly, we report the rationale for having models and standards of processes in SE, SwE and IS. Secondly, we review their main characteristics. Thirdly, based on the identified aims and principles, we report and posit the concepts of process, system and service as conceptual building blocks for describing such models and standards. Finally, initial theoretical and practical implications for the information systems discipline of such models and standards are discussed, as well as recommendations for further research are suggested.
Perspectives of IT-Service Quality Management
Authors: Praeg Claus-Peter , Spath Dieter
Published: May 2010

This chapter introduces an IT-Service management framework for the use of quality management concepts in the context of the life cycle phases of IT-Services. It argues that IT-Service management, combined with quality management and a life cycle approach for IT-Services provides a new perspective for organizations to provide high quality IT-Services. Based on the IT-industrialisation and an increased customer orientation in the IT-Service management the aspect of quality becomes increasingly important. Therefore, the authors give an overview about existing concepts of IT-Service management, life cycle management and quality management for IT-Services. The aim is to support organizations in the effective use of quality management concepts depending on IT-Service life cycles.
Towards an Evaluation Framework for E-health Services
Authors: Hamid Alalwany , Sarmad Alshawi
Published: May 2010

The purpose of this study is to explore the user’s perspective in evaluating e-health services, and to present evaluation criteria that influence user’s utilization and satisfaction of e-health services. The evaluation criteria are based on two lines of studies relating to the behaviour of users of new products or services and on broad examining and critical analysis of the existing evaluations initiatives in e-health context. The evaluation criteria can serve as part of an e-health evaluation framework, and also to provide useful tools to allow the development of successful e-health initiatives by assisting the healthcare organisation to address areas that require further attention.
The MOBEL Project
Authors: Dybdahl Sorby Inger , Melby Line , Dahl Yngve , Seland Gry
Published: May 2010

This chapter presents results and experiences from the MOBEL (MOBile ELectronic patient record) project at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim, Norway. MOBEL was a multidisciplinary research project established in 2000. The problem area of the project was communication and information needs in hospital wards, and the aim of the project was to develop and explore methods and prototypes for point of care clinical information systems (PoCCS) that support clinicians in their patient-centered activities. The chapter summarizes four sub studies performed during the project. Each study presents different approaches to user-centered design of PoCCS. Findings from these studies confirm the need for mobile information and communication technology (ICT) in hospitals. Furthermore, the studies demonstrate how more user involvement and complementary approaches to traditional requirements engineering (RE) and system development methods can be useful when developing mobile information and communication systems for clinicians.
Process-Based Evaluation of Hospital Information Systems
Authors: Ozkan Sevgi , Baykal Nazife , Sincan Murat
Published: May 2010

Although there is limited research and evidence base, it is reasonable to expect that high quality information technology is an integral factor in the success of today’s healthcare sector. However, the healthcare sector is considered to be low level investor in information technology (IT) when compared to other sectors. There are studies that look at the sums spent on health IT as a basis for determining how effective the IT systems are. We support the idea that the effectiveness of IT systems is not an exact measure and a more systematic approach needs to be taken when evaluating success of an IT system. In this study, we have evaluated an assessment method, process based information systems effectiveness (PRISE), which is based on a novel model of information systems effectiveness in the healthcare domain. The results of our case series provide specific implications concerning the applicability of a general “information systems assessment” approach, in the medical context.
How can Telemedicine Benefit from Broadband Technologies?
Authors: Gulla Vincenzo
Published: May 2010

The present chapter focuses on some aspects of the state of the art of telemedicine systems and their use over broadband. It starts with a brief summary of the most popular telecommunication technologies to give the reader an overview of today’s broadband technology and methods. Some important deployment data are included showing the global growth and use in many countries. Results of very significant pilot projects using videocommunication implemented in Italy and in Europe are taken into consideration, demonstrating the benefits of the patient’s psychological status in conjunction with health care assistance. The chapter proposition is to show a business model, based on an Italian reality exploiting the Marche region population development and healthcare statistics. The simulation example is the adaptation of telemedicine solution for early hospital discharge applied to a public healthcare structure, typically a hospital. The model takes into account the possible adaptation of an “early discharge solution” implemented with portable telemonitoring light videocommunication terminals, which, thanks to broadband availability, may be installed at the patient’s home for a predefined period (typically 7 to 10 days). The simulation aims to highlight and dimension cost reduction or, in a more appropriate view, give the percentage of resource that can be relocated to provide a better service and how a national healthcare service may take advantage of these scenarios.
Organizational Factors and Technological Barriers are Determinants for the Intention to Use Wireless Handheld Technology in Healthcare Environment
Authors: Gururajan Raj
Published: May 2010

Traditional technology adoption models identified ‘ease of use’ and ‘usefulness’ as the dominating factors for technology adoption. However, recent studies in healthcare have established that these two factors are not always reliable on their own and other factors may influence technology adoption. To establish the identity of these factors, a mixed method approach was used and data were collected through interviews and a survey. The survey instrument was specifically developed for this study so that it is relevant to the Indian healthcare setting. Authors identified clinical management and technological barriers as the dominant factors influencing the wireless handheld technology adoption in the Indian healthcare environment. The results of this study showed that new technology models will benefit by considering the clinical influences of wireless handheld technology, in addition to known factors. The scope of this study is restricted to wireless handheld devices such as PDAs, smart telephones, and handheld PCs.
Developments in Modeling Organizational Issues in Healthcare
Authors: Chahal Kirandeep , Dalby Herbert , Eldabi Tillal , Paul Ray J.
Published: May 2010

Healthcare organisations increasingly use simulation and modelling techniques to analyse their procedures and policies. Modelling activities attempt to help meet the challenges, constraints and requirements for efficiency encountered in the modern healthcare environment. A variety of techniques are used, often applied in different roles and by different functions in the organisation. Recent research has investigated the benefits of considering multiple approaches in the analysis of problems. This chapter briefly introduces the use of simulation and modelling in healthcare and the factors driving the increasingly widespread use of these techniques. Simple examples show how individual methods may be applied to model healthcare problems. The recent emergence of multi method approaches to modelling is examined and, focusing specifically on healthcare, examples of how these new ideas may also be applied in healthcare modelling are presented. Finally the challenges to implementing such new approaches effectively in a healthcare environment are discussed.
Speeding Up Decision Support
Authors: Mustafee Navonil , Taylor Simon J.E. , Katsaliaki Korina , Brailsford Sally
Published: May 2010

Discrete-Event Simulation (DES) is a decision support technique that allows stakeholders to conduct experiments with models that represent real-world systems of interest. Its use in healthcare is comparatively new. Healthcare needs have grown and healthcare organisations become larger, more complex and more costly. There has never been a greater need for carefully informed decisions and policy. DES is valuable as it can provide evidence of how to cope with these complex health problems. However, the size of a healthcare system can lead to large models that can take an extremely long time to simulate. In this chapter the authors investigate how a technique called distributed simulation allows us to use multiple computers to speed up this simulation. Based on a case study of the UK National Blood Service they demonstrate the effectiveness of this technique and argue that it is a vital technique in healthcare informatics with respect to supporting decision making in large healthcare systems.
Information Security and Privacy in Medical Application Scenario
Authors: Eskeland Sigurd , Oleshchuk Vladimir
Published: May 2010

This chapter discusses security and privacy aspects for medical application scenario. The chapter analyze what kind security and privacy enforcements would be needed and how it can be achieved by technological means. Authors reviewed cryptographic mechanisms and solutions that can be useful in this context.
A Process Architecture Approach to Manage Health Process Reforms
Authors: Stephenson Christine , Bandara Wasana
Published: May 2010

Business Process Management (BPM) is often perceived as a top priority concern in organisations; both in public and private sectors. This has been clearly noticed in the Australian health care sector, evidenced by the Australian Government’s commitment to pursuing a reform agenda that reflects a new approach to improving health and aged care services. The adoption of a business process management approach can be a key tool to facilitate health reform in the public and private sectors. This approach provides a structured and hence rigorous approach to ensure that health processes are reviewed, improved and implemented consistently throughout the organisation, especially where public health services are provided from multiple service points. Process modeling is an embedded component of most BPM initiatives, yet a resource intensive task. How process models can be derived efficiently (i.e. with less resources and time) and effectively (at a high quality to meet the specific needs) is an integral element of interest to most organisations, however, this area of research is still in its infancy. This paper aims to address this gap by proposing a ‘process-pattern’ based approach to process modeling where models are created and managed within a ‘process architecture’. The process pattern approach is explained with evidence from a large state based health organisation using an integrated risk management process for health care service management as an example. The study employed an action research approach and the chapter unfolds its findings around the main phases of the research method. The contributions from this work are twofold. From the perspective of practice, it offers a validated high level example of a process pattern for an Integrated Risk Management Program for health. From an academic perspective: it presents a validated Risk Management process pattern for delivering health services which can be used as or a benchmark in further research.
Supporting the Development of Personalized E-Health
Authors: Josefsson Ulrika
Published: May 2010

The area of E-health development for patient-healthcare interaction has lately received significant attention by the health informatics community. Increasingly healthcare and information technology (IT) developers are proposed to take seriously the needs and preferences of the patients. This chapter explores the multifaceted E-patient context, in an effort to contribute to an increased patient-centeredness of this form of technology development. Patient-centeredness is captured in terms of personalization as an attempt to depart from patients’ specific context to contribute to technology design and use. Using a qualitative approach, the chapter reports from 25 in-depth interviews performed with Swedish patients and representatives of patient associations. Six themes of the E-patient context derive from the findings (diagnosis, demographics, access, preferences, coping, and patient role). The results present a fine-grained picture of the E-patient context adding to previous approaches of personalization. The introductory discussion reflects on the themes in relation to their tentative implications for the development of patient-centered personalized E-health for patient-healthcare interaction.
Adoption of Mobile Technology by Public Healthcare Doctors
Authors: Banderker Nesaar , Van Belle Jean-Paul
Published: May 2010

Doctors working in the South African public healthcare sector are faced with the unique resource constraints prevalent in a developing country. Mobile information and communication technologies (ICTs) hold the promise of improving the quality of healthcare, but this potential can only be unlocked if individuals decide to adopt the new technologies. Understanding the factors that influence the doctor’s adoption of a technology is therefore vital. This chapter reports on an investigation into the factors influencing the adoption of mobile devices by doctors in the public healthcare sector in the Western Cape, South Africa. The research methodology was shaped by qualitative enquiry and described through thematic analysis. The authors confirmed the key adoption factors identified in prior research: job relevance, usefulness, perceived user resources and device characteristics. However, some additional adoption factors were uncovered in this research, namely patient influence, support structures from national government and hospital administration, and unease in respect of malpractice legal suits.
Industrial Metabolism
Authors: Lambert A. J.D.
Published: May 2010

This chapter introduces the concept of quantitative physical flow analysis, known as industrial metabolism, which is a basis for modeling the environmental impact of products in the course of their lifecycles. This also includes a discussion of the reverse product-process chain, which includes reuse and recycling. Apart from transformation of materials, also transformation of energy is discussed. This is followed by the introduction of gross energy requirement. After this, the life-cycle assessment method is explained. After this, a section on available types of software is presented, followed by some examples from practice that illustrate the value of quantitative modeling. Finally, some future trends are discussed and a conclusion is given.
Sustainable Product Service Systems
Authors: Ness David
Published: May 2010

This chapter introduces sustainable product service systems (S-PSS) as a means of achieving both forward and reverse supply chain utilization, leading to much improved resource productivity coupled with business and social benefits. It outlines the challenge to enable economic growth, especially in developing countries, with corresponding reduction in consumption of resources, greenhouse emissions, and waste. It is argued that S-PSS can make a significant contribution, not only in greening products, but also in poverty alleviation, employment generation, and social development. An Australian, industrybased product stewardship scheme for used computers is first outlined. The potential for S-PSS to take product stewardship to a new level is then explained, with reference to several Hewlett-Packard case studies and research involving Interface modular carpets. The author hopes that the potential for S-PSS to deliver business and social benefits with less resource use may be recognized, leading to necessary further investigation and research.
E-Government Business Models
Authors: Janssen Marijn , Kuk George
Published: May 2010

Stimulated by the need to reduce cost and improve service provisioning and client involvement at the same time, the concept of business models has gained attention in the e-government domain over the last few years. Business models can appear at the individual organization and network level and describes how an entity plans to provide services. The basic premise of business models is that it helps to understand the relation between service offering and other elements and can be used as an instrument to improve service provisioning and lowering cost at the same time. In this chapter an overview of the state-of-the-art of e-government business models, a theory integrating the various elements and research challenges and issues are presented. There is ample need for research and overcoming these challenges result in better leveraging the advantages of business models.
E-Government Implementation
Authors: Lim Eric T.K. , Tan Chee-Wee , Pan Shan-Ling
Published: May 2010

As e-government becomes increasingly pervasive in modern public administrative management, its influence on organizations and individuals has become hard to ignore. It is therefore timely and relevant to examine e-governance—the fundamental mission of e-government. By adopting a stakeholder perspective and coming from the strategic orientation of control and collaboration management philosophy, this study approaches the topic of e-governance in e-government from the three critical aspects of stakeholder management: (1) identification of stakeholders, (2) recognition of differing interests among stakeholders, and (3) how an organization caters to and furthers these interests. Findings from the case study allow us to identify four important groups of stakeholders known as the Engineers, Dissidents, Seasoners, and Skeptics who possess vastly different characteristics and varying levels of acceptance of and commitment towards the e-filing paradigm. Accordingly, four corresponding management strategies with varying degrees of collaboration and control mechanisms are devised in the bid to align these stakeholder interests such that their participation in e-government can be leveraged by public organizations to achieve competitive advantage.
Involving Service Professionals in eGovernment Innovation
Authors: Järveläinen Jonna , Koskivaara Eija , Pihlaja Päivi , Salmela Hannu , Tähkäpää Jarmo , Kestilä Timo
Published: May 2010

This collaborative action research study reports the experiences in developing e-government innovations in early childhood education context in Finland. While e-government is too often understood as transforming paper documents used in public services into electronic mode, the ultimate objective should be to enhance communication and interaction between citizens and public organizations and thus increase the value of public services. This objective cannot be reached without involvement of service professionals in the eGovernment innovation processes. This research introduces a method for involving service professionals in the process of generating and evaluating alternative ways how new technology can be incorporated in service processes. Amit and Zott’s (2001) e-business value creation method was applied to clarify the value of alternative e-government innovations for citizens and for the service organization. The practical result of the study was several business model innovations for the early childhood education. The methodological result was a collaborative method for analyzing and generating business model innovations.