bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Patient Care Process: Pathways in Transition
Authors: Catt M.A.  , Nagle L.M.  , Shamian J.S.
Published: February 2025

Developing patient care processes to include multiple activities of care, the continuum of care, primary diagnoses and co-morbid conditions, risk factors and outcomes of care improves patient care management in general. The Patient Care Process (PCP) is one initiative utilized to support standards of care and optimal resource utilization in our organization. This paper will focus on the issues and opportunities identified with the use of patient care plans, particularly the uniqueness of a new level of outcomes monitoring and evaluation.
Using the Internet as a Teaching Strategy: Informatics at Work
Authors: Thiele J.E.
Published: February 2025

Development of the World Wide provides educators with an enormous library of teaching tools. The purpose of this presentation is to share the results of introducing over 60 graduate students to use e-mail, internet mailing lists, computer conferences, and the World Wide Web as teaching strategies. Data were collected from students through questions and Electronic Communication Logs. Response of the students was categorized into 6 phases: 1) fear and trepidation, 2) excitement, “this is great!”, 3) “help, my mail box is full”, 4) venturing forth independently, 5) this is easy, and 6) accepting the internet as a useful tool. Identification of these phases provided a basis for developing teaching strategies specific to internet uses. Feedback between students and instructor increased and was far more timely than occurs in the classroom setting. The student responses to these experiences were overwhelmingly positive.
New Challenges for Nursing Informatics
Authors: Ball M.J.  , Douglas J.V.  , Hoehn B.J.
Published: February 2025

Long a leader in health informatics, nursing faces new challenges. The full and effective use of technology requires an understanding of cognitive processes and organizational behavior. Nursing can play a key role in addressing aims supportive of a new vision of health informatics. The evolving paradigm for knowledge transfer will give rise to new educational models and new institutional entities which will nurture learning and relearning.
Training Strategy for Nursing Staff in Using Computers in Hospitals - a Malaysian Viewpoint
Authors: Mohamad S.B.  , Coote L.  , Lane V.
Published: February 2025

The ability of hospitals to fulfil their roles - of information processing and dissemination, and of quality patient care provider - is influenced by the availability of supporting information systems. Using computers in wards, which is a change process, introduces new working practices accompanied by attitudinal and knowledge alterations in the users. This paper suggests that as a practical approach users need to be consulted and assessed prior to the introduction of computers in their work places. A questionnaire survey, the main purpose of which was to determine the potential users' responses and to measure their computer competencies, was sent to 183 nursing staff in several hospitals. Results show that the respondents have slightly positive attitudes towards computers even though 85% of them were computer illiterate. A training strategy is needed to increase competencies and to develop more favourable attitudes, which can be monitored using four training indicators.
Development of a Computerized Patient Classification and Staffing System
Authors: Park H.A.  , Park J.H.
Published: February 2025

Korean health care agencies are trying to find ways to survive amid strong competition within the health care industry and pressure to open health care market from abroad. One way to survive is to improve health care quality at present or reduced expenditure. Nursing is the largest manpower in health care agencies and plays an important role in determining quality of care through direct interaction with patients., thus, nursing manpower management is an essential part of survival strategies. If the nursing department can adapt to dynamic changes in the health care environment in terms of quality and quantity of service needed, health care agencies' quality and efficient management will be achieved at the same time. A computerized prototype patient classification and nursing staffing system was developed using Microsoft Visual Basic 3.0. This system allows a user to use GUI(Graphic User Interface) with an icon and a mouse. By applying this computerized system to clinical practice, nursing managers will receive accurate information regarding nursing manpower management at nursing unit level as well as departmental levels. Then nursing managers can achieve effective nursing manpower management, which will improve nursing care by allocating more nursing staff time to direct patient care.
Strength Profiles of Older Persons
Authors: Verbrugge Lois M.  , Kempen G.I.J.M.  , Kimmerly Lanae  , Wooley Charles  , Chaffin Don B.
Published: February 2025

Key parameters of musculoskeletal function are strength, endurance, and range of motion. In a current study of men and women ages 60+ (N=20), we have a Musculoskeletal Function Evaluation (MFE) that tests isometric strength in the whole body (19 locations; unilateral; 3 trials each); the protocol also has isometric endurance and range of motion tests. A strength test lasts 5 seconds (Nm recorded every 1/10 second), and time to peak. A specially-designed partable unit (called the MFE Chair) was used to obtain the strength data in the subject’s own home. We describe technical aspects (hardware, electronics, software) of the MFE Chair. Its generic features make it suitable for other studies of strength in older persons (relationships across locations), (2) reliability (relationships across trials), and (3) force trajectories (plots of 1/10-sec. readings). (1) Factor analyses show unidimensional structure (high relationships among upper extremity tests, and among lower extremity tests) is almost as good. So a person’s strength can be summarised either way (whole body or upper and lower). (2) Reliability statistics show that two trials suffice to give sturdy measurement of strength in a given location. There is some evindence of a training effect for trial 1 but not enough to drop it; so trials 1 and 2 can be averaged. (Peak and average max produce the same results for both (I) and (2). (3) Plots for typical subjects show very steady force trajectories after the peak value is attained (older subjects maintain their force outputs), and also similar patterns across trials (subjects approach a test the same way for every trial). Conclusions: Substantively, we find that strength has high congruence across body areas. Methodologically, we find that a detailed strength protocol can have fewer tests than ours did.The text summarises the project design and its results to strength profiles of older persons.
Win-win opportunities by using smart cards in health care
Authors: van den Oever J.G.J.M.
Published: February 2025

Changes in society lead to individualization of both care - and insurance packages. This has created a necessity for patients and health professionals to have available at any time a personal key to patient data and insurance data. The “ZorgPas Initiatief” is starting a roll-out of smart cards for personal use by patients at points-ofcare. The first goal is to save costs by simplifying the financial/administrative process using a card transaction switch. Other objectives are linked to the parallel development of shared databases with patient data, which need secure and safe control by the owner of the data i.c. the patient. The “ZorgPas Initiatief” is an initiative of health insurance companies in co-operation with organisations of health professionals and Dutch government. The initiative will benefit for all three parties involved: patients, health professionals and insurance companies.
Patient and health professional cards on the information highway: a new challenge to privacy?
Authors: Comeau P.A.
Published: February 2025

This essay is based on conclusions drawn from the monitoring of the Rimouski experiment by the Commission d'accès à l'information du Québec and its subsequent report to the Québec government. On the eve of the implementation of fullscale information highways on which both patient and health professional cards will become the key to medical files, lab analyses and other sensitive data, the author urges close co-operation between architects, promoters, and builders of such projects and privacy experts or privacy boards wherever they exist. A preliminary evaluation of the Health Information Network operated by the Brome-Missisquoi Perkins Regional Hospital in Southern Québec is most helpful as it raises important issues relating to the card system.
First Results on DENTcard
Authors: Grönewald H.
Published: February 2025

The Smart Card based dental patient information system is described by its benefits for the patients, dentists, and other participants.
How an intelligent blood donor card could contribute to the safety and efficiency of the national blood supply system
Authors: Sibinga C.Th. Smit
Published: February 2025

The blood supply system depends largely on voluntary blood donors, willing to donate regularly. Each response to donate generates a variety of administrative informations related to identification, medical selection and quality control. Application of an intelligent blood donor card to facilitate the administrative procedure in its flow of processes could contribute to the safety and efficiency of the blood supply system through reducing the chances of clerical errors and increasing the efficiency of the administrative procedure.
Training Environment for Inferior Vena Caval Filter Placement
Authors: Hahn James K.  , Kaufman Roger  , Winick Adam B.  , Carleton Thurston  , Park Youngser  , Lindeman Rob  , Oh Kwang-Man  , Ai-Ghreimil Nadia  , Walsh Raymond J.  , Loew Murray  , Gerber Joanne  , Sankar Siddarth
Published: February 2025

This paper describes a Virtual Environment system designed to aid in training interventional radiologists in inferior vena cava filter placement. It is being developed as part of a VE simulator for a number of surgical and interventional radiology procedures at the Laboratory for Advanced Computer Applications in Medicine at the George Washington University. In this procedure a filter is placed in the inferior vena cava to prevent blood clots from the lower portion of the body from reaching the lungs and causing a pulmonary embolus. The simulation is designed to provide both tutorial and testing modes for the filter placement procedure.
A NATIONAL CENTER FOR BIOCOMPUTATION: IN SEARCH OF A PATIENT-SPECIFIC INTERACTIVE VIRTUAL SURGERY WORKBENCH
Authors: Ross M. D.  , Montgomery K.  , Linton S.  , Cheng R.  , Smith Jeffrey
Published: February 2025

This report describes the three-dimensional imaging and virtual environment technologies developed in NASA's Biocomputation Center for scientific purposes that have now led to applications in the field of medicine. A major goal is to develop a virtual environment surgery workbench for planning complex craniofacial and breast reconstructive surgery, and for training surgeons.
Development And Evaluation Of A Spine Biopsy Simulator
Authors: Lathan Corinna  , Cleary Kevin  , Greco Robert
Published: February 2025

A spine biopsy simulator is being developed to 1) train surgeons on the current method for CT-directed needle biopsy and 2) provide a testbed for developing new image-guided and robot-assist methodologies. A task analysis and function allocation assessment provide the needed information for the first stage of the simulator development and evaluation.
ATTRACT - Applications in Telemedicine Taking Rapid Advantage of Cable Television Network Evolution
Authors: Anogianakis G.  , Maglavera S.  , Pomportsis A.
Published: February 2025

ATTRACT is a project that intends to provide telemedicine services over Cable Television Networks. ATTRACT is an European Commission funded project (Healthcare Telematics). The main objective of ATTRACT is to take advantage of emerging European Cable Television network infrastructures and offer cost-effective care to patients at home. This will be achieved through a set of broadband network applications that competively provide low cost interactive health-care services at home. The applications will be based on existing or developing European Cable Television network infrastructures in order to provide all kind of users with affordable homecare services. It is ATTRACT's intention that citizens and users benefit from high quality access to home telemedical services which also implies cost savings for patients, their families and the already over burdened health institutions. In addition, the European industries will have extensive opportunities to develop, evaluate and validate broadband network infrastructures providing multimedia and interactive telemedical services at home. ATTRACT contributes to the EU telecommunications and telematics policy objectives that promote the development and validation of “applications and services” which “provide an intelligent telematic environment for the patient in institutions and other points of care that helps the patient to continue, as far as possible, normal activities and external communication”.
The Roots, Values and Logic's in Nursing Informatics
Authors: Kolbaek Raymond
Published: February 2025

This paper identifies patterns and tendencies in Nursing Informatics as a phenomenon. The methods have been literature reviews, categorizations and interpretations, looking for characteristic patterns and tendencies. 11 Patterns and 2 main tendencies are identified and the results are discussed in according to make some points on the importance and effects of Nursing Informatics to Nursing when one is developing a Nursing Informatics Curriculum.
Electronic Patient Records
Authors: Hasman A.
Published: February 2025

In this contribution several aspects of electronic medical records are discussed. Attention is paid to data entry and data presentation. An example is given of a study, investigating the influence of the granularity with which information is presented on the time it takes to retrieve this information. Finally some implementation problems are discussed.
Some Evaluation Criteria for Educational Multimedia Applications
Authors: Hoejsholt-Poulsen Leo
Published: February 2025

This article is a fragmented overview of my personal baggage and considerations of evaluation criteria for educational multimedia. So let me begin with the single most important evaluation criteria: Use y o u own common sense. Your first impression normally says a lot, and you will quite soon sense it if it is quality stuff you are dealing with. Having said that, of course a number of more or less explicit pedagogical and technical evaluation criteria can be formulated. For many years various bodies have produced checklists for the evaluation of educational software. Some are just headlines, others are more detailed.
The Mixed Media Tutorial: Practical Guide
Authors: Procter Paula M
Published: February 2025

There has been growing interest in the use of video communications in education. This paper will describe how video communications can be used as part of a teaching and learning process linked with other communications technologies to give the student greatest advantage for effective learning to take place. The paper will conclude with a personal view of the teacher preparation required to realise appropriate use of mixed media.
A hospital-wide distributed PACS based on Intranet
Authors: Bandon David  , Ligier Yves  , Trayser Gerhard  , Girard Christian  , Logean Marianne  , Ratib Osman
Published: February 2025

A hospital-wide Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) is currently under development at the University Hospital of Geneva. After a first implementation including two one-terabyte optical libraries, the system is expanded to integrate all the imaging modalities of the hospital. The new storage requirement is 10 terabytes to cover three year archive.
Security Aspects of Medical File Regrouping for the Epidemiological Follow-up
Authors: Quantin Catherine  , Kerkri Elmostafa  , Allaert François-André  , Bouzelat Hocine  , Dusserre Liliane
Published: February 2025

To carry out epidemiological studies at a regional level, one may need to link information collected by medical doctors working either in hospitals or in private offices or laboratories. The first problem is to respect the European legislation on nominal data processing, which does not allow the linkage of nominal files. As a consequence, we have developed an anonymous record linkage procedure, which ensures an irreversible transformation of identity and allows the linkage of rendered anonymous files. The second problem is to ensure data security during the transmission and we discuss the advantages of different methods of communication such as the norms X400 and Internet protocols.
Setting a National Research Agenda in Nursing Informatics
Authors: Brennan Patricia Flatley  , Zielstorff Rita D.  , Strombom Indiana
Published: February 2025

An active program of research assures the development and evaluation of nursing informatics solutions to the challenges of contemporary patient care. Experts in nursing informatics research participated in a two-part electronic mail survey of research priorities. Priorities identified included formalization of nursing vocabularies, design and management of databases for nursing information, development of technologies to support nursing practice, use of telecommunications technology in nursing, patient use of information technology, identification of nurses' information needs, and systems modeling and evaluation. Many of these priorities are similar to those advanced in the 1993 US PHS NINR PEP Report on Nursing Informatics. Additionally, the findings suggest the need for greater emphasis on the application of emerging technology to nursing practice problems, and the expansion to consider patients as direct users of information systems.
A Generic Model for Internet-accessed Databases in Epidemiology: A Nutritional Application
Authors: Hachem Fatima  , Bellet Jérôme  , Flory André  , Leverve Xavier
Published: February 2025

The Web technology has made the exchange of information among heterogeneous platforms possible with no added cost to end-users. Adding to this, it made it possible to access databases residing on servers in different geographic locations giving thus conceptors and programmers the possibility of making distributed applications with a fraction of the time needed before. This technology is therefore very well suited to medical applications which are normally multi-user, multiplatform, and data-intensive. In this paper, we present an application for epidemiological studies based on the Web technology and the reuse of common concepts in epidemiology to produce a generic model that can be parameterisable by the end-user to suit the needs of his study. This model is then applied to develop an application to optimise the collection and processing of nutritional data for a nation-wide epidemiological study concerning renal failure patients.
An Analysis of 5 Years of Medical Informatics Publications
Authors: Moorman Peter W.  , van der Lei Johan L.  , van Bemmel Jan H.
Published: February 2025

This study describes an analysis of 1520 papers that were pub lished in six medical informatics journals from 1992 through 1996, and indexed in NLM's MEDLINE. Of retrieved publications the countries of origin were determined, and insight in the subject of the publication was obtained by analysing the used MeSH terms. The main conclusion is that despite the fact that publications in medical informatics stem from a wide international community, scientific recognition can still not be demonstrated by high impact factors of journals.
UMLS-based Access to CPR Data
Authors: van Mulligen Erik M.
Published: February 2025

This paper describes the results of a project that explores the use the Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) for knowledge-driven tasks, such as browsing a computer-based patient record (CPR). The project consisted of a number of steps: the mapping between CPR terms and UMLS concepts, the development of an algorithm that explores the CPR data using this mapping, and the implementation of a first prototype browser that visualizes “found” data. A second task addressed in this project has been the direct access to online medical literature (MEDLINE) using the UMLS concepts found in the CPR data. In this project, we used a preliminary version of the Open Records for Patient Care (ORCA) CPR that consisted only of the history and physical examination data of patient suffering from heart failure.
From Legacy Systems via Client/Server to Web Browser Technology in Hospital Informatics in Finland
Authors: Korpela Mikko
Published: February 2025

The majority of hospital information system installations in Finland are based on a legacy technology from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). This paper presents an architecture and a tool set which provide a migration path from terminal-based to client/server technology, conserving much of the investments in existing applications. It is argued, though, that a new technological revolution is required in the form of extending the web browser/server technology to operational information systems in hospitals. A blueprint is presentedfor a further migration path from client/server to browser/server technology. The browser technology is regarded as a major challenge to hospital information systems in the next few years.
The Creation of a Global Telemedical Information Society
Authors: Marsh Andy
Published: February 2025

Healthcare is a major candidate for improvement in any vision of the kinds of “information highways” and “information societies” that are now being visualized. The medical information management market is one of the largest and fastest growing segments of the healthcare device industry. The expected revenue by the year 2000 is US$21 billion. Telemedicine currently accounts for only a small segment but is expanding rapidly. In the United States more than 60% of federal telemedicine projects were initiated in the last two years. The concept of telemedicine captures much of what is developing in terms of technology implementations, especially if it is combined with the growth of the Internet and World Wide Web (WWW). It is foreseen that the World Wide Web (WWW) will become the most important communication medium of any future information society. If the development of such a society is to be on a global scale it should not be allowed to develop in an ad hoc manner. The Euromed Project has identified 20 building blocks resulting in 39 steps requiring multi-disciplinary collaborations. Since, the organization of information is therefore critical especially when concerning healthcare the Euromed Project has also introduced a new (global) standard called “Virtual Medical Worlds” which provides the potential to organize existing medical information and provide the foundations for its integration into future forms of medical information systems. Virtual Medical Worlds, based on 3D reconstructed medical models, utilizes the WWW as a navigational medium to remotely access multimedia medical information systems. The visualisation and manipulation of hyper-graphical 3D “body/organ” templates and patient-specific 3D/4D/and VR models is an attempt to define an information infrastructure in an emerging WWWbased telemedical information society.
Managing Healthcare: A View of Tomorrow
Authors: Hammond W. Ed  , Pollard Daniel L.  , Straube Mark J.
Published: February 2025

This paper presents a vision of the future in which standards exist at all levels necessary to accomplish true interoperability. The infrastructure has been established to support connectivity among all healthcare-related institutions as well as the population at large. Provider and patient are integrated in the process of an individual's care.
Long Term Evaluation of the CancerNet WWW Service
Authors: Quade Gustav  , Far Frederick  , Püschel Norbert
Published: February 2025

To improve the quality of healthcare, we offer access to high quality guidelines to physicians as well as information harmonized with these guidelines to concerned patients via internet. We launched this service in 1994. Since then, we have been offering user-friendly access to the NCI's CancerNet™via WWW (http://www.meb.uni-bonn.de/). Among other information, CancerNet by the National Cancer Institute contains upto-date summaries on the prognosis, staging, and treatment of more than 80 major tumor types.
Shared Care for Diabetes: Supporting Communication between Primary and Secondary Care
Authors: Branger P.J.  , van't Hooft A.  , van der Wouden J.C.  , Duisterhout J.S.  , van Bemmel J.H.
Published: February 2025

As health care becomes more complex, interest in the benefits of coordination of care has increased. Especially patients that are being treated jointly by more than one physician (shared care), are vulnerable to adverse effects resulting from inadequate coordination and communication. We describe a study in which care providers support shared care by using computer-based patient records for data storage, and structured electronic data interchange (EDI) as a means of communication.
Can a Large Institution Go Paperless?
Authors: Sands Daniel Z.  , Rind David M.  , Vieira Cynthia  , Safran Charles
Published: February 2025

Since 1989, Beth Israel Hospital has been deploying an extensive online patient record (the OMR), which augmented a heavily used integrated hospital information system. Initially begun in a large primary care practice, the system is now used to share patient records among 36 practices on three campuses. Although the system was intended to eliminate the need for paper, we have found that it has, in the short term, increased the amount of paper produced. Elimination of paper record in ambulatory care has saved us $56,000, but we have yet to realize the savings of an additional $200,000 per year. We explore the factors that contribute to this “paper paradox” and discuss the costs associated with increased paper production, areas in which we have reduced paper handling, and strategies for reducing our reliance on paper.
Why Discourse Structures in Medical Reports Matter for the Validity of Automatically Generated Text Knowledge Bases
Authors: Hahn Udo  , Romacker Martin  , Schulz Stefan
Published: February 2025

The automatic analysis of medical full-texts currently suffers from neglecting text coherence phenomena such as reference relations between discourse units. This has unwarranted effects on the description adequacy of medical knowledge bases automatically generated from texts. The resulting representation bias can be characterized in terms of artificially fragmented, incomplete and invalid knowledge structures. We discuss three types of textual phenomena (pronominal and nominal anaphora, as well as textual ellipsis) and outline basic methodologies how to deal with them.
The Need for a Thoughtful Deployment Strategy: Evaluating Clinicians' Perceptions of Critical Deployment Issues
Authors: Meyer Kerry Ellen  , Altamore Rita  , Chapko Michael  , Miner Mauri  , McGann Mary  , Hill Emory  , Van Duesen-Lucas Carol  , Bates Marina  , Weir Charlene  , Lincoln Thomas
Published: February 2025

This paper presents data collected from 899 clinicians across three Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers where existing terminal-based architecture was being replaced with client-server architecture. Surveys were conducted with physicians (n=184), nurses (n=355) and other clinicians (n=360) gathering user characteristics and their perceptions of five deployment issues (e.g. adequacy of technical and institutional support and perceptions of the soon-to-be-implemented clinical workstation). Mean scores for the five deployment issues for all clinicians indicates perceptions are somewhat neutral. However, when data is analyzed according to job classification, significant (p=0.05) differences in perceptions were noted among groups of clinicians (e.g., physicians and registered nurses). Results of analyzing data grouped by VA site (n=3) indicates significant (p=0.05) differences exist among sites in clinicians' perceptions of the deployment issues. A thoughtful deployment strategy including an in-depth assessment of clinician users by job classification and by location may produce important information, critical to the successful deployment of new technologies, in very large health management institutions.
Design of a 3D Workbench Interface for Training in Dental Implantology
Authors: Seipel Stefan  , Wagner Ina-Veronika  , Schneider Werner
Published: February 2025

The recent technological advances in the area of image processing and interactive computer graphics have lead to many sophisticated systems which support clinical experts in diagnosis and treatment planning tasks. In dentistry, the treatment with implants becomes more and more important. Although in the near future there will be increased demand for dentists who are trained in dental implantology, little effort has been made to introduce technologically new teaching methods into the curriculum of dentists. This paper describes the design of a virtual implant treatment planning system which is based on the concept of a three-dimensional horizontal display. The system is utilizing different VR and multimedia techniques to achieve a highly interactive virtual workbench environment which is suited for class-room experimental education in dental implantology.
An Integrated Environment for ECG Processing
Authors: Chouvarda I.  , Maglaveras N.  , Pappas C.  , Boufidou A.
Published: February 2025

The huge amount of information involved in clinical cardiological examination raises the need for efficient patient data management and for the fusion of modern information processing techniques in the everyday clinical workstation. An integrated medical information system has been developed in order to organize the local cardiological legacy system in the AHEPA hospital. An ODBC based database ((like Ms SqlServer or MSAccess) holds patient and ECG data. The system incorporates data management (storing and retrieval) and data processing modules. The processing module is added as an independent DLL. The visualization component results in a better view of the information. The components are integrated in a friendly window interface that lets the doctor browse patient information, apply modern signal processing techniques, make special measurements and store them in the database for research reasons.
Annex IV: Colour Theory
Authors: Ferrer-Roca O.
Published: February 2025

This annex presents complementary information on the aspects related to colour capture and manipulation as well as possible influences that could modify it, in the fields of visual perception, image analysis and densitometry.
Medical Informatics Education
Authors: Maglaveras Nicos
Published: February 2025

Medical Informatics is a multidisciplinary field, dealing mainly with informatics and technology applications in health care. Medical Informatics is composed from a number of sub-areas such as computer based patient record (CPR), processing of multimedia information (signals, images), coding and transmission through high speed networks of medical information (telematics), medical decision support systems, data security and integrity, integration of technologies in hospital and regional environments, and development of educational tools. The people who receive such an education are capable of development, integration and maintenance of complex hospital and health information systems both at departmental and regional levels. A very important issue however is the acceptance of information technology (IT) solutions engineered by medical informaticians from the medical personnel. In mis paper we shall deal with the set-up of a medical informatics and medical technology educational environment, as well as the areas from medical informatics that the average user needs to be familiar with in order for the successful deployment of IT solutions in health care.
A Framework for the Creation of User-Oriented Medical Textbooks on the World-Wide-Web
Authors: Prevelakis Vassilis  , Vassilakopoulos George
Published: February 2025

The use of the World Wide Web as a medium for the dissemination of course textbooks has proved to be effective both pedagogically and in terms of cost. However, there are some limitations inherent in this approach. In this paper we discuss the issues involved in the production of network accessible textbooks and present a framework which attempts to address the limitations of existing schemes through the use of a view-filter mechanism. We describe our proposal from a conceptual viewpoint and then discuss its applicability through the presentation of a prototype system. Finally, conclusions are drawn and future plans discussed.
The Process of Implementation
Authors: Pluyter-Wenting Elly S.P.
Published: February 2025

After the selection of an information system (either a HIS or a NIS) the process of implementation is of vital importance to get the system up and running. This paper describes how an implementation process can be prepared and in which way skillful implementation can contribute intensively to the pleasure of right use of the system. The author has carried the final responsibility of very different implementation processes for about 10 years in a quite a number of hospitals. Based on this experience success factors and pitfalls are given. The paper addresses in the first place hospital- and nursing managers and is written to stimulate professional implementation. A process that can cause real pleasure and fine results when it is carried out on the right way.
A VR BASED THERAPY FOR THE TREATMENT OF IMPOTENCE AND PREMATURE EJACULATION
Authors: Optale Gabriele  , Munari Adriano  , Nasta Alberto  , Pianon Carlo  , Verde Jole Baldaro  , Vigglano Giuseppe
Published: February 2025

The use of psycho-dynamic psychotherapy integrating virtual reality (VR) dealt with in this study on the treatment of erection dysfunctions and premature ejaculation started several years ago, after having seen the scarce results we obtained using exclusively a psycho-dynamic approach (accompanied by pre-recorded sound and music). Considering the particular way that full-immersion VR involves the subject who experiences it, we hypothesized that better results could be obtained during therapy for these sexual disorders and in particular regarding the nature of erection dysfunction, commonly referred to as impotence “a persistent or recurrent inability to attain, or to maintain until completion of the sexual activity, an adequate erection.” The plan for therapy consisted of 12 hour-long sessions over a 25-week period, and the methods involved the use of a VR helmet, joystick and miniature television sereens that projected specially-designed CD-ROM programs on psychological development.
Flexion and Extension of the Vertebral Column Measured Using MRI
Authors: Dangerfield P.H.  , Dorgan J.C.  , Evans K.  , Roberts N.  , Whitehouse G.H.  , Gunter M.
Published: February 2025

The degree of mobility and flexibility of the vertebral column on a small sample of normal subjects in different positions of the head and lower limbs has been investigated using an MRI protocol. The results have demonstrated that flexion and extension had little effect on the normal curvatures of the spine, such as the kyphosis or lordosis, but did alter the relative positions of flexion or extension of adjacent vertebrae. Additionally, a pivot point along the vertebral column was demonstrated, centred on thoracic vertebral T6. This pivot point reflects the degrees of freedom of movement by the vertebrae within the vertebral column and might explain why scoliotic curves high in the thoracic region are uncommon.
Medical Rehabilitation and Social Adaptation of Patients with Scoliosis who Passed the Treatment in the Boarding School #76 for Children with Scoliosis, Central Traumatology and Orthopedics Institute
Authors: Nazarova Rona D.
Published: February 2025

By means of distant observation, in this study the distant results of scoliosis treatment of 1040 who left the Moscow Boarding School # 76 for patients with scoliosis of Central Traumatology and Orthopedics Institute in the period from 1965 until 1990.
Evaluation of Three-Dimensional Correction of Idiopathic Scoliosis by Zielke Instrumentation Surface Measurement Using Videorasterstereography
Authors: Hackenberg Lars
Published: February 2025

So far only radiometric methods have been available for the evaluation of operating results with respect to the obtained correction. Rasterstereography has been proved to be a reliable method for three-dimensional surface measurement of brace-treated patients with ideopathic scoliosis. Therefore, patients treated operatively by Zielke instrumentation (VDS) were examined using rasterstereography regarding the three-dimensional correction of spinal deformity. The aim was to measure back shape deformity before and after VDS with a view to correction of abnormal vertebral rotation and reduction of thoracic and lumbar prominence. 24 patients with idiopathic thoracic and thoraco-lumbar scoliosis, who underwent VDS instrumentation at an average age of 16..9 years, were pre- and postoperatively measured by rasterstereography in a standardized standing posture. The patients were followed up for an average time of 19.6 months. Radiographs of the whole spine in standing posture and in two levels were made for comparision purposes. The following surface deformity parameters could be reduced: maximal lateral deviation of the spinal midline from 37.3mm to 20.4mm, maximum surface rotation from 16.1° to 10.3°. Measured radiometrically the mean Cobb angle of the primary curve could be reduced from 62.1° to 17.7° and the mean vertebral rotation ascertained according to Pedriolle from 28.6° to 17.4°. During follow-up the Cobb angle increased to 22.2°, the maximum surface rotation to 11.7° and the maximum lateral deviation to 22.8 mm. Vertebral rotation remained constant. Kyphosis and lordosis angles remained postoperatively essentially constant. By means of rasterstereography it is possible to document the three-dimensional correction of idiopathic scoliosis after VDS instrumentation in an objective manner. In particular, the cosmetic improvement as evident from the transverse profiles is clearly demonstrated. In addition reduction of surface rotation on the symmetry line allows an objective quantification of the obtained derotation. We consider the method a suitable tool- for back shape measurement of patients operatively treated by VDS.
Is There Any Regulatory Gene Defect Behind Idiopathic Scoliosis?
Authors: Szappanos L.  , Oláh É.  , Balogh E.  , Raskó I.  , Szeszák F.  , Szepesi K.
Published: February 2025

The genetic background of idiopathic scoliosis was sought for by taking up family records and pedigrees to monitor the increase of cases in the families of probands with the manifest syndrome. Progression of the disorder in time was characterised through detailed physical examination.
Towards Telematics Applications for Nursing in Madeira
Authors: De Jesus Élvio Henriques  , Martins Maria Clara Sales Correia
Published: February 2025

The propose of this presentation is to describe the activities which have been developed in the different nursing areas since the last ten years in the Madeira Autonomous Region (RAM), inherent to the usage of the clinical records and the ICNP.
Virtual endoscopy using Surface Rendering and Perspective Volume Rendering
Authors: Jang D.P.  , Han Moon H.  , Kim Sun I.
Published: February 2025

Noninvasive virtual endoscopy is a new method of diagnosis using computer processing of 3-D image data sets (such as CT or MRI scans). Conventionally, two methods have been used in virtual endoscopy. One is 3-D surface rendering method. 3-D surface of human organs can be explored in real time by using this method, but surface rendering algorithm has disadvantages such as the low quality of visualized image and the loss of the volume data. The other is perspective volume rendering method. The power of perspective volume rendering is that the intrinsic 3-D richness of the volume data is preserved. However, there are the difficulty in planning flight-path and the disability of real time flight for a computationally intense procedure.
TELEPRESENCE SURGERY SYSTEM ENHANCES MEDICAL STUDENT SURGERY TRAINING
Authors: Kaufmann Christoph  , Rhee Peter  , Burris David
Published: February 2025

The telepresence surgery system (TeSS) permits the surgeon to operate on a patient across distances. This is achieved through real-time 3D video vision, stereo audio, and remote instrument control with haptic feedback. Telepresence surgery has been proposed to be useful in providing specialist operative consultation to remote areas. Remotely mentoring medical students with no surgical experience through complex procedures provides an even greater challenge. Third-year medical students with no prior operative experience were mentored exclusively through use of TeSS during a standard surgical skills lab. This two-day laboratory includes abdominal procedures and thoracic procedures. The medical students were alone in the operating room and the teaching surgeon was in an entirely separate room. Anatomy, surgical principles, and adjunct techniques were taught to the students. The students felt the experience was better than standard because of the enhanced learning secondary to the required verbal accuracy in describing the procedures. In addition, they felt they had better visibility since the instructor was not standing in the way. The telepresence surgery system can be successfully used to remotely mentor and enhance introductory surgical training for inexperienced medical students.
Interactive Volume Visualization Using Intelligent Movies
Authors: Schubert R.  , Pflesser B.  , Pommert A.  , Priesmeyer K.  , Riemer M.  , Schiemann Th.  , Tiede U.  , Steiner P.  , Hohne K.H.
Published: February 2025

High quality visualization of medical volume models as performed by the VOXEL-MAN and similar systems is still too time consuming and the interaction complicated when sophisticated tools like dissection are used. We hence developed a new paradigm allowing to create simpler derivatives of the model, called “intelligent movies”. These are in QuickTime or QuickTime VR format which allow interactive exploration with two degrees of freedom. As a decisive novelty, we extended it by a pixelwise link to the knowledge base which may be queried in the image context. Thus scenes emphasizing a selected aspect of the volume model may be created as intelligent movies, which a user (referring physician, student) can explore largely with the functionality of VOXEL-MAN, but in real time - on any standard PC - and also via a JAVA applet within web browsers. This is shown with the example of 3D interactive anatomical atlases and clinical cases.
Hierarchical Decomposition of Laparoscopic Procedures
Authors: Cao C.G.L.  , Mackenzie C.L.  , Ibbotson J.A.  , Turner L.J.  , Blair N.P.  , Nagy A.G.
Published: February 2025

The purpose of this report is to outline the hierarchical decomposition of surgical procedures, from surgical steps through tasks and subtasks to tool motions, and highlight implications for surgical training systems. Three common laparoscopic procedures were analysed: cholecystectomy, inguinal hernia repair, and Nissen fundoplication. In laparoscopic training workshops and operating rooms, our observational research included split screen videotaping of both the endoscopic view and our video camera’s view of the primary surgeon. Videotapes were extensively annotated and analysed to yield timelines of each procedure, with component surgical steps, substeps, tasks, and subtasks duration as a function of procedure. The hierarchical decomposition of surgical procedures provides a framework for structuring a systematic approach to training, in the real and simulated environment. An example comparing variations in the fundoplication procedure is presented. Our results also have important implications for the design and assessment of new technology and intelligent tools in endoscopic surgery.
Telemedicine in Neurosurgical Daily Practice
Authors: Schulmeyer Frank J.  , Brawanski Alexander
Published: February 2025

Telemedicine has been in daily practice at our neurosurgical department for five years. In our experience the standard personal computer-based telemedicine systems Medicom®and especially RADO Lookm®are reliable, easy to use, and of high quality performance.
A Review of Japanese Telemedicine Research and Global Co-Operation
Authors: Okada Yoshikazu  , Ogushi Yoichi  , Haruki Yasuo
Published: February 2025

We can trace 229 telemedicine trials in Japan. Of these, 150 were active in 1998, including 73 in radiology, 24 in home care, 22 in medical imaging, 20 in pathology, 5 in ophthalmology, and 3 in dentistry. Some of them have been reformed into practical daily activities. However, activities using the same method work in some local areas but not in others. Typical successful cases will be presented and discussed.
Paediatric case-mix of the Lorraine regional database in 1994 and 1995
Authors: Gillois P.  , Garin H.  , Kohler F.
Published: February 2025

In the region, there is a need to predict the necessary number of paediatric beds. Paediatric discharge data from the 1994-95 Lorraine regional database of Anonymous Discharge Summaries (ADS) are used for this study. We analyse the concentration and specialisation of the hospital activity types and we estimate the numbers of paediatric beds needed for the year 2 000. For the same percentage of the case-mix by hospital group, concentration of the activity is more important in the small District General Hospital (DGH) than in the Teaching Hospital (TH). In the most important Medical Diagnosis Categories (MDC), the case-mix variation by age class can't be characterised inside of the MDC group. The different methods we use to estimate the need of paediatric beds, give similar estimations for the year 2 000.
A Unified Model to Support an Information Intensive Health Care Environment
Authors: Burdis Claire  , Eaglestone Barry  , Procter Paula
Published: February 2025

The two parts of this paper respectively analyses the mismatch between current systems and practice in health care, and present an outline design for enhanced Integrated Care Pathways (ICP) knowledge and information management based upon mature ICT technologies.
The Community Social Alarm Service as a Primary Health Care Service
Authors: Rudel Drago  , Premik Marjan  , Licer Nina
Published: February 2025

The history of calls to the community social alarm centre in Ljubljana and the service subscribers’ records were analysed with the aim of finding out how the service helps in emergencies when calls related to health problems are received. The network, being a pilot project in Slovenia, was established in 1992 primarily to offer social services to elderly and disabled people living in their own home environments. The article highlights the role of the network in solving the $\underline{medical}$ problems of the users of the system. Among the 18,500 calls received in four years at the centre, 395 (2.1%) of them were health-related. An additional 24 emergency calls (0.2%) were received from non-subscribers to the centre using an “ordinary” telephone. Although the absolute number of health-related calls is low, the network plays an important role in preventive primary health care aimed at the observed population groups. The network meets most of the specific technical and organisational requirements for a community health care emergency call system. From a telematic point of view it is important that a telematic device - an emergency call unit - has entered an elderly or disabled person’s home and been well accepted.