Shih-Yin Lin

Abstract

Previous transitional care research has focused on transitions occurring between community and hospital settings. Little is known regarding intrahospital transitions and how they affect care quality. A systematic review was therefore conducted to synthesize the literature regarding clinical outcomes associated with intrahospital transitions. Literature published between January 2003 and December 2018 and indexed in Medline/PubMed, CINAHL, and PsychINFO were reviewed using PRISMA guidelines. Articles were limited to English language and peer-reviewed. Articles were excluded if they focused on transitions occurring from or to the hospital, discharge/discharge planning, or postdischarge follow-up. Data abstraction included study characteristics, sample characteristics, and reported clinical outcomes. Fourteen studies met inclusion criteria, primarily using cross-sectional, cohort, or retrospective chart review quantitative designs. Data were analyzed and synthesized based on outcomes reported. Major outcomes emerging from the articles included delirium, hospital length of stay, mortality, and adverse events. Delirium, hospital length of stay, and morbidity and mortality rates were associated with delayed transfers and transfers to inappropriate units. In addition, increased fall risk and infection rates were associated with higher rates of transfer. Intrahospital transitions represent critical periods of time where the quality of care being provided may be diminished, negatively affecting patient safety and outcomes.

Abstract

Patient safety is a critical component of health care services; however, it has beent mostly conceptualized for the hospital sector. As home health care expands, it is important to examine the concept of patient safety in the home and identify opportunity for personal health information management (PHIM) tools to support and maximize patient safety. The goal of this study is to explore how PHIM can be a facilitator for patient safety in the home. We explore a comprehensive framework of patient safety in the home and identify the role of PHIM in this context. We analyzed the coded transcripts of in-depth interviews with 88 older adults (60 year and older), 56 family members or informal caregivers and 27 clinicians. Findings demonstrate the physical, emotional, social and functional dimensions of patient safety in the home and concrete ways for informatics tools to maximize safety aspects.

Abstract

Racial/ethnic minorities have among the highest risks for Alzheimer disease and dementia, but remain underrepresented in clinical research studies.

Abstract

 Health dialog systems have seen increased adoption by patients, hospitals, and universities due to the confluence of advancements in machine learning and the ubiquity of high-performance hardware that supports real-time speech recognition, high-fidelity text-to-speech, and semantic understanding of natural language.

Abstract

Exchanging information with peers may support older adults' management of aging-related health changes, including frailty. The current pilot study used a mixed-methods approach to develop and evaluate an online virtual community for older adults to discuss aging-related health issues and management strategies. Eight older adults (mean age = 84) were enrolled at the start of the study. During a 10-week moderated discussion, participants contributed a total of 133 responses. Common themes included (a) symptoms (e.g., pain, weakness/tiredness, sleep difficulties) and (b) management strategies (e.g., health behavior changes, psychosocial support). A positive trend of change was noted in participants' average self-reported health and chronic disease management self-efficacy scores. This platform could facilitate information exchange among older adults, empowering them to leverage their own knowledge to improve their health management strategies. Future research should expand on this study to include older adults of diverse racial, educational, and cultural backgrounds. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 45(12), 33-40.].

Abstract

Mobile health (mHealth) tools such as smartphone applications (apps) have potential to support sleep self-management. The objective of this review was to identify the status of available consumer mHealth apps targeted toward supporting sleep self-management and assess their functionalities.

Abstract

Health information technology (HIT) could aid collaboration in the complex, interprofessional space of child development. Trust between stakeholders is necessary to support collaboration, but extant research provides little guidance on designing HIT that promotes trust within interprofessional collaborations. We analyzed interview data obtained from a heterogeneous group of stakeholders (n = 46) including parents and various service providers to explore trust relationships in the child development space. Our thematic analysis revealed that stakeholders assess the trustworthiness of others based on perceived competence, benevolence, integrity, relevance to work, and source of the data. Stakeholders also based trust on the type of data shared, electronic system features or functions, perceived risks and benefits of sharing information, and made trust calculations based on multiple factors. Our research identifies multiple aspects of trust that should be considered in designs for collaborative HIT systems.