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ABSTRACTBackground: Governmental and non-governmental organizations across medical, legal, and psychosocial sectors providing care to survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) and their families rapidly digitalized services during the COVID-19 pandemic. GBV prevention/response services working with women and children who are forcibly displaced and/or living in low-and-middle income countries (LMIC) were no exception to the rapid digitalization trend. Literature is lacking a critical synthesis of best practices and lessons learned since digitalization replaced major operations involved in GBV prevention/response.Objective: This research qualitatively investigated how GBV service providers, located in a range of socio-political settings, navigated the process of digitalizing GBV prevention/response during the COVID-19 crisis.Method: Semi-structured key informant interviews (KII) with GBV service providers in varied sectors were implemented virtually (2020–2021) in Brazil, Guatemala, Iraq, and Italy (regarding forcibly displaced women/girls for the latter). Participants were recruited using purposive and snowball sampling. Interview guides covered a range of topics: perceived changes in violence and service provision, experiences with virtual services, system coordination, and challenges. The KIIs were conducted in Portuguese, Spanish, Arabic, and Italian. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and translated into English. The research team conducted thematic analysis within and between countries using a structured codebook of data driven and theory driven codes.Results: Major themes concerned the: (1) spectrum of services that were digitalized during the COVID-19 crisis; (2) gender digital divide as a barrier to equitable, safe, and effective service digitalization; (3) digital violence as an unintended consequence of increased digitalization across social/public services.Conclusion: Digitalization is a balancing act with respect to (1) the variety of remotely-delivered services that are possible and (2) the access/safety considerations related to the gender digital divide and digital violence.

During the pandemic situation brought about by COVID in 2020, higher education libraries promoted efforts to reach their readers in lockdown, demonstrating the adaptability of their services, products, and staff. The COVID-19 pandemic has driven social distancing around the world, closing universities, schools, and other services, and for that reason, the implementation of remote services has proved to be an adequate solution. Currently, after these intense alterations, it is essential to know what changes have remained in the provision of resources for distance learning. Did libraries take advantage of the lessons of COVID to transform and readapt themselves? This article analyses the support for distance learning higher education libraries in Portugal continue to provide, regardless of the teaching model offered by their institutions. To this end, a survey was carried out among Portuguese higher education librarians based on the Standards for Distance Learning Library Services (ACRL, 2016). This study seeks to obtain data on the availability of services to users, the contribution to academic excellence through equity, direct human access, distance training, the remote services' strategy, as well as the libraries' assessment in this context, and, finally, the online resources available. The results allow us to examine the strategic options of libraries in adapting their services to distance learning, revealing what sort of changes stood out in the recent period. An investigation like this is beneficial to understand and support the decision, not only in the selection of information resources to be purchased or allocated but also to define comprehensive strategies which, instead of looking for a drastic transition from a face-to-face model to an online one, should be complementary and maintain hybrid forms in the relationship with the libraries' users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the measures, strategies, and tools for providing services at Iran's top university libraries during the Covid-19 outbreak and the evolution of the role of university libraries. Method: The current study is qualitative, and data collection was conducted through semi-structured interviews in the spring of 2021 with the managers of central libraries of thirteen top university libraries under the coverage of the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology in Iran. The content of the interviews was analyzed and coded using MAXQDA software. To analyze the data collected from the interviews, the method of qualitative content analysis, categorization (organizing and grouping of codes), and coding (specifying main and secondary codes) were employed. Lincoln and Guba criteria were used to validate the findings. Findings: During the coding process, 196 initial codes were identified to describe the actions, tools, services, and activities of the central libraries of top universities. In the category of tools for providing services in the era of Covid-19, the central libraries of top universities mentioned tools such as virtual social networks, answering the telephone, email, strengthening information through websites and library portals, activating virtual reference services, and educational webinars. Online consulting and booking services for librarians in the context of video conferencing software, purchasing and providing some of the necessary infrastructure for organizing electronic resources, changing the approach of face-to-face services, and providing specific procedures and tools for it, strengthening services for remote access to databases, and enhancing interaction and feedback from users were among the new services and activities that were developed during this period. Conclusion: User credibility was further strengthened during the Covid-19 era, marking a turning point in the true concept of service, particularly in terms of enhancing information dissemination for libraries. Education anytime and anywhere replaced face-to-face training courses in libraries. The increasing expectations of users for non-in-person and remote services, along with their institutionalization, led to a reconsideration of scheduling face-to-face visits and the integration of electronic and virtual services as complements to existing physical services. Attention to new spaces during face-to-face visits and the enhancement of librarians' relationships with users are now part of managers' new focus. Improving librarians' skills related to users and enhancing their information literacy are also deemed essential. Libraries are unlikely to revert to the pre-coronavirus era, and to effectively engage users, it is crucial to maintain and strengthen the remote services established during the Covid-19 era. This is because users post-Covid have different expectations and needs compared to those before the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the measures, strategies, and tools for providing services at Iran's top university libraries during the Covid-19 outbreak and the evolution of the role of university libraries. Method: The current study is qualitative, and data collection was conducted through semi-structured interviews in the spring of 2021 with the managers of central libraries of thirteen top university libraries under the coverage of the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology in Iran. The content of the interviews was analyzed and coded using MAXQDA software. To analyze the data collected from the interviews, the method of qualitative content analysis, categorization (organizing and grouping of codes), and coding (specifying main and secondary codes) were employed. Lincoln and Guba criteria were used to validate the findings. Findings: During the coding process, 196 initial codes were identified to describe the actions, tools, services, and activities of the central libraries of top universities. In the category of tools for providing services in the era of Covid-19, the central libraries of top universities mentioned tools such as virtual social networks, answering the telephone, email, strengthening information through websites and library portals, activating virtual reference services, and educational webinars. Online consulting and booking services for librarians in the context of video conferencing software, purchasing and providing some of the necessary infrastructure for organizing electronic resources, changing the approach of face-to-face services, and providing specific procedures and tools for it, strengthening services for remote access to databases, and enhancing interaction and feedback from users were among the new services and activities that were developed during this period. Conclusion: User credibility was further strengthened during the Covid-19 era, marking a turning point in the true concept of service, particularly in terms of enhancing information dissemination for libraries. Education anytime and anywhere replaced face-to-face training courses in libraries. The increasing expectations of users for non-in-person and remote services, along with their institutionalization, led to a reconsideration of scheduling face-to-face visits and the integration of electronic and virtual services as complements to existing physical services. Attention to new spaces during face-to-face visits and the enhancement of librarians' relationships with users are now part of managers' new focus. Improving librarians' skills related to users and enhancing their information literacy are also deemed essential. Libraries are unlikely to revert to the pre-coronavirus era, and to effectively engage users, it is crucial to maintain and strengthen the remote services established during the Covid-19 era. This is because users post-Covid have different expectations and needs compared to those before the pandemic.

Background: Governmental and non-governmental organizations across medical, legal, and psychosocial sectors providing care to survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) and their families rapidly digitalized services during the COVID-19 pandemic. GBV prevention/ response services working with women and children who are forcibly displaced and/or living in low-and-middle income countries (LMIC) were no exception to the rapid digitalization trend. Literature is lacking a critical synthesis of best practices and lessons learned since digitalization replaced major operations involved in GBV prevention/response. Objective: This research qualitatively investigated how GBV service providers, located in a range of socio-political settings, navigated the process of digitalizing GBV prevention/ response during the COVID-19 crisis. Method: Semi-structured key informant interviews (KII) with GBV service providers in varied sectors were implemented virtually (2020–2021) in Brazil, Guatemala, Iraq, and Italy (regarding forcibly displaced women/girls for the latter). Participants were recruited using purposive and snowball sampling. Interview guides covered a range of topics: perceived changes in violence and service provision, experiences with virtual services, system coordination, and challenges. The KIIs were conducted in Portuguese, Spanish, Arabic, and Italian. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and translated into English. The research team conducted thematic analysis within and between countries using a structured codebook of data driven and theory driven codes. Results: Major themes concerned the: (1) spectrum of services that were digitalized during the COVID-19 crisis; (2) gender digital divide as a barrier to equitable, safe, and effective service digitalization; (3) digital violence as an unintended consequence of increased digitalization across social/public services. Conclusion: Digitalization is a balancing act with respect to (1) the variety of remotelydelivered services that are possible and (2) the access/safety considerations related to the gender digital divide and digital violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research Question: How is the accounting profession engaging with digitalization for delivery of services? How is digital transformation of accounting firms impacted by the Covid-19 outbreak? Motivation: Nowadays information and communication technologies are vital for companies to carry out their business operations. In a dynamic business environment, the speed of information production, the accuracy, immediate access to information, instant communication and electronic data transfer are crucial. In times of crisis, characterized by uncertainty, social and economic imbalances, managers need the financial and non-financial information much faster, more frequent and with a higher level of detail in order to make prompt decisions and ensure the business continuity. Idea: I investigate the rising importance of digital technologies for delivery of accounting services using the theory of change as theoretical framework in the context of Covid-19 pandemic as a strong pressure that forced the companies to accelerate their digitalization process. Data and tools: My methodological approach involves a qualitative analysis of data collected from semi-structured interviews with 21 professionals working within accounting firms. Findings: Following the theory of change, the results indicated that Covid-19 pandemic put high pressure on people to change their perceptions and behaviour and they adapted quite well and fast to the new reality characterized by social distancing. Digital technologies played a key role in helping organizations to carry on their activities and overcome the people’s resistance to the changes related to work, mobility and social interactions. According to the conceptual model, digitalization process within the companies was accelerated and digital transformation was achieved by engaging technologies, employees and clients. Some companies embraced outsourcing due to the loss of staff and the need to save money. Several accounting firms implemented telework and they exchanged documents and reports with their clients in cloud. The use of digital technologies enabled many accounting firms to gain new clients located in other cities. Moreover, some accounting firms adopted robotic process automation and even hired remote professionals from other cities because of labour shortage. Contribution: This research complements the literature related to digitalization in accounting and outsourcing of accounting services due to Covid-19 outbreak. Digital technologies have opened new avenues for outsourcing of accounting services and helped some companies to overcome their shortage of professionals. Practical implications: This study has implications for accounting firms, employees and clients since the use of digital technologies removed the physical location constraints and brought remote collaboration opportunities.

In Los Angeles County (LAC), California, the demand for Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) services increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, concurrent with the shift to fully remote WIC service delivery in March 2020. Technologies for facilitating remote services were critical for accommodating increases in participation during the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective of this study was to quantify patterns of remote-service utilization and to determine whether use of remote services (phone, interactive texting, e-mail, online education, video appointments) was associated with higher rates of recertification among WIC participants early in the COVID-19 pandemic. Cross-sectional survey with administrative data for follow-up This study used data from the 2020 LAC WIC Survey and WIC administrative data to evaluate remote service utilization across LAC WIC agencies (unweighted n = 3,510; weighted n = 3,540). Recertification on WIC, determined by the issuance of a food package in the first 2 months after the end-date of the prior certification period. Survey data were merged to WIC administrative data to determine whether participants completed a recertification; the association of utilization of each remote service with the odds of recertification among WIC-participating children 0 to 3 years of age was assessed with multivariable logistic regression. Most survey respondents reported using phone appointments (95.5%), interactive texting (77.3%), e-mail (60.1%), and online education (71.2%) to access WIC services during 2020, and over 82% of children successfully recertified. Interactive texting utilization was associated with 27% higher recertification odds (95% confidence interval, 1%–59%); associations between all other remote services and odds of recertification were not statistically significant. These results suggest that WIC investment in interactive texting technological infrastructure, and appropriate staff training, can help local WIC agencies successfully reach and provide high-quality services to WIC participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This entry paper considers the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the processes and functions of art and architecture libraries in North America and distinguishes between temporary changes and those that will endure and are here to stay. COVID-19 impacted all aspects of human life, placing tremendous stress on institutions and individuals globally. Academic libraries responded to the crisis by bringing resources to communities remotely and keeping constituents engaged to maintain a sense of normalcy. While libraries in schools of architecture, art, and design, responded similarly to other academic libraries, they also had unique needs. This entry paper is informed by two surveys of art and architecture library staff and faculty, alongside a preliminary literature review. The results of the first survey were published in Art Documentation and the results and analysis of the second survey are forthcoming. Both temporary and long-standing changes were implemented to ensure uninterrupted service in academic institutions. Temporary solutions included extending loan periods, quarantining materials, enforcing social distancing, and expanding document delivery. Changes that will endure post-pandemic include the increased acquisition of digital materials, remote instruction and reference consultations, increased resource access, and the utilization of a vast array of technologies.

Background: In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS2-CoV-2) as global pandemic. This health crisis has overwhelmed the healthcare system, leading to unprecedented morbidity and mortality rates. During this pandemic, pharmacies tried to maintain their services either through remote services or face-to-face dispensing and consultation. Objectives: This study aimed to share the strategies and plans adopted by the pharmaceutical services department to maintain the healthcare services during the SARS2-CoV-2 crisis and evaluate the patient's perspective. Methods: A cross-sectional analytical survey was conducted among patients/patient relatives who attended King Hamad University Hospital (KHUH) outpatient pharmacies in the Kingdom of Bahrain between February 2021 and May 2021. Patients have two options: either to submit the survey online through barcode scanning or to fill it as a physical paper and submit it to the pharmacy staff (Online-based and paper-based). A total of 641 responses were received. Hospital applied safety logistics to ensure staff and patient safety. Results: Post-hoc analysis revealed that patients aged between 20 and 39 years had less agreement than patients ≤ 19 years old in terms of preferring to continue the same services after the pandemic (p = 0.009). More level of understanding of pharmacy services was seen among patients with higher educational levels compared to elementary and secondary levels in cases of services related to adverse events (p = 0.038) and wrong/missed medication rectification (p = 0.018). Unemployed patients were more in agreement than employed ones regarding continuing the same procedure after the pandemic, services related to wrong/missed medication rectification, and safety while staying in the pharmacy waiting area. Conclusion: Most patients were satisfied with the face-to-face counseling, pharmacy-adapted strategies, and services during the SARS2-CoV-2 pandemic. Face-to-face service during the pandemic was equally comfortable across all age groups and gender.

The present study explored the impact of COVID-19 on hearing health and problems faced by older adults using hearing aid/s. Fifty older adults in the age range of 55–95 years were selected for the study based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Therefore, the developed questionnaire was administered to them. Statistical analysis was performed for all the responses achieved. Closure of hearing aid companies and audiological centers was found to have a negative impact on availing audiological services. Likewise, a huge hike in the price of these services made it impossible for people to afford them. Despite the availability of tele-audiology, older adults were not able to make the best use of it due to numerous reasons. We sought to explore patients' perceptions to break down these barriers by enhancing the quality of tele-audiology, home visits, and remote services. Therefore, the present report may facilitate in planning and implementation of policies related to audiological services, especially during times of crisis, which may help strengthen our hearing health care system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ongoing digital transformation and the digitalisation of services profoundly affect the everyday lives of citizens. Digital transformation's impact is complex and may have both positive and negative consequences on well-being. Particularly in rural areas and shrinking communities, digitalisation and the concentration of services can diminish the level of local services, but digital transformation also promises significant opportunities and benefits to the residents of shrinking and rural communities. This study employed the environmental scanning and futures wheel methodologies to assess the current and future impact of digital transformation and information and communications technology on residents' well-being in shrinking Finnish communities. The results indicate that this impact is more positive than negative, as digitalisation enables multiple services that were previously lacking in these locations. Digitalisation and the rise of remote working can also bring new opportunities and residents to rural and shrinking communities.

The production line is an important part of most manufacturing industries. However, the services in the devices may experience some issues that disrupt the production line, requiring the assistance of an IT technician to resolve the problem. Therefore, this study seeks to bridge the gap through the design and development of a PowerShell Script to allow the user to remote control the services in a device such as computers and servers. Using this program, the production operator can solve the issue immediately rather than wait for an IT technician, thus increasing productivity and performance. The program design and development followed the Rational Unified Process (RUP) methodology. First, the functional requirements were collected through interviews and content analysis. Later, a prototype called Remote Restart Services System (RRS) is developed using PowerShell programming language on the Windows PowerShell ISE platform. An evaluation was later conducted to assess its usability. The findings suggested that RRS is practical and easy-to-use. The respondents were also pleased with its functions. The field study helps developers to refine the framework by providing direct input from the target audience. It can be a guide to identify areas for improvement and eventually help realise the goals.

The current study focuses on the numerous duties of "Academic Learning Centres" within the context of the Covid‐19 pandemic. The Novel Corona Virus pandemic has created new problems for all stakeholders inside the education system. Given the extrinsic obstacles of delivering services during a public health crisis, the unexpected emergence of the virus pushed libraries to migrate to digital platforms whenever possible and deliver acceptable remote services to users. The purpose of this study is to discover how technology became an impediment for India's best educational institutes during the Covid‐19 situation. The current article assists library professionals in improving their skill set in accordance with things and serving information as a responsible citizen of the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Definition: This entry paper considers the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the processes and functions of art and architecture libraries in North America and distinguishes between temporary changes and those that will endure and are here to stay. COVID-19 impacted all aspects of human life, placing tremendous stress on institutions and individuals globally. Academic libraries responded to the crisis by bringing resources to communities remotely and keeping constituents engaged to maintain a sense of normalcy. While libraries in schools of architecture, art, and design, responded similarly to other academic libraries, they also had unique needs. This entry paper is informed by two surveys of art and architecture library staff and faculty, alongside a preliminary literature review. The results of the first survey were published in Art Documentation and the results and analysis of the second survey are forthcoming. Both temporary and long-standing changes were implemented to ensure uninterrupted service in academic institutions. Temporary solutions included extending loan periods, quarantining materials, enforcing social distancing, and expanding document delivery. Changes that will endure post-pandemic include the increased acquisition of digital materials, remote instruction and reference consultations, increased resource access, and the utilization of a vast array of technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS2-CoV-2) as global pandemic. This health crisis has overwhelmed the healthcare system, leading to unprecedented morbidity and mortality rates. During this pandemic, pharmacies tried to maintain their services either through remote services or face-to-face dispensing and consultation. This study aimed to share the strategies and plans adopted by the pharmaceutical services department to maintain the healthcare services during the SARS2-CoV-2 crisis and evaluate the patient's perspective. A cross-sectional analytical survey was conducted among patients/patient relatives who attended King Hamad University Hospital (KHUH) outpatient pharmacies in the Kingdom of Bahrain between February 2021 and May 2021. Patients have two options: either to submit the survey online through barcode scanning or to fill it as a physical paper and submit it to the pharmacy staff (Online-based and paper-based). A total of 641 responses were received. Hospital applied safety logistics to ensure staff and patient safety. Post-hoc analysis revealed that patients aged between 20 and 39 years had less agreement than patients ≤ 19 years old in terms of preferring to continue the same services after the pandemic (p = 0.009). More level of understanding of pharmacy services was seen among patients with higher educational levels compared to elementary and secondary levels in cases of services related to adverse events (p = 0.038) and wrong/missed medication rectification (p = 0.018). Unemployed patients were more in agreement than employed ones regarding continuing the same procedure after the pandemic, services related to wrong/missed medication rectification, and safety while staying in the pharmacy waiting area. Most patients were satisfied with the face-to-face counseling, pharmacy-adapted strategies, and services during the SARS2-CoV-2 pandemic. Face-to-face service during the pandemic was equally comfortable across all age groups and gender. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the benefits and challenges of the tele-speech therapy from the perspective of patients who stutter, and their parents. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 patients and three parents in two rehabilitation centers. Data were analyzed using a qualitative content analysis approach proposed by Graneheim and Lundman. Seven categories were determined: accessible treatment, motivation of comfort in tele-speech therapy, challenges of tele-therapy, satisfaction, virtual competency, lower quality compared to face-to-face therapy, and uncertainty about the effectiveness of tele-speech therapy. The participants had a two-sided perspective regarding tele-speech therapy. Positive experiences included benefitting from more qualified therapists at multiple locations, faster access to treatment, and saving cost and time. Negative experiences and challenges consisted of low-quality of technology infrastructure for rehabilitation including low quality of shared images and videos, ineffective communication, insufficient sympathy, indirect communication, and technology incompetency. Findings showed that the participants were interested in the application of tele-speech therapy, as this method could increase their accessibility and provide the opportunity to choose proper therapists. The determined benefits and challenges can provide the policy-makers with beneficial information to implement tele-speech therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Commercial and research applications of artificial Intelligence (AI) are becoming increasingly important. AI is used to improve products, predict customer behavior, keep track of inventory, and analyze Big Data. AI agents are also employed to improve the performance of search engines and smartphones. There are a number of ways that AI is being considered for applications in the library, especially data analysis, supporting remote access to library services, and making the library a center for research using Big Data. AI has the potential to perform routine tasks that now require a human being, which will free up librarians to offer the in-depth expertise that is essential for advanced research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remotely-based Library service users - principally comprising students, but also other types of user, such as post-graduate researchers, PhD students and staff members - will typically rely on personal computer equipment and network infrastructure. ‘Internet Control’ refers to measures imposed on Internet infrastructure for restriction/ blocking, filtering (selective access) or surveillance. This can occur at a national, organisational or Internet provider (ISP) level (or may impact nearby regions/countries). Internet Control is often not well attested by governments or telecommunications organisations and is poorly researched in industry or scholarly literature. Typical Internet technologies (such as SSL for secure network traffic) can be obstructed - disabling or otherwise impacting access to learning or Library systems. Wide-scale Internet Control can have a serious impact on the integrity, speed or security of network traffic, often due to channelling of traffic via a central point for surveillance and filtering purposes. This report is drawn from a University of Liverpool Learning and Teaching Conference presentation ‘Providing Library support and teaching for online international students in the context of Internet Control, censorship and surveillance’ (04/07/19), a Northern Collaboration presentation (06/09/19) and an article: ‘Internet Control in World Regions for Information and Education’, Information for Social Change, No. 38, June 2019.

Drawing on my experience as a general counsellor in the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP), I explore the impact COVID-19 has had on the initial resettlement services provided for government-assisted refugees (GARs) and on frontline workers in the field. Balancing the requirement to enforce protection measures and the need to establish rapport was one of the major challenges the pandemic posed to GAR support practices. To unpack the particularities of this challenge, I give the example of two resettlement services GARs receive upon arrival: namely, resettlement orientations and children’s education. I argue that using an intersectional lens demonstrates the pandemic’s unequal effects and how they exacerbate the vulnerabilities of GARs embarking on their resettlement journey. I hold that developing COVID-19 responses informed by intersectionality opens a space for services and policies that mitigate these effects.

COVID-19 pandemic drastically affected the delivery mode of rehabilitation services, with significant shifts from in-person to remote service provision. The authors and researchers developed distance learning webinars designed to address the knowledge, skill, and resource gaps necessary to provide remote rehabilitation services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Three targeted training outcome goals were evaluated before and after the virtual training sessions and included practitioners’ 1) understanding the skillset necessary for providing remote services, 2) ability to identify strategies to use the skills, and 3) confidence in applying these skills in their work. Training sessions were provided to 228 trainees over the course of 13months. Evaluations from the 47 participants who responded to pre- and post-training surveys were largely positive and indicated that they experienced improvements in their understanding and application of the skills taught in the core content areas of remote career services training. Recommendations for future development and evaluation of remote trainings for rehabilitation practitioners are shared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To explore the process of learning for allied health students providing a student‐implemented service for older Yolŋu in remote East Arnhem, Northern Territory, Australia. Design: An exploratory qualitative study following an 8‐week student‐implemented service. Setting: Nhulunbuy and Yirrkala and surrounding remote Aboriginal communities of the East Arnhem Region of the Northern Territory. Participants: Data were collected from: 4 students who implemented the service; 4 professional supervisors, 3 placement coordinators, a Yolŋu cultural consultant and a care manager from a local community organisation, all of whom supported implementation of the service; and 7 older Yolŋu and their families who were recipients of the service. Interventions: A student‐implemented service for older Yolŋu delivered by allied health students from James Cook University. Clinical, cultural and pastoral supervision and support was provided by Flinders University, James Cook University, Indigenous Allied Health Australia and 2 Yolŋu cultural consultants and 2 local community organisations. Main outcome measures: Semi‐structured interviews with those who implemented, supported and received the service. Data were analysed thematically using an inductive approach. Results: 'Learning to connect and connecting to learn' described how allied health students were learning to provide a service for older Yolŋu. Four interrelated processes connected their learning: 'preparing and supporting', 'bonding and responding', 'growing and enriching' and 'working and weaving'. Conclusion: The co‐created student‐implemented service provided a unique learning opportunity for allied health students on how to provide a culturally safe service in a remote Aboriginal community in northern Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) unique challenges to all the educational system in present time. The unexpected and suddenly outbreak of library professionals for the COVID-19 to general working time. The library professional takes some other dission for contuning library service like digital platform wherever possible and to provide adequate remote services to the users. Given the extrinsic challenges in providing services during a public health emergency, the purpose of this paper is to find out how medicine and technology became a saviour for the medical research institutions of India during the COVID -19 pandemic. The study explores the type of services provided by libraries of Indian Medical Research Institutes based on the contents published on their web-pages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on my experience as a general counsellor in the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP), I explore the impact COVID-19 has had on the initial resettlement services provided for government-assisted refugees (GARs) and on frontline workers in the field. Balancing the requirement to enforce protection measures and the need to establish rapport was one of the major challenges the pandemic posed to GAR support practices. To unpack the particularities of this challenge, I give the example of two resettlement services GARs receive upon arrival: namely, resettlement orientations and children’s education. I argue that using an intersectional lens demonstrates the pandemic’s unequal effects and how they exacerbate the vulnerabilities of GARs embarking on their resettlement journey. I hold that developing COVID-19 responses informed by intersectionality opens a space for services and policies that mitigate these effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Purpose: This study aims to examine patient preferences for teleradiology services and remote image interpretation. In this context, this study aims to address the following research questions: (i) How do patients perceive teleradiology services, focusing specifically on comfort, quality of care and satisfaction, communication and information, and accessibility and ease of use; (ii) How do patient demographics (age, gender, urban vs. rural residence) influence the perceptions on teleradiology services?, Methods: A cross-sectional survey design is adopted in this study. The survey comprises five sections targeting demographic information, comfort, and preferences regarding remote image interpretation, perceived quality of care and satisfaction, communication and information clarity, and accessibility and technology aspects using five-point Likert scale ratings. A total of 406 patients (209 males and 197 females; 170 urban residents; 174 semi-urban residents, and 62 rural residents) using teleradiology services participated in the study., Results: Participants reported high satisfaction with remote image interpretation (3.78 ± 1.19), quality of care (3.31 ± 1.19), understanding (3.84 ± 1.43), and user-friendliness (3.67 ± 1.29). Key issues were technical problems (3.81 ± 1.35), feedback difficulties (3.19 ± 1.58), privacy concerns (2.43 ± 1.46), and low awareness (2.37 ± 1.12). Urban participants scored significantly better in comfort, preferences, and communication than those from semi-urban and rural areas., Conclusion: Teleradiology design and implementation should be optimized to align with patient preferences and enhance overall satisfaction., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Although patrons have considered the availability and quality of professional literature and library services to be very good, the current survey was conducted under special circumstances. During the Spring of 2020, the library was closed and access to remote services became more relevant. The current study, which was conducted at Tallinn Health Care College in Spring 2020, aims to provide a overview of the user satisfaction level with library services impacted by the lockdown. The questionnaire was conducted online. Libraries and their users suddenly had to confront the fact that access to printed materials was disrupted. We wanted to find out which services were used the most, and which services and resources would be most needed soon. The study revealed several bottlenecks that would not normally have emerged. The library should maintain and strengthen services that satisfy the needs of users, add new services, and work to improve users' awareness of counseling services. College members expect more specific instructions on how to independently find information, how to use databases, and how to find electronic theses. It is customary to have face-to-face consultations in the library, but not yet common to have consultations via online channels. Most respondents are ready to use the book delivery service via parcel machines and are willing to pay a reasonable price for it. The greatest asset of the library is its staff, who has the skills, experience and competencies to offer quick practical solutions to user inquiries both on-site and distance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the technology-based tools available for supporting the identification of victims of domestic abuse and modern slavery in remote services and consider the benefits and challenges posed by the existing tools.We searched six academic databases. Studies were considered for inclusion if they were published in English between 2000 and 2023. The QuADS quality appraisal tool was used to assess the methodological quality of included studies. A narrative synthesis was conducted using the convergent integrated approach.Twenty-four studies were included, of which two were professional guidelines; each reported on a distinct technology-based tool for remote services. All tools related to domestic abuse and 21 focused on screening for intimate partner violence among young and mid-life women (18–65) in high-income countries. The review did not identify tools that support the identification of victims of modern slavery. We identified eight common themes of tool strengths, highlighting that the remote approach to screening was practical, acceptable to victims, and, in some circumstances, elicited better outcomes than face-to-face approaches. Five themes pointed to tool challenges, such as concerns around privacy and safety, and the inability of computerised tools to provide empathy and emotional support.Available technology-based tools may support the identification of victims of domestic abuse by health and social care practitioners in remote services. However, it is important to be mindful of the limitations of such tools and the effects individuals’ screening preferences can have on outcomes. Future research should focus on developing tools to support the identification of victims of modern slavery, as well as empirically validating tools for screening during remote consultations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The authors examined the acceptability and feasibility of telehealth services shortly after their rapid introduction into a community behavioral health agency as part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: Individuals receiving services during May 8-18, 2020, from behavioral health programs that had introduced telehealth in March 2020, were invited to participate in a survey regarding their perceptions of the telehealth services. Ordinal logistic regressions were used to test for differences in survey responses in three ways: between program types, between the 2020 sample and a 2018 sample, and between individuals reported by staff to be distressed or not distressed by the COVID-19 pandemic.Results: Of 1,482 survey respondents, >80% reported that their ability to connect to staff, receive support, and get an appointment was at least as great as before the pandemic. Among 80% of respondents indicating interest in continuing remote services after the pandemic ended, 83% preferred a mix of remote and face-to-face services. From February 2020 to April 2020, total service utilization remained stable for treatment, outreach, and housing programs. In addition, mental health-related hospital utilization did not increase.Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that telehealth, including telephone-based services, is an acceptable and even preferred service delivery mode for clients with severe mental illness. Continued investigation into the optimal dosing of face-to-face versus remote services in various settings is needed to inform service practice during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) disease presented unique challenges to all the stakeholders of education system. The sudden and unexpected outbreak of the virus forced the library professionals, to ascertain ways of working in a rapid time frame like shifting to digital platform wherever possible and to provide adequate remote services to the users. Given the extrinsic challenges in providing services during a public health emergency, the purpose of this paper is to find out how technology became a saviour for the premier technological institutions of India during the COVID -19 pandemic. The study explores the type of services provided by libraries of Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) based on the contents published on their webpages. The study highlights the significant initiatives taken by the libraries which can be followed by others to meet the post lockdown needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Utah State Courts' Self-Help Center provides information to help individuals--including older adults--to understand their rights and responsibilities, and to help them resolve legal problems if they cannot afford an attorney or choose not to hire one. The Center is a model for statewide remote-services delivery. It uses telephone and Internet-based technologies (email, text, and website), and interacts with self-represented individuals, the courts, the legal community, libraries, social services entities, and other government and community partners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fog computing paradigm is emerging after a decade's dominance of cloud‐based system design and architecture. Now, instead of centralising the computation and coordination to remote services, these are deployed and distributed to all over physical surroundings and network nodes, including cloud services, smart gateways, and network edge devices. At the moment, the majority of the Internet of things (IoT) systems and software has built on top of open Web‐based technologies. The authors assume that with the ever‐growing number and heterogeneity of connected devices, it becomes ever‐more crucial to have open standards that support interoperability and enable interactions. They review the current technological space for architecting Web technology‐based IoT software in the coming era of fog computing. They focus on fundamental research challenges and discuss the emerging issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Targeting rural outreach services to areas of highest relative need is challenging because of the higher costs it imposes on health workers to travel longer distances. This paper studied whether subsidies have the potential to support the provision of specialist outreach services into more remote locations. Methods. National data about subsidies for medical specialist outreach providers as part of the Wave 7 Medicine in Australia: Balancing Employment and Life (MABEL) Survey in 2014. Results. Nearly half received subsidies: 19% (n = 110) from a formal policy, namely the Australian Government Rural Health Outreach Fund (RHOF), and 27% (n = 154) from other sources. Subsidised specialists travelled for longer and visited more remote locations relative to the non-subsidised group. In addition, compared with non-subsidised specialists, RHOF-subsidised specialists worked in priority areas and provided equally regular services they intended to continue, despite visiting more remote locations. Conclusion. This suggests the RHOF, although limited to one in five specialist outreach providers, is important to increase targeted and stable outreach services in areas of highest relative need. Other subsidies also play a role in facilitating remote service distribution, but may need to be more structured to promote regular, sustained outreach practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ongoing digital transformation and the digitalisation of services profoundly affect the everyday lives of citizens. Digital transformation's impact is complex and may have both positive and negative consequences on well-being. Particularly in rural areas and shrinking communities, digitalisation and the concentration of services can diminish the level of local services, but digital transformation also promises significant opportunities and benefits to the residents of shrinking and rural communities. This study employed the environmental scanning and futures wheel methodologies to assess the current and future impact of digital transformation and information and communications technology on residents' well-being in shrinking Finnish communities. The results indicate that this impact is more positive than negative, as digitalisation enables multiple services that were previously lacking in these locations. Digitalisation and the rise of remote working can also bring new opportunities and residents to rural and shrinking communities., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2023 The Authors.)

• The system saves cost and time for both consultants and community radiotherapy centers. • The system is ubiquitously accessible in an ad hoc way. • The system utilized distributed and paralleling computing. • The online operations are streamlined efficiently due to the deep integration of comprehensive technical cores of radiotherapy planning. • Help the under-staffed community radiotherapy centers acquire decision support as demanded and elevate the quality of radiation treatment. This study aimed to establish a cloud-based radiotherapy consultation and collaboration system, then investigated the practicability of remote decision support for community radiotherapy centers using the system. A cloud-based consultation and collaboration system for radiotherapy, OncoEvidance®, was developed to provide remote services of LINAC modeling, simulation CT data import/export, target volume and organ-at-risk delineation, prescription, and treatment planning. The system was deployed on a hybrid cloud. A federate of public nodes, each corresponding to a medical institution, are managed by a central node where a group of consultants have registered. Users can access the system through network using computing devices. The system has been tested at three community radiotherapy centers. One accelerator was modeled. 12 consultants participated the remote radiotherapy decision support and 77 radiation treatment plans had been evaluated remotely. All the passing rates of per-beam dose verification are > 94% and all the passing rates of composite beam dose verification are > 99%. The average downloading time for one set of simulation CT data for one patient from Internet was within 1 min under the cloud download bandwidth of 8 Mbps and local network bandwidth of 100 Mbps. The average response time for one consultant to contour target volumes and make prescription was about 24 h. And that for one consultant to design and optimize a IMRT treatment plan was about 36 h. 100% of the remote plans passed the dosimetric criteria and could be imported into the local TPS for further verification. The cloud-based consultation and collaboration system saved the travel time for consultants and provided high quality radiotherapy to patients in community centers. The under-staffed community radiotherapy centers could benefit from the remote system with lower cost and better treatment quality control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]