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Introduction: Currently, information technology is considered an important tool to improve healthcare services. To adopt the right technologies, policy makers should have adequate information about present and future advances. This study aimed to review and compare studies with a focus on the future of health information technology. Methods: This review study was completed in 2015. The databases used were Scopus, Web of Science, ProQuest, Ovid Medline, and PubMed. Keyword searches were used to identify papers and materials published between 2000 and 2015. Initially, 407 papers were obtained, and they were reduced to 11 papers at the final stage. The selected papers were described and compared in terms of the country of origin, objective, methodology, and time horizon. Results: The papers were divided into two groups: those forecasting the future of health information technology (seven papers) and those providing health information technology foresight (four papers). The results showed that papers related to forecasting the future of health information technology were mostly a literature review, and the time horizon was up to 10 years in most of these studies. In the health information technology foresight group, most of the studies used a combination of techniques, such as scenario building and Delphi methods, and had long-term objectives. Conclusion: To make the most of an investment and to improve planning and successful implementation of health information technology, a strategic plan for the future needs to be set. To achieve this aim, methods such as forecasting the future of health information technology and offering health information technology foresight can be applied. The forecasting method is used when the objectives are not very large, and the foresight approach is recommended when large-scale objectives are set to be achieved. In the field of health information technology, the results of foresight studies can help to establish realistic long-term expectations of the future of health information technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: The increase of food residuals specially in hospital can lead to a decrease in food intake and customer satisfaction and also increase the cost of remedy and hospitalization. The goal of this study was to determine the effect of food service training of food staff on the amount of food residuals to improve hospital catering. Materials and Methods: This was cross sectional study. The study population consisted of staff and patients in orthopedic, chemotherapy and surgery wards and their relatives (n=130). The tools of this study were satisfaction survey questionnaire and food residual observational checklist. Questionnaires were completed by the study population and observational checklist by the researchers. Data were analysed using SPSS Software. Results: Significant difference were observed between the amount of food residual before and after personnel training (t=-5/36, p=0/001).The average amount of food remaining in the breakfast from 1/8 in pre-teaching was decreased to 0/7, at lunch from 2/09 to 1/89 and in dinner time from 2/2 to 1/6. Conclusion: It seems that educational planning of personnel could increase their knowledge about their duties and weaknesses and improves quality performance which leads to customer satisfaction and hospital profitability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]