Search

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevailing practices suitable for Iranian healthcare centers to address climate change and to rank them in terms of priority. This paper, a mixed-methods study conducted in 2023, comprised a scoping review and a thematic analysis covering the period from 2000 to 2023 as the first phase of the study. In this regard, PubMed, Scopus, ProQuest, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were searched. In the second phase, the authors engaged a group of experts to prioritize the most important practices suitable for Iranian healthcare centers to address climate change using the Grey MEREC-MABAC integrated approach. The scoping review resulted in 38 studies, and the thematic analysis revealed 11 primary categories of practices employed to address climate change. Subsequently, the Grey MEREC-MABAC approach indicated that the themes of 'Green Environment' (CC = 0.0929), 'Green Equipment, Waste, and Water Management' (CC = 0.0677), and 'Green Energy' (CC = 0.0653) were identified as having the highest priority among the practices deemed most important in the literature for addressing climate change within Iranian healthcare centers. The study proposed that practices or activities promoting biodiversity and environmental sustainability, such as organic food farming and tree planting, should be considered paramount approaches in Iranian healthcare centers to combat climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract University hospitals are part of the health care system, as well as academia. The carbon footprint of staff travel, quantified as greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, is significantly enlarged by academic air travel in these facilities. Both as an academic institution and as a health care provider, they have a special obligation to mitigate their GHG emissions. Yet, there exist no data-driven analyses of staff travel at university hospitals, nor have quantitative evaluations of mitigation measures been published so far. Methods. GHG emissions were calculated bottom-up from administrative data for all travel activities in 2018–2023 at a large university hospital active in international research. In a second step, we calculated net reductions in GHG emissions for potential reduction measures. Results. In total, 26,833 trips were analyzed. Due to an overall decrease in traveling activities, GHG emissions in 2023 have decreased to 63% of the pre-COVID levels in 2019. Most trips were undertaken by train (65.8%), but 94.8% of GHG emissions originated from air travel. On average, medical professors emitted 24 times as much GHG as regular physicians per person, and 10 times as much as scientific research personnel. Reducing intercontinental flights by 50% would save up to 44% of net GHG emissions, reducing trips by plane with less than two overnight stays by 50% would save 19%, and reducing flights by senior staff by 50% would save 14%. Conclusion. Academic air travel, the internationalization of research activities, and extensive travel behavior by senior staff should be critically assessed. Doctors and researchers are considered the most trustworthy professions worldwide and could lead transformations towards sustainable travel behavior.

Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate the prevailing practices suitable for Iranian healthcare centers to address climate change and to rank them in terms of priority. This paper, a mixed-methods study conducted in 2023, comprised a scoping review and a thematic analysis covering the period from 2000 to 2023 as the first phase of the study. In this regard, PubMed, Scopus, ProQuest, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were searched. In the second phase, the authors engaged a group of experts to prioritize the most important practices suitable for Iranian healthcare centers to address climate change using the Grey MEREC-MABAC integrated approach. The scoping review resulted in 38 studies, and the thematic analysis revealed 11 primary categories of practices employed to address climate change. Subsequently, the Grey MEREC-MABAC approach indicated that the themes of 'Green Environment' (CC = 0.0929), 'Green Equipment, Waste, and Water Management' (CC = 0.0677), and 'Green Energy' (CC = 0.0653) were identified as having the highest priority among the practices deemed most important in the literature for addressing climate change within Iranian healthcare centers. The study proposed that practices or activities promoting biodiversity and environmental sustainability, such as organic food farming and tree planting, should be considered paramount approaches in Iranian healthcare centers to combat climate change.

A healthy ocean is essential for human health, and yet the links between the ocean and human health are often overlooked. By providing new medicines, technologies, energy, foods, recreation, and inspiration, the ocean has the potential to enhance human health and wellbeing. However, climate change, pollution, biodiversity loss, and inequity threaten both ocean and human health. Sustainable realisation of the oceans health benefits will require overcoming these challenges through equitable partnerships, enforcement of laws and treaties, robust monitoring, and use of metrics that assess both the oceans natural capital and human wellbeing. Achieving this will require an explicit focus on human rights, equity, sustainability, and social justice. In addition to highlighting the potential unique role of the healthcare sector, we offer science-based recommendations to protect both ocean health and human health, and we highlight the unique potential of the healthcare sector tolead this effort.

Copyright of Medizinische Klinik: Intensivmedizin & Notfallmedizin is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: One of the most important effective factors in increasing patient satisfaction and improving health and treatment results is proper communication between physician and nurse, and the patient. The present study was conducted with the aim of determining the relationship between the communication skills of the medical staff and patient’s safety culture. Methods: This was an analytical study conducted among 277 working medical staff including nurses, paramedics, full-time geographical employment doctors and anesthesia, and operating room technicians in Shahid Sadoughi Hospital in Yazd by stratified random sampling in 2022. The instrument used was the safety culture standard questionnaire made by the health care quality and research agency and communication skills of Barton J. Data analysis was done with SPSS 25 software, Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, and multiple linear regression tests. Results: The overall mean and standard deviation of patient safety culture was 3.04 ± 0.23, which indicates the average status of safety culture in the studied hospital, and the overall mean of communication skills among medical staff was 3.36 ± 0.40. Which reports a relatively strong level of this skill. The results of linear regression showed that 2 components of communication skills (listening and feedback) have a positive and significant effect on the improvement of patient safety culture, so that they are able to explain 33 percent of the variance of patient safety culture changes. Conclusion: Based on the findings of the research, the communication skills of the medical staff have a significant effect on patient's safety culture. Therefore, in order to improve the patient’s safety culture among them, special attention should be paid to communication skills because effective communication is considered a vital element in effective care, and in the medical system it has a significant effect on the quality of care and consequently increases the satisfaction of patients.

Introduction. The landscape of healthcare and medical education is rapidly evolving, driven by the popularity of social media platforms like Facebook, WeChat, and X (Twitter). These platforms have transformed healthcare communication, enabling trainees, medical students, and practitioners to enhance learning and clinical practice. Educators leverage social media to simplify complex medical concepts, fostering continuous learning and professional development. Despite their benefits, social media, notably X (Twitter), boasting over 186 million active users, are susceptible to misinformation, underscoring the importance of verifying data accuracy and identifying influential medical sources. This study aims to identify the most influential sources of health information through X (Twitter) analysis using the NodeXL tool. Methods. Employing a cross-sectional design, this study utilized the NodeXL platform for social media analysis. NodeXL facilitated the identification of prevalent topics in public health discussions on X (Twitter). Influencers, users, and prominent healthcare providers were categorized to assess the credibility of their information. Data collection extended up to March 1, 2024. Results. Analysis revealed that the #hospital hashtag garnered the highest number of tweets among popular healthcare hashtags (6,438 tweets, with 84% being unique). Conversely, #medicalcare and #medicine had the lowest citation counts (58 and 116 respectively). @MahaHealthIE emerged as the most famous account using the #healthservices hashtag. Notable influencers with the #hospital hashtag included YouTube, Narendra Modi, and Al Jazeera English. @GreenSwelfares led in using the #medicalcare hashtag, while YouTube and the World Health Organization (@WHO) were prominent among accounts using #medicine. Conclusion. This study underscores the significance of monitoring social media and tracking key influencers periodically. However, the study's limitation lies in its snapshot nature, failing to capture the dynamic shifts in influencer popularity trends over time.

Issue Addressed: Human actions have led to a range of global environmental changes. Health professionals must be prepared to deliver systemic changes to mitigate and adapt to the ecological crisis. This rapid review aimed to describe exemplar frameworks that inform planetary health education across health professions. Methods: The rapid review methodology was informed by a scoping review process. A targeted search strategy was conducted using one representative database and additional strategies such as expert consultation and citation searching were used. Results are described narratively. Results: Of the 11 637 articles, 17 were eligible for inclusion. The frameworks differed, with many recently developed for health professions broadly using a range of methodologies, including qualitative research, opinion/consensus data, literature reviews, and adaptation of previous models. Models such as metric‐based scoring indicators and Sustainable Quality Improvement were featured in the frameworks, as were the application of First Nations Natural Laws. Conclusion: This rapid review identifies and showcases accessible, interdisciplinary frameworks to inform the integration of planetary health in curricula, highlighting a rapidly evolving field through which interdisciplinary collaborations in healthcare are important to inform its pedagogy and application. Health education is an important component of health promotion; and thus this rapid review offers a range of approaches that health professionals, health promotion practitioners, and educators can use to inform the integration of planetary health, including sustainable healthcare, into curricula. So What?: Educational frameworks are informed by research and practice and provide key guidance to practitioners and educators; summarising key available planetary health education frameworks consolidates and guides effective education and builds on the existing body of knowledge to support urgent pro‐environmental change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Turkiye Klinikleri Journal of Health Sciences / Türkiye Klinikleri Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi is the property of Turkiye Klinikleri and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract In this paper, a new graph labeling technique using three sequences of numbers, namely Tribonacci, Fibonacci and Triangular is introduced. They are named as Tribo-Fibo-Triangular labeling and denoted as TF $$\Delta $$ Δ labeling. Assignment of the labeling is done based on the families of generalized Petersen graphs GP (n,2), GP(n,3) and a generalization of these graph are also presented. Applications related to recruitment of employees in a health care sector and the selection of teams in a school ambience are arrived by using of these three sequences of graphs along with computational intelligence. A board game is developed and presented using these three sequences.

This research paper examines the concept of service quality in the Indian healthcare sector, with a focus on identifying the key dimensions of service quality and the challenges and opportunities for improving service quality. The paper identifies the key dimensions of service quality in healthcare, including tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy. The paper also highlights the challenges facing the Indian healthcare sector in improving service quality, such as inadequate infrastructure, a shortage of trained healthcare professionals, and low levels of patient education and awareness. Finally, the paper identifies opportunities for improving service quality, including the use of technology and innovation, public-private partnerships, and increased funding for healthcare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a new graph labeling technique using three sequences of numbers, namely Tribonacci, Fibonacci and Triangular is introduced. They are named as Tribo-Fibo-Triangular labeling and denoted as TF Δ labeling. Assignment of the labeling is done based on the families of generalized Petersen graphs GP (n,2), GP(n,3) and a generalization of these graph are also presented. Applications related to recruitment of employees in a health care sector and the selection of teams in a school ambience are arrived by using of these three sequences of graphs along with computational intelligence. A board game is developed and presented using these three sequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Advances in informatics research come from academic, nonprofit, and for-profit industry organizations, and from academic-industry partnerships. While scientific studies of commercial products may offer critical lessons for the field, manuscripts authored by industry scientists are sometimes categorically rejected. We review historical context, community perceptions, and guidelines on informatics authorship. Process We convened an expert panel at the American Medical Informatics Association 2022 Annual Symposium to explore the role of industry in informatics research and authorship with community input. The panel summarized session themes and prepared recommendations. Conclusions Authorship for informatics research, regardless of affiliation, should be determined by International Committee of Medical Journal Editors uniform requirements for authorship. All authors meeting criteria should be included, and categorical rejection based on author affiliation is unethical. Informatics research should be evaluated based on its scientific rigor; all sources of bias and conflicts of interest should be addressed through disclosure and, when possible, methodological mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: to interpret young nursing professionals’ perceptions about the relationship between working, employment and health conditions. Method: a qualitative study with an interpretive approach regarding the work-related experiences of 15 young nurses, who took part in the research through voluntary snowball sampling. The data from the interviews and the focus group were analyzed to reach an approximation to the realities inherent to the nurses’ work life. Results: the relevant study findings pointed out that work precariousness is a characteristic feature in the population group, mainly related to hiring modalities and to wages. According to the participants, the psychosocial working conditions (which were intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic) were the ones that caused the most effects on their mental and physical health. Conclusion: from the young nurses’ perspective, this study reports how the macro- and micro-structural working conditions and their relationship with health are perceived, pointing out the key elements to devise interventions focused on life paths that foster decent and healthy work postulates in their work environments, as well as actions to prevent injuries or harms to nurses’ health.

Abstract Background Public health initiatives require coordinated efforts from healthcare, social services and other service providers. Organisational theory tells us that trust is essential for reaching collaborative effectiveness. This paper explores the drivers for initiating and sustaining trust in a temporary public health partnership, in response to a sudden health threat. Methods This qualitative study analysed the formation process of a multisector partnership for a Covid-19 contact tracing service. Data was collected through 12 interviews, two focus groups, one feedback workshop, and an online survey with workforce members from all seven partner organisations. Purposive maximum variation sampling was used to capture the reflections and experiences of workforce members from all seven partner organisations. A deductive code scheme was used to identify drivers for building and sustaining trust in inter-organisational collaboration. Results Relational mechanisms emanating from the commitment to the common aim, shared norms and values, and partnership structures affected trust-building. Shared values and the commitment to the common aim appeared to channel partners’ behaviour when interacting, resulting in being perceived as a fair, reliable and supportive partner. Shared values were congruent with the design of the partnership in terms of governance structure and communication lines reflecting flat hierarchies and shared decision-making power. Tensions between partner organisations arose when shared values were infringed. Conclusions When managing trust in a collaboration, partners should consider structural components like governance structure, organisational hierarchy, and communication channels to ensure equal power distribution. Job rotation, recruitment of candidates with the desired personality traits and attitudes, as well as training and development, encourage inter-organisational networking among employees, which is essential for building and strengthening relationships with partner organisations. Partners should also be aware of managing relational dynamics, channelling behaviours through shared values, objectives and priorities and fostering mutual support and equality among partner organisations.

Introduction: The importance of providing a healthy environment, which significantly impacts a patient’s health, renders indoor air quality (IAQ) a vital concern in medical settings. In particular, it is crucial to monitor and assess the air quality inside the building regularly. This study, conducted at Namazi Hospital, investigated parameters affecting air quality and measured them in the facility’s indoor air.Methods: In this research, the acceptable limit of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and PM2.5 and PM10 (particular matter) parameters were reviewed based on indoor air quality standards in medical environments.Results: The measurements revealed that outdoor and indoor levels of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide were below the acceptable limit set by international indoor air quality guidelines. Indoor levels of nitrogen dioxide were also below the acceptable limit, but outdoor levels exceeded it. Furthermore, indoor and outdoor levels of PM2.5 and PM10 exceeded the acceptable limit.Conclusion: The traffic issue on the access routes to this hospital has directly impacted the air quality. Altering the arrangement of indoor furniture, using air purifiers in conjunction with ventilation devices, and renovating, especially replacing old windows and modifying the heating system, can enhance the air quality. Implementing environmental feedback strategies can also contribute to this improvement.

Since the healthcare system is one of the most important pillars of community health, and considering that providing healthcare services to the people is one of the elements of individual development in any country, attention and supervision of this sector can lead to development and social welfare. To ensure better and higher quality healthcare services, performance evaluation in the health sector plays a crucial role. In order to achieve this, proper and proportional use of existing facilities and assets is inevitable. In this study, by introducing an application in the field of healthcare systems, the educational hospitals of the country have been measured in terms of performance and their managerial ability has been calculated. Additionally, by identifying and introducing the impact of contextual variables on the performance of decision-making units, their efficiency has been assessed. For this purpose, data related to educational hospitals in 31 provinces of the country was collected, and then by identifying contextual variables and with the presence of undesirable factors, the efficiency was evaluated and the managerial ability of each was calculated. To reach this goal, in the first step, technical efficiency with the presence of undesirable factors was calculated using data envelopment analysis technique, and then the logarithm of technical efficiency obtained from the first stage was regressed on a set of contextual variables that affect hospital performance. In the next stage, managerial ability was extracted from the residual of the regression obtained from the previous stage. Finally, a unique ranking based on the managerial ability of each unit was provided. Ultimately, the results obtained were analyzed and examined in order to provide valuable suggestions for managers and more efficient management of the country's hospitals to maintain public health. According to the study, without considering contextual variables, 25 effective units were evaluated, but by applying the effect of contextual variables on the efficiency index, no unit becomes effective, proving the high impact of such indices on the performance of units. Additionally, in the ranking of units based on managerial ability, Lorestan province ranked first and Golestan province ranked last.IntroductionThe issue of increasing productivity and efficiency in healthcare costs is important for all countries. The health sector, by identifying the factors that affect community health precisely, influences national macroeconomic planning and minimizes their adverse effects on health. By utilizing the best practices in healthcare, significant improvements in the health of individuals and communities can be achieved. Therefore, proper investment in healthcare facilities and health centers, as well as improving the quality and efficiency of their services, is essential for sustainable development. In order to increase efficiency and productivity, understanding the current status and measuring the performance of hospitals in the healthcare system is of paramount importance. Ensuring the provision of better and higher quality health services requires evaluating the performance of the healthcare system. Therefore, it seems that employing efficiency measurement techniques and improving performance and productivity in this sector can improve processes and optimize the use of resources and the fair distribution of resources for the provision of desirable services. In recent years, various studies and methods have been proposed by researchers to measure the efficiency of decision-making units, which can be divided into two categories: parametric and non-parametric methods. Farrell (1957) first introduced the non-parametric method, and then Charnes et al. (1978) extended the initial analysis by Farrell from multi-input and single-output to multi-input and multi-output. The model developed by them was named the Charnes-Cooper-Rhodes model. Then, Banker et al. (1984) introduced the model. The non-parametric method is a linear programming-based method in which a linear programming problem is solved for each decision unit. This branch of operations research has rapidly advanced and is called data envelopment analysis. Data envelopment analysis is a mathematical programming technique for evaluating decision-making units and plays a fundamental role in identifying efficient boundaries and measuring the relative efficiency of units under scrutiny. Data envelopment analysis allows for the comparison of units with each other. Considering the importance of the health sector in improving the quality of life for individuals in society, we felt it necessary to examine the performance level and calculate the managerial capacity of hospitals in all 31 provinces of the country to ensure the proper functioning of this sector and take even small steps towards improving the quality of this sector. The aim of this research is to analyze and evaluate the performance of health sector hospitals in Iran in the presence of contextual variables and provide a ranking method based on managerial capacity. For this purpose, data related to educational hospitals in all 31 provinces of the country were collected, and then, by identifying contextual variables and the presence of undesirable factors, an attempt was made to evaluate the efficiency and calculate the managerial capacity of each hospital unit. To achieve this goal, in the first step, technical efficiency with the presence of undesirable factors was calculated using data envelopment analysis technique, and then the logarithm of technical efficiency resulting from the first step was regressed on a set of contextual variables that affect hospital performance. In the next step, managerial ability was extracted from the residual of the regression from the previous step. Finally, a unique ranking based on the managerial ability of each hospital was presented.MethodologyIn this article, based on studies conducted by Demerjian et al. (2020) and Banker et al. (2020), we examine the performance analysis and managerial abilities of 31 hospitals in the country through a three-stage process. Firstly, considering the presence of undesirable outputs, the efficiency analysis of the units of interest is obtained using the efficiency model proposed by Kuosmanen (2005) with the (3) technology. Then, using the least squares method, the impact of each of the contextual variables in this study, including "asset base", "density", and "number of physicians", on the efficiency scores obtained from the first stage is regressed. Subsequently, managerial ability is obtained from the residuals of the previous least squares method. Finally, a unique ranking based on the managerial ability of each hospital is presented.ResultsIn this study, which was conducted on the performance of the health care in Iran, a new ranking based on managerial ability was provided for comparing units. Based on calculations performed on a number of hospitals in 31 provinces of the country without considering contextual variables, 25 efficient units were evaluated. However, by applying the effect of contextual variables on the efficiency index, no unit appears to be efficient, proving the significant impact of contextual variables on the performance of units. Furthermore, the relationship between contextual variables and efficiency index was determined. For example, an increase in the amount of the contextual variable "number of physicians" will lead to an increase in managerial ability. This means that an increase in the number of physicians will benefit the improvement of the system's efficiency and managerial ability.ConclusionWithout a doubt, studying and investing in the healthcare industry is one of the most profitable and best areas for investment. In this regard, government hospitals in each country are one of the main and most important components of the healthcare sector. The hospitals studied in this research are considered as 3 government hospitals per province. Based on past efficiency studies, we find that each decision-making unit had its own specific inputs and outputs. The aim of this study is to analyze and examine the managerial ability of public hospitals in Iran. In this study, the performance of selected hospital units is analyzed in terms of managerial efficiency, considering the impact of other variables known as contextual variables on the performance of a decision-making unit. In this study, the performance of government hospitals in Iran is analyzed from a managerial perspective. The first step involves calculating the efficiency of units using basic models and considering undesirable outputs. Then, in the second step, the logarithm of technical efficiency obtained from the first step is regressed on a set of contextual variables that affect hospital performance. Furthermore, the impact of contextual variables, including total assets, physician density, and number of physicians, on the size of unit efficiency is measured in this study. Based on the results, 25 efficient units were evaluated, but with the application of contextual variables on efficiency indicators, no unit becomes efficient, proving the high impact of such indicators on unit performance. Additionally, based on the calculations performed, in the ranking of units with a managerial approach, Lorestan province ranks first and Golestan province, which has the weakest performance among the units under study, ranks last. The impact of contextual variables on efficiency indicators has been examined. For example, the impact of the "number of physicians" indicator on efficiency is direct, and a one-unit increase in it will lead to an increase in managerial efficiency. This means that an increase in the number of physicians will benefit the system's efficiency and managerial ability. However, the impact of the density variable, unlike the number of physicians, has an inverse effect on managerial ability. To provide suggestions for future studies, one can refer to generalizing the problem to the uncertainty space and studying different applications by bringing the problem into random spaces, providing more predictive predictions. Furthermore, this study can be implemented in analyzing performance and calculating managerial ability in various industries such as power plants, insurance industry, banks, etc., and based on the applications and the type of technology used, different approaches can be provided for calculating managerial

Background: Public health initiatives require coordinated efforts from healthcare, social services and other service providers. Organisational theory tells us that trust is essential for reaching collaborative effectiveness. This paper explores the drivers for initiating and sustaining trust in a temporary public health partnership, in response to a sudden health threat. Methods: This qualitative study analysed the formation process of a multisector partnership for a Covid-19 contact tracing service. Data was collected through 12 interviews, two focus groups, one feedback workshop, and an online survey with workforce members from all seven partner organisations. Purposive maximum variation sampling was used to capture the reflections and experiences of workforce members from all seven partner organisations. A deductive code scheme was used to identify drivers for building and sustaining trust in inter-organisational collaboration. Results: Relational mechanisms emanating from the commitment to the common aim, shared norms and values, and partnership structures affected trust-building. Shared values and the commitment to the common aim appeared to channel partners' behaviour when interacting, resulting in being perceived as a fair, reliable and supportive partner. Shared values were congruent with the design of the partnership in terms of governance structure and communication lines reflecting flat hierarchies and shared decision-making power. Tensions between partner organisations arose when shared values were infringed. Conclusions: When managing trust in a collaboration, partners should consider structural components like governance structure, organisational hierarchy, and communication channels to ensure equal power distribution. Job rotation, recruitment of candidates with the desired personality traits and attitudes, as well as training and development, encourage inter-organisational networking among employees, which is essential for building and strengthening relationships with partner organisations. Partners should also be aware of managing relational dynamics, channelling behaviours through shared values, objectives and priorities and fostering mutual support and equality among partner organisations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The importance of providing a healthy environment, which significantly impacts a patient’s health, renders indoor air quality (IAQ) a vital concern in medical settings. In particular, it is crucial to monitor and assess the air quality inside the building regularly. This study, conducted at Namazi Hospital, investigated parameters affecting air quality and measured them in the facility’s indoor air. Methods: In this research, the acceptable limit of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and PM2.5 and PM10 (particular matter) parameters were reviewed based on indoor air quality standards in medical environments. Results: The measurements revealed that outdoor and indoor levels of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide were below the acceptable limit set by international indoor air quality guidelines. Indoor levels of nitrogen dioxide were also below the acceptable limit, but outdoor levels exceeded it. Furthermore, indoor and outdoor levels of PM2.5 and PM10 exceeded the acceptable limit. Conclusion: The traffic issue on the access routes to this hospital has directly impacted the air quality. Altering the arrangement of indoor furniture, using air purifiers in conjunction with ventilation devices, and renovating, especially replacing old windows and modifying the heating system, can enhance the air quality. Implementing environmental feedback strategies can also contribute to this improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluating market competition is an important practice to assess how the forces and components at play in a select market interact. Healthcare markets are similar to any other market present in the world, where competition can be present or absent in the exchange of goods and services. Applying a standard measure of assessing market competition, the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index, to California's Medi-Cal managed care marketplace, it is found that there is no competition present in all of California's counties as defined by the common interpretation of the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index. A distinctive trend in markets is that when less competition is present, the cost of goods and services increases to reflect the principles of supply and demand. California Medi-Cal markets follow this trend of less competitive markets being associated with increased adult midpoint costs. These findings help further to elucidate California's Medi-Cal marketplace on a county-by county level.

In the last quarter of a century, the backdrop of appropriate ambulatory and office-based surgeries has changed dramatically. Procedures that were traditionally done in hospitals or patients being admitted after surgery are migrating to the outpatient setting and being discharged on the same day, respectively, at a remarkable rate. In the face of this exponential growth, anesthesiologists are constantly being challenged to maintain patient safety by understanding the appropriate patient selection, procedure, and surgical location. Recently published literature supports the trend of higher, more medically complex patients, and more complicated procedures shifting towards the outpatient arena. Several reasons that may account for this include cost incentives, advancement in anesthesia techniques, enhanced recovery after surgery protocols, and increased patient satisfaction. Anesthesiologists must understand that there is a lack of standardized state regulations regarding ambulatory surgery centers and office-based surgery centers. Current and recently graduated anesthesiologists should be aware of the safety concerns related to the various non-hospital-based locations, the sustained growth and demand for anesthesia in the office, and the expansion of mobile anesthesia practices in the US in order to keep up and practice safely with the professional trends. Continuing procedural ambulatory shifts will require ongoing outcomes research, likely prospective in nature, on these novel outpatient procedures, in order to develop risk stratification and prediction models for the selection of the proper patient, procedure, and surgery location.

Background and Aim: The health system's responsiveness to provision of health services displays the ability of the system to meet the non-medical needs of people. The present study aimed to assess Iran's health system responsiveness in providing rehabilitation for people with disabilities (PWD). Materials and Methods: This population-based cross-sectional study included 1537 PWD referring to physical rehabilitation centers in all provinces of Iran by using a multistage cluster sampling method in 2019. A valid self-administrated questionnaire was used for data collection. Stata software (version 14.0) was used for data processing and analysis. Results: The frequency rate of good responsiveness to meet physical rehabilitation needs was 64.5%. The health system's highest and lowest frequency rates of good responsiveness were related to rapid response (74.5%), independence and participation in decision-making (52.5). Having basic health insurance coverage (OR=1.97, 95% CI:1.20-3.25), severity of disability (OR=2.02, 95% CI:1.14-3.60), economic status of individuals (OR=2.04, 95% CI:1.17-3.56), and household size (OR=0.82, 95% CI:0.72-0.94) were significant determinants in regard to poor responsiveness of the health system. Conclusion: To maintain and enhance responsiveness and eliminate inequalities, interventions such as expanding the rehabilitation facilities, holding special skills training courses for rehabilitation-related assistants, general practitioners, and health workers, and also, empowering PWD are recommended. Further studies are also recommended to identify the causes of poor responsiveness and take measures that can make the health system more responsible.

High levels of work stress are prevalent today, and the underlying working conditions need to be tackled urgently. In this study, our aim was to identify the range of factors that employees themselves perceive as hindrances to the flow of work, that is, hindrance stressors. We analysed the open-ended questionnaire responses of 4766 employees working in the health care sector using semi-automated content analysis. We then used more detailed conventional content analysis to compare the responses of the groups that reported high (n = 1388) and low (n = 833) levels of subjective stress. Finally, we interpreted and categorised the stressors raised by the respondents from the viewpoint of controllability, to shed light on where to target interventions. The main hindrance stressors reflected inadequate staffing, work overload, time pressure, and management-related issues, of which the responses revealed concrete examples. Interruptions and problems related to cooperation and instructions were also commonly mentioned. The respondents in the high stress group emphasised work overload and issues related to management and clients. Our results suggest that the major hindrances to daily work are beyond employees' control and require decisions and resources at the level of supervisors, managers, directors, and policymakers. Future studies on work stress should explore the controllability of common stressors in more detail and include the appraisal of controllability in explanatory models. Avoiding overemphasis of psychological coping and instead targeting harmful working conditions and the organisational actors who can influence these could make workplace stress management interventions more effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nationwide nursing home private-pay prices at the facility-level have not been available for researchers interested in studying this unique health care market. This study presents a new data source, Caregiverlist, for private-pay prices for private and semiprivate rooms for 12,000 nursing homes nationwide collected between 2008 and 2010. We link these data to publicly available national nursing home-level data sets to examine the relationship between price and nursing home characteristics. We also compare private-pay prices with average private-pay revenues per day for California nursing homes obtained from facilities' financial filings. On average, private-pay prices were $224 per day for private rooms compared with $197 per day for semiprivate rooms. We find that nursing homes that are nonprofit, urban, hospital-based, have a special care unit, chain-owned, and have higher quality ratings have higher prices. We find average revenues per day in California to be moderately correlated with prices reported by Caregiverlist.

One hundred and four Million tribal people live in India, which accounts for 8.6% of the country's population. The Union Cabinet on 15th November 2023 approved the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN) aiming to reach out to over twenty-two thousand particularly vulnerable Tribal groups (PVTG) tribal habitats over two hundred districts in India. It focuses on the key elements of improving housing and lifestyle, education status, roads and connectivity, livelihood, and the healthcare sector. As per the report of the Expert Committee on Tribal Health, the tribal population in the country faces a triple burden of diseases, some of which are indirectly addressed in this initiative. Other major concerns like alcohol addiction and animal and snake bites have been left out, which could have gone a long way in mitigating these concerns among the tribal population. This initiative if implemented properly will revolutionize the health situation in the tribal communities across the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Open Payments database reports payments made to physicians by industry. Given the potential for financial conflicts of interest relating to patient outcomes, further scrutiny of these data is valuable. Therefore, the objective of this study was to analyze physician-industry relationships by specialty type, payment type, geospatial trend, and longitudinal trend between 2014-2018. We conducted an observational, retrospective data analysis of payments from the Open Payments database for licensed United States physicians listed in the National Plan & Provider Enumeration System (NPPES). Datasets from 2013-2018 were joined using the Python programming language. Aggregation and sub-setting by characteristics of interest was done in R to calculate means and frequencies of reported general physician payments from industry across different specialties, locations, timeframes, and payment types. Normalization was applied for numbers of physicians or payments. Geospatial statistical hot spot analysis was conducted in ArcGIS. 51.73 million payment records were analyzed. In total, 50,047,930 payments were issued to 771,113 allopathic or osteopathic physicians, representing $8,702,631,264 transferred from industry to physicians over the five-year period between 2014 and 2018. The mean payment amount was $179, with a standard deviation of $12,685. Variability in physicians' financial relationships with industry were apparent across specialties, regions, time, and payment type. A limited match rate between records in the NPPES and Open Payments databases may have resulted in selection bias of trends related to physician characteristics. Further research is necessary, particularly in the context of changing industry payment trends and public perceptions of the appropriateness of these relationships.

The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrates the critical need to reimagine and repair the broken systems of global health. Specifically, the pandemic demonstrates the hollowness of the global health rhetoric of equity, the weaknesses of a health security-driven global health agenda, and the negative health impacts of power differentials not only globally, but also regionally and locally. This article analyses the effects of these inequities and calls on governments, multilateral agencies, universities, and NGOs to engage in true collaboration and partnership in this historic moment. Before this pandemic spreads further - including in the Global South - with potentially extreme impact, we must work together to rectify the field and practice of global health.

This study uses public employee salary data from 14 US public medical schools and the Open Payments database from the US Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to examine the ratio of academic oncologists’ reported salaries to their general payments from the medical industry.

ObjectivesTo examine the temporal trajectory of insurance coverage for next-generation tumor sequencing (sequencing) by private US payers, describe the characteristics of coverage adopters and nonadopters, and explore adoption trends relative to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' National Coverage Determination (CMS NCD) for sequencing.MethodsWe identified payers with positive coverage (adopters) or negative coverage (nonadopters) of sequencing on or before April 1, 2019, and abstracted their characteristics including size, membership in the BlueCross BlueShield Association, and whether they used a third-party policy. Using descriptive statistics, payer characteristics were compared between adopters and nonadopters and between pre-NCD and post-NCD adopters. An adoption timeline was constructed.ResultsSixty-nine payers had a sequencing policy. Positive coverage started November 30, 2015, with 1 payer and increased to 33 (48%) as of April 1, 2019. Adopters were less likely to be BlueCross BlueShield members (P < .05) and more likely to use a third-party policy (P < .001). Fifty-eight percent of adopters were small payers. Among adopters, 52% initiated coverage pre-NCD over a 25-month period and 48% post-NCD over 17 months.ConclusionsWe found an increase, but continued variability, in coverage over 3.5 years. Temporal analyses revealed important trends: the possible contribution of the CMS NCD to a faster pace of coverage adoption, the interdependence in coverage timing among BlueCross BlueShield members, the impact of using a third-party policy on coverage timing, and the importance of small payers in early adoption. Our study is a step toward systematic temporal research of coverage for precision medicine, which will inform policy and affordability assessments.

Abstract Background Breastmilk is the ideal nutrition for infants, and breastfeeding protects infants and mothers from a range of adverse health outcomes. In Denmark, most mothers initiate breastfeeding but many cease within the first months resulting in just 14% reaching the World Health Organization recommendation of six months of exclusive breastfeeding. Furthermore, the low breastfeeding proportion at six months is characterised by a marked social inequality. A previous intervention tested in a hospital setting succeeded in increasing the proportion of mothers breastfeeding exclusively at six months. However, most breastfeeding support is provided within the Danish municipality-based health visiting programme. Therefore, the intervention was adapted to fit the health visiting programme and implemented in 21 Danish municipalities. This article reports the study protocol, which will be used to evaluate the adapted intervention. Methods The intervention is tested in a cluster-randomised trial at the municipal level. A comprehensive evaluation approach is taken. The effectiveness of the intervention will be evaluated using survey and register data. Primary outcomes are the proportion of women who breastfeed exclusively at four months postpartum and duration of exclusive breastfeeding measured as a continuous outcome. A process evaluation will be completed to evaluate the implementation of the intervention; a realist evaluation will provide an understanding of the mechanisms of change characterising the intervention. Finally, a health economic evaluation will assess the cost-effectiveness and cost-utility of this complex intervention. Discussion This study protocol reports on the design and evaluation of the Breastfeeding Trial – a cluster-randomised trial implemented within the Danish Municipal Health Visiting Programme from April 2022 to October 2023. The purpose of the programme is to streamline breastfeeding support provided across healthcare sectors. The evaluation approach is comprehensive using a multitude of data to analyse the effect of the intervention and inform future efforts to improve breastfeeding for all. Trial registration Prospectively registered with Clinical Trials NCT05311631 https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05311631

Background- Healthcare providers serve as the backbone of the healthcare delivery system, and motivating them is crucial for its enhancement, which is often a challenging task. Understanding the motivational factors that keep employees engaged is a pressing concern for leaders and senior personnel. Aims & Objectives: This study aimed to assess the motivation levels of healthcare personnel working in a tertiary healthcare institution in Dehradun, Uttarakhand. It sought to explore the various factors influencing employee motivation in the healthcare sector. Methodology: A cross-sectional study involved 150 healthcare personnel, and data analysis was conducted using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software and Microsoft Excel. Frequency percentages and mean standard deviations were used for categorical and continuous data, respectively. The Chi-Square test and Fischer Exact test were employed to assess relationships between categorical variables. Results: Among the study groups, technicians displayed the highest motivation levels, while doctors exhibited lower motivational indices. Across doctors, nurses, and technicians, "rewards" ranked as the top motivating factor. Health personnel identified monetary support, incentives, promotion, resource improvement, appreciation, feedback, communication, job security, training, teamwork, and effective management as significant motivational factors. Conclusion: Satisfied healthcare workers not only inspire their colleagues but also foster a positive work environment, enhancing the overall functioning of the institution. Employee motivation directly impacts the performance of healthcare organizations. Recognizing non-financial motivators, such as appreciation, teamwork, professional growth, and training, alongside financial incentives, is essential to maintaining a motivated and efficient healthcare workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Gümüshane Üniversitesi Saglik Bilimleri Dergisi is the property of Gumushane University, Faculty of Health Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

BackgroundWorldwide, sex workers face stigmatization and discrimination, also within healthcare. Only few studies on healthcare providers’ attitudes towards care of sex workers have been performed. This study assessed attitudes and knowledge of healthcare providers in Germany towards sex workers and their specific health risks.MethodsGerman healthcare professionals and medical students were invited to participate in a nationwide cross-sectional study in 2022. The online survey used a German translation of the “Attitudes towards Prostitutes and Prostitution Scale” by Levin and Peled for assessment of attitudes towards sex work and workers, together with prevalence estimates of common mental and physical disorders.ResultsA total of 469 questionnaires were included into analysis. Older participants tended to regard sex work as less of a choice (p

INTRODUCTION The safety of patients and property in healthcare settings is directly influenced by security response time, yet this critical aspect is often overlooked. In this article, we aim to address this gap by presenting a proposed key performance indicator (KPI) for security response times. METHODS To develop the proposed KPI, we followed a systematic approach. First, we defined the necessary KPI. We then collected baseline response time data and met with stakeholders to gather their insights. Subsequently, we analysed the response time data from before and after implementation of the proposed KPI, and introduced a levelling method for responses that takes into account the intensity and risk level of each situation. RESULTS The weekly average baseline response time for situations requiring security department intervention was found to be 8 minutes and 1 second. One year after implementing the levelling method, the data comparison revealed a substantial decrease in response times. Specifically, responses to Level 1 incidents averaged 3 minutes and 57 seconds; Level 2 incidents averaged 5 minutes and 47 seconds; and Level 3 incidents averaged 3 minutes and 59 seconds. CONCLUSION The application and testing of this new KPI over the course of one year demonstrated a remarkable impact on security response time. Given the lack of a published benchmark for such response, we propose a benchmark of 5 minutes.

Background: The last criterion for behavioral abnormality occurs outside social and cultural norms. The present study aimed to design a model of behavioral abnormalities of human resources of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education. Methods: The outcomes were identified through library studies, and the fuzzy Delphi technique was used with the opinion of experts until we reached a theoretical consensus. First, 13 factors were confirmed using the opinion of 50 experts. Then, a questionnaire was designed based on the results of the first stage of the study, and the experts were asked to specify the importance of each identified stage using verbal variables. Then, the verbal variables were converted into fuzzy triangular numbers, and the triangular fuzzy mean was de-fuzzified using the Minkowski formula by Excel and SPSS-21 software. Results: The members of the expert group reached a consensus on all components (dissatisfaction, drug abuse, alcohol consumption, reduction of motivation, moral corruption, malice and revenge, suicide, absenteeism, early and excessive leaves, theft and destruction of property, procrastination, arguments and physical violence, sexual harassment, violation of laws and character assassination and humiliation of colleagues). The de-fuzzified mean difference of experts' opinions in the two stages was less than 0.1, indicating the intensity of experts' agreement with each of the components of the conceptual model of the study. Conclusion: Behavioral abnormality is one of the problems of today's organizations, and the development of behavioral models in organizations is one way to guide employees' behavior and prevent the occurrence of abnormal behaviors.

ABSTRACT. Dementia is a neurological disorder that affects memory, thinking, orientation, and other important functions of the brain; telemedicine is a part of the healthcare delivery system involving diagnosis and consultation over telecommunications devices such as mobile phones and computers. In this review, we assessed the impact, accessibility, and possible improvements in telemedicine in dementia treatment. Regarding the use of telemedicine in the treatment, we evaluated its impact on the management of the disease (i.e., diagnosis and follow-up). We also evaluated studies on the current improvements and accessibility of telemedicine in dementia treatment. The review findings showed that it is effective in diagnosing patients, monitoring their progress during treatment, and providing caregiver support. However, studies have revealed a lack of accessibility and improvement in telemedicine among the elderly, particularly in West African countries. Finally, lasting solutions were provided to address the problems in the review permanently.

Copyright of General Medicine & Health Sciences / Medycyna Ogólna i Nauki o Zdrowiu is the property of Witold Chodzki Institute of Rural Medicine and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

When it comes to scheduling health consultations, e-appointment systems are helpful for patients. Non-attendance is a common obstacle that many medical practitioners must endure when it comes to the management of appointments in healthcare facilities and outpatient health settings. Prior surveys have found that many users are open to use such mechanisms and that patients would be likely to schedule an online appointment with their doctor if such a system was made accessible. Few studies have sought to determine how well e-appointment systems work, how well they are received by their users, and whether or not they increase the number of appointments booked. The purpose of this research was to collect information that would help executives of a state hospital in Thessaloniki, Greece, to improve their electronic appointment system by measuring the level of satisfaction their patients have with it. The results show that the level of service provided by the electronic appointment system is not satisfactory. The quality of the website is another significant factor that does not contribute to the level of satisfaction experienced by patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the introduction of the Sunshine Act in 2010 and Open Payments Database (OPD) in 2013, a significant amount of data has been collected on physicians and the payments received through ties with pharmaceutical and medical device companies. To date, a study within the field of otology and neurotology using data from the 2015 OPD has not been conducted. As such, we assessed the validity and accuracy of OPD information for otologists and neurotologists (O&Ns). Of the 126 physicians listed as O&Ns in the OPD, 25 were actually general otolaryngologists, and 1 was a cardiologist. In addition, 88 O&Ns were misclassified by the OPD as general otolaryngologists. A total of 1156 payments, summing $1,966,204, were made to O&Ns as a whole, with 646, 507, and 3 payments classified as general, research, and ownership/investment interests, respectively. Analysis of OPD data for O&Ns demonstrates a significant financial relationship between O&N physicians and industry, as well as noteworthy inaccuracies in the OPD that likely affect other subspecialties.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic caused a major disruption in the health care sector with increased workload and the need for new staff to assist with screening and vaccination tasks. Within this context, teaching medical students to perform intramuscular injections and nasal swabs could help address workforce needs. Although several recent studies discuss medical students' role and integration in clinical activities during the pandemic, knowledge gaps exist concerning their role and potential benefit in designing and leading teaching activities during this period. Objective: The aim of our study was to prospectively assess the impact in terms of confidence, cognitive knowledge, and perceived satisfaction of a student-teacher-designed educational activity consisting of nasopharyngeal swabs and intramuscular injections for the training of second-year medical students in the Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Switzerland. Methods: This was a mixed methods pre-post surveys and satisfaction survey study. Activities were designed using evidence-based teaching methodologies based on the SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely) criteria. All second-year medical students who did not participate in the activity's old format were recruited unless they explicitly stated that they wanted to opt out. Pre-post activity surveys were designed to assess perception of confidence and cognitive knowledge. An additional survey was designed to assess satisfaction in the mentioned activities. Instructional design was blended with a presession e-learning activity and a 2-hour practice session with simulators. Results: Between December 13, 2021, and January 25, 2022, a total of 108 second-year medical students were recruited; 82 (75.9%) students participated in the preactivity survey and 73 (67.6%) in the postactivity survey. Students' confidence in performing intramuscular injections and nasal swabs significantly increased on a 5-point Likert scale for both procedures--from 3.31 (SD 1.23) and 3.59 (SD 1.13) before the activity to 4.45 (SD 0.62) and 4.32 (SD 0.76) after the activity (P<.001), respectively. Perceptions of cognitive knowledge acquisition also significantly increased for both activities. For the nasopharyngeal swab, knowledge acquisition concerning indications increased from 2.7 (SD 1.24) to 4.15 (SD 0.83), and for the intramuscular injection, knowledge acquisition concerning indications increased from 2.64 (SD 1.1) to 4.34 (SD 0.65) (P<.001). Knowledge of contraindications for both activities increased from 2.43 (SD 1.1) to 3.71 (SD 1.12) and from 2.49 (SD 1.13) to 4.19 (SD 0.63), respectively (P<.001). High satisfaction rates were reported for both activities. Conclusions: Student-teacher-based blended activities for training novice medical students in commonly performed procedural skills seem effective for increasing their confidence and cognitive knowledge and should be further integrated within a medical school curriculum. Blended learning instructional design increases students' satisfaction about clinical competency activities. Future research should elucidate the impact of student-teacher-designed and student-teacher-led educational activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Rocznik Bezpieczeństwa Międzynarodowego is the property of University of Lower Silesia / Dolnoslaska Szkola Wyzsza and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

As the Covid-19 pandemic crisis raged in Latin America, numerous acts of corruption affected containment strategies and weakened institutional systems. A systematic review was conducted during the first wave of contagion in 2020 to analyse the relationship between corruption and Covid-19 in Latin American countries, highlighting its components and the institutions involved. Following the PRISMA guidelines, scientific databases and prepublications were searched using the terms (((SARS-CoV-2) OR (Covid-19)) AND ((Corruption [Mesh]) AND (Latin America))). Seventy-two studies were included in the initial search, 36 in MEDLINE/PubMed, 20 in Scielo, and 11 prepublications. Of the 25 eligible studies, none met the required standard for inclusion. Although corruption is endemic in Latin America, its levels and impact during the first wave of Covid-19 contagion have not been quantified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As China's "Internet + Health" initiative advances, the digital economy significantly influences the quality of medical and health services. However, there is a research gap concerning the digital economy's specific impacts, mechanisms, and marginal effects on these services. This gap impedes a comprehensive understanding of the digital economy's potential in healthcare., Aims: This study aims to clarify the digital economy's impact mechanisms on medical and health services levels, offering a scientific foundation for more targeted and effective policy formulation, thereby fostering sustainable digital development in healthcare., Methods: Utilizing panel data from China's 31 provinces (2011-2020), this paper employs the Spatial Durbin Model to analyze the spatial and marginal effects of the digital economy on healthcare service levels. To ensure analysis accuracy and robustness, the study refines the spatial weight matrix and addresses model endogeneity using the Generalized Spatial Two-Stage Least Squares method. Additionally, it examines regional disparities in the digital economy's impact through SDM and explores intermediary mechanisms and threshold effects using a mediation effect model and a panel threshold model., Results: Findings indicate that the digital economy positively affects medical and health services in both local and neighboring regions, with variations across areas. The eastern region particularly benefits from the digital economy's enhancement of service levels, while the central and western regions see less impact. The digital economy enhances services by improving medical resource levels and promoting their coordinated development. However, this positive effect is moderated by the digital economy's and the region's economic development levels, with more pronounced impacts in regions with higher digital and economic development., Conclusions: The digital economy plays a crucial role in improving medical and health services, and its full potential is beneficial for the industry's advancement and sustainability. Nonetheless, addressing the uneven digital economy development across regions is essential to ensure equitable benefits for all areas., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: This article does not involve human participants or animal research. There is no behavior that does not conform to the ethical standards. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)