Knowledge discovery of drug data on the example of adverse reaction prediction.

BACKGROUND: Antibiotics are the widely prescribed drugs for children and most likely to be related with adverse reactions. Record on adverse reactions and allergies from antibiotics considerably affect the prescription choices. We consider this a biomedical decision-making problem and explore hidden knowledge in survey results on data extracted from a big data pool of health records of children, from the Health Center of Osijek, Eastern Croatia. RESULTS: We applied and evaluated a k-means algorithm to the dataset to generate some clusters which have similar features. Our results highlight that some type of antibiotics form different clusters, which insight is most helpful for the clinician to support better decision-making. CONCLUSIONS: Medical professionals can investigate the clusters which our study revealed, thus gaining useful knowledge and insight into this data for their clinical studies.

Improving Regulatory Education: Can We Reconcile Employers' Expectations With Academic Offerings?

BACKGROUND: The growing belief that an effective regulatory function is vital to the successful development of medical products has spurred initiatives in regulatory education. To help prepare highly skilled professionals, some academic institutions have begun to incorporate new competencies into their curricula and to offer innovative programs in the field of regulatory studies. METHODS: This study is the first national survey aimed at identifying the degree of adoption of an educational model based on well-defined professional competencies for graduate programs in regulatory studies. RESULTS: Respondents disclosed the challenges faced by faculty in implementing such a model. The study revealed the relevancy of this type of model and that a competency-based approach is largely perceived as a prerequisite for aligning a program's mission and vision with the skills that graduates need in the job market. Survey results show a strong general agreement regarding the suitability of a competency-based education model for regulatory studies. CONCLUSIONS: The challenges in implementing such a model, as described by survey participants, are significant but can be addressed. The barriers to implementation of regulatory curricula based on a competency-based education model should be better understood so that academic programs can educate highly skilled regulatory professionals. Such a workforce could best contribute to the delivery of high-quality, safe, and effective medical products.

Assessing Performance and Learning in Interprofessional Health Care Teams.

PURPOSE: Teamwork has become an integral part of health care delivery. Such emphasis on teamwork has generated the need to systematically measure and improve the learning and performance of health care teams. The purpose of this study was to develop a comprehensive assessment instrument, the Interprofessional Education and Practice Inventory (IPEPI), to evaluate learning and performance in interprofessional health care teams. METHODS: The 12-month study commenced in three 4-month phases: (1) a panel of 25 national and international experts participated in the Delphi process to identify factors influencing team learning and team performance; (2) the research team analyzed the findings from the two Delphi rounds to develop the IPEPI; and (3) a cohort of 27 students at the university engaged in clinical simulations to test and refine the IPEPI. RESULTS: Findings suggest key factors that significantly influence team learning and performance include whether the group is able to foster a climate of mutual respect, adopt effective communication strategies, develop a sense of trust, and invite contributions from others. Additionally, in assessing organizational factors, participants indicated those factors that significantly influence team learning and performance include whether the organization is patient-centered, creates a culture of safety (not blame), and supports individual and team learning. CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the critical role assessment plays in enhancing not just interprofessional education or interprofessional practice, but in essence advancing interprofessional education and practice--which requires an integrated examination of how health care professionals learn and perform in teams.

Integrating executive coaching and simulation to promote interprofessional education of health care students.

This study used executive coaching and simulation to enhance interprofessional teamwork by promoting collaboration and leadership capacity in health professional students attending undergraduate programs. A mixed methods approach to program evaluation was used. A statistically significant (p<0.05) increase was noted pre- and post-program on the Team Assessment Inventory. Qualitative analysis of reflective essays and focus group interviews revealed that students participated as a career-building opportunity and because they wanted to gain a better appreciation for the roles and contributions of other health care providers. The themes that emerged related to aspects of the process students found helpful, lessons learned about professional roles, and the meaning of leadership in the context of interprofessional teams. Students also provided recommendations for future studies. Findings suggest that integrating executive coaching and simulation in interprofessional education may have the potential to create meaningful experiences for health professional students. While more empirical research is needed to investigate this potential, in terms of how executive coaching and simulation may increase professional collaborative care and improve the quality of health care delivery, the initial insights seem promising.