Intelligent Model of Nursing Shift in Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Background: Nurses play a key role in increasing the efficiency of healthcare systems. Given the 24-hour performance of hospitals and the small number of nurses in the field of treatment, it is quintessential to re-shift them in the hospital. This study set out to achieve coherence in nursing shift planning and justice in the order of shifts in hospital. Methods: This applied and a developmental study was performed from 2019 to 2020. We used genetic algorithm to provide operational solutions and define flexible shifts and plan nurses' working hours in Yas Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences Hospital, Tehran, Iran. Results: Based on the selection of each nurse and determining the approved shifts of each ward, the possibility of appropriate planning was provided to determine the required shifts per month and to estimate the needs of each department. Conclusion: Using genetic algorithm and nursing shift in office automation console provides useful tools for managers at all organizational levels, according to which a good balance between the hospital's need for nurse and nurses' demands in different time periods.

Design and Psychometrics of the Assessment Instrument for Innovation Capabilities of Medical Sciences Universities Using the Cube Model Approach.

BACKGROUND: To investigate any subject, a scholar needs a suitable instrument to collect the required information with the utmost accuracy and the least amount of error. Therefore, this study aimed at designing and conducting a psychometric analysis of an assessment instrument for innovation capabilities of Medical Sciences Universities using the Cube Model Approach. METHODS: This study began by searching in questionnaires in the fields of input and process, considering innovation outcomes. Accordingly, a preliminary questionnaire was developed, and in the second stage, to determine the validity of the designed instrument, the face validity, content validity, and construct validity of the instrument were approved, and in the third stage, using Cronbach's alpha, its reliability was assessed. At first 200 phrases were obtained, finally, 25 questions were initially approved in three areas of structure (input), innovation processes, and output. All the phrases were retained in the face validity and content validity carried out quantitatively and qualitatively. RESULTS: Exploratory Factor Analysis was performed on 25 items, and finally the terms were set in six factors. These factors explained 53.19% of the total variance. The rotated factor loading for all questions was obtained more than 0.3, and therefore, no questions were eliminated. Calculation of the Cronbach's alpha coefficient confirmed the high internal consistency of the questionnaire (0.762). CONCLUSION: This instrument was designed for the first time in the context of Iranian academic culture and seems to be a suitable instrument for the assessment of innovation capabilities, considering its adequate validity and reliability, simplicity, and practicality.

Development of Performance Dashboards in Healthcare Sector: Key Practical Issues.

BACKGROUND: Static nature of performance reporting systems in health care sector has resulted in inconsistent, incomparable, time consuming, and static performance reports that are not able to transparently reflect a round picture of performance and effectively support healthcare managers' decision makings. So, the healthcare sector needs interactive performance management tools such as performance dashboards to measure, monitor, and manage performance more effectively. The aim of this article was to identify key issues that need to be addressed for developing high-quality performance dashboards in healthcare sector. METHODS: A literature review was established to search electronic research databases, e-journals collections, and printed journals, books, dissertations, and theses for relevant articles. The search strategy interchangeably used the terms of "dashboard", "performance measurement system", and "executive information system" with the term of "design" combined with operator "AND". Search results (n=250) were adjusted for duplications, screened based on their abstract relevancy and full-text availability (n=147) and then assessed for eligibility (n=40). Eligible articles were included if they had explicitly focused on dashboards, performance measurement systems or executive information systems design. Finally, 28 relevant articles included in the study. RESULTS: Creating high-quality performance dashboards requires addressing both performance measurement and executive information systems design issues. Covering these two fields, identified contents were categorized to four main domains: KPIs development, Data Sources and data generation, Integration of dashboards to source systems, and Information presentation issues. CONCLUSION: This study implies the main steps to develop dashboards for the purpose of performance management. Performance dashboards developed on performance measurement and executive information systems principles and supported by proper back-end infrastructure will result in creation of dynamic reports that help healthcare managers to consistently measure the performance, continuously detect outliers, deeply analyze causes of poor performance, and effectively plan for the future.

Innovation Network Development Model in Telemedicine: A Change in Participation.

OBJECTIVES: This paper introduces a telemedicine innovation network and reports its implementation in Tehran University of Medical Sciences. The required conditions for the development of future projects in the field of telemedicine are also discussed; such projects should be based on the common needs and opportunities in the areas of healthcare, education, and technology. METHODS: The development of the telemedicine innovation network in Tehran University of Medical Sciences was carried out in two phases: identifying the beneficiaries of telemedicine, and codification of the innovation network memorandum; and brainstorming of three workgroup members, and completion and clustering ideas. The present study employed a qualitative survey by using brain storming method. Thus, the ideas of the innovation network members were gathered, and by using Freeplane software, all of them were clustered and innovation projects were defined. RESULTS: In the services workgroup, 87 and 25 ideas were confirmed in phase 1 and phase 2, respectively. In the education workgroup, 8 new programs in the areas of telemedicine, tele-education and teleconsultation were codified. In the technology workgroup, 101 and 11 ideas were registered in phase 1 and phase 2, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Today, innovation is considered a major infrastructural element of any change or progress. Thus, the successful implementation of a telemedicine project not only needs funding, human resources, and full equipment. It also requires the use of innovation models to cover several different aspects of change and progress. The results of the study can provide a basis for the implementation of future telemedicine projects using new participatory, creative, and innovative models.

A Map for Clinical Laboratories Management Indicators in the Intelligent Dashboard.

INTRODUCTION: management challenges of clinical laboratories are more complicated for educational hospital clinical laboratories. Managers can use tools of business intelligence (BI), such as information dashboards that provide the possibility of intelligent decision-making and problem solving about increasing income, reducing spending, utilization management and even improving quality. Critical phase of dashboard design is setting indicators and modeling causal relations between them. The paper describes the process of creating a map for laboratory dashboard. METHODS: the study is one part of an action research that begins from 2012 by innovation initiative for implementing laboratory intelligent dashboard. Laboratories management problems were determined in educational hospitals by the brainstorming sessions. Then, with regard to the problems key performance indicators (KPIs) specified. RESULTS: the map of indicators designed in form of three layered. They have a causal relationship so that issues measured in the subsequent layers affect issues measured in the prime layers. CONCLUSION: the proposed indicator map can be the base of performance monitoring. However, these indicators can be modified to improve during iterations of dashboard designing process.

Value Innovation in Hospital: Increase Organizational IQ by Managing Intellectual Capitals.

Hospital is a complex organization rich in intellectual capitals. Effective management of these assets in line with innovating value to reach strategic goals and objectives can lead to increasing organizational IQ. In hospital with high organizational IQ, Increasing syntropy in intellectual capitals can convert it to an agile, learner, innovative, and smart organization.

The simulation model of teleradiology in telemedicine project.

Telemedicine projects are aimed at offering medical services to people who do not have access to direct diagnosis and treatment services. As a powerful tool for analyzing the performance of complex systems and taking probable events into consideration, systemic simulation can facilitate the analysis of implementation processes of telemedicine projects in real-life-like situations. The aim of the present study was to propose a model for planning resource capacities and allocating human and operational resources to promote the efficiency of telemedicine project by investigating the process of teleradiology. In this article, after verification of the conceptual model by the experts of this field, the computerized simulation model is developed using simulation software Arena. After specifying the required data, different improvement scenarios are run using the computerized model by feeding the data into the software and validation and verification of the model. Fixing input data of the system such as the number of patients, their waiting time, and process time of each function, for example, magnetic resonance imaging or scan, has been compared with the current radiology process. Implementing the teleradiology model resulted in reduction of time of patients in the system (current: 1.84 ± 0.00, tele: 0.81 ± 0.00). Furthermore, through this process, they can allocate the lower resources to perform better functions of staff. The use of computerized simulation is essential for designing processes, optimal allocation of resources, planning, and making appropriate decisions for providing timely services to patients.

Enhance hospital performance from intellectual capital to business intelligence.

Business intelligence (BI) refers to technologies, tools, and practices for collecting, integrating, analyzing, and presenting large volumes of information to enable better decision making. The aim of this study is to provide a general overview of BI and its impacts on improving hospital performance. In this paper, literature is reviewed on the concept, classification, and structure of intellectual capital and BI. Research on the building of BI and its impact on the performance of hospitals are briefly summarized. Some areas in healthcare which can utilize BI benefits, including radiology, are also discussed. Used properly, BI is an effective communication tool that can enable hospitals to reach strategic goals and objectives and can also help eliminate information asymmetry.