Application of virtual reality for supportive care in cancer patients: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, virtual reality (VR) technology has been widely used to support cancer patients with physical, emotional, and functional needs. This systematic review aimed to investigate the application of VR in the supportive care of cancer patients. METHOD: This systematic review was conducted in 2024. In this study, various databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, the Cochrane Library, Ovid, IEEE Xplore, and ProQuest were searched, and quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method studies which were in English and published up to 20th May 2024 were included. The keywords consisted of "virtual reality," "supportive care," and "cancer". Studies were assessed in terms of quality and risk of bias using standard tools, and results were analyzed and reported narratively. RESULTS: A total of 33 articles were reviewed. VR interventions, primarily using fully immersive head-mounted displays, were associated with significant reductions in anxiety, pain, and fatigue. VR also improved mood, relaxation, and overall quality of life, and some studies noted enhanced vital signs such as heart rate and blood pressure. This technology could be used along with other medical interventions. Both patients and healthcare providers reported high level of satisfaction with VR, and appreciated its ease of use and therapeutic benefits. However, some technical barriers, like inadequate visual performance and realism, were reported. CONCLUSION: VR demonstrates substantial potential benefits as a supportive care tool for cancer patients, effectively addressing their psychological, physiological, psychosocial needs. Despite technical challenges, high level of user satisfaction and benefits underscore the need for further research to optimize VR interventions in cancer care.

Motivating and inhibiting factors influencing the application of mhealth technology in post-abortion care: a review study.

BACKGROUND: Abortion and its complications are challenges that endanger women's health, especially in developing countries. It seems that the application of mhealth technology can be useful as a safe and affordable strategy in post-abortion care. The purpose of this study was to identify factors influencing the use of mhealth technology in post-abortion care. METHODS: This was a review study conducted in 2023 and articles published in English between 2010 and 1st November 2023 were searched in PubMed, Scopus, ProQuest, Web of Science, and Embase databases as well as Google Scholar. Data were collected using a data extraction form and were analyzed narratively. RESULTS: The influencing factors could be divided into the motivating and inhibiting factors. The motivating factors included the subgroups of the individual factors (e.g., saving time), technical factors (e.g., usability), economic factors (e.g., saving costs), and ethico-legal factors (e.g., improving security and confidentiality of the information). Similarly, the inhibiting factors consisted of individual factors (e.g., fear of expressing abortion), technical factors (e.g., a lack of access to the network and the Internet), economic factors (e.g., inappropriate patient financial status), and ethico-legal (e.g., concerns over the security and confidentiality of information). CONCLUSION: This study underscores the importance of considering various technical and non-technical factors influencing the design and implementation of mHealth technology in post-abortion care. Developers need to address these factors to ensure successful technology adoption and mitigate risks. The findings contribute to the enhancement of women's health and offer insights for future technology acceptance models in the mHealth field.

The application of health information technology for the elderly care in the emergency department: a conceptual model.

INTRODUCTION: In the emergency departments (EDs), usually the longest waiting time for treatment and discharge belongs to the elderly patients. Moreover, the number of the ED admissions for the elderly increases every year. It seems that the use of health information technology in geriatric emergency departments can help to reduce the burden of the healthcare services for this group of patients. This research aimed to develop a conceptual model for using health information technology in the geriatric emergency department. METHODS: This study was conducted in 2021. The initial conceptual model was designed based on the findings derived from the previous research phases (literature review and interview with the experts). Then, the model was examined by an expert panel (n = 7). Finally, using the Delphi technique (two rounds), the components of the conceptual model were reviewed and finalized. To collect data, a questionnaire was used, and data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: The common information technologies appropriate for the elderly care in the emergency departments included emergency department information system, clinical decision support system, electronic health records, telemedicine, personal health records, electronic questionnaires for screening, and other technologies such as picture archiving and communication systems (PACS), electronic vital sign monitoring systems, etc. The participants approved all of the proposed systems and their applications in the geriatric emergency departments. CONCLUSION: The proposed model can help to design and implement the most useful information systems in the geriatric emergency departments. As the application of technology accelerates care processes, investing in this field would help to support the care plans for the elderly and improve quality of care services. Further research is recommended to investigate the efficiency and effectiveness of using these technologies in the EDs.

Covid-19 hotlines, helplines and call centers: a systematic review of characteristics, challenges and lessons learned.

BACKGROUND: During the Covid-19 pandemic, a number of hotlines/helplines/call centers was implemented to provide remote services and support public health. The objective of this study was to investigate the characteristics, challenges and lessons learned of implementing Covid-19 hotlines/helplines/call centers during the pandemic. METHODS: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, the Cochrane Library, IEEE Xplore, and ProQuest databases as well as Google Scholar were searched between 1st January 2020 and 31st December 2023 to retrieve relevant articles published in English. The quality and risk of bias of the studies were assessed using the Appraisal tool for Cross-Sectional Studies (AXIS), the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT), and Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) Checklist. RESULTS: In total, 43 out of 1440 articles were included in this study. About half of the hotlines/helplines/call centers were launched in March 2020 (n = 19). Providing psychological support (n = 23), reliable information about Covid-19 (n = 10), healthcare advices about Covid-19 (n = 8), and triage (n = 7) were the most common purposes of implementing these services. The most common challenges included a lack of physical examination, unavailability of hotlines/helplines/call centers at the point of need, and delay in updating Covid-19 information. The most common lessons learned were employing qualified staff, providing proper training, and getting feedback from the callers and operators. CONCLUSION: According to the results, most of the Covid-19 hotlines/helplines/call centers were launched in the early months of the pandemic, and about half of them were active seven days a week. Most of the operators were mental health providers and clinicians. The findings show the importance of continuous psychological support during crises, particularly when adequate information about the situation is not available. The challenges experienced by the callers and operators as well as the lessons learned by the service providers also need to be considered for future crises to increase the effectiveness of similar services.

An insight into the use of telemedicine technology for cancer patients during the Covid-19 pandemic: a scoping review.

BACKGROUND: The use of telemedicine technology has significantly increased in recent years, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic. This study aimed to investigate the use of telemedicine technology for cancer patients during the Covid-19 pandemic. METHODS: This was a scoping review conducted in 2023. Various databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Ovid, IEEE Xplore, ProQuest, Embase, and Google Scholar search engine were searched. All quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method studies published in English between 2020 and 2022 were included. Finally, the needed data were extracted, and the results were synthesized and reported narratively. RESULTS: A total of 29 articles were included in this review. The results showed that teleconsultation, televisit, and telerehabilitation were common telemedicine services, and video conferencing and telephone were common technologies used in these studies. In most cases, patients and healthcare providers preferred these services compared to the face-to-face consultations due to their convenience and advantages. Furthermore, the findings revealed that in terms of clinical outcomes, telemedicine could effectively reduce anxiety, pain, sleep disorders, and hospital admission rates. CONCLUSION: The findings provided valuable insights into the various telemedicine technologies, services, users' perspectives, and clinical outcomes in cancer patients during the Covid-19 pandemic. Overall, the positive outcomes and users' satisfaction showed that the use of telemedicine technology can be expanded, particularly in cancer care. Future research needs to investigate both clinical and non-clinical effectiveness of using various telemedicine services and technologies for improving cancer care delivery, which can help to develop more successful strategies for implementing this technology.

Impact of telecare interventions on quality of life in older adults: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Recently, an increase in the older adult population, their chronic diseases, and functional disabilities have led to an increase in the need for more healthcare services. Telecare is one of the solutions for caring these people and can improve their quality of life. AIM: The objective of this study was to investigate impact of telecare interventions on quality of life in older adults. METHODS: This was a systematic review conducted in 2021. PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, the Cochrane Library, Embase, IEEE Xplore, and ProQuest databases as well as Google Scholar were searched until the end of 2020 to retrieve relevant articles published in English. The quality of the studies was assessed using the National Institutes of Health (NIH) quality assessment checklists and the mixed-methods appraisal tool (MMAT). The risk of bias in the studies was assessed using version 2 of the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials (RoB 2) and the risk of bias in non-randomized studies-of interventions (ROBINS-I). RESULTS: In total, ten out of 1245 articles identified in the initial search, were included in this study. Telemonitoring (n = 7) and telerehabilitation (n = 3) were the most common methods of telecare interventions. Overall, the findings showed that in most studies, different dimensions of quality of life were improved after using these interventions (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Evaluating impact of telecare interventions on quality of life, especially in older adults can help system developers to improve current and future telecare technologies to meet users' requirements. Future studies can focus on evaluating the impact of specific telecare systems for a particular target group using different research methodologies.

Data management system for diabetes clinical trials: a pre-post evaluation study.

BACKGROUND: Data management system for diabetes clinical trials is used to support clinical data management processes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the quality and usability of this system from the users' perspectives. METHODS: This study was conducted in 2020, and the pre-post evaluation method was used to examine the quality and usability of the designed system. Initially, a questionnaire was designed and distributed among the researchers who were involved in the diabetes clinical trials (n = 30) to investigate their expectations. Then, the researchers were asked to use the system and explain their perspectives about it by completing two questionnaires. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant differences between the users' perspectives about the information quality, service quality, achievements, and communication before and after using the system. However, in terms of the system quality (P = 0.042) and users' autonomy (P = 0.026), the users' expectations were greater than the system performance. The system usability was at a good level based on the users' opinions. CONCLUSION: It seems that the designed system largely met the users' expectations in most areas. However, the system quality and users' autonomy need further attentions. In addition, the system should be used in multicenter trials and re-evaluated by a larger group of users.

Data quality assessment in emergency medical services: an objective approach.

BACKGROUND: In emergency medical services, high quality data are of great importance for patient care. Due to the unique nature of this type of services, the purpose of this study was to assess data quality in emergency medical services using an objective approach. METHODS: This was a retrospective quantitative study conducted in 2019. The research sample included the emergency medical records of patients who referred to three emergency departments by the pre-hospital emergency care services (n = 384). Initially a checklist was designed based on the data elements of the triage form, pre-hospital emergency care form, and emergency medical records. Then, data completeness, accuracy and timeliness were assessed. RESULTS: Data completeness in the triage form, pre-hospital emergency care form, and emergency medical records was 52.3%, 70% and 57.3%, respectively. Regarding data accuracy, most of the data elements were consistent. Measuring data timeliness showed that in some cases, paper-based ordering and computer-based data entry was not sequential. CONCLUSION: Data quality in emergency medical services was not satisfactory and there were some weaknesses in the documentation processes. The results of this study can inform the clinical and administrative staff to pay more attentions to these weaknesses and plan for data quality improvement.

Emergency department-based injury surveillance information system: a conceptual model.

BACKGROUND: Injury data play a pivotal role in monitoring public health issues and Injury Surveillance Information Systems (ISIS) are useful for continuous data collection and analysis purposes. Since emergency department (ED) is usually the first place of referral for the injured people, the aim of this study was to develop a conceptual model for an ED-based ISIS. METHODS: This study was completed in 2020 and the Delphi technique (three rounds) was used to determine the main components of an ED-based ISIS. The participants were selected using the purposive sampling method. A 5-point Likert scale questionnaire was used for data collection and data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: In the first, second, and third rounds of the Delphi study, 60, 44, and 28 experts participated, respectively. In the first and second rounds, most of the items including the personal data, clinical data, data sources, and system functions were found important. In the third round of the Delphi study, 13 items which did not reach a consensus in the previous rounds were questioned again and five items were removed from the final model. CONCLUSION: According to the findings, various data elements and functions could be considered for designing an ED-based ISIS and a number of data sources should be taken into count to be integrated with this system. Although the conceptual model presented in the present study can facilitate designing the actual system, the final system needs to be implemented and used in practice to determine how it can meet users' requirements.

Effectiveness of a self-management mobile app on the quality of life of women with breast cancer: a study in a developing country.

BACKGROUND: Self-management involves taking responsibility for personal health and taking the initiative to do so. This can be accomplished by learning information and skills that will help consider the difficulties may encounter during and after cancer treatment. With this perspective, we have aimed to develop a self-management mobile app for women with breast cancer in Iran and evaluate its impact on the quality of life of patients. METHOD: This study is a methodological study in 2021. We developed the app during three phases. The first phase aimed at identifying educational content and designing user experience, the second phase aimed at developing and implementing the app, and the third phase aimed at evaluating pre-and post-implementation. RESULT: In this study, an Android app for self-management women with breast cancer was developed. According to the results of the pre-and post-implementations among the most significant changes were in the quality of life level, highest respectively: social avoidance (Pre: 6.41-Post: 3.56), negative feelings (Pre: 5.93 - Post: 3.40), sexual function (Pre: 6.80 - Post: 5.04), sexual interest (Pre: 6.41 - Post: 4.75) and pain (Pre: 6.37 - Post: 4.97). And least the changes respectively: distress-family (Pre: 7 - Post: 7), distress-recurrence (Pre: 4.49 - Post: 4.38), benefits (Pre: 2.47 - Post: 3.12), appearance (Pre: 4.10 - Post: 3.32). Also, we calculated the usability evaluation of this app with the system usability scale (SUS); the overall rating score was 83/100, an excellent level (> 80.3), and a grade A. CONCLUSION: The study shows that a breast cancer self-management app can support and improve the quality of life of women with breast cancer. We conducted this study to show that by developing a self-management app, women with breast cancer can improve their quality of life, - by increasing their self-management skills.

Telehealth Business Models and Their Components: Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Telehealth technology is an excellent solution to resolve the problems of health care delivery. However, this technology may fail during large-scale implementation. As a result, business models can be used to facilitate commercialization of telehealth products and services. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to review different types of business models or frameworks and their components used in the telehealth industry. METHODS: This was a systematic review conducted in 2020. The databases used for searching related articles included Ovid, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Emerald, and ProQuest. Google Scholar was also searched. These databases and Google Scholar were searched until the end of January 2020 and duplicate references were removed. Finally, articles meeting the inclusion criteria were selected and the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) checklist was used for appraising the strengths and limitations of each study. Data were extracted using a data extraction form, and the results were synthesized narratively. RESULTS: Initially, 4998 articles were found and after screening, 23 were selected to be included in the study. The results showed that new telehealth business models were presented in 13 studies, and the applications of the existing business models were reported in 10 studies. These studies were related to different types of services, namely, telemonitoring (4 studies), telemedicine (3 studies), mobile health (3 studies), telerehabilitation (3 studies), telehealth (2 studies), assisted living technologies (2 studies), sensor-based systems (2 studies), and mobile teledermoscopy, teleradiology, telecardiology, and teletreatment (1 study related to each area). In most of the business models, value proposition, financial variables, and revenue streams were the main components. CONCLUSIONS: Applying business models in the commercialization of telehealth services will be useful to gain a better understanding of the required components, market challenges, and possible future changes. The results showed that different business models can be used for different telehealth technologies in various health systems and cultures. However, it is necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of these models in practice. Moreover, comparing the usefulness of these models in different domains of telehealth services will help identify the strengths and weaknesses of these models for future optimization.

The 4P telehealth business framework for Iran.

BACKGROUND: Telehealth services can utilize various information technologies and improve quality and efficiency of healthcare delivery by facilitating education, treatment, follow-up, and decision-making. However, these services are not always commercialized, and in case of commercialization, there is no guarantee for their long-term sustainability in market. Therefore, business models and frameworks are used as part of commercialization processes to identify a set of factors affecting the sustainability, effectiveness, and key business activities. The current study aimed to develop a telehealth business framework for Iran. METHODS: This research was conducted in 2021, and a mixed-methods approach was used for data collection. Initially, a telehealth business framework was developed based on the findings derived from a systematic review and a qualitative research. The proposed framework was then reviewed by an expert panel (n = 9) in which the participants had at least three years of work experience in telehealth. Finally, the framework was validated using the Delphi method (three rounds). RESULTS: The expert panel believed that some components such as partners' expertise, required capital and financial resources, research and analysis, marketing and branding, tax, product registration, and marketing at scientific congresses and science and technology exhibitions needed to be added to the framework. In the Delphi study, 68 out of 74 components proposed in the initial framework were approved across four major dimensions; namely, prerequisites, production, payments and costs, and post-production services. CONCLUSIONS: It seems that the developed framework can facilitate commercializing telehealth technologies and developing business plans. In addition, telehealth start-ups can use this framework and its various components in a competitive market to be more successful in their businesses. However, it is still critical to evaluate the effectiveness of the framework in practice and in relation to the commercialization of telehealth technologies.

Development and evaluation of an e-learning course in oxygen therapy.

BACKGROUND: Respiratory problems are among the most challenging situations in emergency care services. Different oxygen therapy methods are usually used to deal with these problems. In recent years, oxygen therapy has been recognized as one of the most widely used therapeutic processes in emergency departments (ED) mainly due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate an e-learning course in oxygen therapy for the ED clinicians. METHODS: This was a pre-post study conducted in three phases in 2021. Initially, the educational requirements of clinicians (n = 181) were investigated using a questionnaire, and in the second phase, an interactive e-learning course was developed. In the third phase, the course was assessed in terms of maintaining the principles of developing an e-learning course, affecting participants' knowledge, and supporting usability requirements. RESULTS: The findings revealed that training in oxygen therapy was essential for the ED clinicians. Therefore, an e-learning course was developed. The content production experts and the participants evaluated the content and usability of the online course at a good level. In addition, there was a statistically significant difference between the nurses' (p < 0.001) and general practitioners' (p < 0.002) pre- and post-test scores suggesting that the course improved their knowledge. CONCLUSION: It seems that the e-learning course developed in the current study can improve health care professionals' knowledge and quality of care. However, more evaluation studies are needed to investigate the effectiveness of the course for other clinicians, such as nurses who work in intensive care units.

Key components and critical factors for developing a telehealth business framework: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Telehealth technology and related products can help to solve the problems associated with providing health care services and equal distribution of resources. However, in order to run a telehealth business successfully, key components and critical factors need to be taken into account. A telehealth business framework can provide a rich understanding of these components and factors. Therefore, the present study aimed to identify the key components and critical factors for developing a telehealth business framework from the experts' perspectives. METHODS: The present qualitative study was conducted in 2020. The participants were 22 experts in the fields of medical informatics, health information management, telemedicine, telehealth, health entrepreneurship, health insurance, and digital health start-ups. In depth semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data, and the data were analyzed using framework analysis. RESULTS: Four main themes derived from data analysis. The themes included key components for developing a telehealth business framework, success factors, challenges, and barriers of a telehealth business. Overall, the results indicated that the key components in a telehealth business framework included created value, key resources, key activities, key partners, licenses and permissions, product pricing, revenue, marketing, supporting services, and getting feedback from customers. Although receiving support from different individuals and organizations as well as economic benefits of telehealth services may consider as success factors, there are a number of challenges and barriers which should be taken into account. Otherwise, these factors may hinder the success of a telehealth business. CONCLUSIONS: The development of a telehealth business framework might be an important step towards developing a more complete business plan, facilitating the commercialization of telehealth products, and providing a solution for product sustainability in a competitive market. In the current study, the key components and critical factors for developing a telehealth business framework were identified; however, further research is needed to explore how these components and factors can be helpful in developing business plans and running a successful telehealth business.

Factors influencing the success of knowledge management process in health care organisations: a literature review.

INTRODUCTION: Knowledge is a strategic resource in health care organisations and knowledge management (KM) is applied as an effective solution to overcome challenges, such as rising health care cost and increasing demands for improving quality of care. The aim of this review was to identify factors influencing the success of KM process in health care organisations of developed and developing countries. METHODS: This review was conducted in 2018. The sources used for searching relevant papers were PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, Web of Knowledge, EMBASE and Google Scholar, and the time frame was between 1980 and 2017. The search terms were KM, health care services administration, health care organisation, hospital and clinic which were combined by using AND/OR Boolean operators. RESULTS: In this review, 13 papers were included. The main success factors influencing KM implementation in health care organisations were organisational culture, information technology, organisational structure, and performance evaluation and measurement. In developed countries, organisational culture was the most frequent factor, while in developing countries, organisational culture and information technology were the most frequent ones. CONCLUSION: It seems that in developed and developing countries, organisational factors are the most frequent factors influencing successful KM in health care organisations.

Injury surveillance information system: A review of the system requirements.

PURPOSE: An injury surveillance information system (ISIS) collects, analyzes, and distributes data on injuries to promote health care delivery. The present study aimed to review the data elements and functional requirements of this system. METHOD: This study was conducted in 2019. Studies related to injury surveillance system were searched from January 2000 to September 2019 via the databases of PubMed, Web of Knowledge, ScienceDirect, and Scopus. Articles related to the epidemiology of injury, population survey, and letters to the editor were excluded, while the review and research articles related to ISISs were included in the study. Initially 324 articles were identified, and finally 22 studies were selected for review. Having reviewed the articles, the data needed were extracted and the results were synthesized narratively. RESULTS: The results showed that most of the systems reviewed in this study used the minimum data set suggested by the World Health Organization injury surveillance guidelines along with supplementary data. The main functions considered for the system were injury track, data analysis, report, data linkage, electronic monitoring and data dissemination. CONCLUSION: ISISs can help to improve healthcare planning and injury prevention. Since different countries have various technical and organizational infrastructures, it is essential to identify system requirements in different settings.

Predicting coronary artery disease: a comparison between two data mining algorithms.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular diseases (CADs) are the first leading cause of death across the world. World Health Organization has estimated that morality rate caused by heart diseases will mount to 23 million cases by 2030. Hence, the use of data mining algorithms could be useful in predicting coronary artery diseases. Therefore, the present study aimed to compare the positive predictive value (PPV) of CAD using artificial neural network (ANN) and SVM algorithms and their distinction in terms of predicting CAD in the selected hospitals. METHODS: The present study was conducted by using data mining techniques. The research sample was the medical records of the patients with coronary artery disease who were hospitalized in three hospitals affiliated to AJA University of Medical Sciences between March 2016 and March 2017 (n = 1324). The dataset and the predicting variables used in this study was the same for both data mining techniques. Totally, 25 variables affecting CAD were selected and related data were extracted. After normalizing and cleaning the data, they were entered into SPSS (V23.0) and Excel 2013. Then, R 3.3.2 was used for statistical computing. RESULTS: The SVM model had lower MAPE (112.03), higher Hosmer-Lemeshow test's result (16.71), and higher sensitivity (92.23). Moreover, variables affecting CAD (74.42) yielded better goodness of fit in SVM model and provided more accurate result than the ANN model. On the other hand, since the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve in the SVM algorithm was more than this area in ANN model, it could be concluded that SVM model had higher accuracy than the ANN model. CONCLUSION: According to the results, the SVM algorithm presented higher accuracy and better performance than the ANN model and was characterized with higher power and sensitivity. Overall, it provided a better classification for the prediction of CAD. The use of other data mining algorithms are suggested to improve the positive predictive value of the disease prediction.

Health information technologies in Iran: Opportunities for development.

Background: Health information technologies (HIT) have some benefits and may have some potentially negative impacts. Therefore, it is difficult to plan for future health information technologies. This study aimed to investigate the key and non-key health information technologies which could be considered for the future strategy development in Iran. Methods: In this study, experts and policymakers in the field of health information technology were invited to take part in a qualitative study. Purposive sampling was used to select the most informant people, and 13 interviews were conducted. The method of framework analysis was used to analyze data. Results: The four main themes emerged from data analysis were 1) immediate, cheap, stable, and secure access to the health records of the society, 2) equitable access to health care resources and services, 3) knowledge management in healthcare services, and 4) governmental/central electronic services for the health system. To cover the mentioned areas, a number of key and non-key technologies were discussed by the interviewees. Conclusion: In this study, a number of key and non-key health information technologies were recognized. While the findings can help policymakers to pay more attention to the key technologies to improve healthcare delivery, these technologies need to be prioritized in terms of their importance for the country.

International Trends in Health Science Librarianship Part 18: The Middle East (Iran, Qatar and Turkey).

This is the 18th in a series of articles exploring international trends in health science librarianship in the 21st century. The focus of the present issue is the Middle East (Iran, Qatar and Turkey). The next feature column will investigate trends in the Balkan States JM.

systematized review of telemedicine applications in treating burn patients.

Background: Telemedicine has been used in different fields of medicine in the past 20 years. The main advantages of this technology include saving costs, improving quality of care, and increasing access to specialists. This study aimed to review telemedicine applications in treating burn patients. Methods: In this systematized review study, related papers were searched using various databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and Science Direct. The time frame was between January 2000 and March 2016; finally, 32 papers were included in the study. Results: The findings revealed that telemedicine was used in burn care in three different ways: Remote patient follow-up, teleconsultation, and patient assessment. Conclusion: It seems that telemedicine can be easily applied in treating burn patients even when there is a limited financial resource. The use of this technology can help reduce possible errors in categorizing burn patients and decrease patients' transportation and treatment costs.