History of Romanian Medical Informatics: Learning from the Past to Reshape the Future.

OBJECTIVES: The paper presents a review of the history of medical informatics in Romania, starting from the pioneering works, relating the present, and foreseeing the future. METHODS: Major milestones of the development of this field have not been simply enumerated, but described within the specific socio-political frame, grasping the entire context over the last four decades in Romania. Two main perspectives have been traced: education and training in medical informatics and implementations in healthcare. RESULTS: Four distinctive historical periods are identified and the major events of each period are described in a critical manner. The history of the Romanian Society of Medical Informatics is presented in a separate chapter. The last section is dedicated to the present state of the field in Romania. CONCLUSION: The history of Romanian Medical Informatics spans many years and is rich in content. The Romanian Society of Medical Informatics is mainly the result of the efforts undertaken by an enthusiastic and sound professional community, trying to continue the tradition, to achieve new goals, and to work as an active member of the international biomedical/health informatics community.

Engaging with change: Information and communication technology professionals' perspectives on change in the context of the 'Brexit' vote.

BACKGROUND: Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has been a key agent of change in the 21st century. Given the role of ICT in changing society this research sought to explore the responses and attitudes to change from ICT professionals and ICT academics in dealing with the potentially far reaching political challenge triggered by the UK's 2016 European Union Referendum and its decision to leave the European Union (referred to as Brexit). Whilst the vote was a UK based decision its ramifications have global implications and as such the research was not confined to the UK. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Data was collected through a survey launched on the first working day after the Brexit referendum vote to leave the EU and kept open for four weeks. The survey contained qualitative and quantitative questions. It sought to understand the opportunities and threats that would exist post-Brexit for ICT professionals and academics triggered by the decision. The research captured a complex rich picture on ICT professionals' responses to the potential challenge of change triggered by the Brexit vote. Immediately after the Brexit decision the research reveals uncertainties amongst ICT professionals regarding what the decision would mean, with just under half of the participants not identifying any opportunities or threats. For those who did, threats outweighed opportunities by just more than double. Whilst understanding the global possibilities and dangers, participants saw their position from national and organizational perspectives. The highest frequency coded threats related to areas outside the participants' control and the highest frequency opportunities related to areas where there was the potential for ICT interventions. This survey is part of longitudinal piece of research. Using the same methodological approach two further surveys are planned. The second survey will be one year after Article 50 was triggered on 29 March 2017. The final survey will be one year after the UK exit from the EU, assuming this occurs.

Efectos de variables tecnológicas y de la titulación universitaria en la creatividad ideacional / Effects of tecnological variables and the university degree in the creativity ideational

El objetivo del presente estudio fue examinar los efectos de tres variables -herramientas informáticas, objetos tecnológicos y titulación universitaria- en la generación de ideas creativas tanto a nivel individual como grupal. La investigación se llevó a cabo con una muestra de 112 alumnos de la Universidad Pública de Navarra (España) organizados en diferentes grupos experimentales y de control según las exigencias de las hipótesis planteadas. La intervención consistió en la ejecución de actividades que requerían a los sujetos la elaboración de ideas sobre los siguientes campos: soluciones a un problema, utilidades de algunos objetos y mejoras de otros objetos. Los resultados revelaron que los sujetos que trabajaron tanto con herramientas informáticas como con objetos tecnológicos y que pertenecían a la titulación de Ingeniería Técnica en Informática de Gestión, enunciaron mayor número de ideas en las distintas actividades de intervención que los sujetos que trabajaron sin herramientas informáticas, con objetos convencionales y que pertenecían a la titulación de Trabajo Social. Finalmente, se ofrecen en este estudio algunas conclusiones relevantes (AU)

The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of three variables -computer tools, technological objects and university degree- in the generation of creative ideas so much to individual level as group. The research was carried out by a sample of 112 pupils of the Public University of Navarre (Spain) organized in different experimental and control groups according to the requirements of the raised hypotheses. The intervention consisted of the execution of activities that required the subjects the development of ideas on the following fields: solutions to a problem, utilities of some objects and improvements of other objects. The results revealed that the subjects that worked both with computer tools and with technological objects and that belonged to the degree of Technical Engineering in Computer Science of Management, enunciated major number of ideas in the different activities of intervention that the subjects that worked without computer tools, with conventional objects and that belonged to the degree of Social Work. Finally, some relevant conclusions offer in this study (AU)

Elementos facilitadores en la implantación de servicios de telemedicina. Perspectiva de los profesionales implicados en su diseño y puesta en marcha / Facilitators in the implantation of telemedicine services. Perspective of professionals involved in its design and implementation

Fundamento. Ante las dificultades que encuentra la Telemedicinapara su incorporación definitiva a la práctica clínicay ante la falta de evidencia sobre las estrategias de implementaciónmás adecuadas, resulta necesario recoger y difundirel aprendizaje obtenido a partir de la experiencia ensu introducción en nuestro sistema de salud. El objetivo delestudio es identificar los elementos facilitadores percibidospor los profesionales que participan en el diseño y puestaen marcha de proyectos de Telemedicina.Métodos. Estudio cualitativo realizado a partir de los datosobtenidos a través de entrevistas semi-estructuradas a 17informantes clave de diferentes organizaciones del ámbitode la salud en Cataluña.Resultados. Los facilitadores identificados son que el serviciode Telemedicina responda a una necesidad claramentepercibida por los profesionales; que el núcleo del liderazgoincorpore a clínicos en un modelo abierto, participativo yflexible que tenga en cuenta las necesidades de los profesionales;que sea capaz de establecer relaciones de colaboracióncon los diferentes participantes más allá de la delcliente-proveedor; y que incorpore desde el diseño inicialuna estrategia para su sostenibilidad y normalización.Conclusiones. Conocer los facilitadores y las barrerasque aparecen en el proceso de implantación de TM en lasorganizaciones sanitarias se convierte en un elemento dealto valor para su introducción definitiva. Un enfoque quecombine evidencia sobre eficacia clínica y coste-beneficiocon lecciones aprendidas sobre las dinámicas de implementacióny normalización permitirá obtener una comprensiónglobal de la adopción de la TM y mejorar su gestión organizativa(AU)

Background. Given the difficulties encountered by Telemedicinefor final incorporation into clinical practice and giventhe lack of scientific evidence regarding the most appropriateimplementation strategies, it is necessary to collect anddisseminate lessons gained from experience in its introductionand diffusion in our health system. The aim of this studyis to identify the facilitators perceived by professionalswho actively participate in the design and implementationof telemedicine projects in the health care system.Methods. Qualitative study of data from semi-structuredinterviews with 17 key informants belonging to different Catalanhealth organizationsResults. The identified facilitators are grouped in fourbroad areas: a TM service that meets a need clearly perceivedby practitioners; a core leadership with a clinical profile,managing an open, participatory and flexible modelthat takes into account the needs of professionals; the abilityto establish partnerships with different stakeholdersbeyond the customer-supplier relationship; and the inclusionin the initial design of a strategy for sustainability andnormalization.Conclusions. Understanding the facilitators and barriersthat appear in the process of implementing TM experiencesin health care organizations becomes an item of highvalue for its final introduction. An approach combining theevidence on clinical effectiveness and cost-benefit with lessonslearned about the dynamics of implementation andnormalization will allow for a holistic understanding of theadoption of the TM and provide guidance for improving itsorganizational management(AU)