BIOSTEC_DC 2024 Abstracts

Full Papers
Full Papers
Paper Nr: 5
Title:

The Impact of Digitalization on the Quality Criteria of Measuring Instruments for Manual Dexterity. Development and Validation of the Digital Box and Block Test and the Digital Nine Hole Peg Test
Authors:

Eveline Prochaska
Abstract: Measuring instruments are used in healthcare to assess physical functions and conditions (De Vet et al., 2011; Mokkink et al., 2010). Various healthcare professions (occupational therapy, physiotherapy, nursing) utilize measuring instruments to quantify changes caused by illness, injury or therapeutic measures (Fawcett, 2007; Schädler et al., 2006; Schönthaler, 2016) often in an unchanged (analog) form for decades. The Box and Block Test (BBT) (see Fig. 1) measures gross manual dexterity (Kontson et al., 2017), while the Nine Hole Peg Test (NHPT) (see Fig. 2) measures fine manual dexterity (Oxford Grice et al., 2003). Digitalization in the healthcare sector offers important benefits for patients, doctors, healthcare professionals and funding providers. Processes are supported and simplified, which improves outcomes for patients and increases the efficiency of care (Becker et al., 2015). It is to be expected that the digitalization of measuring instruments will also bring benefits for all those involved in healthcare. However, there is a lack of sufficient studies to provide the necessary evidence (Becker et al., 2015; Day et al., 2022). The research idea is to digitize the BBT and the NHPT in order to gain advantages. By implementing automatic time measurement and result display, the quality of measurement and evaluation is to be improved. The aim of this study is to investigate how digitization affects the quality criteria (validity, reliability and practicability) of the measurement instruments BBT and NHPT. Both measurement instruments are widely used in clinical settings (Johansson & Häger, 2019; Kontson et al., 2017). The originals are made of wood or plastic and require additional material, such as a stopwatch and documentation sheets, in order to be carried out. The digitalization of these measurement instruments could have positive effects on the measurement results and the experience for patients and healthcare professionals.
Paper Nr: 6
Title:

Serious Gamification App for Improving Sleep-Wake Cycle and Sleep Education
Authors:

Nhung H. Hoang
Abstract: Gamified applications have the potential to incentivize individuals to engage in physical activity, monitor their actions, assess how they stack up against others on social media, and offer incentives for reaching goals. With the development of wearable sleep trackers and many mobile applications to support sleep health, we want to take their advantage to design a mobile app to improve sleep hygiene. Our target users are university students, as they are known to have irregular sleep schedules. We aim to track the sleep patterns of university students using Fitbit and develop a user-centred gamified app to help maintain regular sleep patterns. We aim at helping students in 1) Encouraging consistent bedtime, 2) Avoid snoozing habit and 3) Exploring sleep knowledge. To achieve the goals, we plan to conduct interviews among university students to collect preference which can be the baseline for app design. Through this study, we hope to see some positivity in sleep regulation among university students with the combination of gamification, Fitbit smartwatches and CBT-I method in treating insomnia.
Paper Nr: 7
Title:

Optimizing Alerts in Clinical Decision Support Systems by Enhancing Specificity and Sensitivity to Prevent Adverse Drug Events
Authors:

Zaib Un Nisa Khosa
Abstract: Background: Clinical decision support systems (CDSS) are integral to modern healthcare, providing timely information through alerts to aid healthcare providers. However, challenges such as alert fatigue and alert overrides significantly impede their effectiveness. The research context delves into the multifaceted factors affecting CDSS performance, encompassing technology, human factors, organizational aspects, and process considerations, scrutinized through the socio-technical framework. Medication-related alerts, vital for ensuring patient adherence, grapple with issues like frequent overrides and low clinical value. Research significance/importance: The research underscores the paramount significance of specificity and sensitivity within CDSS alerts, particularly in hospital settings. In healthcare, challenges abound, ranging from the intricacies of alert design and the management of alert fatigue to the delicate task of harmonizing specificity and sensitivity. These challenges permeate the healthcare landscape, exerting influences on patient care, increasing the burdens on healthcare providers, and introducing potential risks of adverse outcomes. Achieving a nuanced equilibrium between specificity and sensitivity within CDSS is crucial, considering unique healthcare requirements and patient characteristics. Proposed solutions and potential contributions: The research proposes tailored interventions, from alert deactivation to leveraging contextual information, emphasizing context-specific data and the role of well-designed order entry systems. Recommendations span standardizing alert criteria, periodic system assessments, and meticulous investigations into factors influencing ADEs. The research advocates for a comprehensive, multifaceted approach considering technological enhancements, human factors, organizational adjustments, and refined processes to enhance CDSS specificity and sensitivity. Practical contributions manifest through integrating research findings into a structured framework and mapping factors onto the HOT-fit framework for optimization. The ultimate objective is the prevention of ADEs, requiring thorough documentation related to clinical justification for alert overrides and rule revisions and acknowledging the cross-disciplinary significance of specificity and sensitivity and ongoing refinement in alert design and monitoring. Researchers and healthcare professionals unite to address these challenges, striving for enhanced CDSS efficacy and improved patient outcomes.