Patient portals are web-based tools that provide patients with access to their health records and enhance communication with providers. Despite the efforts in expanding their use and patients interest in using them, patient portal usage remains low. Higher use of portals is associated with greater patient engagement and better healthcare quality and outcomes. This study investigated the impact of perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEU) on patient portal usage. The conceptual framework was based on the Technology Acceptance Model, which suggests that PU and PEU of a system affect attitude and behavioral intention toward using the system, and ultimately the use of the system. The research questions focused on whether PU and PEU significantly affect portal usage. Participants included a convenience sample of 432 patients of Abington Health, located in Abington, PA, who had access to Abington's eClinicalWorks patient portal. Cross-sectional data collected from the completed online surveys included responses to Davis' PU and PEU measurement scale, self-reported portal login frequency and login duration, and some patient demographics. Data was analyzed by using chi-square test of independence and multinomial logistic regression. The study found that a significant relationship exists between PU and login frequency, PU and login duration, and PEU and login duration; however, the impact of PU and PEU on portal usage was not significant. The study could be repeated among a different population using a different patient portal. This study helps understand the relationship between PU/PEU and portal usage, something healthcare providers can capitalize upon when promoting portal use, and ultimately, encouraging greater patient engagement in their own health.

<p>Internet  has  given  possibilities  to  a  whole  new world within communication. Nowadays  the communication  inside organisations and companies  takes place  through  the Internet. The  idea  of  this paper  arose when one of  the  authors discussed  the  general  involvement of  the  tenant-owner’s association  in  the committee. Providing a new channel  for  communication  through a homepage  could  affect  the  attitude  of  the  tenants.  We  were  curious  of  what  effect  on communication  introducing a homepage would give. Also how you would  reach  the proposed effect, which is to increase the communication in the association. Through feasibility study we examined  the way of how the members communicated. After  the production of  the homepage we could see the effect of communication by having personal interviews.   Our  conclusion  is  that  the  communication  has  been  simplified  for members  and  for  the committee. Unfortunately not all members have used  the new  service,  this has been analysed. We  think  that  a  more  intensive  marketing  would  lead  to  more  interest.  The  user  must  be motivated and see the benefit of the product.</p>

In the world of commercial computing, consumers are being inundated with baroque, bloated, and difficult-to-use computing applications, tools that use computational methods and technologies to perform tasks. Market forces demand that new versions of these applications implement more features, the user-accessible behaviors and services implemented by the application, than their predecessors or competitors. Ensuring that planned features required for market competitiveness enhance a computing application without these side effects first requires that we understand how these features contribute to the overall design and conceptual integrity of the application While conceptual integrity affects all aspect of the application, we are primarily interested in how an applications user-accessible features have been designed and implemented. To this end, we have developed a research framework, methodologies, and artifacts for measuring the conceptual integrity of a computing artifact from its theory of the world or its ontology. We use conceptual coherence, which we define as the degree to which an applications concepts are tightly related, as a first approximation for conceptual integrity. We claim the following: any computing application has a central or core set of concepts that are essential to that applications ontology and can be identified through analytical means; and concepts that are not essential to an applications ontology either exist to support core concepts or are peripheral to the ontology. Peripheral concepts reduce an applications conceptual coherence. We have developed the method of ontological excavation to identify the concepts in a computing application and model them as an ontology expressed as a semantic network. To identify core and peripheral concepts and to measure an ontologys conceptual coherence, we developed methodologies for ontological analysis. If usefulness depends on the conceptual integrity of an applications ontology such that it ensures high fitness to a problem domain, then we would expect that users solving problems in that domain will invoke the concepts integral to the solution more often than those concepts that do not. Thus, to validate our structural measures, we claim the following: the probable use of the application will invoke core concepts more frequently than peripheral concepts in the ontology.

In today’s world, we live in a technologically advanced environment where information access is huge and limitless. The advantage to this is that, people are able to create more information, share and communicate with each other instantly on the go regardless of where they are in the world. However on the downside, with endless information, it becomes confusing and difficult to filter which information is right for a person’s need. This goes hand-in-hand for business companies, as it requires strategic processes and tools to identify the information from the market, store and evaluate it into meaningful insights and lastly communicate it efficiently so that the value of it is not lost along the way. Therefore this study focuses on how augmented reality (AR) as an emerging digital technology is able to dissect and communicate information and bring value to those who are implementing it. What is more interesting in this study is to see the usefulness and ease of using AR from commercial and non-commercial aspects in B2B field. This study was conducted through a qualitative research approach with semi-structured interviews with five companies providing and using AR applications. In conclusion, AR brings value by transferring data faster and communicating it effectively through visualization of integrating computer-generated information with the real world as one. From commercial aspect, companies could use this technology in their marketing communication to increase customer involvement and perception of the brand. In contrast, from non-commercial perspective, companies could use AR as an internal resource to increase efficiency in operation process.

A widespread access to computers and the Internet at home signals a change in the "information environment" of everyday life. This thesis deals with how this new situation can be studied and understood. Based on the assumption that Internet should be seen as an informationsystem that is finding its place alongside more familiar information systems in everyday life, the objective is set out to develop a conceptual framework of information behavior in everyday life. The empirical material consists of previous research on informationbehavior (predominantly from the Information Studies field of research), and of qualitative case studies of ten information users in the context of their nonwork everyday lives, collected by means of diaries and interviews. The primary result is a model which offers a viable framework forunderstanding information behavior in everyday life, with the characteristics that: It considers all forms of information behavior; it makes it possible to study information systems in concert that previously have been studied only separately; it goes deeply into the circumstances of everyday life; it offers means to understand the significance of social relations and communities for individual information behavior. The secondary result offers insights into particular user behavior concerning the Internet in relation to other information systems in everyday life.

This thesis problematizes the concept of usefulness, in part by taking questions to the extreme. The starting point is the contemporary view of usefulness, a view that remains within a traditional paradigm of technical rationality in which important aspects are disregarded or not perceived because they are not part of the equation. For scrutiny of technological usefulness that is a socially situated phenomenon regarding physical systems, neither interpretivist nor positivist research approaches are sufficient. Both views are required. Critical Realism supports such duality, facilitating the combination of elements from different paradigms, and provides methodological guidelines for doing this. The critical realist approach makes it possible to transcend the boundaries of technical rationality and contribute an alternative definition of usefulness that takes into account also the situated, the contextual, and the unpredictable. The aim is that this definition will contribute to a transformation of society. Concepts related to usefulness, such as predictability, controllability, effectiveness, and safety, are revisited, redefined, or complemented. Underlying aspects and mechanisms are explored and tensions identified, resulting in a theoretical contribution with models and frameworks explaining what is argued to be the true nature of usefulness. Potentiality is suggested as a complementary concept to effectiveness, similar to how resilience complements safety. Situated usefulness is then defined using these four concepts. The phenomenon known as situation awareness is scrutinized as well, and complemented by system awareness and the thesis title concept, edge awareness. Four cases, two airline crashes and two nuclear power plant events, and three future scenarios, constitute the empirical contribution. The analysis shows that the contributed frameworks and redefinition of usefulness facilitate different or extended explanations of all four events, and that future cases lack considerations of situated usefulness. Research implications center on the human role and our responsibilities in relation to the technology that we use, and on the meaning of concepts defining this role. We are situated human beings. Our role is to be involved and responsible, a role requiring awareness and controllability. The escalating ubiquity and the character of computerized technological systems make therefore the quest for edge awareness more important than ever.

Alberta Health Services (AHS) has introduced e-learning for health professionals to expand their existing training, offer flexible web-based learning opportunities, and reduce training time and cost. This study is designed to evaluate the usability and usefulness of an e-learning module for a patient clinical information system scheduling application. A cost-effective framework for usability evaluation has been developed and conceptualized as part of this research. Low-Cost Rapid Usability Engineering (LCRUE), Cognitive Task Analysis (CTA), and Heuristic Evaluation (HE) criteria for web-based learning were adapted and combined with the Software Usability Measurement Inventory (SUMI) questionnaire. To evaluate the introduction of the e-learning application, usability was assessed in two groups of users: frontline users and informatics consultant users. The effectiveness of the LCRUE, CTA, and HE when combined with the SUMI was also investigated. Results showed that the frontline users are satisfied with the usability of the e-learning platform. Overall, the informatics consultant users are satisfied with the application, although they rated the application as poor in terms of efficiency and control. The results showed that many areas where usability was problematic are related to general interface usability (GIU), and instructional design and content, some of which might account for the poorly rated aspects of usability. The findings should be of interest to developers, designers, researchers, and usability practitioners involved in development of e-learning systems. / Graduate / 0769 / 0984 / 0541 / tdafalla@uvic.ca; tdafalla@gmail.com

This study focuses on the implementation of Learning Management System (LMS) in the higher education sector in Iraq. Its aim is to develop a policy adoption framework for LMS implementation by scientifically investigating LMS adoption using a model that combines the principles of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Technology-Organisation-Environment (TOE) framework. The research methodology comprises of seven stages that adopts the interpretive paradigm and a mixed-methods research design. A case study design is used to investigate LMS integration in the University of Al-Qadisiyah. A TAM-TOE questionnaire is developed for the academic staff of the University of Al-Qadisiyah, in which the perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use of LMS are analysed in the case organisation. The technological, organisational, and environmental aspects of LMS implementation are also examined. The survey received valid responses from 283 academic staff. In-depth semi-structured interviews of 8 academics, administrative staff and IT personnel contributed to the qualitative data. The survey respondents are selected using stratified sampling whilst purposive sampling is used to select the interview participants. The questionnaire data was analysed using correlation analysis, whilst thematic analysis is used for the interview data. The study identifies the barriers to LMS implementation as: Lack of or limited teachers’ training, lack of commitment to constructivist pedagogy, lack of experience to use the new technology, lack of technical support, and lack of appropriate educational software. These results feed into the policy framework design. The contribution to research knowledge includes the creation of a new adoption model derived from TAM and TOE to examine the LMS implementation barriers in a war recovering economy like Iraq. This approach the integration of academic users’ acceptance with macro-level factors like government support. The results lease to the development of the LMS policy framework to guide policy makers to prioritise their limited LMS investments. The novelty of the work is the bringing together the considerations of the individual users and the socio-economic context.

Bakgrund: Studien har genomförts för att undersöka och analysera förvärvsupplysningars användbarhet i årsredovisningar respektive integrerade rapporter från och med år 2013 till och med år 2016. Tidigare studier undersöker integrerade rapporters beslutsanvändbarhet utifrån ett investerarperspektiv, vilket kopplas till reaktioner i bolagens aktiepris ochaktieavkastning. Syfte: Syftet med vår studie är att undersöka skillnader i hur väl integrerade rapporter respektive årsredovisningar från noterade europeiska bolag, fungerar som beslutsunderlag för investerare i bolag som genomfört förvärv. Därtill är syftet att undersöka och analysera i vilken utsträckning integrerade rapporter är mer beslutsanvändbara än traditionella årsredovisningar. Genomförande: Studien utgår från en kvantitativ ansats där vi mäter hur aktiepris och aktieavkastning reagerar på årsrapporternas innehåll av förvärvsupplysningar. Detta föregås av innehållsanalyser av årsrapporterna vilka slutligen inkluderas i våra regressionsanalyser för besvarande av syftet. Resultat: Utifrån innehållsanalysen är integrerade rapporter generellt bättre på att ge beslutsanvändbara förvärvsupplysningar. Detta återspeglas i en större reaktion på de förvärvande bolagens aktiepris. Gällande aktieavkastningen uteblir reaktionen både för integrerade rapporter och traditionella årsredovisningar. Rörande upplysningar om goodwill reagerar aktiepriset för både integrerade rapporter och årsredovisningar, medan reaktioneni aktieavkastning uteblir. / Background: This study has been conducted to investigate possible differences in how integrated reports and traditional annual reports provide information about acquisitions for European listed companies from 2013 to 2016. Previous studies on integrated reporting have mainly focused on investigating whether these reports serve as a base for decision-usefulness for investors and how reporting companies' stock returns are subsequently improved after the issuance of annual reports as integrated reports, where results have varied. Aim: The purpose of our study is to investigate differences in how well integrated reports and annual reports from listed European companies serve as a basis for investors in companies that have completed acquisitions. In addition, the purpose is to investigate and analyse the extent to which integrated reports are more decision-useful than traditional annual reports. Completion: The study is based on a quantitative approach where we measure how stock price and return on equity react to acquisition information in annual reports. This is preceded by a content analysis of the annual reports, which is ultimately included in our regression analysis. Results: We find that integrated reports are generally better in acquisition disclosures than traditional annual reports. Furthermore, we find that stock prices of companies with integrated reports receive a more significant reaction in response to the disclosure of acquisition information than traditional annual reports. Such significance does not exist for the stock returns of both types of reporting companies. Lastly, we find that share prices of both types of reporting companies significantly respond to goodwill and intangible assets disclosures.

Cette thèse questionne l’utilité avérée du dispositif dit de Reporting Intégré en tant que nouveau dispositif de contrôle pilotage. Une revue rétro-exploratoire des outils de contrôle existants est utilisée pour caractériser des attributs utiles à une nouvelle instrumentation du contrôle-pilotage. Une première mise à l’épreuve théorique montre que le RI possède ces attributs. Sur la base des définitions d’auteurs de référence en systémique, la réflexion a révélé l’existence d’un système technico-organisationnel formé par le contrôle, l’organisation et la technologie. Aussi, guidée par la modélisation systémique, la deuxième étape du processus a été l’identification des conditions permettant d’accueillir et d’utiliser effectivement le dispositif dit de RI au cœur du système. Une enquête exploratoire auprès d’une trentaine de groupes cotés a été réalisée pour mettre à l’épreuve ces conditions d’accueil sur les phases de conception, d’ingénierie et d’exploitation du dispositif. Mais cette enquête a surtout cherché à discuter de l’utilité avérée du dispositif dans un objectif de contrôle-pilotage, sur la base des attributs précédemment caractérisés. Les résultats révèlent deux niveaux de lecture : un premier niveau qui montre qu’a priori le dispositif possède effectivement de nombreux attributs. Un deuxième niveau qui révèle une croyance avérée plus qu’une utilité avérée dans de nombreuses organisations. Les discours indiquent aussi que le RI est d’avantage dédié aux stratèges globaux plus qu’aux stratèges locaux. / This research challenges Integrated Reporting usefulness as a new internal management control system. A review of existing management control tools has enabled to characterize useful management control tools attributes. First part of this research has been dedicated to test theoretically Integrated Reporting. In-depth analysis of IIRC Framework shows IR possesses theoretically those attributes. But this theoretical adherence is not sufficient: IR needs to be set up at the heart of a technical and organisational system. Guided by systems modelling approach, second step has been the identification of conditions allowing reception and effective usage of IR at the heart of the system. An explanatory survey conducted among about thirty listed companies has been realized to test those conditions on think, build and run phases. But this survey has overall dedicated to debate IR usefulness, on the basis of attributes previously characterized. Results can be read at two levels: first level shows that IR actually meets expectations in terms of management control effectiveness. Second level reveals more strong belief than strong usefulness in many organisations. Verbatim also shows that IR is more dedicated to global decision-makers than local decision-makers.