Theoretically, the use of Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) holds promise of numerous benefits in healthcare provision, including improvement in continuity of care, quality of care and safety. However, in practice, there is evidence that the adoption of electronic medical records has been slow and where adopted, often lacks meaningful use. Thus there is a clear dichotomy between the ambitions for EMR use and the reality of EMR implementation. In the USA, a legislative approach was taken to turn around the situation. Other countries such as Canada and European countries have followed suit (in their own way) to address the adoption and meaningful use of electronic medical records. The South African e-Health strategy and the National Health Normative Standards Framework for Interoperability in eHealth in South Africa documents both recommend the adoption of EMRs. Much work has been done to establish a baseline for standards to ensure interoperability and data portability of healthcare applications and data. However, even with the increased focus on e-Health, South Africa remains excessively reliant on paper-based medical records. Where health information technologies have been adopted, there is lack of coordination between and within provinces, leading to a multitude of systems and vendors. Thus there is a lack of systematic adoption and meaningful use of EMRs in South Africa. The main objective of this research is to develop the components required to engender meaningful use of electronic medical records in the South African healthcare context. The main contributors are identified as EMR certification and consistent, proper use of certified EMRs. Literature review, a Delphi study and logical argumentation are used to develop the relevant components for the South African healthcare context. The benefits of EMRs can only be realized through systematic adoption and meaningful use of EMRs, thus this research contributes to providing a road map for engendering the meaningful use of EMRs with the ultimate aim of improving healthcare in the South African healthcare landscape.

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Technology: Information Technology, Durban University of Technology, 2013. / In this study, an investigation was conducted to determine an appropriate lightweight framework that could adequately support Very Small Enterprises (VSEs) in documenting their daily business transactions. The VSEs play a significant role in the socioeconomic development of nations by providing employment opportunities. They contribute to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and provide a platform for entrepreneurial skills advancement. However, VSEs have very little access to innovative Information and Communication Technology (ICT) that could help to address the unique challenges that prohibit their growth and sustainability. In many instances, the documentation of VSEs business transactions is still lacking. This deficiency promotes insufficient, unreliable and untraceable business transaction records which ultimately affect the smooth growth and sustainability of VSEs. Mobile technology provides the VSEs with a unique opportunity because of its support for mobility and low costs of system procurement. Moreover, mobile technology can enable easy connection, access and retrieval of VSE services even in the resource constrained environments anytime and anywhere. However, the inherent limitations of mobile devices such as device size, storage size, computing power and battery lifespan have forced many of the existing ICT business applications to continually rely on desktop computers. The desktop computer applications are huge, complex and not compatible with the current mobile devices. The Design Science Research (DSR) method was used to understand how VSEs conduct their daily business transactions, discover essential factors that influence the business processes of VSEs and derive a lightweight framework for mobile documentation of VSE business transactions. The lightweight framework was prototyped as ICT artefact and evaluated to determine the adoption of mobile applications by VSEs for documentation of daily business transactions. The evaluation results revealed the developed lightweight framework to be effective for mobile documentation of VSEs business transactions.

As unidades básicas de saúde utilizam tecnologias de informação e comunicação (TIC) desde o ano de 1997, com a finalidade de potencializar a comunicação entre os serviços. A compreensão e conhecimento dos profissionais que as utilizam é fundamental para obter-se a qualidade do cuidado integral ao paciente. Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo descrever a percepção dos profissionais de saúde sobre a implementação e o uso do Prontuário Eletrônico do Paciente (PEP). Estudo transversal, com abordagem quantitativa e qualitativa breve, tendo como campo de estudo os profissionais que atuam na Atenção Primária em Saúde (APS) do município de Esteio na região Metropolitana de Porto Alegre (RS). Para a avaliação do prontuário eletrônico foi utilizado um questionário com perguntas e respostas assertivas padronizadas numa escala de concordância do tipo Likert. As análises descritivas preliminares apresentaram as variáveis contínuas em média e desvio padrão e, as categóricas, em frequência absoluta e relativa. O teste de confiabilidade de Cronbach's Alpha foi aplicado, preliminarmente, ao instrumento de avaliação do Prontuário Eletrônico. A análise fatorial foi realizada com o objetivo de identificar uma menor quantidade de variáveis que apresentem uma identidade comum. Inicialmente, para verificar a presença de correlações entre variáveis foi utilizado o teste de Bartlett de esfericidade. Após foi utilizada a Medida de Adequação da Amostra (MAS) para quantificar o grau de intercorrelações entre as variáveis e a adequação da análise. A percepção dos profissionais da APS frente a implementação do prontuário eletrônico do paciente demonstrou ter associação com as capacitações e informações recebidas e com as adequações realizadas nos prontuários. O pessoal da recepção foi a categoria profissional (p=0,001) que demonstrou ter maior necessidade de acesso a capacitações e informações sobre a implementação do prontuário assim como aqueles que atuam no município há menos de dois anos (p=0,024). Os enfermeiros demonstraram que a adequação do prontuário (p= 0,025) pode ser um fator a ser aprimorado para a implementação do PEP. Embora o prontuário eletrônico do paciente tenha qualificado a assistência, os profissionais de saúde que o utilizam ainda sentem necessidade de maior treinamento, capacitações e informações sobre esta ferramenta visando uma melhor qualidade na assistência prestada aos usuários do SUS. / Basic health units have been using information and communication technologies (ICT) since 1997, in order to enhance communication between services. The understanding and knowledge of the professionals who use them is fundamental to obtain the quality of integral care to the patient. This study aimed to describe the perception of health professionals about the implementation and use of the Electronic Patient Record (PEP). This is a cross-sectional study with a brief quantitative and qualitative approach, with professionals working in Primary Health Care (APS) in the city of Esteio in the Metropolitan Region of Porto Alegre (RS) as a field of study. For the evaluation of the electronic medical record, a questionnaire with standardized assertive questions and answers was used on a Likert-type agreement scale. The preliminary descriptive analyzes presented the continuous variables in mean and standard deviation, and the categorical variables, in absolute and relative frequency. The Cronbach's Alpha reliability test was applied, preliminarily, to the electronic Record evaluation instrument. Factor analysis was performed with the objective of identifying a smaller number of variables that present a common identity. Initially, Bartlett's sphericity test was used to verify the presence of correlations between variables. Afterwards the Sample Adequacy Measure (MAS) was used to quantify the degree of intercorrelations between the variables and the adequacy of the analysis. The perception of APS professionals regarding the implementation of the patient's electronic record showed to be associated with the training and information received and with the adjustments made in the medical records. The reception staff was the professional category (p = 0.001) who showed a greater need for access to training and information about the implementation of the medical record, as well as those who worked in the municipality for less than two years (p = 0.024). The nurses demonstrated that the adequacy of the chart (p = 0.025) may be a factor to be improved for the implementation of PEP. Although the patient's electronic medical record has qualified care, health professionals who use it still feel the need for more training, skills and information on this tool aiming at a better quality of care provided to SUS users.

O acolhimento com avaliação e classificação de risco representa importante estratégia na reorganização dos serviços de urgência e emergência hospitalares, caracterizados pela crescente demanda, superlotação e longo tempo de espera. Os protocolos de avaliação e classificação de risco favorecem o direcionamento da atuação do enfermeiro e da equipe de saúde na priorização dos pacientes que apresentam maior gravidade e necessitam de atendimento rápido, conforme critérios que determinam a clareza e racionalidade dos fluxos, para alcance de maior qualidade da assistência em saúde. Nessa perspectiva, os registros eletrônicos no prontuário do paciente são ferramentas que permitem analisar a aplicabilidade e efetividade da avaliação com classificação de risco, nos diferentes níveis de complexidade, espaços e momentos do cuidado nos serviços de saúde. Trata-se de um estudo retrospectivo, descritivo e correlacional, com objetivo de analisar a evolução dos pacientes atendidos na Unidade de Pronto Atendimento de um hospital privado, segundo protocolo de classificação de risco baseado no escore de alerta modificado (Modified Early Warning Score), por meio dos registros eletrônicos de pacientes atendidos no mês de novembro de 2016. A coleta de dados ocorreu no período de setembro a novembro de 2017. A amostra contemplou a análise dos registros de 325 prontuários de pacientes classificados como urgência e emergência (Modified Early Warning Score maior que 3). A análise estatística dos dados contemplou a caracterização da amostra e a identificação da classificação de risco (análise descritiva por meio de frequências absolutas e relativas), os desfechos secundários mortalidade, alta/transferência (teste de qui-quadrado de Pearson e Teste Exato de Fisher) e tempo de permanência entre os grupos analisados (Correlação de Spearman), na análise estatística adoutou-se o nível de significância ?=0,05. A maioria dos participantes da pesquisa era do sexo feminino - 193 (59,4%), com média de idade de 54,6 anos (desvio-padrão=20,8), sendo 141 (43,3%) com idade maior que 60 anos. O maior número de atendimentos ocorreu às segundas e quartas-feiras, respectivamente 60 (18,5%) e 58 (17,8%), no período das 7h às 18h59min (208 - 64%). Os escores de Modified Early Warning Score registrados no atendimento inicial dos pacientes apresentaram variação de 0 a 7, sendo 288 (88,6%) com Modified Early Warning Score de 1 a 2, 10 (3,2%) com Modified Early Warning Score 0 e 27 (8,3%) com Modified Early Warning Score maior ou igual a 3. Da amostra, 70 (21,7%) dos pacientes internaram, dos quais 8 (11,42%) foram a óbito. Foi evidenciada diferença estatisticamente significante em relação ao Modified Early Warning Score no atendimento inicial e ocorrência de internação hospitalar (p<0,001) e transferências durante a internação (p=0,008). Também foi identificada correlação entre o tempo de internação e o Modified Early Warning Score registrado nas primeiras 24 horas (p=0,010) e 48 horas (p=0,022), assim como em relação ao Modified Early Warning Score 24 horas (p=0,0019) e 48 horas (p=0,007) e evolução para óbito. Os resultados evidenciam a importância da aplicação do Modified Early Warning Score em conjunto com outros protocolos institucionais, sustentados por investimentos na capacitação e habilitação dos profissionais para acolhimento e avaliação qualificados, ações imediatas e resolutivas, visando o alcance de uma rede assistencial integrada, estruturada e organizada no atendimento às urgências e emergências, enquanto importante componente do sistema de atenção à saúde das pessoas / Reception with risk assessment and classification represents an important strategy in the reorganization of hospital emergency and emergency services, characterized by increasing demand, overcrowding and long waiting times. The protocols of risk assessment and classification favor the direction of the nurse and health team in the prioritization of patients who present greater severity and require rapid care, according to criteria that determines the clarity and rationality of the flows, to reach higher quality of health care. In this perspective, the electronic records in the patient\'s chart are tools that allow us to analyze the applicability and effectiveness of the evaluation with risk classification, in the different levels of complexity, spaces and moments of care in health services. This is a retrospective, descriptive and correlational study aimed at analyzing the evolution of the patients treated at the Emergency Care Unit of a private hospital, according to a modified risk assessment protocol based on the modified Early Warning Score (MEWS), through the electronic records of patients attended in November 2016. Data collection occurred from September to November 2017. The sample included the analysis of the records of 325 medical records of patients classified as urgency and emergency (MEWS major than three). The statistical analysis of the data included the characterization of the sample and the identification of the risk classification (descriptive analysis using absolute and relative frequencies), the secondary outcomes mortality, discharge / transfer (Pearson\'s Chi-square test and Fisher\'s exact test) and (Spearman\'s correllation), with a significance level of ?=0,05. Most of the participants were females 193 (59.4%), with an average age of 54.6 years (SD = 20.8), 141 (43.3%) were older than 60 years. The highest number of visits occurred on Mondays and Wednesdays, respectively 60 (18.5%) and 58 (17.8%), from 7:00 a.m. to 6:59 p.m. (208-64%). The MEWS scores recorded in the initial care of patients presented a variation from zero to seven, 288 (88.6%) with MEWS one to two, 10 (3.2%) with MEWS zero and 27 (8.3%) with MEWS greater than or equal to three. Of the sample, 70 (21.7%) of the patients admitted, 8 (11.42%) of whom died. It was evidenced a statistically significant difference in relation to the MEWS in the initial care and the occurrence of hospital admission (p <0.001) and transfers during hospitalization (p = 0.008). It was also identified a correlation between hospitalization time and the MEWS recorded in the first 24 hours (p = 0.010) and 48 hours (p = 0.022), as well as in relation to MEWS 24 hours (p = 0.0019) and 48 hours (p = 0.007) and evolution to death. The results show the importance of applying the MEWS in conjunction with other institutional protocols, supported by investments in training and qualification of professionals for qualified reception and evaluation, immediate and resolute actions, aiming at the achievement of an integrated, structured and organized assistance network in the emergency and emergency services, as an important component of the health care system for people

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Alberta, 2009. / A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering Management, Department of Mechanical Engineering. Title from pdf file main screen (viewed on October 23, 2009). Includes bibliographical references.

As unidades básicas de saúde utilizam tecnologias de informação e comunicação (TIC) desde o ano de 1997, com a finalidade de potencializar a comunicação entre os serviços. A compreensão e conhecimento dos profissionais que as utilizam é fundamental para obter-se a qualidade do cuidado integral ao paciente. Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo descrever a percepção dos profissionais de saúde sobre a implementação e o uso do Prontuário Eletrônico do Paciente (PEP). Estudo transversal, com abordagem quantitativa e qualitativa breve, tendo como campo de estudo os profissionais que atuam na Atenção Primária em Saúde (APS) do município de Esteio na região Metropolitana de Porto Alegre (RS). Para a avaliação do prontuário eletrônico foi utilizado um questionário com perguntas e respostas assertivas padronizadas numa escala de concordância do tipo Likert. As análises descritivas preliminares apresentaram as variáveis contínuas em média e desvio padrão e, as categóricas, em frequência absoluta e relativa. O teste de confiabilidade de Cronbach's Alpha foi aplicado, preliminarmente, ao instrumento de avaliação do Prontuário Eletrônico. A análise fatorial foi realizada com o objetivo de identificar uma menor quantidade de variáveis que apresentem uma identidade comum. Inicialmente, para verificar a presença de correlações entre variáveis foi utilizado o teste de Bartlett de esfericidade. Após foi utilizada a Medida de Adequação da Amostra (MAS) para quantificar o grau de intercorrelações entre as variáveis e a adequação da análise. A percepção dos profissionais da APS frente a implementação do prontuário eletrônico do paciente demonstrou ter associação com as capacitações e informações recebidas e com as adequações realizadas nos prontuários. O pessoal da recepção foi a categoria profissional (p=0,001) que demonstrou ter maior necessidade de acesso a capacitações e informações sobre a implementação do prontuário assim como aqueles que atuam no município há menos de dois anos (p=0,024). Os enfermeiros demonstraram que a adequação do prontuário (p= 0,025) pode ser um fator a ser aprimorado para a implementação do PEP. Embora o prontuário eletrônico do paciente tenha qualificado a assistência, os profissionais de saúde que o utilizam ainda sentem necessidade de maior treinamento, capacitações e informações sobre esta ferramenta visando uma melhor qualidade na assistência prestada aos usuários do SUS. / Basic health units have been using information and communication technologies (ICT) since 1997, in order to enhance communication between services. The understanding and knowledge of the professionals who use them is fundamental to obtain the quality of integral care to the patient. This study aimed to describe the perception of health professionals about the implementation and use of the Electronic Patient Record (PEP). This is a cross-sectional study with a brief quantitative and qualitative approach, with professionals working in Primary Health Care (APS) in the city of Esteio in the Metropolitan Region of Porto Alegre (RS) as a field of study. For the evaluation of the electronic medical record, a questionnaire with standardized assertive questions and answers was used on a Likert-type agreement scale. The preliminary descriptive analyzes presented the continuous variables in mean and standard deviation, and the categorical variables, in absolute and relative frequency. The Cronbach's Alpha reliability test was applied, preliminarily, to the electronic Record evaluation instrument. Factor analysis was performed with the objective of identifying a smaller number of variables that present a common identity. Initially, Bartlett's sphericity test was used to verify the presence of correlations between variables. Afterwards the Sample Adequacy Measure (MAS) was used to quantify the degree of intercorrelations between the variables and the adequacy of the analysis. The perception of APS professionals regarding the implementation of the patient's electronic record showed to be associated with the training and information received and with the adjustments made in the medical records. The reception staff was the professional category (p = 0.001) who showed a greater need for access to training and information about the implementation of the medical record, as well as those who worked in the municipality for less than two years (p = 0.024). The nurses demonstrated that the adequacy of the chart (p = 0.025) may be a factor to be improved for the implementation of PEP. Although the patient's electronic medical record has qualified care, health professionals who use it still feel the need for more training, skills and information on this tool aiming at a better quality of care provided to SUS users.

The traditional approach to a digital investigation when a computer system is encountered in a running state is to remove the power, image the machine using a write blocker and then analyse the acquired image. This has the advantage of preserving the contents of the computer’s hard disk at that point in time. However, the disadvantage of this approach is that the preservation of the disk is at the expense of volatile data such as that stored in memory, which does not remain once the power is disconnected. There are an increasing number of situations where this traditional approach of ‘pulling the plug’ is not ideal since volatile data is relevant to the investigation; one of these situations is when the machine under investigation is using encryption. If encrypted data is encountered on a live machine, a live investigation can be performed to preserve this evidence in a form that can be later analysed. However, there are a number of difficulties with using evidence obtained from live investigations that may cause the reliability of such evidence to be questioned. This research investigates whether digital evidence obtained from live investigations involving encryption can be considered to be reliable. To determine this, a means of assessing reliability is established, which involves evaluating digital evidence against a set of criteria; evidence should be authentic, accurate and complete. This research considers how traditional digital investigations satisfy these requirements and then determines the extent to which evidence from live investigations involving encryption can satisfy the same criteria. This research concludes that it is possible for live digital evidence to be considered to be reliable, but that reliability of digital evidence ultimately depends on the specific investigation and the importance of the decision being made. However, the research provides structured criteria that allow the reliability of digital evidence to be assessed, demonstrates the use of these criteria in the context of live digital investigations involving encryption, and shows the extent to which each can currently be met.

As unidades básicas de saúde utilizam tecnologias de informação e comunicação (TIC) desde o ano de 1997, com a finalidade de potencializar a comunicação entre os serviços. A compreensão e conhecimento dos profissionais que as utilizam é fundamental para obter-se a qualidade do cuidado integral ao paciente. Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo descrever a percepção dos profissionais de saúde sobre a implementação e o uso do Prontuário Eletrônico do Paciente (PEP). Estudo transversal, com abordagem quantitativa e qualitativa breve, tendo como campo de estudo os profissionais que atuam na Atenção Primária em Saúde (APS) do município de Esteio na região Metropolitana de Porto Alegre (RS). Para a avaliação do prontuário eletrônico foi utilizado um questionário com perguntas e respostas assertivas padronizadas numa escala de concordância do tipo Likert. As análises descritivas preliminares apresentaram as variáveis contínuas em média e desvio padrão e, as categóricas, em frequência absoluta e relativa. O teste de confiabilidade de Cronbach's Alpha foi aplicado, preliminarmente, ao instrumento de avaliação do Prontuário Eletrônico. A análise fatorial foi realizada com o objetivo de identificar uma menor quantidade de variáveis que apresentem uma identidade comum. Inicialmente, para verificar a presença de correlações entre variáveis foi utilizado o teste de Bartlett de esfericidade. Após foi utilizada a Medida de Adequação da Amostra (MAS) para quantificar o grau de intercorrelações entre as variáveis e a adequação da análise. A percepção dos profissionais da APS frente a implementação do prontuário eletrônico do paciente demonstrou ter associação com as capacitações e informações recebidas e com as adequações realizadas nos prontuários. O pessoal da recepção foi a categoria profissional (p=0,001) que demonstrou ter maior necessidade de acesso a capacitações e informações sobre a implementação do prontuário assim como aqueles que atuam no município há menos de dois anos (p=0,024). Os enfermeiros demonstraram que a adequação do prontuário (p= 0,025) pode ser um fator a ser aprimorado para a implementação do PEP. Embora o prontuário eletrônico do paciente tenha qualificado a assistência, os profissionais de saúde que o utilizam ainda sentem necessidade de maior treinamento, capacitações e informações sobre esta ferramenta visando uma melhor qualidade na assistência prestada aos usuários do SUS. / Basic health units have been using information and communication technologies (ICT) since 1997, in order to enhance communication between services. The understanding and knowledge of the professionals who use them is fundamental to obtain the quality of integral care to the patient. This study aimed to describe the perception of health professionals about the implementation and use of the Electronic Patient Record (PEP). This is a cross-sectional study with a brief quantitative and qualitative approach, with professionals working in Primary Health Care (APS) in the city of Esteio in the Metropolitan Region of Porto Alegre (RS) as a field of study. For the evaluation of the electronic medical record, a questionnaire with standardized assertive questions and answers was used on a Likert-type agreement scale. The preliminary descriptive analyzes presented the continuous variables in mean and standard deviation, and the categorical variables, in absolute and relative frequency. The Cronbach's Alpha reliability test was applied, preliminarily, to the electronic Record evaluation instrument. Factor analysis was performed with the objective of identifying a smaller number of variables that present a common identity. Initially, Bartlett's sphericity test was used to verify the presence of correlations between variables. Afterwards the Sample Adequacy Measure (MAS) was used to quantify the degree of intercorrelations between the variables and the adequacy of the analysis. The perception of APS professionals regarding the implementation of the patient's electronic record showed to be associated with the training and information received and with the adjustments made in the medical records. The reception staff was the professional category (p = 0.001) who showed a greater need for access to training and information about the implementation of the medical record, as well as those who worked in the municipality for less than two years (p = 0.024). The nurses demonstrated that the adequacy of the chart (p = 0.025) may be a factor to be improved for the implementation of PEP. Although the patient's electronic medical record has qualified care, health professionals who use it still feel the need for more training, skills and information on this tool aiming at a better quality of care provided to SUS users.

This Master thesis focuses on the concept of Records Management (RM) and Electronic Records Management (ERM) and how the adoption of an Electronic Document Records Management System (EDRMS) affects a business setting. The research focuses on the factors of perceived efficiency and on the costs that exist in a company. More specifically, this Master thesis is a qualitative exploratory case study which's aim is to examine and present the experiences and the attitudes of 4 individuals who are working in companies that possess an EDRMS. In order to acquire this deeper understanding, the data collection methods that were used were the in person semi structured interviews and the observation. During the research was examined how the perceived efficiency and the costs in a company are affected by a proper RM/ERM program. The analysis of the collected data shown that the specific individuals in the specific firms are benefited by the EDRMS and that their work is improved.

The traditional approach to a digital investigation when a computer system is encountered in a running state is to remove the power, image the machine using a write blocker and then analyse the acquired image. This has the advantage of preserving the contents of the computer’s hard disk at that point in time. However, the disadvantage of this approach is that the preservation of the disk is at the expense of volatile data such as that stored in memory, which does not remain once the power is disconnected. There are an increasing number of situations where this traditional approach of ‘pulling the plug’ is not ideal since volatile data is relevant to the investigation; one of these situations is when the machine under investigation is using encryption. If encrypted data is encountered on a live machine, a live investigation can be performed to preserve this evidence in a form that can be later analysed. However, there are a number of difficulties with using evidence obtained from live investigations that may cause the reliability of such evidence to be questioned. This research investigates whether digital evidence obtained from live investigations involving encryption can be considered to be reliable. To determine this, a means of assessing reliability is established, which involves evaluating digital evidence against a set of criteria; evidence should be authentic, accurate and complete. This research considers how traditional digital investigations satisfy these requirements and then determines the extent to which evidence from live investigations involving encryption can satisfy the same criteria. This research concludes that it is possible for live digital evidence to be considered to be reliable, but that reliability of digital evidence ultimately depends on the specific investigation and the importance of the decision being made. However, the research provides structured criteria that allow the reliability of digital evidence to be assessed, demonstrates the use of these criteria in the context of live digital investigations involving encryption, and shows the extent to which each can currently be met.