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Public Health and Healthcare Services Technologies and Development in Post-COVID 19 Era

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Health, Well-Being and Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 August 2023) | Viewed by 18519

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Victor Lorin Purcarea

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Guest Editor

Department Preclinic 3, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy ”Carol Davila” Bucharest, 020021 Bucharest, Romania
Interests: marketing and medical technologies; healthcare services; e-Health; digitalization; telemedicine; AI in healthcare; blockchain; 3D printing; IoMT; data driven healthcare

Dr. Ivona Răpan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Institute of National Economy, Romanian Academy, 050711 Bucharest, Romania
Interests: 4IR in healthcare services; telehealth; digitalization; robots; artificial intelligence; IoT; cloud computing; digital transformation pharma; remote patient monitoring

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Digitalization and Industry 4.0 play an important role in public health and healthcare services. New technologies like the Internet of Medical Things, industrial robots, and artificial intelligence (AI) together with human doctors or other employees are participating to solve the tasks in a better way. Nowadays, surgeries are asisted by medical doctors but executed by robots because their perfomances.

4IR and its components are widespread in public health and healthcare services. Modern technologies like digitalization, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, machine learning, deep learning, Big Data, and augmented reality are contributing to the new shift in healthcare services. Because of the tremendous development of disruptive technologies in the healthcare system, we can move towards Industry 5.0 to detect better ways in satisfying the patient/the consumer of healthcare services. This technology can be used to a positive experience of the patient, comfort, very effectively and proactive regarding interventions or identifying and diagnosing the correct treatment. Platforms are aiming to determine the disease, medication, telemedicine, or remote healthcare assistance. Digitalization and other components of the 4IR have mitigated the impact of COVID-19 post-crisis. New apps and bot assistance could determine the status of the patient and how much will be improved according to its parameters, to automatically predict stages of the disease or medicine interactions. A very concerning topic to focus on is marketing nutrition services that are monitoring the patient endurance and improvement in real-time that the consumer of nutrition apps to observe the tendencies and the evolution of status.

This Special Issue invites paper to expose new methodologies, methods, and 4IR tools. Another opportunity is to research how to use modern technologies to diminish risk management in public health and healthcare services using future management technologies and software to determine the best strategies for organizations in the medical industry. Within the strategies a new risk management plan for the public health and healthcare organizations to solve new challenges of the post-COVID era. Using new technologies and tools of the 4IR its possible to determine the decision-making process of healthcare service. The importance of this Special Issue is to bring originality in topics and approach, in research and development of new technologies of 4IR, new tools for communication campaigns, ServQual models in determining the satisfaction of the end-users, buying motivations for the public health and healthcare services, digitalization and online marketing promotion to improve the image of those and to generate trust and identify the most important performance indicators in the e-health system aiming by using information and communication technologies. Last but not least, all those topics related will help researchers to focus their work on recovery and resilience in the public health and healthcare services after the COVID-19 or no matter the crisis, and to apply new strategies resulting aiming to mitigate the shock effects.

Prof. Dr. Victor Lorin Purcarea
Dr. Ivona Răpan
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

Industry 4.0
disruptive technologies
artificial intelligence
machine learning
deep learning
digital trasnformation pharma
Internet of Medical Things
telehealth
telepharma
remote patient monitoring
eHealth
digitalisation
marketing services
robots
resilience

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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21 pages, 761 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Research on Users’ Privacy-Sharing Intentions in the Health Data Tracking System Providing Personalized Services and Public Services

by Shugang Li, Kexin Peng, Boyi Zhu, Ziyi Li, Beiyan Zhang, Hui Chen and Ruoxuan Li

Sustainability 2023, 15(22), 15709; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152215709 - 7 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1262

Abstract

The utilization of user privacy data in the health data tracking system (HDTS) offers numerous benefits for businesses and public services, contingent upon users’ privacy sharing intentions. However, previous research neglected users’ preferences for public services and focused mainly on personalized services. Additionally, traditional privacy calculus theory has a limited focus on data security, leaving gaps in understanding individual and societal aspects. This study aims to fill these gaps by examining the influence of risk perception and factors like potential loss expectations, perceived personalized service benefits, group value identification, perceived public service utility, and perceived privacy on privacy sharing intentions in the context of personalized and public services. The results indicate a positive relationship between individual privacy protection perception and data sharing intention, as well as a positive relationship between group value identification and perceived public service utility with individuals’ privacy sharing intentions. Moreover, this research uncovers the moderating effect of information type sensitivity on the impact of perceived privacy and perceived public service utility on privacy sharing intentions, while there is no moderating effect of information type sensitivity on the relationship between group value identification and privacy sharing intentions. We recommend improving individual privacy education, ensuring data use transparency, and fostering identification with common group values to increase users’ privacy sharing intentions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Public Health and Healthcare Services Technologies and Development in Post-COVID 19 Era)

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15 pages, 1271 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Pandemic Puzzle—Reviewing the Existing Pieces, Searching for the Missing Ones

by Gianina-Valentina Băcescu Ene, Daniela Mănuc, Anca Bordianu and Doina Adina Todea

Sustainability 2023, 15(6), 5214; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15065214 - 15 Mar 2023

Viewed by 1159

Abstract

The research carried out on socioeconomic implication models of (re)emerging infectious diseases triggering pandemics has shown us that these largely depended on infection transmission, conditioned by the type of pathogen and the human host. Also, these depended on certain external factors, such as the phenomenon of globalization, pollution, fragile health systems, modification of human behaviors, expansion of human habitat near the outbreaks, favorable vectors involved in the transmission and development of new pandemics and last but not least of wars or civil revolts. The present research attempts to provide some responses to the following questions: 1. What have been the most recent and important emerging infectious disease pandemics and what were the risk factors? 2. What was the socioeconomic impact generated by these pandemics and what important lessons did we learn/identify? 3. What measures and/or directions must be implemented/addressed to prevent/possibly stop a future wave of infections or a new pandemic? The answers to these questions are substantiated by different indicators (transmission potential and pathogen severity) through which we focused to offer some suggestions/directions regarding the way in which these pandemics could be anticipated or prevent, indicators that otherwise are already used by public authorities in the development and exploration of intervention strategies. However, through the elaboration and staged presentation of how these pandemics acted as well as the socioeconomic implications and human reactions, this research could be useful in leading to the development of new, effective ways to prevent the transmission of (re)emerging infectious diseases. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Public Health and Healthcare Services Technologies and Development in Post-COVID 19 Era)

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25 pages, 925 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Medicine Students’ Opinions Post-COVID-19 Regarding Online Learning in Association with Their Preferences as Internet Consumers

by Cristina Gena Dascalu, Magda Ecaterina Antohe, Claudiu Topoliceanu and Victor Lorin Purcarea

Sustainability 2023, 15(4), 3549; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15043549 - 15 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1855

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted e-learning as a critical component that ensured the continuity of students’ education processes. In this regard, many research groups aim to provide new scientific data about the efficiency and benefits of e-learning for healthcare students. Our study aims to evaluate the attraction of e-learning among medical and dental Romanian students, in association with their preferences as internet and computer consumers. The study enrolled 551 students in medicine from four Romanian Universities of Medicine and Pharmacy, located in major cities (Iași—64.6%, Craiova—19.6%, Timișoara—14.5% and Cluj Napoca—1.3%), mostly females (76.2%), from the first and second years of study (63.7%) or the fourth to sixth years of study (23.3%), aged 18–20 years (53.9%). To investigate their opinions about the efficiency of e-learning, we used an anonymous questionnaire with 31 items regarding advantages (17 items) and possible drawbacks (14 items). The students in medicine had favourable opinions about online learning because these tools are more comfortable (75.2%) and more flexible (60.1%). The main reasons for disagreement were the lack of direct communication and human interaction with teachers (53.2%), limitations due to the particularities of some disciplines that cannot be easily transferred to the online environment (46.4%), and the lack of proper motivation (32.5%). Older students, who liked to use multimedia resources in the learning process and used the internet mainly for information purposes or domestic facilities, had the highest scores for favourable opinions about online learning. The younger students, who did not prefer using multimedia resources in the learning process, also had the highest scores for disagreement regarding online learning. There were no statistically significant differences between genders. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Public Health and Healthcare Services Technologies and Development in Post-COVID 19 Era)

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14 pages, 321 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Digital Technologies for Public Health Services after the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Risk Management Analysis

by Loredana Larisa Văduva (Ene), Ana-Maria Nedelcu, Daniela Stancu (Zamfir), Cristinel Bălan, Ioan-Matei Purcărea, Mihaela Gurău and Daniel Alin Cristian

Sustainability 2023, 15(4), 3146; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15043146 - 9 Feb 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2311

Abstract

Digitalization has become an important part of human lives that occurs in many fields, ranging from education to labor. Artificial intelligence is one of the most important disruptive technologies, which has produced massive changes in current medical practices, such as MRI, X-ray, and surgeries. AI-based surgeries present lower risks to patients and support medical specialists when it comes to burnout and more challenging operations, which can be more easily performed with the help of robots. The COVID-19 pandemic had a huge impact on healthcare systems due to the large number of patients that overburdened medical healthcare professionals and the medical capacities of hospitals. In this paper, we approach AI-based tools, which have a significant impact on various specializations in medicine under the form of robots, based on an extensive literature review. The research methods consist of a quantitative study conducted on a sample of 50 nurses with the purpose of assessing the awareness of nurses regarding digital technologies used in the medical field, focusing mainly on their capacity to classify digital technological risks that may occur in a public healthcare system. The results show that most of the respondents (62%) are aware of digital applications used in hospitals and are able to classify and manage the risks that may occur. After conducting our research, we found that nurses have a certain degree of reluctance when it comes to the introduction of digital technologies in the medical field. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Public Health and Healthcare Services Technologies and Development in Post-COVID 19 Era)

13 pages, 317 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Main Decisional Factors That Influence the Decision of the Patients Suffering from Diabetes to Have Dental Implants Using New Technologies after the COVID-19 Pandemic Period

by Mădălin Dorel Țap, Anamaria-Cătălina Radu, Dodu Gheorghe Petrescu, Cristina Stanciu (Neculau) and Raluca-Cristina Răducu

Sustainability 2023, 15(3), 2053; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15032053 - 21 Jan 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1558

Abstract

The problems that have arisen in recent years in Romania (the financial crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, the accelerated growth of inflation and unemployment) have led many people to give less and less importance to dental hygiene, which has led to an increase in the number of people with dental medical problems. In addition, poor information about the need for regular visits to the dentist, the low importance given to this field, and insufficient financial resources led people to turn to dental medical services less often. Moreover, the two-month closure of medical practices during the COVID-19 pandemic made individuals more reluctant to make appointments with dentists for fear of coming into contact with a person infected with the new SARS-CoV-2 virus. All this led to the occurrence of dental complications among patients, which made the number of dental implants increase. Patients suffering from diabetes mellitus present a series of particularities due to a series of risks generated by this condition that may appear in their case. The aim of this research is to identify the main factors that can influence the decision of patients with diabetes mellitus to have a dental implant. The data collection was performed with the help of a questionnaire, and the analysis of the database was performed with the help of IBM SPSS software. Following the analysis, it was noted that this decision is largely influenced by the reputation of the medical practice, the perceived risks, the quality of the materials used, the warranty of the dental implant, the quality of the services provided, and the costs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Public Health and Healthcare Services Technologies and Development in Post-COVID 19 Era)

12 pages, 290 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Reputation Management of High-Tech Dentistry in Romania

by Mădălin Dorel Țap, Anamaria-Cătălina Radu, Cristina Stanciu (Neculau), Raluca Răducu and Ivona Răpan

Sustainability 2023, 15(1), 768; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15010768 - 31 Dec 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1478

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has influenced the activities carried out in several fields, including dentistry, to a high extent. The purpose of this paper is to determine the respondents’ perception of the image of dental practices in Romania following the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to fulfil the purpose of the research, a quantitative study was carried out, including data collection with the help of a questionnaire to 306 respondents. A multiple linear regression model was used in order to determine the type and intensity of existing links between the variables. The results illustrated that 50.8% of the variation in the dependent variable (respondents’ perception of the image of dental practices) is explained by the independent variables. The results obtained in this research are very important, both for the dentists who work in private clinics and for the managers who work inside them. They will therefore be aware of the main factors that must be emphasized if they want to improve the image of the medical practice or to increase the number of patients they have. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Public Health and Healthcare Services Technologies and Development in Post-COVID 19 Era)

19 pages, 989 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Perception and Deception in Nurses’ Clinical and Work-Related Professional Autonomy: Case Study for a Hospital in Romania

by Marina Bădileanu, Ileana Paula Ionel, Justin Aurelian, Daniel Alin Cristian, Cornelia Jude, Luminița-Izabell Georgescu and Ivona Răpan

Sustainability 2023, 15(1), 355; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15010355 - 26 Dec 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2627

Abstract

The continuous expansion of the nursing scope of practice, the undeniable growth of the nurses’ role in the healthcare crisis, the shortage of labor, especially in rural areas and marginalized urban csommunities, and last but not least, the lack of literature on Romanian nursing autonomy are some of the background factors in this study. This study’s purpose is to assess nurses’ perceptions of their medical care independence. The main hypothesis is that more advanced levels of education generate a greater inclination toward autonomous interventions. The quantitative research is based on a survey using a self-designed questionnaire as a tool (based on a nurse-focused structure and process indicators following the Donabedian model) applied in a Romanian clinical hospital. Based on a literature review, three composite indicators were developed and tested for reliability using the Cronbach alpha coefficient. These indicators reflect autonomy from three perspectives: clinical practice independence, autonomy in relation to work, and autonomy through digitalization. This scientific approach revealed a major impact of the regulatory framework on nurses’ perceptions of their autonomy, below the expectations of use, and the acceptance of digital technologies among nurses. Finally, it was observed that college graduate nurses perceive lower levels of independence than post-secondary ones. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Public Health and Healthcare Services Technologies and Development in Post-COVID 19 Era)

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16 pages, 1727 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Influence of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Mortality of Patients Hospitalized in Surgical Services in Romania: A Cross-Sectional Study of a National Survey

by Rodica Bîrlă, Eugenia Panaitescu, Cornelia Ceban, Andra-Victoria Radu, Petre Hoară, Adrian Constantin, Dan Nicolae Păduraru, Anca Bordianu, Daniel Alin Cristian and Silviu Constantinoiu

Sustainability 2023, 15(1), 237; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15010237 - 23 Dec 2022

Viewed by 1375

Abstract

Surgical practice worldwide has changed rapidly in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The study aimed to analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mortality, in hospitalized patients, in Romanian surgical services. We have developed our research on a national survey of the consecutive records of hospitalizations, surgical interventions and deaths performed in Romania between March and August 2020. Results show that 47 surgical departments responded to the request. The admissions in the period March–August 2020 represented 52% of that from the similar period of 2019. In the studied period, the share of surgical interventions in patients admitted to non-COVID-19 centres was 98.7%, respectively 78.2% in COVID-19 support hospitals (p < 0.05), and emergency interventions of 43.4% in non-COVID-19 hospitals, respectively 84.8% in COVID-19 support hospitals (p < 0.05). Overall mortality in this period was 5.82%, compared to 3.28% in a similar period in 2019, (p < 0.05). Postoperative mortality in COVID-19-positive patients was 19%. In conclusion, in the hospitals in Romania included in the survey, the overall mortality in the studied period was higher than in a similar period in 2019. In patients with COVID-19 positive, the recorded postoperative mortality was higher than overall mortality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Public Health and Healthcare Services Technologies and Development in Post-COVID 19 Era)

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11 pages, 556 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Authenticity Mediates the Relationship between Risk Perception of COVID-19 and Subjective Well-Being: A Daily Diary Study

by Xizheng Xu, Ying Fan, Yunpeng Wu and Senlin Zhou

Sustainability 2022, 14(20), 13304; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142013304 - 16 Oct 2022

Viewed by 1432

Abstract

The present research investigated whether risk perception of COVID-19 relates to subjective well-being and the mediating role of authenticity in this association. We conducted a 12-day daily diary study with 133 undergraduates (M_age = 19.9 years, SD = 1.27 years; 64 females). Participants self-reported risk perception of COVID-19, authenticity, and subjective well-being every day. Results revealed that (1) risk perception of COVID-19 was negatively related to subjective well-being at the interindividual level; (2) authenticity mediated the relationship between risk perception of COVID-19 and subjective well-being at the interindividual level but not at the intraindividual level. In general, findings suggested that risk perception of COVID-19 is negatively related to subjective well-being only at the interindividual level, and authenticity plays a mediating role in this relationship. The finding suggested that keeping authenticity is a good strategy for avoiding the disruption caused by COVID-19. Longitudinal studies on samples with a broader age range, larger sample size, and extended sociodemographic background, as well as experimental studies, should be conducted to explore the causal relationship among interested variables that the current research has not detected. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Public Health and Healthcare Services Technologies and Development in Post-COVID 19 Era)

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16 pages, 1606 KiB

Open AccessSystematic Review

Unveiling the Symbiosis of Environmental Sustainability and Infection Control in Health Care Settings: A Systematic Review

by Reem F. Alruwaili, Nourah Alsadaan, Abeer Nuwayfi Alruwaili and Afrah Ghazi Alrumayh

Sustainability 2023, 15(22), 15728; https://doi.org/10.3390/su152215728 - 8 Nov 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2198

Abstract

This systematic review explores the intricate relationship between environmental sustainability and infection control in healthcare. A comprehensive examination of twelve selected studies reveals key themes, including the pivotal role of leadership in motivating sustainable practices within healthcare facilities and the integration of sustainable design strategies for effective infection prevention and control. The review emphasizes the significance of strong leadership in driving a culture of environmental responsibility, fostering staff engagement, and ensuring the success of sustainability initiatives. Sustainable design strategies, such as energy-efficient building practices and eco-friendly materials, emerge as essential components of both environmental sustainability and infection control. By creating synergy between these objectives, healthcare facilities can simultaneously reduce their environmental footprint and enhance patient safety. This study underscores the importance of leadership commitment and sustainable design in shaping the future of healthcare toward a more environmentally responsible and infection-resistant paradigm. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Public Health and Healthcare Services Technologies and Development in Post-COVID 19 Era)

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