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Investigating Factors Affecting the Intention to Use Mobile Health from a Holistic Perspective: The Case of Small Cities in China

Aim/Purpose: This study aims to develop a comprehensive conceptual framework that incorporates personal characteristics, social context, and technological features as significant factors that influence the intention of small-city users in China to use mobile health. Background: Mobile health has become an integral part of China’s health management system innovation, the transformation of the health service model, and a necessary government measure for promoting health service parity. However, mobile health has not yet been widely adopted in small cities in China. Methodology: The study utilized a quantitative approach whereby web-based questionnaires were used to collect data from 319 potential users in China using China’s health management system. The data was analyzed using the PLS-SEM (the partial least squares-structural equation modeling) approach. Contribution: This study integrates the protection motivation theory (PMT), which compensates for the limitations of the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology theory (UTAUT) and is a re-examination of PMT and UTAUT in a small city context in China. Findings: The findings indicate that attitude and perceived vulnerability in the personal characteristic factors, social influence and facilitating conditions in the social context factors, and performance expectancy in the technological feature factors influence users’ intention to use mobile health in small cities in China. Recommendations for Practitioners: This study provides feasible recommendations for mobile health service providers, medical institutions, and government agencies based on the empirical results. Recommendation for Researchers: As for health behavior, researchers should fully explain the intention of mobile health use in terms of holism and health behavior theory. Impact on Society: This study aims to increase users’ intention to use mobile health in small cities in China and to maximize the social value of mobile health. Future Research: Future research should concentrate on the actual usage behavior of users and simultaneously conduct a series of longitudinal studies, including studies on continued usage behavior, abandonment behavior, and abandoned-and-used behavior.




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How Information Security Management Systems Influence the Healthcare Professionals’ Security Behavior in a Public Hospital in Indonesia

Aim/Purpose: This study analyzes health professionals’ information security behavior (ISB) as health information system (HIS) users concerning associated information security controls and risks established in a public hospital. This work measures ISB using a complete measuring scale and explains the relevant influential factors from the perspectives of Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) and General Deterrence Theory (GDT) Background: Internal users are the primary source of security concerns in hospitals, with malware and social engineering becoming common attack vectors in the health industry. This study focuses on HIS user behavior in developing countries with limited information security policies and resources. Methodology: The research was carried out in three stages. First, a semi-structured interview was conducted with three hospital administrators in charge of HIS implementation to investigate information security controls and threats. Second, a survey of 144 HIS users to determine ISB based on hospital security risk. Third, a semi-structured interview was conducted with 11 HIS users to discuss the elements influencing behavior and current information security implementation. Contribution: This study contributes to ISB practices in hospitals. It discusses how HIS managers could build information security programs to enhance health professionals’ behavior by considering PMT and GDT elements. Findings: According to the findings of this study, the hospital has implemented particular information security management system (ISMS) controls based on international standards, but there is still room for improvement. Insiders are the most prevalent information security dangers discovered, with certain working practices requiring HIS users to disclose passwords with others. The top three most common ISBs HIS users practice include appropriately disposing of printouts, validating link sources, and using a password to unlock the device. Meanwhile, the top three least commonly seen ISBs include transferring sensitive information online, leaving a password in an unsupervised area, and revealing sensitive information via social media. Recommendations for Practitioners: Hospital managers should create work practices that align with information security requirements. HIS managers should provide incentives to improve workers’ perceptions of the benefit of robust information security measures. Recommendation for Researchers: This study suggests more research into the components that influence ISB utilizing diverse theoretical foundations such as Regulatory Focus Theory to compare preventive and promotion motivation to enhance ISB. Impact on Society: This study can potentially improve information security in the healthcare industry, which has substantial risks to human life but still lags behind other vital sector implementations. Future Research: Future research could look into the best content and format for an information security education and training program to promote the behaviors of healthcare professionals that need to be improved based on this ISB measurement and other influential factors.




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Use of Mobile Health Applications by Lay Users in Kuwait

Aim/Purpose: This study aims to explore the use of mobile health applications (mHealth apps) by lay users in Kuwait. Specifically, it seeks to: (i) identify and highlight the impact of factors that contribute to their use of mHealth apps and (ii) validate a model of these users’ usage of mHealth apps. Background: The advancement of information technologies has paved the way for efficiency and effectiveness in healthcare sectors in developed countries. Kuwait has attempted to revolutionise healthcare systems through mobile applications of information technology solutions to educate users on better methods of receiving customised health services. However, end-user usage of mHealth apps remains in the infancy in developing countries, including Kuwait. Lay users are often vulnerable and frequently overlooked by researchers and health technology providers. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 225 lay users of mHealth apps in Kuwait using an online questionnaire to achieve the study objectives. A purposive sampling method utilising convenience and snowballing sampling techniques was used in which all the respondents were lay users. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and regression analyses were employed to analyse the collected data. Contribution: The study contributes to the extant literature on health informatics and mHealth by providing a comprehensive understanding of how technological, social, and functional factors are related to mHealth apps in the context of developing countries. It identifies key drivers of mHealth app use, suggests expanding the TAM model, and facilitates comparisons with developed countries, addressing gaps in mHealth research. Findings: Four factors (i.e., perceived trust (PT), perceived ease of use (PEU) and behaviour control (PBC), perceived usefulness (PU), and subjective norms (SN)) were identified that influence the use of mHealth apps. These four identified factors also contributed to lay users’ use of these mHealth apps. Among these four factors, perceived trust (PT) was the main contributor to lay users’ use of these mHealth apps. Recommendations for Practitioners: Based on the empirical results, this study provides feasible recommendations for the government, healthcare providers, and developers of mHealth apps. The findings urge developers to enhance app functionality by prioritising privacy and security to build user trust while outlining guidelines for future development focused on user-centric design and compliance with data privacy regulations. Additionally, the government should establish supportive policies and funding, ensure regulatory oversight, and promote public awareness to foster trust. Healthcare providers should integrate mHealth apps into their services, train staff for practical use, gather users’ feedback, and collaborate with developers to create tailored healthcare solutions. Future Research: Additional research is required to apply probability sampling techniques and increase the sample size to generate more reliable and generalisable findings. Additionally, the young age segment must be considered here, and research must be extended to consider the moderating role of demographic factors like age, gender, and educational levels to better understand the adoption of mHealth apps.




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Learning to (Co)Evolve: A Conceptual Review and Typology of Network Design in Global Health Virtual Communities of Practice

Aim/Purpose: This conceptual review analyzes the designs of global health virtual communities of practice (VCoPs) programming reported in the empirical literature and proposes a new typology of their functioning. The purpose of this review is to provide clarity on VCoP learning stages of (co)evolution and insight into VCoP (re)development efforts to best meet member, organization, and network needs against an ever-evolving landscape of complexity in global health. Background: Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the field of global health has seen an uptick in the use of VCoPs to support continuous learning and improve health outcomes. However, evidence of how different combinations of programmatic designs impact opportunities for learning and development is lacking, and how VCoPs evolve as learning networks has yet to be explored. Methodology: Following an extensive search for literature in six databases, thematic analysis was conducted on 13 articles meeting the inclusion criteria. This led to the development and discussion of a new typology of VCoP phases of learning (co)evolution. Contribution: Knowledge gained from this review and the new categorization of VCoPs can support the functioning and evaluation of global health training programs. It can also provide a foundation for future research on how VCoPs influence the culture of learning organizations and networks. Findings: Synthesis of findings resulted in the categorization of global health VCoPs into five stages (slightly evolving, somewhat revolving, moderately revolving, highly revolving, and coevolving) across four design domains (network development, general member engagement before/after sessions, general member engagement during sessions, and session leadership). All global health VCoPs reviewed showed signs of adaptation and recommended future evolution. Recommendations for Practitioners: VCoP practitioners should pay close attention to how the structured flexibility of partnerships, design, and relationship development/accountability may promote or hinder VcoP’s continued evolution. Practitioners should shift perspective from short to mid- and long-term VCoP planning. Recommendation for Researchers: The new typology can stimulate further research to strengthen the clarity of language and findings related to VCoP functioning. Impact on Society: VCoPs are utilized by academic institutions, the private sector, non-profit organizations, the government, and other entities to fill gaps in adult learning at scale. The contextual implementation of findings from this study may impact VCoP design and drive improvements in opportunities for learning, global health, and well-being. Future Research: Moving forward, future research could explore how VCoP evaluations relate to different stages of learning, consider evaluation stages across the totality of VCoP programming design, and explore how best to capture VCoP (long-term) impact attributed to health outcomes and the culture of learning organizations and networks.




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Factors Influencing Adoption of Blockchain Technology in Jordan: The Perspective of Health Care Professionals

Aim/Purpose: This paper investigates the user acceptability of blockchain technology in the healthcare sector, with a specific focus on healthcare professionals in Jordan. Background: The study seeks to identify the factors that affect healthcare professionals’ use and acceptance of blockchain technology in Jordan. Methodology: The study’s research framework integrates factors from the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). A questionnaire was distributed to collect data from 372 healthcare professionals in Jordan, and the results were analyzed using structural equation modeling based on the Partial Least Square (PLS) technique. Contribution: While only a few previous studies have explored blockchain technology acceptance in the healthcare sector using either the TAM or the UTAUT, this study uniquely integrates elements from both models, offering a novel approach that provides a comprehensive understanding of the factors that influence the acceptance of blockchain technology among healthcare professionals in Jordan. The findings can assist decision-makers in developing strategies to enhance the adoption rate of blockchain technology in the Jordanian healthcare sector. Findings: The study revealed that usability, convenience, privacy and security, cost, and trust significantly impact the perceived usefulness of blockchain technology. The findings also suggest that healthcare professionals are more likely to have a positive attitude towards blockchain-based healthcare systems if they perceive them as useful and easy to use. Attitude, social influence, and facilitating conditions were found to significantly impact behavioral intention to use. Recommendations for Practitioners: Stakeholders should focus on developing blockchain-based healthcare systems that are easy to use, convenient, efficient, and effort-free. Recommendation for Researchers: Researchers may compare the acceptance of blockchain technology in the healthcare sector with other industries to identify industry-specific factors that may influence adoption. This comparative analysis can contribute to a broader understanding of technology acceptance. Impact on Society: Successful adoption of blockchain technology in the healthcare sector can lead to improved efficiency, enhanced protection of healthcare data, and reduced administrative burdens. This, in turn, can positively impact patient care and lead to cost savings, which contributes to more sustainable and accessible healthcare services. Future Research: Future research may explore integrating blockchain technology with other emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence and sidechain, to create more comprehensive and innovative healthcare solutions.




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Using Social Media Applications for Accessing Health-related Information: Evidence from Jordan

Aim/Purpose: This study examined the use of Social Media Applications (SMAs) for accessing health-related information within a heterogeneous population in Jordan. The objective of this study was therefore threefold: (i) to investigate the usage of SMAs, including WhatsApp, Twitter, YouTube, Snapchat, Instagram, and Facebook, for accessing health-related information; (ii) to examine potential variations in the use of SMAs based on demographic and behavioral characteristics; and (iii) to identify the factors that can predict the use of SMAs. Background: There has been limited focus on investigating the behavior of laypeople in Jordan when it comes to seeking health information from SMAs. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted among the general population in Jordan using an online questionnaire administered to 207 users. A purposive sampling technique was employed, wherein all the participants actively sought online health information. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, and regression analyses were utilized to analyze the collected data. Contribution: This study adds to the existing body of research on health information seeking from SMAs in developing countries, with a specific focus on Jordan. Moreover, laypeople, often disregarded by researchers and health information providers, are the most vulnerable individuals who warrant greater attention. Findings: The findings indicated that individuals often utilized YouTube as a platform to acquire health-related information, whereas their usage of Facebook for this purpose was less frequent. Participants rarely utilized Instagram and WhatsApp to obtain health information, while Twitter and Snapchat were very seldom used for this purpose. The variable of sex demonstrated a notable positive correlation with the utilization of YouTube and Twitter for the purpose of finding health-related information. Conversely, the variable of nationality exhibited a substantial positive correlation with the utilization of Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Consulting medical professionals regarding information obtained from the Internet was a strong indicator of using Instagram to search for health-related information. Recommendations for Practitioners: Based on the empirical results, this study provides feasible recommendations for the government, healthcare providers, and developers of SMAs. Recommendation for Researchers: Researchers should conduct separate investigations for each application specifically pertaining to the acquisition of health-related information. Additionally, it is advisable to investigate additional variables that may serve as predictors for the utilization of SMAs. Impact on Society: The objective of this study is to enhance the inclination of the general public in Jordan to utilize SMAs for health-related information while also maximizing the societal benefits of these applications. Future Research: Additional research is required to examine social media’s usability (regarding ease of use) and utility (comparing advantages to risks) in facilitating effective positive change and impact in healthcare.




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YouTube: An Effective Web 2.0 Informing Channel for Health Education to Prevent STDs




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The Seven Deadly Tensions of Health-Related Human Information Behavior

Tensions are a ubiquitous feature of social life and are manifested in a number of particular forms: contradictory logics, competing demands, clashes of ideas, contradictions, dialectics, irony, paradoxes, and/or dilemmas. This essay aims to explore in detail tensions surrounding seven common findings of the information seeking literature relating to: interpersonal communication, accessibility, level of skill, individual preferences, psychological limits, inertia, and costs. Our incomplete understanding of these tensions can lead us to suggest resolutions that do not recognize their underlying dualities. Human information behavior stands at the intersection of many important theoretical and policy issues (e.g., personalized medicine). Policy makers need to be more attuned to these basic tensions of information seeking recognizing the real human limits they represent to informing the public. So, even if you build a great information system, people will not necessarily use it because of the force of these underlying tensions. While rationality rules systems, irrationality rules people. The proliferation of navigator roles over the last several years is actually a hopeful sign: recognition that people need a human interface to inform them about our ever more complex health care systems.




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Communicating Transdisciplinary Characteristics In Global Regulatory Affairs: An Example From Health Professions Education

Aim/Purpose: This paper describes the regulatory affairs discipline as a useful case in the study of both inter- and transdisciplinary science and dynamics related to communication across multiple boundaries. We will 1) outline the process that led to the development of transnational competencies for regulatory affairs graduate education, 2) discuss how the process highlights the transdisciplinary character of regulatory affairs, 3) provide implications for how to communicate the influence of this characterization to future healthcare professionals, and 4) draw conclusions regarding how our lessons-learned might inform other programs of study. Background: In the past few decades, the regulatory affairs profession has become more internationalized. This prompted the need for new competencies grounded in the transnational and cross-disciplinary contexts in which these professionals are required to operate. Methodology: A convenience sample of experienced regulatory affairs professionals from multiple disciplines contributed to the development of transnational competencies for a master’s program in regulatory affairs using a transdisciplinary framework. Contribution: An applied exemplar in which to understand how transdisciplinary characteristics can be communicated and applied in higher education. Recommendations for Practitioners: This paper recommends how competencies developed from a regulatory affairs program can serve as exemplars for other applied transdisciplinary higher education programs. Impact on Society: This framework provides a seldom-used reflective approach to regulatory affairs education that utilizes cross-disciplinary theory to inform competence-based formation of professionals.




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Transdisciplinary Issues of the United States Healthcare Delivery System

Aim/Purpose: This paper applies informing science principles to analyze the evolution of United States (U.S.) healthcare delivery, exploring how policy shifts, technological advancements, and changing practices have transformed informing processes within this complex system. By examining healthcare delivery through a transdisciplinary lens, we aim to enhance the understanding of intricate informing environments and their dynamics. Background: The U.S. healthcare system epitomizes a complex, evolving transdisciplinary domain intersecting information systems, policy, economics, and public health. Recent transformations in stakeholder information flow necessitate an informing science perspective to comprehend these changes fully. Methodology: We synthesize literature on U.S. healthcare delivery changes, employing informing science frameworks such as Cohen’s “informing environment” concept to analyze the evolution of healthcare informing processes. Contribution: This study expands informing science theory by examining how changes in a complex transdisciplinary system impact information flow, decision-making, and stakeholder interactions. The results provide insights into challenges and opportunities within evolving informing environments. Findings: Our analysis reveals significant alterations in the U.S. healthcare informing landscape due to policy, regulatory, and technological changes. We identify key transformations in client-sender-delivery system relationships, shifts in information asymmetry, and the emergence of novel informing channels and barriers. Recommendation for Researchers: Future studies should develop informing science models capable of capturing the complexity and dynamism of healthcare delivery systems, particularly amidst rapid technological and policy changes. Future Research: Further investigation is needed into how emerging technologies reshape healthcare informing processes and their impact on care quality, accessibility, and cost-effectiveness.




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Early prediction of mental health using SqueezeR_MobileNet

Mental illnesses are common among college students as well as their non-student peers, and the number and severity of these problems are increasing. It can be difficult to identify people suffering from mental illness and get the help they need early. So in this paper, the SqueezeR_MobileNet method is proposed. It performs feature fusion and early mental health prediction. Initially, outliers in the input data are detected and removed. After that, using missing data imputation and Z-score normalisation the pre-processing phase is executed. Next to this, for feature fusion, a combination of the Soergel metric and deep Kronecker network (DKN) is used. By utilising bootstrapping data augmentation is performed. Finally, early mental health prediction is done using SqueezeR_MobileNet, which is the incorporation of residual SqueezeNet and MobileNet. The devised approach has reached the highest specificity of 0.937, accuracy of 0.911 and sensitivity of 0.907.




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Advancements in the DRG system payment: an optimal volume/procedure mix model for the optimisation of the reimbursement in Italian healthcare organisations

In Italy, the reimbursement provided to healthcare organisations for medical and surgical procedures is based on the diagnosis related group weight (DRGW), which is an increasing function of the complexity of the procedures. This makes the reimbursement an upper unlimited function. This model does not include the relation of the volume with the complexity. The paper proposes a mathematical model for the optimisation of the reimbursement by determining the optimal mix of volume/procedure, considering the relation volume/complexity and DRGW/complexity. The decreasing, linear, and increasing returns to scale have been defined, and the optimal solution found. The comparison of the model with the traditional approach shows that the proposed model helps the healthcare system to discern the quantity of the reimbursement to provide to health organisations, while the traditional approach, neglecting the relation between the volume and the complexity, can result in an overestimation of the reimbursement.




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Exploring stakeholder interests in the health sector: a pre and post-digitalisation analysis from a developing country context

Underpinned by stakeholder and agency theories, this study adopts a qualitative multiple-case study approach to explore and analyse various stakeholder interests and how they affect digitalisation in the health sector of a developing country (DC). The study's findings revealed that four key stakeholder interests - political, regulatory, leadership, and operational - affect digitalisation in the health sector of DCs. Further, the study found that operational and leadership interests were emergent and were triggered by some digitalisation initiatives, which included, inter alia, the use of new eHealth software and the COVID-19 vaccination exercise, which established new structures and worked better through digitalisation. Conversely, political and regulatory interests were found to be relatively enduring since they existed throughout the pre- and post-digitalisation eras. The study also unearthed principal-agent conflicts arising from technological, organisational and regulatory factors that contribute to the paradoxical outcomes of digitalisation in the health sector.




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Healthcare industry input parameters for a deterministic model that optimally locates additive manufacturing hubs

Recent innovations in additive manufacturing (AM) have proven its efficacy for not only the manufacturing industry but also the healthcare industry. Researchers from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and California State University Long Beach are developing a model that will determine the optimal locations for additive manufacturing hubs that can effectively serve both the manufacturing and healthcare industries. This paper will focus on providing an overview of the healthcare industry's unique needs for an AM hub and summarise the specific inputs for the model. The methods used to gather information include extensive literature research on current practices of AM models in healthcare and an inclusive survey of healthcare practitioners. This includes findings on AM's use for surgical planning and training models, the workflow to generate them, sourcing methods, and the AM techniques and materials used. This paper seeks to utilise the information gathered through literature research and surveys to provide guidance for the initial development of an AM hub location model that locates optimal service locations.




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Quadruple helix collaboration for eHealth: a business relationship approach

Collaboration between various stakeholders is crucial for healthcare digitalisation and eHealth utilisation. Given that valuable outcomes can emerge from collaborative interactions among multiple stakeholders, exploring a quadruple helix (QH) approach to collaboration may be fruitful in involving the public sector, business, citizens, and academia. Therefore, this study aimed to explore stakeholder views on eHealth collaboration from a QH perspective using the grounded theory methodology. First, an inductive qualitative study involving all stakeholders in the QH was conducted. Subsequently, the findings were related to the actor-resource-activity (ARA) model of business relationships. The results emphasise the role of considering diverse perspectives on collaboration because digitalisation and eHealth require teamwork to benefit the end users within various settings. A model depicting the various aspects of the ARA model related to digitalisation in a healthcare QH setting is presented.




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International Journal of Healthcare Technology and Management




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“Learning from Our Allied Health” series: Physiotherapist Physiotherapy to complement management in cardiac rehabilitation




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Mental health issues a concern for Marcos

Mental health problems in the country are on the rise.




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First case of latest mpox variant detected in UK: health authority

Test tubes labelled "Monkeypox virus positive and negative" are seen in this illustration taken May 23, 2022. — Reuters

LONDON: An infection with the latest mpox variant, clade 1b, has been detected in the United Kingdom for the first time, the UK Health Security Agency announced...




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Heat, air pollution, disease: How climate change affects health

People walk around a park amid heavy smoggy conditions in Lahore on November 7, 2024. —AFP

PARIS: Record-breaking heat, extreme weather events, air pollution and the spread of infectious disease: climate change poses an already vast yet rising threat to the health of humans around...




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WHO to hold emergency meeting to debate if mpox remains global health crisis

A combination of images shows the World Health Organisation logo seen near its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland and a test tube labelled "Mpox virus positive". — Reuters/File

The World Health Organisation will convene a meeting of its Emergency Committee on November 22 to...




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Jamie Foxx embraces powerful daily mantra following life threatening health crisis

Jamie Foxx embraces powerful daily mantra following health crisis

Jamie Foxx revealed the daily mantra he lives by after surviving a health scare back in April 2023.

The Oscar winner took to his official Instagram account on Tuesday, November 12, to share his powerful...




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Prince Harry holds out hope for healing rift as King Charles prepares to cut him out

Prince Harry holds out hope for healing rift as King Charles prepares to cut him out

Prince Harry is determined to mend relationship with King Charles amid reports that the monarch is considering removing the Duke from his will.

According to latest report by Closer Magazine, Prince...




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FDA Launching New Advisory Committee on Digital Health

FDA announced this week the formation of a new advisory committee – the Digital Health Advisory Committee – for the purpose of providing the agency with advice on matters related to digital health technologies (DHT). FDA does not form new … Continue reading




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Digital transformation in healthcare: The often forgotten human factor

While technology is key for digital transformation in healthcare, the human element is equally, if not more, important



  • The Way I See It

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The exclusion of health and climate ministries from cabinet

Our leaders have failed to show their unwavering commitment to two of the most pressing challenges facing our nation.



  • The Way I See It

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Buckingham Palace releases new statement amid Queen Camilla health scare

Buckingham Palace releases new statement amid Queen Camilla health scare

Buckingham Palace made a special announcement, revealing that Queen Camilla has resumed her public duties after a brief health-related hiatus.

The Queen Consort stepped back from Royal duties after she was...




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Queen Camilla addresses health concerns after resuming Royal duties

Queen Camilla addresses health concerns after resuming Royal duties

Queen Camilla addressed her health concerns after returning to Royal duties following chest infection, due to which she took a brief break from work.

The Queen attended The Booker Prize Foundation at Clarence House...




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Health Circumstances Demand a Longer, Deeper Timeout

Personal: I ran headfirst into a bit of a classic burnout two years ago. I’m still recovering from it. I’ve been trying to maintain a presence and not make this condition show too much, but I need to scale down the rest of my presence too for a while in order to reset and recharge.

I’ve been starting and re-starting writing this post way too many times now. I’ve decided to just post it as a stream of consciousness, readable or not as it may be, rather than my usual bar of having some sort of clear red thread with step-by-step logical coherence.

Two years ago, while moving from Stockholm to Berlin, I hit the infamous brick wall. I became incapable of most work that required any form of vehicular travel — I was literally limited to walking distance. Yes, it felt as ridiculous as it sounds, but it was just a matter of accepting the lay of the land and working with it. At the time, I was able to maintain some illusion of normality while starting to wind down and recover behind the scenes, thanks to being able to work remotely. I’ve since stopped working altogether — or so I thought, at least — and focusing on recharging.

When you drive a solar-powered rover too aggressively in Kerbal Space Program and the sun goes down, the batteries deplete quickly. You can’t start driving the rover again when the sun goes up from its state of depleted batteries, not even at its rated speed; you have to wait until the batteries have recharged, even if the circumstances (i.e. shining sun) should otherwise make you able to operate nominally. This is a little bit the state I’m in: I should nominally be fine, with most of the everyday load reduced significantly, but my batteries are still not recharging at the rate I had expected them to. (Yes, I’m impatient, which is admittedly part of the problem in the first place.)

So to all people who have written to me over this past time that I haven’t responded to: Please accept my apologies. It’s not out of malice or disinterest I haven’t responded, I’m simply getting done in a month what I used to get done in a day, and even that is a marked improvement. The “need to respond” queue is silly long by now, and includes conference invites and whatnot, that I would normally have responded to within minutes. It includes pings from near friends, that I had hoped to spend a lot more time with here in Berlin, as well as distant friends.

A close friend of mine pointed at a recent study about stress, a study looking at burnout symptoms in places with very good work-to-life balance, and the study concluded that the body doesn’t make a difference between obligations for work or obligations that are felt outside of work for any other reason than money. And she’s right: I’ve been feeling a pressure to shoot video, to code open-source projects, to participate in the community. I need to, bluntly speaking, drop all of these expectations for the foreseeable future. “Go off-grid” is a little too harsh, but I’ll need to turn off the expectation heartbeat on literally everything. I’ll do random things from time to time when I have the energy and desire for it, which unfortunately won’t be most of the time.

These recoveries basically take whatever damn time they please. I could have recharged batteries in six months, in a year, in ten years. I have honestly no idea and therefore I’m not setting any expectations, in either direction.

Time for a deeper and longer break.

I’d like to say “I’ll be back”, but I don’t think the person on the other side of this recovery is going to be the same person I am today. I am sure I will still want to change the world for the better, somehow. I just can’t tell today how I’ll be wanting to change the world tomorrow. So even though I’ll very likely be back doing something, it’ll very likely not be the exact same things I’ve done up until this point.




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Sony reports healthy profits on strong sales of sensors and games

Sony's profit rose 69% in July-September from a year earlier on the back of strong sales of its image sensors, games, music and network services, the Japanese electronics and entertainment company said on Friday.




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Justice Department sues to block UnitedHealth Group's $3.3 billion purchase of Amedisys

The Justice Department is suing to block UnitedHealth Group's $3.3 billion purchase of Amedisys, citing concerns the combination would hinder access to home health and hospice services in the U.S.




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IOC candidate Samaranch urges European lawmakers to invest in sport as a public health policy

IOC presidential candidate Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr. has urged European lawmakers to regard investing in sport as a public health policy in his first keynote speech of a six-month Olympic leadership campaign.





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Daylight saving time ends this weekend. This is how to prepare for the potential health effects.

Some health groups have said it’s time to do away with time switches and that sticking with standard time aligns better with the sun — and human biology.

The post Daylight saving time ends this weekend. This is how to prepare for the potential health effects. appeared first on Boston.com.






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Is it time to say goodbye to the BMI? Statins cost effective and linked to better health outcomes in older people, Brie Spaghetti with Tomatoes and Basil

This week Zorba and Karl discuss a new replacement proposed for BMI, and they talk about the effectiveness of statins for older people. Plus, they share a healthy recipe for […]




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What sleeping position is best? People who exercise have healthier belly fat, Colombian Salad

This week Zorba and Karl look at research about what sleeping position is best, and they discuss a study that suggests people who exercise regularly have healthier belly fat. Plus, […]




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How to Make Marriage a Place of Healing

Christina and I have counseled couples in crisis, couples in premarital times, couples who’d grown distant, and everything in between. Over these past twenty years of marriage and ministry, we’ve realized that with all the hurts of life, for marriage to last, the marriage relationship must be a healing place.   Here are 4 ways to increase the sacred vitality of your marriage as a healing place. 1. Cast off worldly illusions. If twenty years of marriage has taught me anything it is that the most...




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Healthy Living - September 10, 2024

Pastor and psychology professor Dr. Jonathan Hoover, author of Stress Fracture: Your Ultimate Guide to beating Burnout discusses the Biblical insight and psychological studies showing effective ways to assess stress and manage it, as well as ... ...




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Healthy Living - September 17, 2024

Johns Hopkins medical expert and Fox News regular Dr. Marty Makary, author of Blind Spots: When Medicine Gets It Wrong, and What It Means for Our Health discusses what he calls "medical groupthink" which he says has led to public harms, and ... ...




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Healthy Living - September 24, 2024

Pastor and professor Dr. Chris Rappazini, author of Moving Forward After Messing Up: A New Future with the God of Second Chances discusses the importance of focusing on making changes and starting again in the wake of mistakes rather than on ... ...




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Healthy Living - October 1, 2024

Addiction counselor Melissa Huray, author of Radical Freedom: Breaking the Chains of Addiction for Good discusses how she found healing, forgiveness and recovery from alcoholism through the transformative grace of Jesus.




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Healthy Living - October 8, 2024

Pastor and psychology professor Dr. Jonathan Hoover, author of Stress Fracture: Your Ultimate Guide to beating Burnout discusses the Biblical insight and psychological studies showing effective ways to assess stress and manage it, as well as ... ...




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Healthy Living - October 15, 2024

Conor Gallagher, author of Well-Ordered Family: The Family Management System discusses how being the CEO of multiple businesses and the father of sixteen children led him to develop a plan to help families achieve contentment, harmony, and ...




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Healthy Living - October 22, 2024

Johns Hopkins medical expert and Fox News regular Dr. Marty Makary, author of Blind Spots: When Medicine Gets It Wrong, and What It Means for Our Health discusses what he calls "medical group think" which he says has led to public harms, and ... ...




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Healthy Living - October 29, 2024

Addiction counselor Melissa Huray, author of Radical Freedom: Breaking the Chains of Addiction for Good discusses how she found healing, forgiveness and recovery from alcoholism through the transformative grace of Jesus.




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Healthy Living - November 5, 2024

Ann Voskamp, author of Gifts and Gratitudes, discusses the mental and physical health benefits of feeling and expressing gratitude, and offers a detailed guide to growing a sense of thanksgiving to God every day of the year.




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Healthy Living - November 12, 2024

Ann Voskamp, author of Gifts and Gratitudes, discusses the mental and physical health benefits of feeling and expressing gratitude, and offers a detailed guide to growing a sense of thanksgiving to God every day of the year.




heal

Empathy and Healthy Boundaries

We all want to be connected with people, and most of us desire connections that cultivate deep, heartfelt engagement. How is it possible to create relationships that bind us together and also withstand the differences in our identities? How can we move beyond superficial encounters in order to form meaningful harmonies that outlast the discordant pressures of our society? In my new book, The Influential Christian: Learning to Lead from the Heart, I suggest that practices of empathy are our...