Academic literature on the topic 'Service delivery practitioners'

Objective: To explore how practitioner engagement and disengagement occurred, and how these may influence patient care and engagement. Design: A qualitative study using the Voice Centred Relational Methodology. Data included interviews, focus groups and observations. Setting: Inpatient and community stroke rehabilitation services. Subjects: Eleven people experiencing communication disability after stroke and 42 rehabilitation practitioners. Interventions: Not applicable. Results: The practitioner’s engagement was important in patient engagement and service delivery. When patients considered practitioners were engaged, this helped engagement. When they considered practitioners were not engaged, their engagement was negatively affected. Practitioners considered their engagement was important but complex. It influenced how they worked and how they perceived the patient. Disengagement was taboo. It arose when not feeling confident, when not positively impacting outcomes, or when having an emotional response to a patient or interaction. Each party’s engagement influenced the other, suggesting it was co-constructed. Conclusions: Practitioner engagement influenced patient engagement in stroke rehabilitation. Practitioner disengagement was reported by most practitioners but was often a source of shame.

Whether in our professional or private lives, we are all aware of the system wide efforts to provide quality healthcare services while containing the costs. Telemedicine as a method of service delivery has expanded as a result of changes in reimbursement and service delivery models. The growth and sustainability of telehealth within speech-language pathology and audiology, like any other service, depends on the ability to be reimbursed for services provided. Currently, reimbursement for services delivered via telehealth is variable and depends on numerous factors. An understanding of these factors and a willingness to advocate for increased reimbursement can bolster the success of practitioners interested in the telehealth as a service delivery method.

A mixed method study was undertaken to capture quantitative and qualitative data in relation to the contemporary roles and skills of Operating Department Practitioners. The data provide evidence that Operating Department Practitioners take opportunities to widen their knowledge skills and practice, with over 37% of the sample completing a mentorship qualification and 14% having completed or studying towards a postgraduate or Master’s Degree. The study provides evidence of the development in the roles of the Operating Department Practitioner and suggests that Operating Department Practitioners offer an eclectic mix of skills which are delivered in a variety of clinical settings. It is recognised that Operating Department Practitioners have the potential to further improve patient safety and service delivery in roles other than those historically associated with the profession.

The emergency nurse practitioner is now a well established and respected member of the healthcare team. Evaluation of the role has focused on patient safety, effectiveness and quality of care outcomes. Comparisons of the role continue to focus on cost, with findings based on incomplete and almost impossible to define, recognition of contribution to service delivery by paralleled practitioners. Currently there is no clear definition as to how nurse practitioners contribute to value in health service delivery. Robust and rigorous research needs to be commissioned taking into consideration the unique hybrid nature of the emergency nurse practitioner role and focusing on the value they contribute to health care delivery.

As telehealth gains momentum as a service delivery model in the United States within the rehabilitation professions, regulatory and legal questions arise. This article examines the following questions:1. Is there a need to secure licenses in two states (i.e., where the practitioner resides, and where the client is located), before engaging in telehealth?2. Do state laws differ concerning if and how telehealth can occur?3. Do any states expressly disallow telehealth?4. Can services delivered through telehealth be billed the same way as services provided in-person?5. If practitioners fulfill the requirements to maintain licensure (e.g., continuing education obligations) in their state of residence, do they also need to fulfill the requirements to maintain licensure for the state in which the client resides?6. Will professional malpractice insurance cover services delivered through telehealth?7. Does a sole practitioner need to abide by HIPAA regulations?Responses to these questions are offered to raise awareness of the regulatory and legal implications associated with the use of a telehealth service delivery model

Abstract COVID-19 rapidly altered patterns of domestic and family violence, increasing the complexity of women’s needs, and presenting new barriers to service use. This article examines service responses in Australia, exploring practitioners' accounts of adapting service delivery models in the early months of the pandemic. Data from a qualitatively enriched online survey of practitioners (n = 100) show the ways services rapidly shifted to engage with clients via remote, technology-mediated modes, as physical distancing requirements triggered rapid expansion in the use of phone, email, video calls and messaging, and many face-to-face interventions temporarily ceased. Many practitioners and service managers found that remote service delivery improved accessibility and efficiency. Others expressed concerns about their capacity to assess risk without face-to-face contact, and were unsure whether new service modalities would meet the needs of all client groups and reflect best practice. Findings attest to practitioners' mixed experiences during this period of rapid service innovation and change, and underline the importance of monitoring emerging approaches to establish which service adaptations are effective for different groups of people, and to determine good practice for combining remote and face-to-face service options in the longer term.

Introduction: Termination of pregnancy (ToP) service delivery in Aotearoa New Zealand occurs within a multi-dimensional system which is influenced and shaped by various philosophical, political and economic discourses, and is comprised of interconnected components. One component is the provision of counselling for women seeking a termination of pregnancy. This study aimed to explore how service managers and social work practitioners perceived how ToP services, particularly the counselling component therein, were being delivered nationally.Methods: A concurrent, multi-level, mixed-methods research design was employed in the study. Two purposively selected sample groups comprising: 1) service managers responsible for the oversight of ToP service delivery; and 2) ToP counselling practitioners were recruited from 19 District Health Boards (DHBs) across Aotearoa New Zealand. Service managers (20) participated in interviews with a focus on capturing information about operational systems that supported or hindered the delivery of ToP and counselling services, while 26 social work and counselling practitioners participated in an electronic survey questionnaire. Qualitative data were thematically analysed and quantitative data were descriptively analysed using descriptive statistics.Findings: Results from this mixed-methods study were integrated at the level of interpretation and linkage between the methods showed that practice within ToP licensed facilities varied markedly. Specifically, nine practice and systemic variations were identified that had implications for women receiving ToP services. Existing variations across licensed facilities were signalled as disconnects between components of the service delivery system.Conclusions: Recommendations that address variations and systemic disconnects are offered to the New Zealand Abortion Supervisory Committee and Ministry of Health. Further research is suggested to obtain the perspective of service users as this was one limitation of this small exploratory study.

This paper discusses the role of social enterprise (SE) – the use of business practice to achieve a social goal – in UK health services delivery. Such SE activity has increased in recent years along with the rise in public sector commissioning of health and care services. SE has been identified as an organizational model with the potential to deliver socially and economically sustainable health and social care services. This paper presents evidence from workshops held with SE practitioners and public sector procurement professionals, during which they discussed the current and potential role of SE in health services delivery. The paper reflects on the opportunities for, but also the potential pitfalls of, greater SE involvement in the health and social care sector from the point of view of both SE practitioners and public sector procurement professionals. It demonstrates that SE-type businesses are viewed by both SE practitioners and public sector professionals as suited to working in certain areas of health and social care provision, but as falling short of what is needed in others, particularly in terms of capacity and expertise.

Purpose. People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (CaLDBs) have lower rates of participation in cardiac rehabilitation (CR). Systematically evaluating barriers and facilitators to service delivery may decrease health inequalities. This study investigated approaches for promoting cultural competence in CR. Methods. A qualitative study of 25 health practitioners was undertaken across three CR programs using a purposive sampling strategy. Interviews and participant observation were undertaken to identify factors to promote culturally competent care. Results. Three key foci were identified for implementing cultural competence approaches: (1) point of contact; (2) point of assessment; and (3) point of service. Based upon study findings and existing literature, a conceptual model of cultural competency in CR was developed. Conclusion. Culturally competent strategies for identifying and tailoring activities in the CR setting may be a useful approach to minimise health inequities. The findings from this study identified that, in parallel with mainstream health services, CR service delivery in Australia faces challenges related to cultural and ethnic diversity. Encouragingly, study findings revealed implementation and integration of culturally competent practices in rehabilitation settings, in spite of significant odds. What is known about the topic? Cultural competence can improve the ability of health systems and health providers to deliver appropriate services to diverse populations in order to reduce disparities and improve health outcomes. What does this paper add? Description of cardiac rehabilitation practitioners’ interaction and views on interacting with patients from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. An empirically derived model of cultural competence identifying key points of intervention. What are the implications for practitioners? This model improves practitioner’s ability to address diverse needs of individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and improve equity in health care delivery in Australia.

This study looked into the profile of the program implementers in terms of age, sex, and educational attainment, number of years as service practitioners and trainings and seminars attended. Likewise it also covered the assessment on the different institutional programs and services which include admission services, guidance and counseling services, scholarship and financial assistance, food services, health services, library services and student housing. The integration of innovative practices in the delivery of quality student services were also determined. Research design was descriptive with the questionnaire as the main data gathering instrument complemented by interview and focus group discussion. Respondents of the study were 84 program implementers and 331 student leaders in the three state colleges in Mindoro and Marinduque (MIMA) provinces including their satellite campuses. Profile description of the program implementers revealed majority were female, middle –aged between 25-35 years of age, masteral degree holders with at most ten years in service as student service implementers. Attended trainings were relatively few. Further, the program implementers assessed the quality services delivery for admission, guidance and counselling services, scholarship and financial assistance were delivered to a great extent while health, food and library services were rated moderate extent. Housing services were delivered to a slight extent. On the other hand, student leaders rated the quality services delivery of all areas was to a moderate extent. Significant differences in the assessments between program implementers and student leaders were noted in most areas except for student housing services where both concurred delivery to a slight extent. More so, the innovative practices to achieve quality student service delivery were delivered to a moderate extent. Based on the findings, a management plan for quality student service delivery for Mindoro and Marinduque state colleges was prepared. It was recommended that the management plan be reviewed for enhancement and tried for implementation to achieve quality student service delivery.

This thesis explores how the Hungarian service delivery practitioners construct the vulnerability narratives of their asylum seeker and refugee clients and how they reflect on the implications of their intervention. For the method of inquiry, the study employs qualitative thematic analysis in order to identify reoccurring themes and patterns within the material written by professionals, paraprofessionals, and volunteers. When applying the concept of vulnerability and reflexivity in service delivery practice, the analysis suggests that the consequences of war, conflict, fear of persecution, and the hostile environment in Hungary further perpetuate clients' vulnerability. Furthermore, mental health issues, the lack of access to education, the unemployment problems resulting in financial hardship, and housing difficulties are all impacting the vulnerability experiences and coping mechanisms. Also, the material suggests that besides the objective categorizations of vulnerability, there are also its subjective perceptions that emerge in the narratives through the reflections of service delivery practitioners, expanding the concept of vulnerability.

This thesis presented for a Ph. D. by publication traces the progress of my work from 1988-2004. The portfolio and narrative herein developed demonstrates that the publications and their dissemination constitute a contribution to knowledge equivalent to that of a traditional doctorate. This portfolio aims to demonstrate how my original contribution to knowledge has been a cumulative process developed from my on-going integration of practice and academic work and that this has substantially impacted on the understanding of childhood abuse on children and on the adult survivors they become, on practitioners working in the field, and on the implications for service delivery and therapeutic interventions. I consider how practice has fed and focussed my thinking on areas subsequently studied, explored and described in these publications; and that these are fundamentally deeply rooted in and with survivors, but significantly extend to consideration of issues for practitioners. I examine how in order for survivors to be truly heard, their voice has to be communicated effectively and be translated into the development of appropriate responses. I have therefore demonstrated not only the intrinsic necessity of survivors of abuse being core to the whole process, but that educating practitioners is of parallel and equal importance, ensuring and facilitating safe and effective practice. I show how my work has made an effective contribution in these respects. The thesis is presented in three chapters: Chapter 1 describes and overviews the selected publications and contextualises these; explores the research journey; examines the methodological base and rationale, and considers the influence of practice. The twelve cited selected publications (Appendix B) are intertwined within the developing narrative, with particular focus on specific key publications, notably the single authored Surviving Secrets (1992) and the jointly edited Hidden Selves (1999). Throughout, I reflect on my own learning and development academically and clinically, demonstrating the crucial significance of the interrelationship between these two. I refer to my publications to illustrate the progress of my development, how these have drawn on and fed back into practice, and essentially how survivors of abuse have continually remained at the very heart of my work. Chapter 2 is the body of the work containing the cited articles and book chapters, including the most relevant chapters from Women in Therapy and Counselling : Out of the Shadows and Hidden Selves. The four books cited. Surviving Secrets: the experience of abuse for the child the adult and the helper; Hidden Selves: An Exploration of Multiple Personality, and Abuse: Questions and Answers for Counsellors and Therapists, are attached separately. Chapter 3 summarises the results of the published works demonstrating their original contribution to knowledge. As this portfolio extends over 16 years, and considerable work has taken place, for the sake of clarity I trace the impact of this body of work, and the contribution it has made, in respect of the four most significant pathways: education, training, practice, policy and service development. The chapter concludes by reflecting on both strengths and weaknesses of this body of work, including further consideration of the methodology used.

Thesis (MPA. (Public Administration)) -- University of Limpopo, 2015
Local governments are obliged by the Constitution of South Africa to deliver services and development to local communities in their demarcated areas. This constitutional mandate comes at a time where South African government entered into a new regime of government indebted to fix the ill of the Apartheid systems. The government of the post-1994 had to eradicate the inequality offspring of segregation policies of the past that resulted in most of the black communities without access to decent local government services and systems. The provision of services by local government became constrained by skills gaps and distribution across a wider community that had to be included in cascading services. The question of capacity in local government formed a critical part of the transformation of government in South Africa. Never the less local government has been swept by service delivery protest since the 2004 with a sharp increase from 2008 till current. Further pressures that indicate capacity challenges are with the inability of municipalities to deal healthy with financial resource. This challenged is confirmed by the steady poor reports by the auditor general year-in-year-out. These challenges exist where there is a concentrated financing reservations and advocacy of capacity building training programmes, which in turn shows to be failing to address capacity challenges in local government. The study investigated the effects of capacity building training programmes on municipal practitioners in selected municipalities within the Capricorn District Municipality, Limpopo province. The focus of the study is to establish the implication of capacity building training programmes on the capacity of officials to discharge their official duties in the municipalities. The study also dealt with the need for a methodological model that could be used to develop capacity building training programmes. Competency-Based Training was studied in pursuit for recommendation as a model for capacity building in local government. The study was grounded within the boundaries of the systems thinking with bias to the complex systems thinking. To fulfil the purpose of the study data was collected through qualitative and quantitative methods. Analyses were made using the Statistical Package for Social Science. The findings of the study revealed that though there are positive effects of capacity building training programmes in local government there is much to be done especial the alignment of capacity with the strategic positioning of the participating municipalities.

Local authorities have experienced significant cuts in income whilst grappling with increased demand, an aging population and welfare reform. This pressing imperative has driven local authorities to challenge their sense of self and in doing so consider the participative role that customers can and do play. This study sought to examine practitioner perspectives of customers, their role, impact and constraining and enabling factors within the design and delivery of local government contact centre services. There is limited empirical research on practitioner perspectives of the role of customers within a local government environment. There are multiple terms used to describe the concept of customer but an absence of established approaches to examine the role that customers play within socially constructed phenomenon within local government demonstrating a gap in current academic thought. Whilst the rationale for involving customers in local governance is debated, the application of theory in to practice is limited thereby further constraining the opportunity for local authorities to leverage potential benefits afforded through participative approaches to the design and delivery of contact centre services. An interpretivist stance was adopted with qualitative techniques employed within the research. Using a priori codes developed through the review of extant literature, thematic analysis of forty-four customer service strategies spanning single tier, upper tier and metropolitan local authorities was undertaken. Themes were further developed through analysis of transcripts from seventeen semistructured interviews with managers responsible for the design and delivery of local government contact centre services. This research highlighted the differing and often contradictory practitioner perceptions of the concept of customer and the role that customers play in the design and delivery of local government services. Whilst organisations espoused a desire to progress participative principles due to the potential benefits afforded through such approaches, the extent to which these were operationalised by practitioners was limited and this coupled with a perceived sense of passivity on the part of customers resulted in little or no positive impact on current service performance. As extant literature and research is limited on the role of customers within local government, this study expands current academic thought providing particular insight on the practitioner perspective. The research findings provide a robust foundation on which theorists and practitioners in particular can formulate participative strategies and associated policies thereby providing meaningful opportunities for customers to co-design and co-deliver local government services and through which potential benefits, financial and non-financial, can be realised.

The study investigated the self-reported information needs and information-seeking behaviour of 143 general practitioners in their delivery of patient care to the elderly on the Gold Coast. The study sought to obtain an information profile in order to begin discussion on the need for possible infrastructures that may need to be considered in any planning strategies concerned with access to and provision of relevant, accurate and timely information to general practitioners which affects their delivery of patient care to the growing number of elderly patients. A ten-page questionnaire utilising both structured and unstructured questions was returned by 61.9 percent of the survey population. Demographic characteristics indicated that respondents were representative of general practitioners in Australia. Respondents frequently needed information with 40 percent requiring it '1 - 4 times a week' and 78 percent 'once a month or more often'. Information on medical fact was required most frequently, 29 percent, medical opinion 27 percent, and non-medical information 23 percent. The study found support for the proposition that computerised information systems need to be enhanced and made widely known and available to general practitioners to assist them in obtaining information that they need in delivery of patient care to the elderly. There is a great need by these general practitioners for non-medical information as well as medical information. Therefore, the development of a database of non-medical information containing information on local agencies and services is of high priority. Library information delivery services should also be de-institutionalised in terms of lifting restrictions to services provided to enable general practitioners greater access to information. Library services should aim to provide remote access to information via telephone, fax and modem with emphasis on value added services aimed at solving a particular specific information need as well as straight-out bibliographic search services and document delivery services. Continuing medical education in the form of CME courses, conferences and meetings should focus on specific information needs of general practitioners in this area of patient care to the elderly. The need for information on cardiology, orthopaedics, dermatology, physiotherapy, podiatry, pharmaceutical benefits, home help, Meals-on-Wheels and nursing home placement were areas of particular interest identified by respondents in this study.

The purpose of this study is to explore the EAP environment and provide a better understanding of the related roles of the Employee Assistant Practitioners/Professionals (EAPs) in respect of their treatment of various forms of illnesses in the workplace – particularly HIV and AIDS. The EAP role is not aligned to any individual profession, as it is designed to match employees’ holistic needs. It is in this context that the repertoire of EAP roles would include caring, psycho-social, therapeutic and technical skills. The EAP role is therefore endowed with the potential to meet a range of inter-departmental and multi-disciplinary needs – such as Nursing, Allied Health Professions, and Healthcare Sciences. A generic Assistant Practitioners Performance Management system (scorecard) had to be developed and agreed to with the City of Johannesburg’s (CoJ) Management in order to maintain consistency when developing APE programmes and roles. Notwithstanding the fact that the Employee Assistant Practitioners do also address the growing HIV/AIDS concerns in the workplace – including psycho-social problems of employees and their families – there is minimal acknowledgment of the EAPs’ roles, and little recognition of their welfare and well-being programmes. Drawing eclectically from various inter-related disciplinary terrains, the study centripetally explores the roles of EAPs as well as HIV/AIDS frameworks in the workplace. Quantitative and qualitative descriptive research methods were employed to assess challenges encountered by the City of Johannesburg (C.o.J) employees and their dependants. Questionnaires were used for the data collection of this study. The repertoire of participants in the study (n=55) comprised of doctors, social workers, nurses, HR officers, and other CoJ employees themselves. vi The questionnaire became the pivotal quantitative data analysis reference point ias it focused on numbers or quantities, and less on the qualitative analysis, which focused on differences in quality. The results of the study are based on numeric analysis and statistics to quantify the qualitative analysis. The prevalence of fewer participants was largely influenced by the depth of the data collection process, which did not allow for large numbers of research participants. The findings of the study revealed, amongst other factors, that there was an unsurpassed need to integrate different HIV/AIDS frameworks in order that the roles of EAPs becomes more effectively and efficiently defined and executed. The roles of EAPs were hitherto not well defined, resulting in duplication and confusion of service delivery to some employees utilising the EAP services. However, some of the EAP roles are highly appreciated and increasingly supported by managers and employees. Based on the findings of the study, recommendations were made for clarifying and extending the criticality of EAP roles and functions.
Health Studies
Ph. D. (Health Studies)

Healthcare public health is concerned with the application of population sciences to the design, organization, and delivery of healthcare services, with the ultimate aim of improving population health. This book provides a modern introduction to the methods and subject matter of healthcare public health, bringing together coverage of all the key areas in a single volume. Topics include healthcare needs’ assessment; access to healthcare; knowledge management; ethical issues; involvement of patients and the public; population screening; health promotion and disease prevention; new service models; programme budgeting and preparation of a business case; evaluation and outcomes; patient safety, and implementation and improvement sciences; healthcare in remote and resource-poor regions; and disasters and emergencies. Drawing on international perspectives, this volume will be relevant wherever healthcare is delivered. It will enable students, researchers, academics, practitioners, and policy makers to contribute to the goals of designing and delivering health services that improve population health, reduce inequalities, and meet the needs of individuals and communities.

Explosive growth of communication technologies and increased ubiquity of Internet access in both urban and rural communities and particularly in youth have occurred. Coupled with concerns regarding limitations to traditional service provision models, researchers and practitioners are looking to affordable, acceptable technologies to expand the reach of evidence-based care and reduce barriers to intervention and unmet need in areas with few providers. This chapter describes the present literature on use of video teleconferencing, web-based programs, social media, and smartphone apps to enhance mental health intervention delivery, psychiatric assessment, and training and supervision. The strengths of the various delivery methods are discussed for providing empirically supported mental healthcare, focusing on implications related to science and practice with children and families. Outlined also are current limitations, risks, and challenges to technology-mediated services, including the significant gaps in the evidence base underlying these technologies and the legal, ethical, and safety issues that remain.

Abstract The Four Key Metrics of DevOps have become very popular for measuring IT-performance and DevOps adoption. However, the measurement of the four metrics deployment frequency, lead time for change, time to restore service and change failure rate is often done manually and through surveys - with only few data points. In this work we evaluated how the Four Key Metrics can be measured automatically and developed a prototype for the automatic measurement of the Four Key Metrics. We then evaluated if the measurement is valuable for practitioners in a company. The analysis shows that the chosen measurement approach is both suitable and the results valuable for the team with respect to measuring and improving the software delivery performance.

AbstractThis paper compares the determinants of guest experience at luxury hotels in Mainland China before and during the pandemic—COVID-19. In particular, 740 Chinese reviews posted before the pandemic outbreak, and 1283 reviews posted during the pandemic were collected. Text analytics were applied to segment and count the frequency of words in these online reviews. The results show that the core dimensions of guest experiences at luxury hotels include services, room quality and settings, hotel facilities, dining, location, and environment. These core dimensions do not change regardless of the period before or during the pandemic. However, guests have higher expectations on hotel services such as late check-out and delivery service of takeaway during the pandemic. Online reviews amid-pandemic also contain words related to pandemic prevention and control measures, such as guest traffic and body temperature. Suggestions on operations and management are provided for hotel practitioners to improve their services during the critical period.

In every living being, health is essentially important, and as such, requires attention. Health related matters are at one point or the other embedded into humans' strategic, tactical and operational activities. However, due to human complexity, manifesting from factors such as food consumption and weather effect, healthcare services have increasingly become essential to individuals, groups and organisations in their daily life activities. As healthcare services increase in significance, the knowledge acquired and used in carrying out its services also becomes vital. The management of knowledge has increased in its relevance over the years. This could be attributed to the complexity in human activities. Thus, the management of knowledge has many challenges, which are never straight forward, and does not always produce positive result. Based on the challenges, it is critical to understand the enabling and constraint scenery of knowledge management. This article applied Structuration Theory to examine the different types of knowledge within the healthcare environment, using one of South African healthcare service providers as a case. This was done in order to gain better understanding on how certain knowledge are managed to give the result that they do. A better understanding of how knowledge is acquired and used within the healthcare environment would assist practitioners and managers, including Government and academic researchers in their roles and responsibilities.

This chapter introduces experience sharing of Cai’s gynecology in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It argues that Cai’s family in China are experts in TCM gynecology, whose seventh generation Xiaosun Cai is a TCM master. Therefore, inheriting experience of Xiaosun is a critical business in the present TCM field. The authors demonstrate a novel system (named TCM-PMES) for preserving the diagnostic processes of veteran practitioners like Xiaosun in a personalized way. Based on the summarized Cai’s diagnostic template, a custom input system embracing the particular expressions of the specialist is set up in the platform. Unique and unfiltered experience of veteran practitioner is maintained as complete as possible. Various approaches on exploring relationships among TCM components and speculating syndrome types from clinical symptoms are also studied. This work provides a new way for keeping and researching the personalized factors in the diagnostic process of Cai’s TCM gynecology.

A population approach to parenting support uses diverse delivery in person and online delivery contexts to provide parents with access to evidence-based programs. No single discipline, service sector, or mode of delivery should monopolize the provision of evidence-based parenting programs. Many different helping professionals come into contact with parents seeking support for parenting issues. It is particularly important that primary care settings are deployed as destigmatized socially normative points of contact for parents. Pediatricians, general practitioners, and community child health nurses are often approached for parenting advice. Similarly, the early childhood education and child care and school settings are also important contexts for the delivery of preventively focused parenting services and programs. In addition to considering how Triple P has been applied in these contexts, this section considers how evidence-based programs can be delivered in the context of the workplace, following natural disasters, through the media, and via the Internet.

This chapter describes a case study of the poor access to healthcare in the developing the countries with more focus on the rural areas and presents an adapted remote care delivery system approach for improving and increasing the access to healthcare services by overcoming certain cultural, social, financial, and linguistic barriers. The remote care delivery system integrates traditional practitioners because most people are more confident with the traditional medicine. The chapter presents the results of a practical on-site test of the proposed system. The test has shown the potentiality of the proposed system to improve the quality and effectiveness of healthcare and increase the accessibility of healthcare systems. The chapter also discusses the obstacles for applying standard telemedicine systems and e-health solutions in the developing world.

This chapter describes a case study of the poor access to healthcare in the developing the countries with more focus on the rural areas and presents an adapted remote care delivery system approach for improving and increasing the access to healthcare services by overcoming certain cultural, social, financial, and linguistic barriers. The remote care delivery system integrates traditional practitioners because most people are more confident with the traditional medicine. The chapter presents the results of a practical on-site test of the proposed system. The test has shown the potentiality of the proposed system to improve the quality and effectiveness of healthcare and increase the accessibility of healthcare systems. The chapter also discusses the obstacles for applying standard telemedicine systems and e-health solutions in the developing world.

India, one of the oldest civilizations and second most populous country is ethnically, linguistically, geographically, religious, and demographically diverse is poorly ranked due to complex public healthcare system, which suffers from insufficient funding, poor management. Poor health intertwined with poverty, affordability, accessibility, burden of infectious and non-communicable affecting lives of most Indians. Healthcare ecosystems are complex and still evolving, investments in service delivery system, infrastructure, and technology, are still being experimented and explored. India's booming population; increasing purchasing power; rising awareness of personal health and hygiene; and significant growth in infectious, chronic degenerative, and lifestyle diseases are driving the growing market. In this chapter we will explore accessible and affordable healthcare system, state of public healthcare, healthcare reforms, governance (Constitutional Provisions, Law, and Policy framework) in healthcare delivery, and Opportunity offered by market drivers.

With the global diffusion of cybercrime, the ever-growing market penetration of high-performance and low-cost personal digital devices, and the commercial success of cloud computing, the area of digital forensics is faced with various new challenges that must be taken seriously. In this chapter, the authors describe a novel approach to digital investigations based on the emerging “Forensics as a Service” (FaaS) model. This model attempts to optimize Law Enforcement Agency's (LEA) forensic procedures, reduce complexity, and save operational costs. Inspired by previous work on distributed computing for forensic analysis, this chapter provides the reader with design guidelines of a FaaS platform for secure service delivery. The proposed FaaS platform should be able to support investigators and practitioners in their daily tasks (e.g. digital evidence examination, analysis, and reporting) once implemented by a cloud forensic provider or internally by a LEA. In this chapter, the authors also present the architecture components, interfaces, communication protocols, functional and non-functional requirements, as well as security specifications of the proposed framework in detail.

*E-mail: jurga.vesterte@vgtu.lt Abstract. Purpose – the purpose of this research is to determine aspects of the service delivery process what must be considered for modularisation. The aim is reached through (1) investigating the process construct; (2) describing and schematizing service delivery process through integration of customer and provider perspectives; (3) ascertaining the as-pects of the service delivery process modularisation. Research methodology – the article is built on an overview of the scientific literature dealing with the topic, using meth-ods of comparative analysis, systemic analysis, abstraction, synthesis, abductive reasoning. Findings – for achieving service modularisation, the service provider may apply standardisation and automation methods on three dimensions of service delivery process: (1) service offering; (2) parts of the service process that are managed by the provider; (3) organisational structure of the provider. Research limitations – the study examines the aspects of modularity only on the conceptual level. A natural extension of this research is an empirical investigation of the introduced approaches. Practical implications – the proposed approaches help practitioners in the decision-making process for a service delivery process modularisation. Originality/Value – the study approaches the modularisation of the service delivery process considering the customer and service provider perspectives and fills the gap in the literature on service modularisation management. Keywords: services; service modularity; service delivery process; service management.

Aim/Purpose: This study builds upon theory to develop and test a parsimonious model of service quality importance, the Higher Education Service Quality Importance (HESQI) Model, for use in standardized, frequent surveys of student satisfaction in higher education service delivery. Background: Educational institutions operating in the higher education marketplace are facing increased competition for students. In order to be competitive in terms of the student services provided, these institutions need a method to evaluate and measure, on a frequent and recurring basis, the quality and performance of their services. Methodology: A survey was developed and administered to a stratified random sample of 1,400 students at a large public university in the southwestern United States. The 56% response rate was comprised of 790 total respondents. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze model constructs and latent variables. Reliability, validity, non-response bias, and common method bias were assessed as part of the research. Contribution: The HESQI is a compact, parsimonious instrument that can be administered in a cost-effective manner for faster, point-in-time checks of student satisfaction with less survey fatigue than larger instruments. Findings Service quality is significantly correlated with student satisfaction. The developed model is capable of explaining nearly 70% of the variance in student perceptions of satisfaction. Recommendations for Practitioners: The developed HESQI instrument addresses the need for a quick and easy measurement instrument to assess student satisfaction in higher education institutions. The HESQI instrument simplifies data collection and analysis and can be used on a frequent and ongoing basis to gain rapid insight into service and quality issues affecting students. Recommendations for Researchers: The development of the HESQI provides an instrument that researchers can use to study the delivery of auxiliary services in higher education. In addition, the methodology used has implications for how to develop and test other parsimonious instrument for use in other contexts. Impact on Society: Higher education is of critical value to societal mobility. As such providing a better experience for those who seek education is important and services are an important part of that experience. The HESQI has an important role in helping to improve that experience because it allows measuring the satisfaction with changes that are made to improve auxiliary services which are important to the overall environment and experience. Future Research: Future research may be carried out to further validate and confirm the research findings and use it in other environments. Also, research may consider a single item instrument in similar environments.

Due to globalization, there is tremendous demand on Indian companies to lower costs, enlarge product assortment, improve product quality, and provide reliable delivery dates through effective and efficient coordination of production and distribution activities. To achieve these conflicting goals, companies must constantly re-engineer or change their business practices and employ information systems like Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). However, implementing ERP system is a difficult and high cost proposition. There are mixed results of success and failure in different companies. With a survey of manufacturing companies in India and subsequent detailed case study in one ERP implemented company, this study analyzes various parameters of ERP implementations with factor analysis and logit regression analysis. It is revealed that with clear goals of ERP implementation and proper ERP software selection, the companies are benefited in reducing inventory, improving customer service and other intangible benefits. The top management support, strong and meaningful training program are found the enabling factors of its success. It is argued that this study and ERP implementation model proposed in this paper is valuable to researchers and practitioners interested in implementing ERP system. The findings will also be helpful in extracting the better results from ERP implementation.

[This Proceedings paper was revised and published in the 2019 issue of the Interdisciplinary Journal of E-Skills and Lifelong Learning, Volume 15.] Aim/Purpose This study aims to determine where nursing students from a metropolitan university subsequently work following graduation, identify the factors that influence decisions to pursue careers in particular locations, ascertain educational plans in the immediate future; and explore the factors that might attract students to pursue postgraduate study. Background The global nursing shortage and high attrition of nursing students remain a challenge for the nursing profession. A recurrent pattern of maldistribution of nurses in clinical specialities and work locations has also occurred. It is imperative that institutions of learning examine their directions and priorities with the goal of meeting the mounting health needs of the wider community. Methodology Qualitative and quantitative data were obtained through an online 21-item questionnaire. The questionnaire gathered data such as year of graduation, employment status, the location of main and secondary jobs, the principal area of nursing activity, and plans for postgraduate study. It sought graduates’ reasons for seeking employment in particular workplaces and the factors encouraging them to pursue postgraduate study. Contribution This study is meaningful and relevant as it provided a window to see the gaps in higher education and nursing practice, and opportunities in research and collaboration. It conveys many insights that were informative, valuable and illuminating in the context of nurse shortage and nurse education. The partnership with hospitals and health services in providing education and support at the workplace is emphasized. Findings Twenty-three students completed the online questionnaire. All respondents were employed, 22 were working in Australia on a permanent basis (96%), 19 in urban areas (83%) with three in regional/rural areas (13%), and one was working internationally (4%). This pilot study revealed that there were varied reasons for workplace decisions, but the most common answer was the opportunity provided to students to undertake their graduate year and subsequent employment offered. Moreover, the prevailing culture of the organization and high-quality clinical experiences afforded to students were significant contributory factors. Data analysis revealed their plans for postgraduate studies in the next five years (61%), with critical care nursing as the most popular specialty option. The majority of the respondents (78%) signified their interest in taking further courses, being familiar with the educational system and expressing high satisfaction with the university’s program delivery. Recommendations for Practitioners The results of the pilot should be tested in a full study with validated instruments in the future. With a larger dataset, the conclusions about graduate destinations and postgraduate educational pursuits of graduates would be generalizable, valid and reliable. Recommendation for Researchers Further research to explore how graduates might be encouraged to work in rural and regional areas, determine courses that meet the demand of the market, and how to better engage with clinical partners are recommended. Impact on Society It is expected that the study will be extended in the future to benefit other academics, service managers, recruiters, and stakeholders to alert them of strategies that may be used to entice graduates to seek employment in various areas and plan for addressing the educational needs of postgraduate nursing students. The end goal is to help enhance the nursing workforce by focusing on leadership and retention. Future Research Future directions for research will include canvassing a bigger sample of alumni students and continuously monitoring graduate destinations and educational aspirations. How graduates might be encouraged to work in rural and regional areas will be further explored. Further research will also be undertaken involving graduates from other universities and other countries in order to compare the work practice of graduates over the same time frame.

Aim/Purpose: This case study examines the last-mile logistics model as implemented by Lazada Vietnam, as well as the logistics challenges in the local business environment that led the e-commerce company to dually employ the inventory/retail model and the marketplace model for delivering orders to online customers in Vietnam in search of the way to perfect their last-mile logistics. Background: For electronic commerce companies aiming to be successful in customer service, what academics and practitioners refer to as ‘last-mile logistics’ is the one moment of truth, when deliveries have to be planned tactically and exactly, so that orders are delivered to customers at the right time, right place, right quantity, right quality, and ultimately at the right cost. When deciphering this type of supply chain, i.e., one that is e-commerce- driven, last-mile logistics is the one segment of the product flow that directly interacts with the ultimate customer, but many times is the one segment that is the most problematic and less efficient to implement well. Lazada Group, a German e-commerce company, discovered the serious complications of ‘last-mile logistics’ when they first entered Vietnam in 2013. Methodology: This case study used qualitative method through interviews with Lazada Vietnam’s management. Contribution: The paper explains the challenges incorporating last-mile logistics concept in e-commerce operation in Vietnam.

[This Proceedings paper was revised and published in the journal Issues in Informing Science and Information Technology] Aim/Purpose : Executive doctoral programs in higher education are under-researched. Scholars, administers, and students should be aware of all common delivery methods for higher education graduate programs. Background: This paper provides a review and analysis of executive doctoral higher education programs in the United States. Methodology : Executive higher education doctoral programs analyzed utilizing a qualitative demographic market-based analysis approach. Contribution: This review of executive higher education doctoral programs provides one of the first investigations of this segment of the higher education degree market. Findings: There are twelve programs in the United States offering executive higher education degrees, though there are less aggressively marketed programs described as executive-style higher education doctoral programs that could serve students with similar needs. Recommendations for Practitioners: Successful executive higher education doctoral programs require faculty that have both theoretical knowledge and practical experience in higher education. As appropriate, these programs should include tenure-line, clinical-track, and adjunct faculty who have cabinet level experience in higher education. Recommendation for Researchers: Researchers should begin to investigate more closely the small but growing population of executive doctoral degree programs in higher education. Impact on Society: Institutions willing to offer executive degrees in higher education will provide training specifically for those faculty who are one step from an executive position within the higher education sector. Society will be impacted by having someone that is trained in the area who also has real world experience. Future Research: Case studies of students enrolled in executive higher education programs and research documenting university-employer goals for these programs would enhance our understanding of this branch of the higher education degree market.

Aim/Purpose: This paper provides the results of the preliminary analysis of the findings of an ongoing study that seeks to examine the social media use, cultural and political awareness, civic engagement, issue prioritization, and social activism of Gen Z students enrolled at four different institutional types located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The aim of this study is to look at the group as a whole as well as compare findings across populations. The institutional types under consideration include a mid-sized majority serving or otherwise referred to as a traditionally white institution (TWI) located in a small coastal city on the Atlantic Ocean, a small Historically Black University (HBCU) located in a rural area, a large community college located in a county that is a mixture of rural and suburban and which sits on the border of Maryland and Pennsylvania, and graduating high school students enrolled in career and technical education (CTE) programs in a large urban area. This exploration is purposed to examine the behaviors and expectations of Gen Z students within a representative American region during a time of tremendous turmoil and civil unrest in the United States. Background: Over 74 million strong, Gen Z makes up almost one-quarter of the U.S. population. They already outnumber any current living generation and are the first true digital natives. Born after 1996 and through 2012, they are known for their short attention spans and heightened ability to multi-task. Raised in the age of the smart phone, they have been tethered to digital devices from a young age with most having the preponderance of their childhood milestones commemorated online. Often called Zoomers, they are more racially and ethnically diverse than any previous generation and are on track to be the most well-educated generation in history. Gen Zers in the United States have been found in the research to be progressive and pro-government and viewing increasing racial and ethnic diversity as positive change. Finally, they are less likely to hold xenophobic beliefs such as the notion of American exceptionalism and superiority that have been popular with by prior generations. The United States has been in a period of social and civil unrest in recent years with concerns over systematic racism, rampant inequalities, political polarization, xenophobia, police violence, sexual assault and harassment, and the growing epidemic of gun violence. Anxieties stirred by the COVID-19 pandemic further compounded these issues resulting in a powder keg explosion occurring throughout the summer of 2020 and leading well into 2021. As a result, the United States has deteriorated significantly in the Civil Unrest Index falling from 91st to 34th. The vitriol, polarization, protests, murders, and shootings have all occurred during Gen Z’s formative years, and the limited research available indicates that it has shaped their values and political views. Methodology: The Mid-Atlantic region is a portion of the United States that exists as the overlap between the northeastern and southeastern portions of the country. It includes the nation’s capital, as well as large urban centers, small cities, suburbs, and rural enclaves. It is one of the most socially, economically, racially, and culturally diverse parts of the United States and is often referred to as the “typically American region.” An electronic survey was administered to students from 2019 through 2021 attending a high school dual enrollment program, a minority serving institution, a majority serving institution, and a community college all located within the larger mid-Atlantic region. The survey included a combination of multiple response, Likert scaled, dichotomous, open ended, and ordinal questions. It was developed in the Survey Monkey system and reviewed by several content and methodological experts in order to examine bias, vagueness, or potential semantic problems. Finally, the survey was pilot tested prior to implementation in order to explore the efficacy of the research methodology. It was then modified accordingly prior to widespread distribution to potential participants. The surveys were administered to students enrolled in classes taught by the authors all of whom are educators. Participation was voluntary, optional, and anonymous. Over 800 individuals completed the survey with just over 700 usable results, after partial completes and the responses of individuals outside of the 18-24 age range were removed. Findings: Participants in this study overwhelmingly were users of social media. In descending order, YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, WhatsApp, LinkedIn and Tik Tok were the most popular social media services reported as being used. When volume of use was considered, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube and Twitter were the most cited with most participants reporting using Instagram and Snapchat multiple times a day. When asked to select which social media service they would use if forced to choose just one, the number one choice was YouTube followed by Instagram and Snapchat. Additionally, more than half of participants responded that they have uploaded a video to a video sharing site such as YouTube or Tik Tok. When asked about their familiarity with different technologies, participants overwhelmingly responded that they are “very familiar” with smart phones, searching the Web, social media, and email. About half the respondents said that they were “very familiar” with common computer applications such as the Microsoft Office Suite or Google Suite with another third saying that they were “somewhat familiar.” When asked about Learning Management Systems (LMS) like Blackboard, Course Compass, Canvas, Edmodo, Moodle, Course Sites, Google Classroom, Mindtap, Schoology, Absorb, D2L, itslearning, Otus, PowerSchool, or WizIQ, only 43% said they were “very familiar” with 31% responding that they were “somewhat familiar.” Finally, about half the students were either “very” or “somewhat” familiar with operating systems such as Windows. A few preferences with respect to technology in the teaching and learning process were explored in the survey. Most students (85%) responded that they want course announcements and reminders sent to their phones, 76% expect their courses to incorporate the use of technology, 71% want their courses to have course websites, and 71% said that they would rather watch a video than read a book chapter. When asked to consider the future, over 81% or respondents reported that technology will play a major role in their future career. Most participants considered themselves “informed” or “well informed” about current events although few considered themselves “very informed” or “well informed” about politics. When asked how they get their news, the most common forum reported for getting news and information about current events and politics was social media with 81% of respondents reporting. Gen Z is known to be an engaged generation and the participants in this study were not an exception. As such, it came as no surprise to discover that, in the past year more than 78% of respondents had educated friends or family about an important social or political issue, about half (48%) had donated to a cause of importance to them, more than a quarter (26%) had participated in a march or rally, and a quarter (26%) had actively boycotted a product or company. Further, about 37% consider themselves to be a social activist with another 41% responding that aren’t sure if they would consider themselves an activist and only 22% saying that they would not consider themselves an activist. When asked what issues were important to them, the most frequently cited were Black Lives Matter (75%), human trafficking (68%), sexual assault/harassment/Me Too (66.49%), gun violence (65.82%), women’s rights (65.15%), climate change (55.4%), immigration reform/deferred action for childhood arrivals (DACA) (48.8%), and LGBTQ+ rights (47.39%). When the schools were compared, there were only minor differences in social media use with the high school students indicating slightly more use of Tik Tok than the other participants. All groups were virtually equal when it came to how informed they perceived themselves about current events and politics. Consensus among groups existed with respect to how they get their news, and the community college and high school students were slightly more likely to have participated in a march, protest, or rally in the last 12 months than the university students. The community college and high school students were also slightly more likely to consider themselves social activists than the participants from either of the universities. When the importance of the issues was considered, significant differences based on institutional type were noted. Black Lives Matter (BLM) was identified as important by the largest portion of students attending the HBCU followed by the community college students and high school students. Less than half of the students attending the TWI considered BLM an important issue. Human trafficking was cited as important by a higher percentage of students attending the HBCU and urban high school than at the suburban and rural community college or the TWI. Sexual assault was considered important by the majority of students at all the schools with the percentage a bit smaller from the majority serving institution. About two thirds of the students at the high school, community college, and HBCU considered gun violence important versus about half the students at the majority serving institution. Women’s rights were reported as being important by more of the high school and HBCU participants than the community college or TWI. Climate change was considered important by about half the students at all schools with a slightly smaller portion reporting out the HBCU. Immigration reform/DACA was reported as important by half the high school, community college, and HBCU participants with only a third of the students from the majority serving institution citing it as an important issue. With respect to LGBTQ rights approximately half of the high school and community college participants cited it as important, 44.53% of the HBCU students, and only about a quarter of the students attending the majority serving institution. Contribution and Conclusion: This paper provides a timely investigation into the mindset of generation Z students living in the United States during a period of heightened civic unrest. This insight is useful to educators who should be informed about the generation of students that is currently populating higher education. The findings of this study are consistent with public opinion polls by Pew Research Center. According to the findings, the Gen Z students participating in this study are heavy users of multiple social media, expect technology to be integrated into teaching and learning, anticipate a future career where technology will play an important role, informed about current and political events, use social media as their main source for getting news and information, and fairly engaged in social activism. When institutional type was compared the students from the university with the more affluent and less diverse population were less likely to find social justice issues important than the other groups. Recommendations for Practitioners: During disruptive and contentious times, it is negligent to think that the abounding issues plaguing society are not important to our students. Gauging the issues of importance and levels of civic engagement provides us crucial information towards understanding the attitudes of students. Further, knowing how our students gain information, their social media usage, as well as how informed they are about current events and political issues can be used to more effectively communicate and educate. Recommendations for Researchers: As social media continues to proliferate daily life and become a vital means of news and information gathering, additional studies such as the one presented here are needed. Additionally, in other countries facing similarly turbulent times, measuring student interest, awareness, and engagement is highly informative. Impact on Society: During a highly contentious period replete with a large volume of civil unrest and compounded by a global pandemic, understanding the behaviors and attitudes of students can help us as higher education faculty be more attuned when it comes to the design and delivery of curriculum. Future Research This presentation presents preliminary findings. Data is still being collected and much more extensive statistical analyses will be performed.

In the wake of the current coronavirus pandemic, more practitioners are turning to online service delivery for children and adolescents in need of mental health support. The recent JCPP publication from Susan Spence and colleagues on internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy (iCBT) for anxious children is thus particularly timely.

Since the mid-1970s, the Bangladesh national family planning program primarily focused on motivating women to use modern contraceptive methods and encouraging them to seek services from clinics. In addition, female field workers were recruited to deliver contraceptive methods at homes. The program design facilitated women’s access to information and medical care through clinics and home visits. In the process, however, the medical needs of males were marginalized. Men generally seek services from pharmacies, private practitioners, and district hospitals, and often ignore preventive steps and postpone seeking medical care for chronic health conditions. In cases of acute illness, they often resort to self-medication. As noted in this report, the study’s aim was to integrate male reproductive health services within the existing government female-focused health-care delivery system. The study concluded that reproductive health services for men could easily be integrated into the health and family welfare centers without affecting the clinics’ focus on serving women and children.