As the population ages and healthcare costs continue to soar, the focus of the nation and the healthcare industry turns to reducing costs and making the delivery process more efficient. Demonstrating how improvements in information systems can lead to improved patient care, Information and Communication Technologies in Healthcare explains how to cr

We are what we eat. That old expression seems particularly poignant every time we have our blood drawn for a routine physical to check our cholesterol levels. And, it's not just what we eat that affects our health. Whole ranges of behaviors ultimately make a difference in how we feel and how we maintain our health. Lifestyle choices have enormous impact on our health and well being. But, how do we communicate the language of good health so that it is uniformly received-and accepted-by people from different cultures and backgrounds? Take, for example, the case of a 66 year old Latina. She has been told by her doctor that she should have a mammogram. But her sense of fatalism tells her that it is better not to know if anything is wrong. To know that something is wrong will cause her distress and this may well lead to even more health problems. Before she leaves her doctor's office she has decided not to have a mammogram-that is until her doctor points out that having a mammogram is a way to take care of herself so that she can continue to take care of her family. In this way, the decision to have a mammogram feels like a positive step. Public health communicators and health professionals face dilemmas like this every day. Speaking of Health looks at the challenges of delivering important messages to different audiences. Using case studies in the areas of diabetes, mammography, and mass communication campaigns, it examines the ways in which messages must be adapted to the unique informational needs of their audiences if they are to have any real impact. Speaking of Health looks at basic theories of communication and behavior change and focuses on where they apply and where they don't. By suggesting creative strategies and guidelines for speaking to diverse audiences now and in the future, the Institute of Medicine seeks to take health communication into the 21st century. In an age where we are inundated by multiple messages every day, this book will be a critical tool for all who are interested in communicating with diverse communities about health issues.

SMART SYSTEMS FOR INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS The prime objective of this book is to provide an insight into the role and advancements of artificial intelligence in electrical systems and future challenges. The book covers a broad range of topics about AI from a multidisciplinary point of view, starting with its history and continuing on to theories about artificial vs. human intelligence, concepts, and regulations concerning AI, human-machine distribution of power and control, delegation of decisions, the social and economic impact of AI, etc. The prominent role that AI plays in society by connecting people through technologies is highlighted in this book. It also covers key aspects of various AI applications in electrical systems in order to enable growth in electrical engineering. The impact that AI has on social and economic factors is also examined from various perspectives. Moreover, many intriguing aspects of AI techniques in different domains are covered such as e-learning, healthcare, smart grid, virtual assistance, etc. Audience The book will be of interest to researchers and postgraduate students in artificial intelligence, electrical and electronic engineering, as well as those engineers working in the application areas such as healthcare, energy systems, education, and others.

Over half the world's rural population, and many in urban slums, have minimal access to health services. This book describes how to set up new, and develop existing, community-based health care for, by and with, the community.

In response to a request from the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, the Institute of Medicine convened a committee to identify possible demonstration projects that might be implemented in 2003, with the hope of yielding models for broader health system reform within a few years. The committee is recommending a substantial portfolio of demonstration projects, including chronic care and primary care demonstrations, information and communications technology infrastructure demonstrations, health insurance coverage demonstrations, and liability demonstrations. As a set, the demonstrations address key aspects of the health care delivery system and the financing and legal environment in which health care is provided. The launching of a carefully crafted set of demonstrations is viewed as a way to initiate a "building block" approach to health system change.

The use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to deliver psychological services has been emerging as an effective way of increasing individual access to mental health promotion, prevention, and treatment. This Special Issue brings together different contributions focusing on the acceptability and feasibility, (cost-)effectiveness, potentialities, and limitations of ICT-based psychological services for mental health promotion, prevention, and treatment. In each paper, the implications for the implementation of ICT tools in different settings (e.g., primary care services) and for future research are discussed.

Technological innovation continues to be present in all areas of our lives, offering seemingly endless possibilities. As technology is increasingly implemented in healthcare applications, it is necessary to understand whether users respond to a predefined organizational strategy of model of care or whether they will become wholly dependent on the healthcare technology. This understanding is especially crucial when dealing with the possibility of generating inequities, especially with individuals that are elderly. Exploring the Role of ICTs in Healthy Aging is a collection of innovative research that proposes the detailed study of a strategic framework for the development of technological innovation in healthcare and for its adoption by health organizations. While highlighting topics including emotional health, quality of life, and telemedicine, this book is ideally designed for physicians, nurses, hospital staff, medical professionals, home care providers, hospital administrators, academicians, students, and researchers. Moreover, the book will provide insights and support executives concerned with the management of expertise, knowledge, information, and organizational development in different types of healthcare units at various levels.

The production and consumption of Information and Communication Technologies (or ICTs) have become embedded within our societies. The influence and implications of this have an impact at a macro level, in the way our governments, economies, and businesses operate, and in our everyday lives. This handbook is about the many challenges presented by ICTs. It sets out an intellectual agenda that examines the implications of ICTs for individuals, organizations, democracy, and the economy. Explicity interdisciplinary, and combining empirical research with theoretical work, it is organised around four themes covering the knowledge economy; organizational dynamics, strategy, and design; governance and democracy; and culture, community and new media literacies. It provides a comprehensive resource for those working in the social sciences, and in the physical sciences and engineering fields, with leading contemporary research informed principally by the disciplines of anthropology, economics, philosophy, politics, and sociology.

This book provides an insight on the importance that Internet of Things (IoT) and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) solutions can have in taking care of people's health. Key features of this book present the recent and emerging developments in various specializations in curing health problems and finding their solutions by incorporating IoT and ICT. This book presents useful IoT and ICT applications and architectures that cater to their improved healthcare requirements. Topics include in-home healthcare services based on the Internet-of-Things; RFID technology for IoT based personal healthcare; Real-time reporting and monitoring; Interfacing devices to IoT; Smart medical services; Embedded gateway configuration (EGC); Health monitoring infrastructure; and more. Features a number of practical solutions and applications of IoT and ICT on healthcare; Includes application domains such as communication technology and electronic materials and devices; Applies to researchers, academics, students, and practitioners around the world.

Adequate healthcare access not only requires the availability of comprehensive healthcare facilities but also affordability and knowledge of the availability of these services. As an extended responsibility, healthcare providers can create mechanisms to facilitate subjective decision-making in accessing the right kind of healthcare services as well various options to support financial needs to bear healthcare-related expenses while seeking health and fulfilling the healthcare needs of the population. This volume brings together experiences and opinions from global leaders to develop affordable, sustainable, and uniformly available options to access healthcare services.