Founded in 2004, the Games for Health Project supports community, knowledge and business development efforts to use cutting-edge games and game technologies to improve health and health care. The Games for Health Conference brings together researchers, medical professionals and game developers to share information about the impact of games, playful interaction and game technologies on health, health care and policy. Over two days, more than 400 attendees participate in over 60 sessions provided by an international array of 80+ speakers, cutting across a wide range of activities in health and health care. Topics include exergaming, physical therapy, disease management, health behavior change, biofeedback, rehab, epidemiology, training, cognitive health, nutrition and health education.
Purpose To empirically define the concept of burden of neck pain. The lack of a clear understanding of this construct from the perspective of persons with neck pain and care providers hampers adequate measurement of this burden. An additional aim was to compare the conceptual model obtained with the frequently used Neck Disability Index (NDI). Methods Concept mapping, combining qualitative (nominal group technique and group consensus) and quantitative research methods (cluster analysis and multidimensional scaling), was applied to groups of persons with neck pain (n = 3) and professionals treating persons with neck pain (n = 2). Group members generated statements, which were organized into concept maps. Group members achieved consensus about the number and description of domains and the researchers then generated an overall mind map covering the full breadth of the burden of neck pain. Results Concept mapping revealed 12 domains of burden of neck pain: impaired mobility neck, neck pain, fatigue/concentration, physical complaints, psychological aspects/consequences, activities of daily living, social participation, financial consequences, difficult to treat/difficult to diagnose, difference of opinion with care providers, incomprehension by social environment, and how person with neck pain deal with complaints. All ten items of the NDI could be linked to the mind map, but the NDI measures only part of the burden of neck pain. Conclusion This study revealed the relevant domains for the burden of neck pain from the viewpoints of persons with neck pain and their care providers. These results can guide the identification of existing measurements instruments for each domain or the development of new ones to measure the burden of neck pain.
In order to accept and implement technology in a successful manner, not only determinants (acceptance barriers or facilitators) related to individual persons, for instance, health care providers as well as health care recipients, are important. Also interpersonal relationships on the work floor as well as the readiness and support of the organization itself are involved in the process of uptake of innovations. The Normalization Process Theory explains how this can be understood. The Technology Adoption Readiness Scale (TARS), developed based on this theory, offers a tool to diagnose the opportunities and challenges in health care organizations with respect to the implementation of certain technology- or eHealth applications. In order to guide the process of large scale implementation of technological innovations, also a pre implementation diagnosis is useful. This diagnosis, when provided by a “neutral party” has proved to be helpful for monitoring, guiding and thus supporting the implementation process of technological innovations in health care settings.
English: This living lab aims to support the creation, development and implementation of next generation concepts for sustainable healthcare logistics, with special attention for last mile solutions. Dutch healthcare providers are on the verge of a transition towards (more) sustainable business models, spurred by e.g., increasing healthcare costs, ongoing budget cuts, tight labor market conditions and increasing ecological awareness. Consequently, healthcare providers need to improve and innovate their business model and underlying logistics concept(s). Simultaneously, many cities are struggling with congestion in traffic, air quality and liveability in general. This calls for Last Mile Logistics (LML) concepts that can address challenges like effective and efficient resource planning, scheduling and utilization and, particularly, sustainability goals. LML can reduce environmental and social impact by decreasing emissions, congestion and pollution through effectively consolidating in-flows of goods and providing innovative solutions for care, wellbeing and related services. The research and initiatives in the living lab will address the following challenges: reducing the ecological footprint, reducing (healthcare-related) costs, improving service quality, decreasing loneliness of frail citizens and improving the livability of urban areas (reducing congestion and emissions). Given the scarcity and fragmentation of knowledge on healthcare logistics in organizations the living lab will also act as a learning community for (future) healthcare- and logistics professionals, thereby supporting the development of human capital. By working closely with related stakeholders and using a transdisciplinary research approach it is ensured that the developed knowledge and solutions deliver a contribution to societal challenges and have sound business potential.
English: This living lab aims to support the creation, development and implementation of next generation concepts for sustainable healthcare logistics, with special attention for last mile solutions. Dutch healthcare providers are on the verge of a transition towards (more) sustainable business models, spurred by e.g., increasing healthcare costs, ongoing budget cuts, tight labor market conditions and increasing ecological awareness. Consequently, healthcare providers need to improve and innovate their business model and underlying logistics concept(s). Simultaneously, many cities are struggling with congestion in traffic, air quality and liveability in general. This calls for Last Mile Logistics (LML) concepts that can address challenges like effective and efficient resource planning, scheduling and utilization and, particularly, sustainability goals. LML can reduce environmental and social impact by decreasing emissions, congestion and pollution through effectively consolidating in-flows of goods and providing innovative solutions for care, wellbeing and related services. The research and initiatives in the living lab will address the following challenges: reducing the ecological footprint, reducing (healthcare-related) costs, improving service quality, decreasing loneliness of frail citizens and improving the livability of urban areas (reducing congestion and emissions). Given the scarcity and fragmentation of knowledge on healthcare logistics in organizations the living lab will also act as a learning community for (future) healthcare- and logistics professionals, thereby supporting the development of human capital. By working closely with related stakeholders and using a transdisciplinary research approach it is ensured that the developed knowledge and solutions deliver a contribution to societal challenges and have sound business potential.
In the Netherlands, 125 people suffer a stroke every day, which annually results in 46.000 new stroke patients Stroke patients are confronted with combinations of physical, psychological and social consequences impacting their long term functioning and quality of live. Fortunately many patients recover to their pre-stroke level of functioning, however, almost half of them never will. Consequently, rehabilitation often means that patients need to adapt to a new reality in their lives, requiring not only physical but also psychosocial adjustments. Nurses play a key role during rehabilitation of stroke patients. However, when confronted with psychosocial problems, they often feel insecure about identifying the specific psycho-social needs of the individual patient and providing adequate care. In our project ‘Early Detection of Post-Stroke Depression’, (SIA RAAK; 2010-12-36P), we developed a toolkit focusing on early identification of depression after stroke continued with interventions nurses can use during hospitalisation. During this project it became clear that evidence regarding possible interventions is scarce and inclusive. Moreover feasibility of interventions is often not confirmed. Our project showed that during the period of hospital admission patients and health care providers strongly focus on surviving the stroke and on the physical rehabilitation. Therefore, we concluded that to make one step beyond we first have to go one step back. To strengthen psychosocial care for patients after stroke we have to add, reconsider and shape knowledge in context of health care practices in a systematic way, resulting in evidence based and practice informed stepping stones. With this project we aim to collect these stepping stones and develop a nursing care programme that improves psychosocial well-being of patients after stroke, is tailored to the particular concerns and needs of patients, and is considered feasible for use in the usual care process of nurses in the stroke rehabilitation pathway.
