Literature reviews vs systematic reviews

Bakar AF. Approach in inputs & outputs selection of Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) efficiency measurement in hospitals: A systematic review

The efficiency and productivity evaluation process commonly employs Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) as a performance tool in numerous fields, such as the healthcare industry (hospitals). Therefore, this review examined various hospital-based DEA articles involving input and output variable selection approaches and the recent DEA developments. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology was utilised to extract 89 English articles containing empirical data between 2014 and 2022 from various databases (Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Springer Link, and Google Scholar). Furthermore, the DEA model parameters were determined using information from previous studies, while the approaches were identified narratively. This review grouped the approaches into four sections: literature review, data availability, systematic method, and expert judgement. An independent single strategy or a combination with other methods was then applied to these approaches. Consequently, the focus of this review on various methodologies employed in hospitals could limit its findings. Alternative approaches or techniques could be utilised to determine the input and output variables for a DEA analysis in a distinct area or based on different perspectives. The DEA application trend was also significantly similar to that of previous studies. Meanwhile, insufficient data was observed to support the usability of any DEA model in terms of fitting all model parameters. Therefore, several recommendations and methodological principles for DEA were proposed after analysing the existing literature.

The use of immersive technologies in distance education: A systematic review

This study aims to conduct a systematic review that includes studies on the use of immersive technologies in distance education. For this purpose, 132 studies detected by searching Web of Science, Eric, Taylor & Francis and Education Full Text (EBSCO) databases were examined. The studies were analysed using the content analysis method. As a result of the analyses, it was observed that the first study investigating the subject was conducted in 2002, and the number of related studies increased over the years. In addition, these studies were primarily conducted quantitatively, were mainly journal articles, and originated mostly from China and the USA. Moreover, the sample groups of these studies consisted mostly of university students. Therefore, they mainly used academic performance and motivation variables. Furthermore, these studies were conducted primarily in the science and medical education disciplines. When the studies were evaluated in terms of publication journals, it was determined that they were published mostly in "Education Science" and "Computers & Education" journals. They were also included in the proceedings published within the scope of various conferences. When the application platforms in the studies were examined, it was determined that the UNITY and ARTUTOR platforms were mostly used. The findings of the studies revealed that the increase in academic performance and motivation was one of the most reported advantages of such technologies. On the other hand, the problems caused while using these technologies and the internet were the most reported difficulties in the studies. Finally, the review presented suggestions for future studies.

Indicators for Modernising the LIS Internship: Evidences from a systematic literature review

This systematic literature review was conducted to analyse the existing literature on the internship programme in library and information science (LIS) education. The review was guided by the RAMESES (Realist and Meta-Narrative Evidence Syntheses: Evolving Standards) method. The data source was Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar. In addition to the three main phases of the review process, mainly identification, screening, and eligibility, data abstraction and analysis are also reported. Findings reveal that studies on LIS internship have focused on satisfaction, educational benefits, educational setting, programme design and roles of the stakeholders involved in internship programmes. Modernising the LIS Internship programme requires a focus on the design of the programme structure with an emphasis on the learning outcomes relating to career readiness. Collaborative learning, service-learning and personal objectives are found to be beneficial. However, there is also an increasing demand for needs of the stakeholders and not just the student-centred learning. Further works into the assessment of the learning outcomes is recommended by the literature.

The impact of digital leadership on sustainable performance: a systematic literature review

Purpose

In today's constantly changing workplace, leaders encounter new challenges consequent to rising digitization. Tackling these problems effectively requires digital leadership, a prominent idea in discussions about what abilities the managers need to be developed in the digital age. The study analyses the leadership elements needed and determines the impact of digital leadership on sustainable performance. The aim of this systematic literature review (SLR) is to identify the relationship between digital leadership concepts and leadership development by proposing digital leadership for management development to ensure sustainable performance in an organisation.

Design/methodology/approach

ROSES (RepOrting Standards for Systematics Evidence Syntheses) was used as the publication standard for this systematic literature review, which incorporated a variety of research approaches. For this study's article selection, one of the most important scientific databases, Scopus, was used. Only articles published between 2001 and 2021 were reviewed. The focus of the article was on digital leadership and performance.

Findings

This review identified five main themes: leadership styles, measurements of leadership, antecedents to good leadership, outcomes of good leadership and gaps in current research areas. An additional ten sub-themes were derived from the five primary topics.

Originality/value

This paper systematically reviewed two decades of literature related to digital leadership and its impact on sustainable performance. The findings allow leaders to better understand the leadership trend and develop appropriate leadership practices to overcome future challenges for sustainable performance.

A Systematic Literature Review on Leadership Practices for Safety in the Education Sector

Leadership is increasingly being recognized as a significant aspect of organizational occupational safety. However, there are differences in describing how the leaders manage safety in the organization. This study aims to systematically review and analyze the effective leadership practices for safety in the education sector. The present study incorporated different research designs and the review was based on the published standard, namely PRISMA statement (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis). This study has considered 21 related studies using Web of Science (WOS) and Scopus as the primary databases for this systematic literature review. Further review of these articles resulted in three main themes, namely establishing and conveying the safety vision, supporting learning and professional capacity development, and leading with a safety orientation; thus, producing a total of 12 sub-themes from the three themes. This systematic literature review also provides several limitations and recommendations for future direction.

Drivers of food waste generation and best practice towards sustainable food waste management in the hotel sector: a systematic review

The growing volumes of food globally are lost or wasted along the entire food chain. However, a high effort in investigating why food waste (FW) occurs remains scattered for each subsector in detail, particularly in the hotel sector. Therefore, this systematic review focuses on FW issues in the hotel sector to identify FW generation drivers and good business practices towards mitigating FW. The review compiled literature from 25 related studies and adopted the PRISMA statement, utilising two leading journal databases: Scopus and Web of Science. This review shows that hoteliers initially feel guilty about wasting food, primarily based on financial loss rather than concerns about the social and environmental footprint. Based on the review, hotel staff from various internal departments faced conflicts between good intentions with reducing FW and the guests' unsustainable food consumption patterns. Within the scope of this review, we suggest that further research is necessary with a focus on procedures and regulations (hotel policy) to encourage guests to minimise plate waste and redistribute unsold hotel food to charities or food banks. Overall, this review offers some interesting guidelines and actionable inferences to reduce FW generation in the hotel sector.

Cultural Values in Water Management and Governance: Where Do We Stand?

Research in water governance and management is a complex subject that involves the appraisal of social, economic, and environmental–biophysical aspects. Cultural and social values are regarded as key drivers in decision-making processes in both domains. Identifying relevant cultural values however is difficult given the interdisciplinary nature of theoretical frameworks and the implementation and operational needs of water governance/management research. In this work, we conduct a systematic literature review and thematic analysis of existing theories of culture (ToC) to identify common cultural values, theoretical frameworks, disciplinary trajectories and implementation trends relevant to water management and governance. Results indicate that the dominant ToC corresponds to Cultural Theory with its four defined categories (Egalitarian–Hierarchist–Individualist–Fatalist). In addition, results show emergent cultural values linked to “local” place-based knowledge perspectives indicating a more pluriversal understanding of cultural values. Cultural values associated with water management revolve around anthropocentrism, whereas values associated with water governance revolve around concepts of provenance/places. Implementation of ToC/cultural values is limited in practical applications, and we provide an example on how to improve on that. We suggest a succinct theory of culture such as Schwartz’s cultural values be considered to be an alternative to capture a greater heterogeneity across the breadth of water governance/management-related and basin-specific contexts.

Effectiveness of Instructional Strategies Designed for Older Adults in Learning Digital Technologies: A Systematic Literature Review

An ageing population is a universal phenomenon experienced worldwide. In parallel with these demographic changes, a significant breakthrough in digital devices has also influenced this digital age. Designing instructional strategies to promote meaningful learning among older adult learners has been a long-standing challenge. To enhance older adults’ life-long learning experiences, implementing instructional strategies in the process through which such adults learn can help to improve effective learning. Despite significant calls for research in this area, there is still insufficient research that systematically reviews the existing literature on older adult learning needs and preferences. Hence, in the present article, a systematic literature review was conducted of the effectiveness of instructional strategies designed for older adult learners through the use of digital technologies. The review was guided by the publication standard, which is ROSES (Reporting Standard for Systematic Evidence Syntheses). This study involves articles selected from two established databases, Web of Science and Scopus. Data from the articles were then analysed using the thematic analysis, which resulted in six main themes: (1) collaborative learning; (2) informal learning setting; (3) teaching aids; (4) pertinence; (5) lesson design; and (6) obtaining and providing feedback. The six main themes produced a further 15 sub-themes. The results from this study make significant contributions in the areas of instructional design and gerontology. The findings from this study highlight several important strategies of teaching digital technology, particularly for older adults, as follows: (1) to enhance instructional design use in teaching digital technology based on the needs and preferences of older adult learners; and (2) to highlight the factors for, and impact of, learning digital technologies among older adults.

A systematic review on digital literacy

The purpose of this study is to discover the main themes and categories of the research studies regarding digital literacy. To serve this purpose, the databases of WoS/Clarivate Analytics, Proquest Central, Emerald Management Journals, Jstor Business College Collections and Scopus/Elsevier were searched with four keyword-combinations and final forty-three articles were included in the dataset. The researchers applied a systematic literature review method to the dataset. The preliminary findings demonstrated that there is a growing prevalence of digital literacy articles starting from the year 2013. The dominant research methodology of the reviewed articles is qualitative. The four major themes revealed from the qualitative content analysis are: digital literacy, digital competencies, digital skills and digital thinking. Under each theme, the categories and their frequencies are analysed. Recommendations for further research and for real life implementations are generated.

Using a mixed method to develop consensus-based aims, contents, intended learning outcomes, teaching, and evaluation methods for a course on epilepsy for postgraduate or continuing education in community health nursing programs

BACKGROUND

Knowledge deficits with regard to epilepsy have been reported among healthcare professionals. This study was conducted to develop consensus-based aims, contents, intended learning outcomes, teaching, and evaluation methods for a course on epilepsy for postgraduate or continuing education in community health nursing programs.

METHODS

A mixed method which combined a thorough search of literature, the nominal group technique, the Delphi technique, and survey of students' agreement was used. The databases MEDLINE/PUBMED, EMBASE, COCHRANE, CInAHL/EBESCO, SCOPUS, Google Scholar, Google Books, and Amazon were searched to identify potential aims, topics/contents, intended learning outcomes, teaching, and evaluation methods. Discussions and deliberations in serial meetings based on the nominal group technique were attended by educators/academicians (n = 12), neurologists (n = 2), practicing nurses (n = 5), pharmacists (n = 2), patients with epilepsy (n = 2), and students in postgraduate and continuing education programs (n = 7) to supplement and refine the data collected from the literature. The qualitative data were analyzed using RQDA tool for R. The Delphi technique was used among educators/academicians (n = 15), neurologists (n = 2), practicing nurses (n = 5), pharmacists (n = 2), patients with epilepsy (n = 3), and students in postgraduate and continuing education programs (n = 8) to achieve formal consensus.

RESULTS

Consensus was achieved on 6 aims, 16 intended learning outcomes, and 27 topics in the course. Of the topics, 13 were relevant to nature of epilepsy and seizures, 2 were relevant to the impact of epilepsy and seizures on different life aspects of patients with epilepsy, 4 were relevant to advocating for the patients and supporting their choices, 5 were relevant to educating patients and their caregivers, and 3 were relevant to assessments and services.

CONCLUSION

Consensus-based aims, topics/contents, intended learning outcomes, teaching, and evaluation methods of a course on epilepsy for postgraduate or continuing education in community health nursing programs were developed. Consensus-based courses could bridge knowledge gaps and improve educating community health nursing programs on epilepsy. Further studies are needed to determine if such consensus-based courses could promote care of patients with epilepsy.

Improving Communication with Patients Discharged from the Emergency Department with Noncardiac Chest Pain: A Scoping Review with Narrative Synthesis

BACKGROUND

This scoping review with narrative synthesis aimed to analyze scholarly peer-reviewed articles reporting on improving communication with patients discharged from the emergency department with noncardiac chest pain and qualitatively narrate on and summarize items that can be used in guiding communication with patients discharged from the emergency department with noncardiac chest pain.

METHODS

The databases of EMBASE/PubMed, Scopus, COCHRANE, CInAHL/EBESCO, UW libraries, and Google Scholar were searched using relevant MeSH and key terms up to February 06, 2020. The selected articles were analyzed for their contents. Items guiding discharge communication were summarized qualitatively.

RESULTS

Twenty-five articles were eligible for full review. These were published in between 1994 and 2020. Of those, 16 (64.0%) originated from the United States and 4 (16%) used some interventional design. A total of 45 different items that could be used in guiding discharge communication with patients presenting to the emergency department with chest pain were identified from the studies included in this review. Items were grouped under 6 categories that were related to initial assessment (8 items), information on diagnosis (7 items), information on discharge (9 items), follow-up suggestions (7 items), symptoms that promote return to the emergency department (7 items), and treatment plan (7 items).

CONCLUSION

Communication with patients discharged from the emergency department with noncardiac chest pain can be improved. Results of this investigation might be helpful in guiding quality improvement projects aimed for further improvement of communication with patients discharged from the emergency department with noncardiac chest pain.

A Systematic Review of Recommendations of Long-Term Strategies for Researchers Using Data Science Techniques

The impact of the strategies that researchers follow to publish or produce scientific content can have a long-term impact. Identifying which strategies are most influential in the future has been attracting increasing attention in the literature. In this study, we present a systematic review of recommendations of long-term strategies in research analytics and their implementation methodologies. The objective is to present an overview from 2002 to 2018 on the development of this topic, including trends, and addressed contexts. The central objective is to identify data-oriented approaches to learn long-term research strategies, especially in process mining. We followed a protocol for systematic reviews for the engineering area in a structured and respectful manner. The results show the need for studies that generate more specific recommendations based on data mining. This outcome leaves open research opportunities from two particular perspectives—applying methodologies involving process mining for the context of research analytics and the feasibility study on long-term strategies using data science techniques.

Anisakis allergy: unjustified social alarm versus healthy diet; commentary to the "Letter to the Editor" of Drs Daschner, Levsen, Cipriani, and del Hoyo, referencing to "World-wide prevalence of Anisakis larvae in fish and its relationship to human allergic anisakiasis: a systematic review"

Anisakiasis is an underrecognized condition globally, and accurate diagnosis remains problematic even in countries where the condition is well known. Our "systematic review" was conducted according to Prisma guidelines. The stated basis of our study was "syndromic surveillance." Both methods are recognized in published literature as valid to identify or predict disease and to make accessible large amounts of evidence from published literature. Our study identified Anisakis allergy "hot spots" and other geographical areas where fish are highly infected with Anisakis without commensurate studies of human allergy. Results of our study will open up new lines of enquiry. Norway, used as an example to discredit the scientific integrity of our article, has a cuisine thriving with raw fish dishes and many sushi restaurants. The peer reviewed data sets, confirmed A. simplex sensitization among the Norwegian population, although this has been overlooked by the authors of the "Letter to the Editor." The identification of hot spots in our study may be influential in many ways not the least in raising diagnostic suspicion to expedite accurate diagnosis.

A Systematic Review of Design Creativity in the Architectural Design Studio

Creativity is fundamental to design problem-solving. This paper sets out a systematic review of the literature in relation to its role in the architectural design studio in order to identify central issues that impact upon this activity. Challenges and best practices in relation to systematic reviews are outlined, and the procedure followed in this context is set out in detail. This involves an iterative evaluation process that resulted in a pool of 17 papers for analysis. Eleven themes emerged in the analysis of the papers, which were organized into five key categories dealing with: pedagogy, cognitive approach, interaction and socialization, information representation, and measuring ideation and creativity. A discussion of these categories contributed to the comparison and connections between the selected papers, and the identification of critical issues and directions for promoting creativity in the architectural design studio.

Awareness of deficit following traumatic brain injury: A systematic review of current methods of assessment

Background: Awareness of deficit plays an important role in adjustment following a brain injury and has been noted to impact on engagement with and outcome of rehabilitation. However, there are challenges associated with the assessment of awareness. Aim: To systematically review all instruments used to assess intellectual awareness of deficits following Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) in adults, and evaluate instrument characteristics (e.g., the format and focus of measures of awareness) and assessment methods adopted. Results: Thirty-four studies, all rated as fair to good quality, were identified and within these twenty-three different assessment tools were adopted. The most common method of assessment was patient-proxy discrepancy, with three frequently used instruments employed in a total of 22 of the 34 studies. Across studies, variability was noted regarding the type of assessment method dependent on various sample demographics (e.g., age of sample) and injury characteristics (e.g., time post injury). Conclusions: There is no consensus on the preferred instrument to assess intellectual awareness of deficits after TBI. Continued instrument development should attempt to incorporate multiple perspectives and assessment should take into account demographic and injury-related factors. An insightful avenue for future research would be to determine which factors are likely to impact awareness measurement.

Proposed Best Practice Guidelines for Scientific Response Documents: A Consensus Statement from phactMI

The Medical Information Department of a pharmaceutical manufacturer provides written scientific responses to unsolicited requests from healthcare providers for information on products that extends beyond the product labeling (off-label). These scientific response documents are non-promotional, evidence-based, and scientifically balanced, conforming with internal pharmaceutical manufacturer's procedures and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Draft Guidance on Responding to Unsolicited Requests for Off-Label Information. Members of phactMI™ developed this proposal to offer best practices for content generation of scientific response documents. Scientific response documents review available literature to respond to an unsolicited request; therefore, they are similar in nature to systematic reviews. The sections and elements identified in this proposed best practice guidelines for scientific response documents are based on an adaptation of the sections and elements of systematic reviews. The sections of a scientific response document should include a restatement of the unsolicited request (title); a structured summary (abstract); approved indications, black box warnings, and background information when appropriate (introduction); the literature search information and study selection (methods); summation of data from clinical trials, meta-analysis, case reports, and/or real world evidence, as appropriate (results); treatment guidelines, if applicable and available (discussion); and references. Elements for each section should be included in a scientific response document as appropriate, as some elements are not necessary in some documents, based on the question. These elements were selected for inclusion to address any potential concerns of bias and transparency and reflect the intent that scientific response documents should be non-promotional, accurate, truthful, free of commercial bias, scientifically balanced, and evidence based.

Clinical sequencing yield in epilepsy, autism spectrum disorder, and intellectual disability: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective

Clinical genetic sequencing is frequently utilized to diagnose individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). Here we perform a meta‐analysis and systematic review of the success rate (diagnostic yield) of clinical sequencing through next‐generation sequencing (NGS) across NDDs. We compare the genetic testing yield across NDD subtypes and sequencing technology.

Methods

We performed a systematic review of the PubMed literature until May 2020. We included clinical sequencing studies that utilized NGS in individuals with epilepsy, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), or intellectual disability (ID). Data were extracted, reviewed, and categorized according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Two investigators performed clinical evaluation and grouping following the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) guidelines. Pooled rates of the diagnostic yield and 95% confidence intervals were estimated with a random‐effects model.

Results

We identified 103 studies (epilepsy, N = 72; ASD, N = 14; ID, N = 21) across 32,331 individuals. Targeted gene panel sequencing was used in 73, and exome sequencing in 36 cohorts. Given highly selected patient cohorts, the diagnostic yield was 17.1% for ASD, 24% for epilepsy, and 28.2% for ID (23.7% overall). The highest diagnostic yield for epilepsy subtypes was observed in individuals with ID (27.9%) and early onset seizures (36.8%). The diagnostic yield for exome sequencing was higher than for panel sequencing, even though not statistically significant (27.2% vs 22.6%, P = .071). We observed that clinical sequencing studies are performed predominantly in countries with a high Inequality‐adjusted Human Development Index (IHDI) (countries with sequencing studies: IHDI median = 0.84, interquartile range [IQR] = 0.09 vs countries without sequencing studies: IHDI median = 0.56, IQR = 0.3). No studies from Africa, India, or Latin America were identified, indicating potential barriers to genetic testing.

Significance

This meta‐analysis and systematic review provides a comprehensive overview of clinical sequencing studies of NDDs and will help guide policymaking and steer decision‐making in patient management.

Systematic Literature Review of Climate Change Governance Activities of Environmental Nongovernmental Organizations in Southeast Asia

Environmental nongovernmental organizations (ENGOs) are considered key players for engendering good climate change governance to address both climate change and sustainable development. The participation of ENGOs in climate change governance occurs in a four-phase policy cycle. They include (1) identification of policy options, (2) policy formulation, (3) policy implementation, and (4) policy monitoring and evaluation. The ENGOs, however, have been criticized for their lack of effectiveness, and their roles in tackling climate change remain unclear. To date, the study on the roles and activities of Southeast Asian ENGOs in climate change governance has been under-researched. This study, therefore, applies a systematic literature review of 19 published articles from Scopus and Web of Science-indexed journal to understand the current state of the Southeast Asian ENGOs participation in climate change governance based on the four-phase policy cycle. The findings show that the ENGOs in Southeast Asia are involved directly and indirectly in climate change governance. They are significant actors in the implementation of the climate change policy, but they play a minimal role in the formulation of said policy. It implies that they could also be a vital partner to the government in the climate change governance process as they can bring effective policy improvements. Lastly, this review will recommend future avenues of research for scholars.

Gaps between research and recommendations in rheumatoid arthritis

OBJECTIVES

To identify recommendations on the diagnosis and management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) supported by low recommendation grades, to study the causes of this low grading, and to propose solutions.

METHODS

A group of six rheumatologists, with extensive experience in the development of systematic reviews, reviewed national and international RA recommendations and practice guidelines. They identified all recommendations with a low level of evidence or recommendation grade (levels equivalent to 4, 5, or grades C or D of the Oxford Levels of Evidence), classified them by areas (diagnosis, follow-up, treatment, others), and analyzed plausible causes of low graduation. A Delphi was used to select 10 recommendations where it was most important to obtain quality evidence to support them. Subsequently, actions were proposed to improve evidence and recommendation grading.

RESULTS

Fourteen documents were analyzed, in which 192 recommendations with low evidence/grade of recommendation were identified, most of which were on treatment. The two most frequent causes of this low level are the absence of studies and the discrepancy between the wording of the recommendation and the evidence used. Finally, the proposed solution to the critical recommendations is a list of unanswered research questions and possible designs to answer them.

CONCLUSIONS

We propose to design and promote research that truly supports or rectifies clinical practice and, thus, bridges the gap between existing evidence and critical recommendations.

Therapeutic monitoring of antiepileptic drugs: Recommendations to improve care of patients with epilepsy in the Palestinian practice

BACKGROUND

Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) can play a major role in optimizing pharmacotherapy of epilepsy. This study was conducted to explore views and opinions of clinicians who care for patients with epilepsy (PWE) in Palestine and to develop consensus-based recommendations with regard to importance, justification, technical, and analytical issues of TDM of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs).

METHODS

The study was conducted in three phases: (1) the published literature was thoroughly searched for an initial list of items relevant to TDM of AEDs, (2) the list was supplemented by items provided by key experts (n = 8) through semi-structured in-depth interviews, (3) views and opinions of clinicians (n = 20) on TDM of AEDs were explored, and (4) a two-round Delphi technique was followed among a panel of experts (n = 27) to develop consensus-based recommendations to guide TDM of AEDs in Palestine.

RESULTS

Consensus was achieved on items related to importance (8 items) of TDM of AEDs, clinical justifications of TDM of AEDs (19 items), guidelines for optimal TDM of AEDs (11 items), TDM of some AEDs (21 items), TDM practice (24 items), and some technical and analytical issues in TDM of AEDs (13 items).

CONCLUSION

Consensus-based recommendations that might be used in guiding TDM of AEDs in Palestine were developed. Future studies are still needed to investigate if these consensus-based recommendations can improve healthcare of PWE in Palestine.

Assessing the methodological quality of systematic reviews using the AMSTAR tool

Introduction: Making decisions based on evidence has been a challenge for health professionals, given the need to have the tools and skills to carry out a critical appraisal of the evidence and assess the validity of the results. Systematic reviews of the literature (SRL) have been used widely to answer questions in the clinical field. Tools have been developed that support the appraisal of the quality of the studies. AMSTAR is one of these, validated and supported by reproducible evidence, which guides the methodological quality of the SRL. Objectives: To show a historical, theoretical and practical guide for critical assessment of systematic reviews using AMSTAR to guide the argumental bases for their use according to the components of this methodological structure in health research, and to provide practical examples of how to apply this checklist. Methods: We conducted a non-exhaustive review of literature in Pubmed and Cochrane Library using “AMSTAR” and “Systematic Reviews” as free terms without language or publication date limit; we also collected information from experts in the evaluation of the quality of the evidence. Conclusions: AMSTAR is an instrument used, validated and supported by reproducible evidence for the evaluation of the internal validity of systematic reviews of the literature. It consists of 16 items that assess the overall methodological quality of an SRL. It is currently used indiscriminately and favorably, but it is not exempt from limitations and future updates based on new reproducibility and validation studies.

Quality Indicators of Pharmaceutical Care for Integrative Healthcare: A Scoping Review of Indicators Developed Using the Delphi Technique

BACKGROUND

Recently, measuring and benchmarking provision of healthcare services has drawn a considerable attention. This scoping review was conducted to identify, describe, and summarize studies in which the Delphi technique was used to develop quality indicators of pharmaceutical care. The study also aimed to identify activities and services that could be used to capture the impact of pharmacist in integrative medicine.

METHODS

Databases were searched from inception to February 2020 using key terms that were combined using Boolean operators. Studies were included if they were relevant to development of quality indicators of pharmaceutical care with regard to medications or complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) modalities. Full text of the selected studies was imported into EndNote. Studies were screened and data were extracted into a standard extraction form.

RESULTS

Data were extracted from 31 studies. Of those, 24 (77.4%) were related to provision of pharmaceutical services relevant to medications and 7 (22.6%) were related to provision of care using CAM modalities. Most of the studies (67.7%) were published in 2010 and beyond. Almost half of the studies (48.4%) originated from the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada. A total of 42 different activities and services that could be used as quality indicators were identified from the studies included in this review. Activities and services were related to history taking, performing reconciliations, identifying and resolving therapy problems, providing collaborative care, designing care plans, optimal performance, and continuing education.

CONCLUSIONS

Although there is an increasing interest in improving healthcare delivery, quality indicators of pharmaceutical services and those relevant to CAM provision in healthcare facilities adopting the integrated healthcare paradigm are still limited. Future studies are needed to develop validated quality indicators that could be successfully used in measuring and benchmarking quality of services in integrated healthcare facilities.

A conceptual framework for improving effectiveness of risk management in supply networks

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to develop a conceptual framework for improving the effectiveness of risk management in supply networks following a critical literature review.

Design/methodology/approach

A critical review of 91 scholarly journal articles published between 2000 and 2018 supports the development of an integrated conceptual framework.

Findings

The findings emphasize that supply chain integration (SCI) can have both a positive and negative impact on the effectiveness of risk management in supply networks. It is possible to have a positive effect when SCI can be used to develop competencies in joint risk planning within the organization and with wider supply network members and, in turn, to develop collaborative risk management capabilities. Supply network characteristics can influence whether and the extent to which SCI has a positive or negative impact on risk management effectiveness.

Research implications

The conceptual framework can be used to empirically assess the role of SCI for effective risk management. Dynamic evaluation of the effectiveness of risk management and potential redesign of the supply network by considering other contingent factors are some future research avenues.

Practical implications

There is a need for developing specific competencies in risk planning within organizations and joint risk planning with supply network members which, in turn, can help develop collaborative risk management capabilities to improve the effectiveness of risk management in supply networks. Network characteristics will influence whether and the extent to which SCI results in the effectiveness of risk management.

Originality value

Moving beyond recent (systematic) reviews on supply chain risk management, this study develops a novel conceptual framework interlinking SCI and the effectiveness of risk management while considering network characteristics.

[Intellectual disabitily, challenging behavior, and care: A systematic literature review]

Introduction and background : People with intellectual disabilities present difficult behaviors, also called problem behaviors or challenging behaviors.Objective : The objective of this study was to describe the state of knowledge in nursing about challenging behaviors in people with intellectual disabilities.Methodology : We performed a systematic literature review based on the use of the keywords "challenging behavior," "intellectual disability," "nurs*," and "problem behavior" on the PubMed and Web of Science websites between 2008 and 2018.Results : Individuals with intellectual disabilities frequently present challenging behaviors, which can give rise to the abuse of psychotropic medication. These behaviors are also stressful for staff. Solutions in terms of staff training exist, as well as assistance in the identification of associated diagnoses that may sometimes be responsible for challenging behaviors. No publications in French on this topic were found.Conclusion : Nurses who work with people with intellectual disabilities should be encouraged to become involved in research so that they can contribute to developing knowledge on challenging behaviors and improve the quality of their care. This will also enable them to further develop their collaboration within the multidisciplinary team in order to promote good practice in terms of the management of challenging behaviors and in particular in terms of promoting a move away from prescribing psychotropic drugs.

Facilitating ethical, legal, and professional deliberations to resolve dilemmas in daily healthcare practice: A case of driver with breakthrough seizures

OBJECTIVE

The present study was conducted among pharmacy students to use an 8-step systematic approach to facilitate discussions, deliberations, and decision-making on what to do when facing a dilemma of a patient with epilepsy who drives while having breakthrough seizures.

METHODS

A hypothetical case was developed using the 12-tips for developing dilemma case-based assessments in health education. A mixed method was used in this study. A serial group discussions based on the nominal group technique (NGT) method were applied. A thorough review of the literature and interviews with key experts in the domain (n = 12) were conducted to obtain pertinent data to inform discussions, deliberations, and decision-making. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was used to pairwise compare countervailing arguments and alternative courses of action.

RESULTS

In this study, 3 nominal groups were held, and for each 3, discussion rounds were conducted. A total of 27 panelists took part in the nominal groups. Compared with other alternative courses of action, significantly higher weight scores (p-value < 0.001) were given to the course action, "the pharmacist could counsel/educate the patient on the dangers/risks of driving while experiencing breakthrough seizures, inform the patient to refrain from driving in this period, and make a shared decision with the patient to refrain from driving in this period and inform the state authorities".

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates that the 8-step approach when combined with the AHP can be a handy method in facilitating decision-making while addressing and resolving ethical/legal/professional dilemmas in daily healthcare practice.

Merits, features, and desiderata to be considered when developing electronic health records with embedded clinical decision support systems in Palestinian hospitals: a consensus study

BACKGROUND

Electronic health records (EHRs) with embedded clinical decision support systems (CDSSs) have the potential to improve healthcare delivery. This study was conducted to explore merits, features, and desiderata to be considered when planning for, designing, developing, implementing, piloting, evaluating, maintaining, upgrading, and/or using EHRs with CDSSs.

METHODS

A mixed-method combining the Delphi technique and Analytic Hierarchy Process was used. Potentially important items were collected after a thorough search of the literature and from interviews with key contact experts (n = 19). Opinions and views of the 76 panelists on the use of EHRs were also explored. Iterative Delphi rounds were conducted to achieve consensus on 122 potentially important items by a panel of 76 participants. Items on which consensus was achieved were ranked in the order of their importance using the Analytic Hierarchy Process.

RESULTS

Of the 122 potentially important items presented to the panelists in the Delphi rounds, consensus was achieved on 110 (90.2%) items. Of these, 16 (14.5%) items were related to the demographic characteristics of the patient, 16 (14.5%) were related to prescribing medications, 16 (14.5%) were related to checking prescriptions and alerts, 14 (12.7%) items were related to the patient's identity, 13 (11.8%) items were related to patient assessment, 12 (10.9%) items were related to the quality of alerts, 11 (10%) items were related to admission and discharge of the patient, 9 (8.2%) items were general features, and 3 (2.7%) items were related to diseases and making diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, merits, features, and desiderata to be considered when planning for, designing, developing, implementing, piloting, evaluating, maintaining, upgrading, and/or using EHRs with CDSSs were explored. Considering items on which consensus was achieved might promote congruence and safe use of EHRs. Further studies are still needed to determine if these recommendations can improve patient safety and outcomes in Palestinian hospitals.

To understand and analyze an organization´s culture: Theoretical and methodological choices in two decades of research in Brazil

Abstract Despite the popularity of the organizational culture construct in the organizational psychology´s practice, it is important to scrutinize the theoretical and methodological quality standards of its principles in Brazil. The present study investigated 27 articles targeting at an organization´s culture, in 18 psychology and administration top-ranked journals, issued between 1996 and 2017. The articles were classified by their theoretical and methodological characteristics, such as type of data analysis, culture definitions, among others, to be further quantified and qualitatively reviewed. The trends were discussed in face of organizational culture´s global literature standards, and according to the characteristics of national organizational behavior literature. Special attention was recommended to the alignment between method and epistemology, as well as to a convergence towards global literature´s new developments.

Re-Envisioning Evidence Gap Maps With Qualitative Research

Evidence gap maps (EGMs) are the concern of this column. A brief history of evidence summaries including literature and systematic reviews is presented followed by a discussion of the process of creating an evidence map. Then, concerns about a lack of inclusion of qualitative nursing research in particular are addressed.