Managing cardiopulmonary rehabilitation in patients with COVID-19 remains a global challenge due to the facets of this virus. The technologies used in the rehabilitation of post-COVID-19 patients fail to keep pace with the global epidemiological developments. The purpose of this article is to review the medical technologies used in post-COVID-19 cardiopulmonary rehabilitation and the innovations that have allowed us to adapt and care for our patients. The pandemic highlighted the need for seismic changes in diagnostic and rehabilitation paradigms. We discuss advances in telemedicine and telemedicine-based rehabilitation, remote patient monitoring and emerging technologies used in cardiopulmonary rehabilitation. The rapid adoption of modern technologies in the practice of post-COVID-19 cardiopulmonary rehabilitation is promising and can improve patients’ access to complex rehabilitation programs with outstanding results.

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The Use of Modern Technologies in Post-COVID-19 Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation

Digital health has a long history of development and is particularly resonant in the last two years, due to the pandemic [...].

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The Digital Health: From the Experience of the COVID-19 Pandemic Onwards

Foot ulcers are common complications of diabetes mellitus and substantially increase the morbidity and mortality due to this disease. Wound care by regular monitoring of the progress of healing with clinical review of the ulcers, dressing changes, appropriate antibiotic therapy for infection and proper offloading of the ulcer are the cornerstones of the management of foot ulcers. Assessing the progress of foot ulcers can be a challenge for the clinician and patient due to logistic issues such as regular attendance in the clinic. Foot clinics are often busy and because of manpower issues, ulcer reviews can be delayed with detrimental effects on the healing as a result of a lack of appropriate and timely changes in management. Wound photographs have been historically useful to assess the progress of diabetic foot ulcers over the past few decades. Mobile phones with digital cameras have recently revolutionized the capture of foot ulcer images. Patients can send ulcer photographs to diabetes care professionals electronically for remote monitoring, largely avoiding the logistics of patient transport to clinics with a reduction on clinic pressures. Artificial intelligence-based technologies have been developed in recent years to improve this remote monitoring of diabetic foot ulcers with the use of mobile apps. This is expected to make a huge impact on diabetic foot ulcer care with further research and development of more accurate and scientific technologies in future. This clinical update review aims to compile evidence on this hot topic to empower clinicians with the latest developments in the field.

The role of artificial intelligence technology in the care of diabetic foot ulcers: the past, the present, and the future

Background Artificial intelligence (AI) and digital health technological innovations from startup companies used in clinical practice can yield better health outcomes, reduce health care costs, and improve patients' experience. However, the integration, translation, and adoption of these technologies into clinical practice are plagued with many challenges and are lagging. Furthermore, explanations of the impediments to clinical translation are largely unknown and have not been systematically studied from the perspective of AI and digital health care startup founders and executives. Objective The aim of this paper is to describe the barriers to integrating early-stage technologies in clinical practice and health care systems from the perspectives of digital health and health care AI founders and executives. Methods A stakeholder focus group workshop was conducted with a sample of 10 early-stage digital health and health care AI founders and executives. Digital health, health care AI, digital health–focused venture capitalists, and physician executives were represented. Using an inductive thematic analysis approach, transcripts were organized, queried, and analyzed for thematic convergence. Results We identified the following four categories of barriers in the integration of early-stage digital health innovations into clinical practice and health care systems: (1) lack of knowledge of health system technology procurement protocols and best practices, (2) demanding regulatory and validation requirements, (3) challenges within the health system technology procurement process, and (4) disadvantages of early-stage digital health companies compared to large technology conglomerates. Recommendations from the study participants were also synthesized to create a road map to mitigate the barriers to integrating early-stage or novel digital health technologies in clinical practice. Conclusions Early-stage digital health and health care AI entrepreneurs identified numerous barriers to integrating digital health solutions into clinical practice. Mitigation initiatives should create opportunities for early-stage digital health technology companies and health care providers to interact, develop relationships, and use evidence-based research and best practices during health care technology procurement and evaluation processes.

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The Gap Between AI and Bedside: Participatory Workshop on the Barriers to the Integration, Translation, and Adoption of Digital Health Care and AI Startup Technology Into Clinical Practice

Smallholder farmers have for a long time preferred to sell at the farm gate, where the prices have been very low compared to market places. This has been fueled by several challenges related to market participation. The purpose of this study is therefore aiming at developing an empirical understanding that uncovers whether digital technology can mediate the relationship between entrepreneurial networks and market participation. Entrepreneurship and digital technology are novel concepts in agriculture, especially for smallholder farmers. Therefore, this study presents new insights on how the challenges of market participation can be solved through entrepreneurial networks and digital technology. The study used validated items adopted from previous studies, from which the structured questionnaires were distributed to 298 smallholder farmers. In addition, structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to analyse relationships in which digital technology was found to be a mediator of the relationship between entrepreneurial networks and market participation among smallholder farmers. Further, the study suggests that smallholder farmers can overcome challenges and increase market participation if they change their attitudes through training conducted by rural extension officers and embrace digital technologies by designing new or joining existing entrepreneurial networks. 

Seeing through digitalization! The influence of entrepreneurial networks on market participation among smallholder farmers in Tanzania. The mediating role of digital technology

Darshan H. Brahmbhatt

Papers

Digital Technology Application for Improved Responses to Healthcare Challenges: Lessons Learned from COVID-19