Emergency departments (EDs) require effective approaches for quickly identifying patients at risk of critical outcomes (inpatient mortality or ICU admission within 12 hours). This study developed interpretable machine learning models using Gradient Boosting (GB) and Logistic Regression (LR) with 13 initial triage variables from the MIMIC-IV-ED database. GB performed slightly better than LR (Accuracy: 78.21% vs. 77.27%, AUROC: 0.887 vs. 0.863, AUPRC: 0.445 vs. 0.370). The Te2Rules method was used to extract 43 clinically interpretable rules from the GB model, with a overall fidelity of 98.90%. The use of the Rule Coverage Index (RCI) to categorize rules into high, medium, and low levels futher enhanced clinical utility. This study aims to strike a balance between predictive accuracy and interpretability, facilitating clinicians in early detection of critically ill presenting to the ED.

Abstract Virtual reality has long existed, but its wider adoption in education is recent. Studies informed by theoretical underpinned co-creation frameworks and utilization of theoretical informed evaluations are scarce in literature. Thus, this study internationally evaluated the efficacy of three virtual reality reusable e-resources (VRReRs), co-created based on the ASPIRE framework, for teaching clinical skills to university students. The study followed a mixed-methods approach, combining SUS, SUS Presence Questionnaire, TAM, and UTAUT2 with a focus group discussion. Additionally, for one VRReR, a quantitative pre/post evaluation of knowledge and comparison with lecture notes followed. Results demonstrated moderately to highly usability, effectively facilitated a strong sense of presence, confidence while using them, and willingness to continue using VRReRs in the future, while increased knowledge of the learners, highlighted their effectiveness. Although some usability issues were identified, these were considered easy to address. This work evidence, in an international context, that co-created VR resources are highly acceptable and effective, similar to other types of digital or traditional resources developed through participatory inquiry paradigm. By leveraging the benefits of VR technology, VRReRs have the potential to transform and enhance the learning experience in the field of clinical skills, ultimately advancing the digitalization of higher education.

There is growing need for intelligent digital support in healthcare, business, industry, indeed all domains. Learners in any domain need educators/experts to provide knowledge and guidance by relaying relevant and timely information. Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems such as chatbots or conversational agents, can support information delivery. However, user-centric frameworks for designing chatbot learning applications and collaborative user-centric design methodologies are lacking. This paper describes a chatbot design tool to promote co-creation through crowd-based data collection and design. This prototype has the capacity to be used as a structured method of design and data collection through cocreation for healthcare, education, and beyond.

People living with Dementia (PwD) are amongst the most vulnerable populations in society, often depending on caregivers for their quality of life (QoL). Emerging research confirms the need for technological solutions to support non-pharmacological interventions that can enhance the QoL of PwD. This paper posits that Virtual Reality (VR) is a useful technology for boosting the physical training of PwD. In a study with PwD, we compared the conventional physical training PwD receive at a nursing home, against Semi Immersive VR (SIVR) and Fully Immersive VR (FIVR) training paradigms. We recorded the emotional behaviour, task-specific metrics, and level of independence of PwD during the training. The presence and usability of the systefm by both medical staff and PwD was also assessed. Results indicated that FIVR can improve the training of PwD leading to more accurate execution of the exercises while preventing external distractions. Beyond the findings, this article discusses the opportunities, challenges, along with the feasibility and acceptability of VR, to facilitate physical training for PwD who reside in restricted health care environments.

This article presents a study on the validation of gamified versions of three established cognitive tasks, namely the Corsi task, the Visual Search task, and the Whack a Mole task. Short versions of these tasks were created using gamification techniques and tested on healthy adults. Results showed that these new gamified versions produce similar patterns of results with those obtained from the traditional versions. Concluding, game-based cognitive assessment for visuospatial tasks is promising, however, this needs to be further evaluated on larger scale studies as well as under different cognitive conditions.

3D medical imaging provides an invaluable tool to the radiologist in visualizing normal and abnormal tissue and structure for the assessment of disease and treatment planning. Moreover, in difficult image disease assessment cases, as well as in the assessment of the early stages of the disease the need exists for a real time 3D collaborative platform. The objective of this paper was to develop a multi-user Virtual Reality (VR) application for visualization and analysis in medical imaging. The proposed platform is based on the Unity VR platform that is integrated with the very well-known and popular image Visualization Toolkit- VTK. The platform was evaluated successfully in the 3D visualization of images of the ADNI dataset. Future work will focus in integrating in the platform the visualization of quantitative imaging analytics as well as the evaluation of the platform in a more-wide spectrum of imaging cases.

The European Union (EU)'s keen concern about citizens' health and well-being advancement has been expressed at all levels. It has been understood that at present, these can only be achieved through coordinated actions at the individual member states' level based on EU directives, as well as through promoting and funding R&D and expanding the use of eHealth technologies. Despite the diversities and particularities among member states, common values such as universal access to good quality healthcare, equity, and solidarity have been widely accepted across EU. That demanded the adoption of policies and follow directives, which streamlined actions to bridge healthcare gaps, and facilitate cross-border healthcare. This paper articulates a framework for deriving a national healthcare system, based on interoperable Electronic Health Record (EHR) with safeguarding healthcare quality, enabling quadruple helix (Public, Academia, Industry, NGOs) driven R&D and guided by a patient-centered approach. A methodology to develop an integrated EHR at National level is proposed as a prerequisite for eHealth and put into perspective. Recommendations are given for the steps needed, from the managerial, legal, technical, and financial concerns in developing an open access, patient-centered national healthcare system based on the context and constraints of a country. The example of a small country to apply the proposed methodology is demonstrated. Stakeholders, including citizens, healthcare professionals, academia, and the industry are mobilized, enabled, and incentivized for implementing the methodology. Experiences are aspired to be offered as lessons learned for other countries to adapt on their environment.