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Many developing countries do not have health care systems that can afford technological biomedical devices or supplies to make such devices operational. To fill this void, nonprofit organizations, like Project C.U.R.E., recondition retired biomedical instrumentation so they can send medical supplies to help these developing countries. One of the issues

Many developing countries do not have health care systems that can afford technological biomedical devices or supplies to make such devices operational. To fill this void, nonprofit organizations, like Project C.U.R.E., recondition retired biomedical instrumentation so they can send medical supplies to help these developing countries. One of the issues with this is that sometimes the devices are unusable because components or expendable supplies are not available (Bhadelia). This issue has also been shown in the Impact Evaluations that Project C.U.R.E. receives from the clinics that explain the reasons why certain devices are no longer in use. That need underlies the idea on which this honors thesis has come into being. The purpose of this honors project was to create packing lists for biomedical instruments that Project C.U.R.E. recycles. This packing list would decrease the likelihood of important items being forgotten when sending devices. If an extra fuse, battery, light bulb, cuff or transducer is the difference between a functional or a nonfunctional medical device, such a list would be of benefit to Project C.U.R.E and these developing countries. In order to make this packing list, manuals for each device were used to determine what supplies were required, what was necessary for cleaning, and what supplies were desirable but functionally optional. This list was then added into a database that could be easily navigated and could help when packing up boxes for a shipment. The database also makes adding and editing the packing list simple and easy so that as Project C.U.R.E. gets more donated devices the packing list can grow.
ContributorsGraft, Kelsey Anne (Author) / Coursen, Jerry (Thesis director) / Walters, Danielle (Committee member) / Harrington Bioengineering Program (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
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Description
In the medical industry, there have been promising advances in the increase of new types of healthcare to the public. As of 2015, there was a 98% Premarket Approval rate, a 38% increase since 2010. In addition, there were 41 new novel drugs approved for clinical usage in 2014 where

In the medical industry, there have been promising advances in the increase of new types of healthcare to the public. As of 2015, there was a 98% Premarket Approval rate, a 38% increase since 2010. In addition, there were 41 new novel drugs approved for clinical usage in 2014 where the average in the previous years from 2005-2013 was 25. However, the research process towards creating and delivering new healthcare to the public remains remarkably inefficient. It takes on average 15 years, over $900 million by one estimate, for a less than 12% success rate of discovering a novel drug for clinical usage. Medical devices do not fare much better. Between 2005-2009, there were over 700 recalls per year. In addition, it takes at minimum 3.25 years for a 510(k) exempt premarket approval. Plus, a time lag exists where it takes 17 years for only 14% of medical discoveries to be implemented clinically. Coupled with these inefficiencies, government funding for medical research has been decreasing since 2002 (2.5% of Gross Domestic Product) and is predicted to be 1.5% of Gross Domestic Product by 2019. Translational research, the conversion of bench-side discoveries to clinical usage for a simplistic definition, has been on the rise since the 1990s. This may be driving the increased premarket approvals and new novel drug approvals. At the very least, it is worth considering as translational research is directly related towards healthcare practices. In this paper, I propose to improve the outcomes of translational research in order to better deliver advancing healthcare to the public. I suggest Best Value Performance Information Procurement System (BV PIPS) should be adapted in the selection process of translational research projects to fund. BV PIPS has been shown to increase the efficiency and success rate of delivering projects and services. There has been over 17 years of research with $6.3 billion of projects and services delivered showing that BV PIPS has a 98% customer satisfaction, 90% minimized management effort, and utilizes 50% less manpower and effort. Using University of Michigan \u2014 Coulter Foundation Program's funding process as a baseline and standard in the current selection of translational research projects to fund, I offer changes to this process based on BV PIPS that may ameliorate it. As concepts implemented in this process are congruent with literature on successful translational research, it may suggest that this new model for selecting translational research projects to fund will reduce costs, increase efficiency, and increase success. This may then lead to more Premarket Approvals, more new novel drug approvals, quicker delivery time to the market, and lower recalls.
ContributorsDel Rosario, Joseph Paul (Author) / Kashiwagi, Dean (Thesis director) / Kashiwagi, Jacob (Committee member) / Harrington Bioengineering Program (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
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Description
As the complexity of healthcare continues to rise, the need for change in healthcare delivery is more prominent than ever. One strategy identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) for responding to these increasing complexities is the use of interprofessional practice and education to improve patient outcomes, reduce costs, and

As the complexity of healthcare continues to rise, the need for change in healthcare delivery is more prominent than ever. One strategy identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) for responding to these increasing complexities is the use of interprofessional practice and education to improve patient outcomes, reduce costs, and enhance the patient experience of care (Triple Aim). Interprofessional collaboration among diverse disciplines is evident on the Phoenix Biomedical Campus, integrating a wide variety of institutions and multiple health profession programs; and at the Student Health Outreach for Wellness (SHOW) free clinic, -- a successful tri-university, student-led, faculty mentored, and community-based model of interprofessional learning and care -- based in downtown Phoenix. This project conducted a comparative analysis of interprofessional components of 6 different clinical models in order to provide recommendations for best practice implementation. These models were chosen based on availability of research on interprofessionalism with their clinics. As a result, three recommendations were offered to the SHOW clinic for consideration in their efforts to improve both patient and educational outcomes. Each recommendation was intentionally formulated for its capacity to increase: interprofessionalism and collaboration between multiple disciplines pertaining to healthcare, among healthcare professionals to promote positive patient and educational outcomes. These recommendations include implementing an interprofessional education (IPE) course as a core component in an academic program's curriculum, offering faculty and professional development opportunities for faculty and mentors immersed in the interprofessional clinics, and utilization of simulation centers. Further studies will be needed to evaluate the impact these specific interventions, if adopted, on patient and educational outcomes.
ContributorsMousa, Mohammad (Co-author) / Mousa, Bakir (Co-author) / Johnson, Ross (Co-author) / Harrell, Liz (Thesis director) / Saewert, Karen (Committee member) / Harrington Bioengineering Program (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05
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Description
This thesis project discusses the transitions of the physician profession and their struggle to maintain autonomy throughout American History until approximately the 1980's. Included in the historical account of the physician profession, is the development of the American Hospital System and its origins working under the physician profession. As history

This thesis project discusses the transitions of the physician profession and their struggle to maintain autonomy throughout American History until approximately the 1980's. Included in the historical account of the physician profession, is the development of the American Hospital System and its origins working under the physician profession. As history progresses from 1760 on, what comes to light is a cyclical struggle for physicians to remain independent from the corporations, while using them to gain social and economic prestige. This work focuses on how the establishment of private practice in the United States has lead to the current system in place today, illustrating a long fight for control of the medical field that still rages on today. As physicians gained power and autonomy in the medical field during the 20th century, constant attempts of government intervention can be seen within the convoluted history of this professional field. The rise of corporate healthcare, that works in tandem with private physicians, was a critical period in forgotten American History that subsequently allowed physicians to increase their stranglehold on the medical service industry. The goal of this research was to establish a better understanding of American Medicine's history to better tackle the new problems we face today. As America transitions to a period of public health outcry, it is important to establish a somewhat linear rendition of a mostly untold history that directly impacts the lives of every citizen in this country. This work attempts to mend the broken pieces of that history to give light to how healthcare evolved into what it is today.
ContributorsParkhurst, Erik Lewis (Author) / Tyler, William (Thesis director) / Coursen, Jerry (Committee member) / Harrington Bioengineering Program (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-12
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Description
Homelessness is a pervasive in American society. The causes of homelessness are complex, but health and homelessness are inextricably linked. Student-run free clinics care for underserved populations, including people experiencing homelessness, but they have multiple agendas—to provide care but also to give students hands-on experience. It is plausible that these

Homelessness is a pervasive in American society. The causes of homelessness are complex, but health and homelessness are inextricably linked. Student-run free clinics care for underserved populations, including people experiencing homelessness, but they have multiple agendas—to provide care but also to give students hands-on experience. It is plausible that these two agendas may compete and give patients sub-par quality of care.
This study examines patient care in the SHOW free clinic in Phoenix, Arizona, which serves adults experiencing homelessness. This study asks two questions: First, do clinicians in Phoenix’s SHOW free clinic discuss with patients how to pay for and where to access follow-up services and medications? Second, how do the backgrounds of patients, measured by scales based on the Gelberg-Anderson behavioral model for vulnerable populations, correlate with patient outcomes, including number of unmet needs in clinic, patient satisfaction with care, and patient perceived health status? To answer these questions, structured surveys were administered to SHOW clinic patients at the end of their visits. Results were analyzed using Pearson’s correlations and odds ratios. 21 patients completed the survey over four weeks in February-March 2017. We did not identify any statistically significant correlations between predisposing factors such as severity/duration of homelessness, mental health history, ethnicity, or LGBTQ status and quality of care outcomes. Twenty nine percent of surveyed patients reported having one or more unmet needs following their SHOW clinic visit suggesting an important area for future research. The results from this study indicate that measuring unmet needs is a feasible alternative to patient satisfaction surveys for assessing quality of care in student-run free clinics for homeless populations.
ContributorsWilson, Ethan Sinead (Author) / Jehn, Megan (Thesis director) / Harrell, Susan (Committee member) / School of Human Evolution and Social Change (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05
Description

Falls are known to be a common occurrence and a costly one as well, as they are the second leading cause of unintentional deaths and millions of other injuries worldwide. Falls often occur due to an increase in trunk flexion angle, so this experiment aims to reduce the trunk flexion

Falls are known to be a common occurrence and a costly one as well, as they are the second leading cause of unintentional deaths and millions of other injuries worldwide. Falls often occur due to an increase in trunk flexion angle, so this experiment aims to reduce the trunk flexion received while stepping over an obstacle. To achieve this a soft actuator was attached to the trunk and pressure was sent as subjects walked and stepped over an obstacle presented on a treadmill. The pressure is meant to stiffen the back which should in theory reduce the trunk flexion angle and lower the chances of falling. In this experiment, two groups were tested: three participants from a control group (healthy young adults) and three participants from an experimental group (healthy elderly adults). Since elderly adults have the highest fall risk due to overall lack of stability, they are the experimental group and the focus for this experiment. The results from the study showed that elderly adults had a beneficial effect with the soft actuator as there was a noticeable difference in trunk flexion when the device was attached. The experiment also supported prior research that stated that trunk flexion was greater in elderly adults than younger adults. Despite the positive results, further studies should be done to prove that the soft devices influence lowering trunk flexion angle as well as to see if the device has any noticeable effect on younger adults.

ContributorsFisher, Caleb (Author) / Lee, Hyunglae (Thesis director) / Olivas, Alyssa (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Harrington Bioengineering Program (Contributor)
Created2023-05
ContributorsFisher, Caleb (Author) / Lee, Hyunglae (Thesis director) / Olivas, Alyssa (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Harrington Bioengineering Program (Contributor)
Created2023-05
ContributorsFisher, Caleb (Author) / Lee, Hyunglae (Thesis director) / Olivas, Alyssa (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Harrington Bioengineering Program (Contributor)
Created2023-05
ContributorsFisher, Caleb (Author) / Lee, Hyunglae (Thesis director) / Olivas, Alyssa (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Harrington Bioengineering Program (Contributor)
Created2023-05
ContributorsFisher, Caleb (Author) / Lee, Hyunglae (Thesis director) / Olivas, Alyssa (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Harrington Bioengineering Program (Contributor)
Created2023-05