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ObjectivesThis study aims to address the significant knowledge gap in the literature on the implementation of Casemix system in total hospital information systems (THIS). The research focuses on validating a quantitative instrument to assess medical doctors’ acceptance of the Casemix system in Ministry of Health (MOH) Malaysia facilities using THIS.DesignsA sequential explanatory mixed-methods study was conducted, starting with a cross-sectional quantitative phase using a self-administered online questionnaire that adapted previous instruments to the current setting based on Human, Organisation, Technology-Fit and Technology Acceptance Model frameworks, followed by a qualitative phase using in-depth interviews. However, this article explicitly emphasises the quantitative phase.SettingThe study was conducted in five MOH hospitals with THIS technology from five zones.ParticipantsPrior to the quantitative field study, rigorous procedures including content, criterion and face validation, translation, pilot testing and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) were undertaken, resulting in a refined questionnaire consisting of 41 items. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was then performed on data collected from 343 respondents selected via stratified random sampling to validate the measurement model.ResultsThe study found satisfactory Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin model levels, significant Bartlett’s test of sphericity, satisfactory factor loadings (>0.6) and high internal reliability for each item. One item was eliminated during EFA, and organisational characteristics construct was refined into two components. The study confirms unidimensionality, construct validity, convergent validity, discriminant validity and composite reliability through CFA. After the instrument’s validity, reliability and normality have been established, the questionnaire is validated and deemed operational.ConclusionBy elucidating critical success factor and acceptance of Casemix, this research informs strategies for enhancing its implementation within the THIS environment. Moving forward, the validated instrument will serve as a valuable tool in future research endeavours aimed at evaluating the adoption of the Casemix system within THIS, addressing a notable gap in current literature.

In this sixth paper of the Series, we review health-financing reforms in seven countries in southeast Asia that have sought to reduce dependence on out-of-pocket payments, increase pooled health finance, and expand service use as steps towards universal coverage. Laos and Cambodia, both resource-poor countries, have mostly relied on donor-supported health equity funds to reach the poor, and reliable funding and appropriate identification of the eligible poor are two major challenges for nationwide expansion. For Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Vietnam, social health insurance financed by payroll tax is commonly used for formal sector employees (excluding Malaysia), with varying outcomes in terms of financial protection. Alternative payment methods have different implications for provider behaviour and financial protection. Two alternative approaches for financial protection of the non-poor outside the formal sector have emerged—contributory arrangements and tax-financed schemes—with different abilities to achieve high population coverage rapidly. Fiscal space and mobilisation of payroll contributions are both important in accelerating financial protection. Expanding coverage of good-quality services and ensuring adequate human resources are also important to achieve universal coverage. As health-financing reform is complex, institutional capacity to generate evidence and inform policy is essential and should be strengthened.

Background: Electronic health record (EHR) has emerged as a backbone health care organization that aims to integrate health care records and automate clinical workflow. With the adoption of the eHealth care system, health information communication technologies and EHRs are offering significant health care advantages in the form of error reduction, improved communication, and patient satisfaction. Objective: This study aimed to (1) investigate factors associated with physicians’ EHR adoption status and prevalence of EHRs in Kuwait and (2) identify factors predicting physician satisfaction with EHRs in public hospitals in Kuwait. Methods: This study was conducted at Kuwait’s public Al-Jahra hospital from May to September 2019, using quantitative research methods. Primary data were gathered via questionnaires distributed among 295 physicians recruited using convenience sampling. Data were analyzed in SPSS using descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate linear regression, adjusted for demographics. Results: Results of the study revealed that the controlled variable of gender (β=–.197; P=.02) along with explanatory variables, such as training quality (β=.068; P=.005), perception of barriers (β=–.107; P=.04), and effect on physician (β=.521; P<.001) have a significant statistical relationship with physicians’ EHR adoption status. Furthermore, findings also suggested that controlled variables of gender (β=–.193; P=.02), education (β=–.164; P=.03), effect on physician (β=.417; P<.001), and level of ease of use (β=.254; P<.001) are significant predictors of the degree of physician satisfaction with the EHR system. Conclusions: The findings of this study had significant managerial and practical implications for creating an inductive environment for the acceptance of EHR systems across a broad spectrum of health care system in Kuwait.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the cost-effectiveness of in vitro fertilization and intrauterine insemination for the management of unexplained, mild male and mild female factor infertility in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cost-effectiveness analysis from a societal perspective was conducted for couples seeking assisted reproductive technology services between January and December 2016 in one of the largest private hospitals in Saudi Arabia. Activity-Based Costing and Step-Down Costing methodologies with expert interviews were used to compute the costs of in vitro fertilization and intrauterine insemination. A total of 710 assisted reproductive technology procedures were observed by the embryologist in charge. The costs calculated included direct and indirect costs. A cost-effectiveness analysis and a Monte Carlo simulation probabilistic sensitivity analysis were conducted. Results: The average cost per in vitro fertilization and intrauterine insemination cycle was SR 27,360 (range: SR 19,541–29,618) and SR 10,143 (range: SR 7568–11,976), respectively, and the live birth rate per initiated in vitro fertilization and intrauterine insemination cycle was 20.7% and 7.9%, respectively, resulting in an average cost per live birth per in vitro fertilization and intrauterine insemination treatment cycle of SR 132,174 (95% confidence interval: 120,802–143,546) and SR 128,392 (95% confidence interval: 124,468–132,316), respectively. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was SR 134,508 per extra live birth implicit in a decision to treat with in vitro fertilization. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis confirms the robustness of the cost-effectiveness results. Conclusion: This study found that from a societal perspective, one in vitro fertilization treatment cycle was more cost-effective than intrauterine insemination in Saudi Arabia.

Access to healthcare is essential in the pursuit of universal health coverage. Components of access are availability, accessibility (spatial and non-spatial), affordability and acceptability. Measuring spatial accessibility is common approach to evaluating access to health care. This study aimed to determine the availability and spatial accessibility of subsidised mammogram screening in Peninsular Malaysia. Availability was determined from the number and distribution of facilities. Spatial accessibility was determined using the travel impedance approach to represent the revealed access as opposed to potential access measured by other spatial measurement methods. The driving distance of return trips from the respondent's residence to the facilities was determined using a mapping application. The travel expenditure was estimated by multiplying the total travel distance by a standardised travel allowance rate, plus parking fees. Respondents in this study were 344 breast cancer patients who received treatment at 4 referral hospitals between 2015 and 2016. In terms of availability, there were at least 6 major entities which provided subsidised mammogram programs. Facilities with mammogram involved with these programs were located more densely in the central and west coast region of the Peninsula. The ratio of mammogram facility to the target population of women aged 40-74 years ranged between 1: 10,000 and 1:80,000. In terms of accessibility, of the 3.6% of the respondents had undergone mammogram screening, their mean travel distance was 53.4 km (SD = 34.5, range 8-112 km) and the mean travel expenditure was RM 38.97 (SD = 24.00, range RM7.60-78.40). Among those who did not go for mammogram screening, the estimated travel distance and expenditure had a skewed distribution with median travel distance of 22.0 km (IQR 12.0, 42.0, range 2.0-340.0) and the median travel cost of RM 17.40 (IQR 10.40, 30.00, range 3.40-240.00). Higher travel impedance was noted among those who lived in sub-urban and rural areas. In summary, availability of mammogram facilities was good in the central and west coast of the peninsula. The overall provider-to-population ratio was lower than recommended. Based on the travel impedance approach used, accessibility to subsidised mammogram screening among the respondents was good in urban areas but deprived in other areas. This study was a preliminary study with limitations. Nonetheless, the evidence suggests that actions have to be taken to improve the accessibility to opportunistic mammogram screening in Malaysia in pursuit of universal health coverage.

Objectives To assess the demographic characteristics and outcomes of couples undergoing in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment at a private hospital in Al Qassim district, Saudi Arabia. Methods For this retrospective study, information was extracted from the hospital electronic database and IVF unit medical records. Results 2259 couples underwent 2703 IVF/ICSI cycles during 2014 to 2016. The utilization rate was approximately 1000 cycle per million of inhabitants. Mean ages ± standard deviation (SD) for women and men were 32.9 ± 5.7 and 39.2 ± 7.4 years, respectively. More couples were diagnosed with secondary infertility (55.2%) than primary infertility (44.8%). Male factor was the commonest single indication for IVF (36.2%). Mean ± SD infertility duration was 4.70 ± 4.03 years. Overall, 949 couples had a successful pregnancy. Age-specific pregnancy rates (PR) were highest for women <35 years (39.8%) and lowest for women >40 years (11.6%). Male age and infertility duration had no effect on PR but sperm source (fresh vs. frozen) and female age had significant impacts. However, fresh sperm was used in 90.6% cycles whereas frozen sperm was used in 9.4% cycles. Conclusions IVF treatment outcomes in the Al Qassim district are within the boundaries of average international success rates. Infertile couples seeking IVF services should be counselled with regard to important prognostic factors

Background Malaysia is a multicultural society, predominantly composed of a Muslim majority population, where Islam is influential. Malaysia has a concentrated HIV epidemic amongst high risk groups, such as, Intravenous Drug Users (IVDU), sex workers, transgender women and Men who have sex with Men (MSM). The objective of this study is to understand how Islam shapes HIV prevention strategies in Malaysia by interviewing the three key stakeholder groups identified as being influential, namely the Ministry of Health, Religious leaders and People living with HIV. Methods Thirty-Five in depth semi structured interviews were undertaken with religious leaders, Ministry of Health and People living with HIV in the last half of 2013 using purposive sampling. Interviews adhered to a topic guide, were audiotaped, and transcribed verbatim and analyzed using a framework analysis. Results Themes including the importance of Islam to health, stakeholder relationships and opinions on HIV prevention emerged. Islam was seen to play a pivotal role in shaping strategies relating to HIV prevention in Malaysia both directly and indirectly. Stakeholders often held different approaches to HIV prevention, which had to be sensitively considered, with some favouring promotion of Islamic principles, whilst others steering towards a more public health centred approach. Conclusions The study suggests that Islam indeed plays an important role in shaping health policies and strategies related to HIV prevention in Malaysia. Certainly, stakeholders do hold differing viewpoints, such as stances of what constitutes the right approach to HIV prevention. However there are also areas of broad consensus, such as the importance in Islamic tradition to prevent harm and disease, which can be crafted into existing and future HIV prevention strategies in Malaysia, as well as the wider Muslim world.

Present study aimed to estimate the incidence of recurrent SARS-CoV-2 RNA positivity after recovery from COVID-19 and to determine the factors associated with recurrent positivity. We searched the PubMed, MedRxiv, BioRxiv, the Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov, and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry for studies published to June 12, 2020. Studies were reviewed to determine the risk of bias. A random-effects model was used to pool results. Heterogeneity was assessed using I 2 . Fourteen studies of 2568 individuals were included. The incidence of recurrent SARS-CoV-2 positivity was 14.8% (95% confidence interval [CI] 11.44–18.19%). The pooled estimate of the interval from disease onset to recurrence was 35.4 days (95% CI 32.65–38.24 days), and from the last negative to the recurrent positive result was 9.8 days (95% CI 7.31–12.22 days). Patients with younger age and a longer initial illness were more likely to experience recurrent SARS-CoV-2 positivity, while patients with diabetes, severe disease, and a low lymphocyte count were less likely to experience. Present study concluded that the incidence of recurrent SARS-CoV-2 positivity was 14.8% suggesting further studies must be conducted to elucidate the possibility of infectious individuals with prolonged or recurrent RNA positivity.

The Ministry of Health Malaysia integrated the Casemix System into the Total Hospital Information System (THIS) to improve care delivery, resource efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. Casemix, a patient classification tool, supports clinical documentation, hospital financing, and management by grouping patients according to diagnoses and resource use. Within THIS, it enables automated coding, streamlined workflows, and better hospital performance. Its success, however, relies on acceptance by medical doctors who ensure accurate documentation and coding. Despite its importance, limited empirical research has examined factors influencing Casemix acceptance in Malaysia's hospital information system context. Understanding these factors is critical for effective implementation and sustained use. This study aims to investigate the interrelationships between critical success factors namely system quality (SY), information quality (IQ), service quality (SQ), organizational characteristic (ORG), perceived ease of use (PEOU), perceived usefulness (PU), and intention to use (ITU) on user acceptance of the Casemix system in hospitals equipped with THIS. This study used a cross-sectional design, using a self-administered digital questionnaire that was developed by adopting and adapting previously validated instruments, grounded in the Human-Organization-Technology Fit and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) frameworks. The instrument underwent rigorous validation and reliability procedures, including content and criterion validation through expert review, exploratory factor analysis to assess item appropriateness, and confirmatory factor analysis to establish construct, convergent, and discriminant validity. Proportionate stratified random sampling was used to ensure equitable representation of medical doctors across 5 Ministry of Health hospitals, each representing 1 of Malaysia's geographical zones. The minimum required sample size of 375 was proportionally distributed across 4 categories of medical doctors within these hospitals. Based on structural equation modeling standards, a total of 343 valid responses were obtained, yielding a response rate of 91.5%. Path analysis was conducted using covariance-based structural equation modeling with SPSS Amos (version 24.0; IBM Corp) to assess the direct relationships among the constructs in this study. Path analysis revealed that SY (β=-0.262, P=.043) and IQ (β=0.307, P=.01) significantly influenced PEOU. PEOU (β=0.105, P=.02) and PU (β=0.580, P<.001) significantly influenced ITU, which strongly predicted user acceptance (β=0.788, P<.001). PEOU did not substantially impact PU (β=0.086, P=.07), nor did SQ (β=0.146, P=.19) and ORG (β=0.197, P=.21) significantly influence PEOU. Based on the β coefficients and statistical significance, the critical success factors were categorized into 2 groups: higher-ranked predictors (ITU, PU, IQ, and SY) and lower-ranked predictors (ORG, SQ, and PEOU). Higher-ranked predictors demonstrated statistically significant relationships and relatively stronger β coefficients. This study offers empirical insights into key factors influencing Casemix system acceptance and informs strategies to support its successful implementation in THIS-equipped hospitals. The findings also contribute to addressing current research gaps and guiding future evaluations of health care information systems.

Background Job satisfaction influences staff retention, motivation, and performance in providing services. A considerable amount of published studies has reported on the job satisfaction level of healthcare workers, but to date, very few studies focused on Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) workers. This study aimed to explore the job satisfaction level among Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) workers and associated factors related to their overall job satisfaction. Methods A one-year survey was conducted in three states of the east coast region of Peninsular Malaysia involving 204 CBR workers selected through universal sampling method where all CBR staff who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were selected as participants. Self-completed questionnaires consisted of 20 association factors on six-point Likert scale responses were distributed. Total mean satisfaction level and mean associated factors were reported in this study. Results The results showed that the majority of the participants were between 20 and 40 years old (72%), female (96%), Malay (99%) and had 1–5 years of working experience. The mean total satisfaction score was 79.8 ± SD = 7.85. The highest mean satisfaction level for the associated factor was 4.6 ± SD = 0.59 with about 95% of the participants were satisfied that “CBR programme is a challenging work”, while the lowest satisfaction level for associated factor was on “salary of community-based rehabilitation staff is acceptable”, with mean score of 2.3 ± SD = 0.97 with about 59% of the participants felt dissatisfied. The results of this study determined that the highest dissatisfied factors among CBR workers were on salary. Conclusion These findings provided useful information for policymakers to evaluate this issue for a sustainable CBR programme in the future. Trial registration This study has been registered for trial as ‘retrospective registered’ in the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) (registration no.: ACTRN 12618001101279 ) on 5th October 2018.