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Polite invitation to submit article: Predatory journal's new strategy

Thorakkal shamim.

Department of Dentistry, Government Taluk Head Quarters Hospital, Malappuram, Kerala, India

I would like to invite your attention regarding predatory journal's new strategy of polite invitation to submit article by email. I have enclosed two email messages of predatory journal for reference received more recently on 11.01.2019 and 30.12.2018 in my email ID moc.liamg@daud3umahs (Dr. Shamim T) [ Figure 1 ]. I have verified the journal Medical Research Archives and found that they are giving false bibliographic databases’ indexation of the above journal. I also searched the editor designation of A. Phiri and I did not find authentic affiliation of the above editor in the concerned website of the journal. In the second email received on 11.01.2019, I have got invitation to fill the pre-Registration form [ Figure 1 ]. In the journal webpage, I found that Medical Research Archives charges the following article publication fees for accepted papers: ( Authors with no institutional, grant, or research funding: $1250; Authors with institutional, grant, or research funding: $2999 ).[ 1 ] The Medical Research Archives is hosted under KEI journals in the web.[ 2 ] Individual- and community-wise strategies to curb young researchers from predatory publishers and measures to initiate predatory publishers’ detecting software were proposed recently.[ 3 ] It is sad to find that there are no legal measures implemented so far to halt the flourishing of predatory journals where innocent researchers become the prey of these journals.

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HWI to Join UB, Strengthening Medical Science Research and Education in WNY and Beyond

The Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute is joining the University at Buffalo.

By Cory Nealon

Published May 30, 2024

Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute will join the University at Buffalo, a move designed to strengthen the two organizations’ joint mission to advance medical science research and education in Western New York and beyond.

Announced May 29 to employees at both institutions, HWI’s board of directors and the Hauptman Society are expected to approve the agreement at their respective meetings in June. With HWI joining UB, the long-standing partnership between the two institutions will be strengthened and will further the legacy of Nobel Prize winner Herbert A. Hauptman, PhD, who led HWI for decades while serving as a UB faculty member.

When the transaction is finalized, HWI will be known as the University at Buffalo Hauptman-Woodward Institute (UB-HWI).

UB will maintain HWI’s research center – 700 Ellicott St., on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus – as a hub for medical science research, and will keep UB-HWI as the building’s anchor. The HWI building will be gifted to the university, subject to required approvals, so that the facility will continue to serve as a hub of scientific research and innovation.

The agreement will build upon HWI’s excellence in structural biology research while leveraging UB’s world-class strengths in drug discovery, artificial intelligence, computational chemistry and other fields.

“Honoring the initial philanthropy of Helen Woodward Rivas, continued by the Constantine family, as well as the many incredible scientific achievements of Dr. Herbert Hauptman and the many talented researchers that followed, past and present, is of paramount importance to our board of directors,” said HWI Board Chairman Sam Russo. 

“As we explored possibilities with UB, we sensed clear alignment, and a unique opportunity emerged to meaningfully accelerate our collective research efforts by combining forces.  With the entire combined UB-HWI team, we are excited by the potential to grow our impact on the Buffalo community and the world,” he added.

UB President Satish K. Tripathi said that “with UB’s and HWI’s shared mission of research, education and community engagement, the university is very excited to welcome the members of the HWI community into the UB community.”

“As HWI prepares to join UB, we are deeply committed to preserving the rich legacy of HWI. For over 40 years, Dr. Herbert Hauptman, Nobel Laureate, dedicated himself to enriching the world around him as a scholar, educator and mentor,” he said. “With UB-HWI, we look forward to expanding our research impact for the benefit of our region and world.”     

HWI was founded in 1956 as the Medical Foundation of Buffalo by Woodward Rivas and George Koepf, a Buffalo physician who believed basic research was critical to improving human health. It is believed to be the oldest independent nonprofit medical research institute in the nation that is dedicated to understanding and curing disease.

“This is an exciting time for HWI and UB, signaling a full-circle journey started by doctors and scientists affiliated with UB in 1956 who were doing leading-edge research as the Medical Foundation of Buffalo to the HWI scientists of today once again affiliating with the University at Buffalo,” said Connie Constantine, emeritus HWI board chair and granddaughter of Woodward Rivas. “On behalf of the four generations in our family that have committed to the partnership between science and philanthropy, we look forward to advancing the joint missions of HWI and UB to ensure discovery and education continue to drive worldwide innovation.”

In 1985, Hauptman and Jerome Karle received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for discovering new methods to visualize pharmaceuticals and proteins, and how they interact. These techniques have been adopted worldwide in the development of pharmaceuticals. In recognition of Hauptman’s achievement and to honor Woodward Rivas, the foundation was renamed the Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute in 1994.

Today, HWI researchers continue to make critical advancements in structural biology, studying, among other things, the structures of the body’s proteins. This enables HWI scientists – many of whom have appointments at UB – to see what proteins look like when functioning properly, and what they look like in cancer, cardiovascular disease and other diseased states. The work has applications in medicine, biotechnology, agriculture and other fields.

UB human resources personnel will meet individually with HWI staff members to discuss transitioning to the university. 

Pairing the two organizations will spur cutting-edge research and innovation, officials say. For example, UB is home to Empire AI, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s $400 million artificial intelligence consortium. UB will partner with colleagues in UB-HWI to explore how AI can advance their understanding of diseases and potential treatments.

Additionally, UB envisions the new UB-HWI facility as a hub for community outreach and other programs designed to build interest in science, health and well-being.

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Bioinformatics Methods in Medical Genetics and Genomics

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• 1 The Digital Health Institute, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (Sechenov University), 119991 Moscow, Russia.
• 2 Life Sciences Department, Novosibirsk State University, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia.
• 3 Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia.
• 4 School of Systems Biology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA.
• 5 Research Centre for Medical Genetics, 115522 Moscow, Russia.
• 6 La Verne University, La Verne, CA 91750, USA.
• 7 Department of Fundamental Biology and Biotechnology, Siberian Federal University, 660074 Krasnoyarsk, Russia.
• PMID: 32872128
• PMCID: PMC7504073
• DOI: 10.3390/ijms21176224

Medical genomics relies on next-gen sequencing methods to decipher underlying molecular mechanisms of gene expression. This special issue collects materials originally presented at the "Centenary of Human Population Genetics" Conference-2019, in Moscow. Here we present some recent developments in computational methods tested on actual medical genetics problems dissected through genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics data analysis, gene networks, protein-protein interactions and biomedical literature mining. We have selected materials based on systems biology approaches, database mining. These methods and algorithms were discussed at the Digital Medical Forum-2019, organized by I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University presenting bioinformatics approaches for the drug targets discovery in cancer, its computational support, and digitalization of medical research, as well as at "Systems Biology and Bioinformatics"-2019 (SBB-2019) Young Scientists School in Novosibirsk, Russia. Selected recent advancements discussed at these events in the medical genomics and genetics areas are based on novel bioinformatics tools.

Keywords: bioinformatics; gene expression; genomics; human population genetics; medical genetics.

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Published on 29.5.2024 in Vol 26 (2024)

Experiences of Electronic Health Records’ and Client Information Systems’ Use on a Mobile Device and Factors Associated With Work Time Savings Among Practical Nurses: Cross-Sectional Study

Authors of this article:

Original Paper

• Satu Paatela 1 , MHSc   ; 
• Maiju Kyytsönen 1 , MHSc   ; 
• Kaija Saranto 2 , PhD   ; 
• Ulla-Mari Kinnunen 3 , PhD   ; 
• Tuulikki Vehko 1 , PhD  

1 Health and Social Service System Research, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland

2 Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland

3 Department of Health and Social Management, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland

Corresponding Author:

Satu Paatela, MHSc

Health and Social Service System Research

Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare

Mannerheimintie 166

Helsinki, 00271

Phone: 358 29 524 77 22

Email: [email protected]

Background: The transmission of clinical information in nursing predominantly occurs through digital solutions, such as computers and mobile devices, in today’s era. Various technological systems, including electronic health records (EHRs) and client information systems (CISs), can be seamlessly integrated with mobile devices. The use of mobile devices is anticipated to rise, particularly as long-term care is increasingly delivered in environments such as clients’ homes, where computers are not readily accessible. However, there is a growing need for more user-centered data to ensure that mobile devices effectively support practical nurses in their daily activities.

Objective: This study aims to analyze practical nurses’ experiences of using EHRs or CISs on a mobile device in their daily practice. In addition, it aims to examine the factors associated with work time savings when using EHRs/CISs on a mobile device.

Methods: A cross-sectional study using an electronic survey was conducted in spring 2022. A total of 3866 practical nurses participated in the survey based on self-assessment. The sample was limited to practical nurses who used EHRs or CISs on a mobile device and worked in home care or service housing within the social welfare or health care sector (n=1014). Logistic regression analysis was used to explore the factors associated with work time savings.

Results: The likelihood of perceiving work time savings was higher among more experienced EHR/CIS users compared with those with less experience (odds ratio [OR] 1.59, 95% CI 1.30-1.94). Participants with 0-5 years of work experience were more likely to experience work time savings compared with those who had worked 21 years or more (OR 2.41, 95% CI 1.43-4.07). Practical nurses in home care were also more likely to experience work time savings compared with those working in service housing (OR 1.95, 95% CI 1.23-3.07). A lower grade given for EHRs/CISs was associated with a reduced likelihood of experiencing work time savings (OR 0.76, 95% CI 0.66-0.89). Participants who documented client data in a public area were more likely to experience work time savings compared with those who did so in the nurses’ office (OR 2.33, 95% CI 1.27-4.25). Practical nurses who found documentation of client data on a mobile device easy (OR 3.05, 95% CI 2.14-4.34) were more likely to experience work time savings compared with those who did not. Similarly, participants who believed that documentation of client data on a mobile device reduced the need to memorize things (OR 4.10, 95% CI 2.80-6.00) were more likely to experience work time savings compared with those who did not.

Conclusions: To enhance the proportion of practical nurses experiencing work time savings, we recommend that organizations offer comprehensive orientation and regular education sessions tailored for mobile device users who have less experience using EHRs or CISs and find mobile devices less intuitive to use.

Introduction

Information and communication technology (ICT) including electronic health records (EHRs) and client information systems (CISs) have become an increasingly important part of health care and social services in Finland [ 1 - 4 ]. In fact, EHR has been a common tool in Finnish health care for a long time, and from 2010 onward EHR availability has been 100% in public and private facilities [ 5 ]. EHRs include a comprehensive collection of patient health information (eg, narrative texts and laboratory data), with the collected data used in the care processes of the patient [ 6 ]. By contrast, CISs are more commonly used in the public social welfare sector for accessing, storing, and using client information and documents [ 3 , 4 ]. The Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has been at the helm of guiding the development of technological infrastructure and associated legislative efforts over the decades. Their eHealth and eWelfare strategy aims to improve the effective utilization of data in bolstering service renewal and citizen well-being at a national level [ 7 ].

With the development of the ICT infrastructure, the clinical information in nursing is nowadays mainly transmitted via digital solutions such as computers and mobile devices [ 8 ]. Particularly, mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets are commonly used in the health care sector [ 9 , 10 ], and nurses are known to use EHRs on mobile devices 3 times more often compared with doctors in a hospital environment [ 11 ]. Different technological systems such as EHRs can be integrated with mobile devices [ 9 , 11 - 13 ], and this allows social and health care professionals to document client data and exchange information related to the clients and service assignments in the system regardless of the time and location [ 11 , 13 ]. Thus, the ability to receive nursing information via a mobile device can promote the mobility and portability of care and enhance service flexibility [ 9 , 12 ].

In previous studies, nurses have been reported to perceive mobile devices as beneficial in their daily practice [ 14 , 15 ]. Mobile device use has been found to support nurses’ workflow processes [ 11 , 16 - 18 ] as they need to spend less time on clinical documentation [ 17 ]. In fact, it is important to recognize that the use of different technological systems such as EHRs has been shown to provide nurses with more time for direct patient care and interprofessional communication [ 19 ]. Moreover, mobile devices have been reported to be useful for planning work, handling notes [ 14 ], and saving time for nurses [ 14 , 20 , 21 ]. Mobile devices may also reduce duplicate documentation [ 13 ] and potential documentation errors [ 17 , 20 ] because client data can be documented at the time of its occurrence. In addition, improved decision-making is one of the main advantages [ 9 , 20 ]. Mobile devices continuously provide the latest information on the situation of the clients, which can improve safety and the quality of care [ 14 , 18 ]. For instance, in home care settings, workers can review and plan real-time nursing interventions and tasks in the clients’ home environment [ 13 , 16 ] because the daily assignments can be seen directly on the mobile device. The use of mobile devices can also contribute to client empowerment as nurses have easier access to clinical information and they can reply to clients’ questions more readily [ 17 ].

By contrast, some challenges have emerged related to the use of EHRs/CISs on a mobile device. According to a recent study, the use of EHRs on a mobile device can negatively affect nurses’ well-being because the use of mobile devices may increase time pressure and stress at work as a result of functional problems and changing information systems [ 10 ]. In home care settings, challenges have emerged, particularly concerning technical issues such as usability problems. This is because the information systems used on mobile devices are not always tailored to address the specific requirements of various working environments [ 22 ]. This in turn may lead to reduced workflows [ 22 ]. Additionally, there is a possibility of poor signal connectivity [ 18 ] and increased data security threats [ 17 , 18 , 23 ] when using mobile devices. Furthermore, some of the recent studies have observed that the use of EHRs itself may negatively impact the quality of communication between nurses and patients because nurses’ attention is more focused on documentation tools such as computers rather than on the patient [ 24 , 25 ]. More generally, the lack of digital competence can affect how different digital tools are adopted in practice [ 26 , 27 ].

The European Union has promoted digitalization in society, including public services, with political consensus through the Digital Decade policy program [ 28 ]. The change in the demographic structure especially forces social and health care services to invest even more in technological solutions [ 29 ] such as mobile documentation [ 22 ]. An aging population increases the need to provide long-term care in home environments [ 30 ], and therefore, using EHRs and CISs on a mobile device is expected to grow as computers for professionals are rarely available at the patients’ bedside in the home environment [ 14 ]. In the Finnish context, practical nurses often take care of needs related to the activities of daily living, for instance, in home care and service housing. Practical nurses in the social and health care profession are strictly regulated by law in Finland [ 31 , 32 ]. Practical nurses are required to have successfully obtained the Vocational Qualification in Social and Healthcare, which entails accruing 180 competence points [ 33 ]. Qualified practical nurses are registered with the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health. They are employed across a diverse spectrum of careers within the social welfare and health care sectors, as well as in early childhood education and schools [ 34 ]. Practical nurses are the second largest occupational group in Finland and the largest group in the social welfare and health care sectors in Finland, with 79,800 people working as practical nurses at the end of 2020 [ 35 ].

As practical nurses form an important group of professionals, it is justified to study their ways of working and increase our knowledge about their experiences of EHR and CIS use on mobile devices. Some of the previous studies have investigated the use of mobile devices from the perspectives of registered nurses, nursing students, and doctors [ 10 , 11 , 14 , 15 ], but there is still limited understanding of the experiences of practical nurses. More user-centered data are needed to ensure that mobile devices fit into the changing clinical practice [ 18 ] and to improve health professionals’ workflows in those work environments where mobile devices are commonly used. As patient care becomes increasingly complex [ 8 ] and health professionals are constantly required to work more efficiently [ 36 ], it is important to study whether mobile devices are as effective tools as they are expected to be in the daily activities of practical nurses [ 9 , 11 , 13 , 14 , 16 , 17 ].

Consequently, the aim of this study was to analyze practical nurses’ experiences regarding their use of EHRs/CISs on a mobile device in their daily practice in home care and service housing settings in the social welfare and health care sectors. Furthermore, we examined the potential factors associated with work time savings when practical nurses were using EHRs/CISs on a mobile device.

Study Context

Finland is a Nordic welfare state where all citizens have universal access to health care and social welfare services. In the 2000s, long-term care for older people and persons with disabilities in Finland has changed from institutional care to more individualized services [ 37 ]. In Finland, long-term care is increasingly provided in service housing or in the home environment under social services. Service housing is available for those citizens who need support living independently. These facilities offer a range of services including meal provision, assistance with personal hygiene, and various health care services [ 38 ]. However, most older adults continue to reside in their own homes, where they can access home care services if needed. Home care encompasses health center–based home nursing and home help services [ 37 , 38 ]. Finland has a wide array of EHRs and CISs, which are used across both the health care and social welfare sectors [ 6 ].

Study Design and Sample

This was a cross-sectional study based on an electronic survey. Data were collected in the spring of 2022 over a 3-week period using a convenience sampling method. As of the end of 2020, there were 79,800 practical nurses employed in Finland [ 35 ], working across the social welfare and health care sectors, as well as in schools and early childhood education and care. Potential respondents were invited to participate in the survey through an email sent by 2 trade unions: The Finnish Union of Practical Nurses and The Union of Public and Welfare Sectors. The electronic survey was distributed to 54,030 members of the trade unions aged 18-65 years. The cover letter specified the study theme as the use of EHRs and CISs. However, previous studies indicate that not all members of the trade unions use EHRs/CISs in their daily practice. This is because practical nurses in social services may still rely on alternative solutions for documentation [ 6 ]. Despite this, 2 reminders were sent to potential participants. Ultimately, 3866 practical nurses responded to the survey, yielding a response rate of 7.16%.

In this study, the inclusion criteria for participation were 2-fold: (1) respondents must work as practical nurses and use an EHR or CIS, and (2) they must not be employed in school or early childhood education and care settings. These criteria were outlined in the first 2 questions of the survey, and the survey was closed for potential respondents who did not meet these criteria. The analysis was additionally narrowed down to practical nurses who indicated that they use EHRs or CISs on a mobile device and are employed in either home care or service housing settings (n=1014). Respondents working in other employment settings were excluded because of the limited number of mobile device users in those settings.

The experiences of EHR systems among physicians were initially assessed in Finland through a national survey in 2010 [ 39 , 40 ]. Subsequently, the survey was refined and conducted again in 2014, 2017, and 2021 for physicians. Additionally, it was customized for registered nurses in 2017 [ 41 - 43 ] and for social care professionals (educated at a university or a university of applied sciences) in 2020 [ 44 , 45 ]. Since 2014, these national surveys have been carried out as part of the “Monitoring and Assessment of Social Welfare and Health Care Information System Services” (STePS) projects [ 6 ]. In a significant development, for the first time in 2022, the survey was customized and conducted for practical nurses as well. Before data collection, the survey underwent pretesting with 20 practical nurses. Questions regarding the use of EHRs and CISs on mobile devices were particularly emphasized, given their integral role in the workflow of many practical nurses. As a result, this study specifically centered on the utilization of a mobile device for the documentation of client data.

A total of 11 variables from the survey were covered in this study. The “Documentation of client data on a mobile device saves working time” variable was used as an outcome measure. To understand what kind of factors are connected to work time savings, the following variables were used: “Age,” “Work experience,” “Workplace,” “Experience in using EHR/CIS,” “Grade for EHR/CIS,” “Most common place to document client data on a mobile device,” “Received sufficient training to document client data on a mobile device,” “Documentation of client data on a mobile device is easy,” “Documentation of client data on a mobile device reduces the need to memorize,” and “I can document everything I need on a mobile device.” A total of 9 variables were recoded in the analysis and 2 variables were included as a continuous variable. The 5-point Likert scale was specified in 5 different variables as follows: 1=fully agree, 2=agree, 3=neither agree nor disagree, 4=disagree, and 5=fully disagree. To streamline the focus on the phenomena of interest and to ensure an adequate number of respondents in all categories, the response options were recoded as follows: 1 or 2=yes and 3-5=no. The included variables are presented in Table 1 .

a EHR: electronic health record.

b CIS: client information system.

c The 5-point Likert scale was specified as follows: 1=fully agree, 2=agree, 3=neither agree nor disagree, 4=disagree, and 5=fully disagree.

Data Analysis

The data were analyzed using the statistical software SPSS Statistics version 29.0.0.0 (IBM, Inc.). The characteristics of the study participants were described using n (%). A binary logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the association between independent and dependent variables. The “Documentation of client data on a mobile device saves working time” item was used as a dependent variable and 10 items were used as independent variables in the analysis. In establishing a model for the relationship between independent and dependent variables, we first tested the significance of each independent variable individually according to the Wald F test. Based on the P values ( P <.05) of the Wald F test, the items “Age” and “I can document everything I need on a mobile device” were excluded from the regression analysis model. We included 8 other independent variables one by one in the model using a forward stepwise selection method. At each step, variables were chosen for the final model according to their effect on the model’s goodness-of-fit measure, Nagelkerke R 2 ( R 2 N ), and P values of the Wald F test. The fully adjusted model included 7 independent variables, including “Experience in using EHR/CIS,” “Work experience,” “Workplace,” “Grade for EHR/CIS,” “Most common place to document client data on a mobile device,” “Documentation of client data on a mobile device is easy,” and “Documentation of client data on a mobile device reduces the need to memorize.” The “Received sufficient training to document client data on a mobile device” item was omitted from the final model because it was no longer statistically significant ( P =.08) after adjusting the final variable to the model. The fully adjusted model’s R 2 N was 0.372. Variance inflation factor was used to secure a model without multicollinearity: the values indicated low correlation, which is acceptable in a regression model. The results of the fully adjusted regression analysis model are presented with P values, variance inflation factor, odds ratios, and their 95% CIs in Table 4 .

Ethical Considerations

We considered ethical issues related to different phases of this study. Ethical approval for the study was provided by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare THL/1206/6.02.01/2022. Study participants were offered written information on the research and data processing in a cover letter and privacy notice [ 46 ]. Participants did not receive any compensation for their participation in the study. The research group has been committed to protecting the anonymity of the participants throughout the study process.

Characteristics of the Mobile Device Users

Of the total of 1014 practical nurses who used EHRs or CISs on a mobile device, nearly one-half (471/1014, 46.45%) fell within the age range of 35-54 years. Additionally, there was a relatively high proportion of participants who were at least 55 years old. The work experience among participants was diverse and evenly distributed. For example, a portion of practical nurses (195/1014, 19.23%) had 0-5 years of experience as a practical nurse or equivalent, while others had worked for 21 years or more (238/1014, 23.47%). The majority of mobile device users (706/1014, 69.63%) were employed in home care, with the remainder working in service housing. Nearly half of the mobile device users (458/1014, 45.17%) rated their experience of using EHRs or CISs at level 4 (on a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 represents a beginner and 5 represents highly experienced). Only 4 practical nurses rated themselves as beginners in using EHRs/CISs. Additionally, the majority of practical nurses assessed the EHR/CIS system used via a mobile device as good (364/1014, 35.90%) or satisfactory (271/1014, 26.73%; Table 2 ).

Practical Nurses’ Experiences of Documenting Client Data on a Mobile Device

The most prevalent location for documenting client data on a mobile device was next to the client (537/1014, 52.96%). Some practical nurses also documented client data in alternative settings such as in the car, at the office, or in public areas. Overall, mobile device users expressed relatively high satisfaction with the training they received for documenting client data on a mobile device (661/1014, 65.19%). The majority of mobile device users (648/1014, 63.91%) found it easy to document client data on a mobile device. Additionally, two-thirds of practical nurses (667/1014, 65.78%) reported that documenting client data on a mobile device saved them time. Furthermore, a vast majority of mobile device users (785/1014, 77.42%) agreed that documenting client data on a mobile device reduced the need to rely on memory. Less than one-half of the participants (418/1014, 41.22%) agreed that they could document everything they need on a mobile device ( Table 3 ).

Factors Associated With Work Time Savings When Using EHRs/CISs on a Mobile Device

Several factors were associated with work time savings when using EHRs/CISs on a mobile device ( Table 4 ). Experience of using EHRs/CISs ( P <.001), work experience ( P <.001), the workplace ( P =.004), the grade given for the EHRs/CISs ( P <.001), the statements “Documentation of patient data on a mobile device is easy” ( P <.001) and “Documentation of patient data on a mobile device reduces the need to memorize things” ( P <.001) had statistically significant associations with work time savings.

c The level of statistical significance was set at P <.05 (italicized).

d Comparison group.

e Not applicable.

Practical nurses who considered themselves to be more experienced EHR/CIS users were more likely to perceive work time savings. Participants who had worked 0-5 years as a practical nurse were 2.41 times more likely to experience work time savings compared with those who had worked 21 years or more. Practical nurses who had worked 16-20 years had a lower likelihood of experiencing work time savings than those who had worked for 21 years or more. Furthermore, practical nurses who worked in home care settings were 1.95 times more likely to report work time savings compared with those participants who worked in service housing. Giving a lower grade for EHRs/CISs was associated with a lower likelihood of experiencing work time savings. Participants who documented client data in a public area were 2.33 times more likely to experience work time savings compared with those who documented client data at the (nurses’) office. Moreover, those practical nurses who reported that the documentation of client data on a mobile device was easy were 3.05 times more likely to experience work time savings compared with others. Practical nurses who reported that the documentation of client data on a mobile device reduced their need to memorize things were 4.10 times more likely to experience work time savings compared with those who did not find mobile devices helpful in memorizing things.

Principal Findings

The aim of the study was to analyze practical nurses’ experiences of using EHRs/CISs on a mobile device in their daily practice. Our study findings indicate that practical nurses generally had positive experiences when documenting client data on a mobile device. Two-thirds of the participants perceived mobile devices as effective tools in their daily practice, as they facilitated time savings in their work. The study revealed that a vast majority of the participants agreed that using EHRs/CISs on a mobile device reduced the need to memorize things. However, participants were less inclined to agree with the statement that they could document everything they needed on a mobile device.

Additionally, our study examined factors associated with work time savings when practical nurses used EHRs/CISs on a mobile device. Factors such as experience with the EHRs/CISs, work experience, workplace, the grade awarded for the EHRs/CISs, and responses to statements such as “Documentation of patient data on a mobile device is easy” and “Documentation of patient data on a mobile device reduces the need to memorize things” were all found to be associated with practical nurses’ experiences of work time savings.

Limitations

This study has several limitations. First, the response rate of 7.16% (3866/54,030) was relatively low, which is common for web-based and lengthy surveys [ 47 ], especially those aimed at health care professionals [ 48 ]. Additionally, incorrect email addresses due to job changes or other reasons, as well as nonopened survey emails, may have further contributed to the low response rate. Therefore, the actual response rate might have been higher if calculated only for those who received and opened the survey invitation. Eventually, 3866/4533 (85.29%) survey clicks resulted in respondents completing the survey. However, it is worth noting that data collection occurred during a national industrial action organized by the trade unions, which could have complicated survey participation. Additionally, various work-related factors that practical nurses encounter in their daily routines, such as time constraints and interruptions, may have influenced survey response rates, especially considering that many union members use their work email as their contact information. Furthermore, the utilization of the convenience sampling method may restrict the generalizability of the results. However, the age distribution of the respondents mirrored that of individuals affiliated with national trade unions [ 49 ]. Additionally, the survey was available in both of Finland’s official languages, Finnish and Swedish, potentially encouraging speakers of both languages to participate.

Second, while practical nurses are a common occupational group in Finland, their title may be less recognized in other regions worldwide. Indeed, long-term care may be provided by health care professionals with various occupational titles internationally. Nonetheless, we propose that the findings of our study can be applied to other nursing professions, such as registered nurses and health care assistants, who use mobile devices as documentation tools in their daily practice. Furthermore, it is important to acknowledge that Finland has a long-standing history of extensively using ICT tools in health care [ 5 ]. Moreover, Finland ranks among the global leaders in mobile data usage [ 50 ]. Consequently, the findings of this study may be particularly relevant and applicable to countries with similar levels of ICT development.

Third, the survey was customized for practical nurses in Finland for the first time, including the questions related to mobile device use. Given the low proportion of missing data, we can assume that respondents understood the various items of the instrument relatively well. Before distribution to participants, the instrument underwent pretesting with 20 practical nurses.

In future studies, it would be beneficial to investigate work time savings among users of specific EHR/CIS brands, as the grading of the system by respondents was strongly correlated with experiencing work time savings. Additionally, research should explore specific work environments, such as home care and service housing. Hence, conducting a subgroup analysis separately for practical nurses working in home care and service housing would be a valuable addition to future studies. Another important research avenue would be to explore the barriers that practical nurses may encounter when documenting next to the patient using a mobile device.

Comparison With Prior Work

To the best of our knowledge, this study marks the inaugural exploration of practical nurses’ experiences regarding their use of EHRs/CISs on a mobile device. Our primary focus was to investigate whether the use of EHRs/CISs on a mobile device contributes to time savings for practical nurses, as well as to identify the factors associated with such savings. In the health care sector, saving work time is crucial because nursing professionals are tasked with a multitude of responsibilities in their daily practice. It is essential for them to have more time available for direct patient care and to minimize the time spent on indirect patient care activities, such as documentation [ 21 ].

This study revealed that two-thirds of practical nurses working in home care or service housing experienced work time savings when using EHRs/CISs on a mobile device. Comparable findings of work time savings have also been documented in previous studies involving health care professionals [ 14 , 20 , 21 ]. This study revealed that documenting client data in a public area, such as a corridor in a housing service, was over 2 times more likely to result in work time savings compared with documenting at the nurses’ office, where computers are typically available. However, it is important to note that documenting sensitive client data on mobile devices in a public area may pose increased security risks, such as the potential loss or theft of the mobile device [ 23 ]. Therefore, mobile technology tools should incorporate essential security features, and organizations should establish clear policies regarding the management of mobile devices [ 51 ].

According to our study findings, work experience was linked to work time savings when using EHRs/CISs on a mobile device. Participants who had worked 0-5 years as practical nurses or in equivalent roles were over 2 times more likely to experience work time savings compared with those who had worked for over 21 years. We speculate that practical nurses with less work experience may perceive work time savings more frequently because they are accustomed to working with new technologies in their daily practice, and they may have received more recent orientation on using mobile devices. It is interesting to note that, in our analysis, age was not found to be significantly associated with work time savings when using EHRs/CISs on a mobile device. However, age may influence perceptions regarding the use of mobile devices. Findings from a previous study [ 52 ] have suggested that older nurses are less inclined to use smartphones or acknowledge their benefits in acute care settings.

Additionally, our study revealed that practical nurses working in home care settings were nearly two times as likely to report work time savings compared with those working in service housing. This finding is unsurprising, considering that home care relies on mobility and necessitates the use of ICT tools directly at patients’ homes [ 22 ]. This environment naturally fosters the integration of mobile technology into the daily practices of health care workers. An essential prerequisite for realizing the benefits of mobile technology is seamless integration with the existing information systems [ 18 ], such as EHRs/CISs. It could be hypothesized that mobile devices contribute to work time savings for practical nurses, especially in home care settings, by facilitating the documentation of client data immediately after completing daily tasks [ 13 ], such as next to the client. However, although practical nurses in this study often documented data next to the client, it was not identified as a statistically significant factor for work time savings. The immediacy afforded by mobile devices, allowing users to document client data promptly after interacting with the client, can alleviate the burden of memorization for health care professionals. According to our study findings, practical nurses who perceived that the documentation of client data reduced the need to rely on memory were 4 times more likely to report work time savings compared with those who did not find mobile devices helpful in reducing the need to memorize things.

Our study findings revealed that practical nurses who found the documentation of client data on a mobile device to be easy were over 3 times more likely to experience work time savings compared with those who did not find mobile devices easy to use. Furthermore, Zhang et al [ 53 ] discovered that nursing professionals in home care settings perceived mobile devices to be useful if the tools are easy to use. Overall, while usability issues related to health information systems, including EHRs, are widely recognized [ 2 , 54 ], much of the existing data are centered around the use of these systems on computers. However, it is important to note that using EHRs/CISs specifically on mobile devices may present additional challenges for social and health care professionals. For example, previous studies have indicated that mobile devices may be difficult to use, too small for daily practice [ 16 ], may not function properly at all times [ 13 ], and could be unstable due to potential internet connection problems [ 18 , 22 ].

In this study, the grade provided by respondents for the EHRs/CISs on a mobile device emerged as a factor associated with work time savings. Specifically, a lower grade for the EHRs/CISs was linked to a reduced likelihood of experiencing work time savings. As the grade for the EHRs/CISs may reflect user satisfaction to some extent, this finding underscores the significance of prioritizing user satisfaction regarding practical nurses’ use of EHRs/CISs on mobile devices. User satisfaction has indeed garnered significant attention in previous studies [ 9 , 15 ], and its impact extends beyond work time savings. According to Hsiao and Chen [ 9 ], user satisfaction influences nurses’ intention to continue using information systems on mobile devices, and perceived usefulness is often intertwined with user satisfaction. Furthermore, the quality of the information system and support from managers have been identified as significant predictors of user satisfaction [ 15 ], as well as technology adoption in general [ 18 ]. It is important to highlight that health care professionals who are more experienced users of information systems may offer valuable suggestions for improvements [ 9 ], underscoring the importance of involving these users in the development of EHRs/CISs to ensure user satisfaction with the system interfaces.

When assessing potential work time savings, it is crucial to take into account practical nurses’ experiences with using EHRs/CISs. Our study results indicate that practical nurses with more experience in using EHRs/CISs were more likely to experience work time savings. Similarly, Villalba-Mora et al [ 26 ] discovered that health care professionals who frequently used health information technologies such as EHRs perceived these tools to be more useful. Additionally, previous experience with digital technologies is significant, as it aids health care professionals in integrating mobile devices into their daily practices [ 18 ].

Conclusions

This study contributes to the existing literature on the use of EHRs/CISs on a mobile device by practical nurses in their daily practice, as well as factors associated with work time savings. Our findings indicate that two-thirds of practical nurses perceived mobile devices as beneficial in home care and service housing settings, as they reported that documenting client data on a mobile device saved their working time. Experience in using EHRs/CISs, work experience, workplace, grade given for the EHRs/CISs, and perceptions regarding the ease of documentation and reduction in the need to memorize were all significantly associated with practical nurses’ experiences of work time savings. Based on our findings, we recommend that special attention should be directed toward mobile device users who are less experienced in using EHRs/CISs or do not find mobile devices easy to use. Organizations should provide comprehensive orientation and regular education to health care professionals on the use of EHRs/CISs on mobile devices. Additionally, user satisfaction is a crucial aspect to consider in achieving work time savings among health care professionals who use EHRs/CISs on a mobile device, as demonstrated by our findings. Practical nurses who rated their EHRs/CISs more favorably were more likely to experience work time savings. Therefore, we suggest that end users, particularly those with more experience in using EHRs/CISs, should be involved in the development of EHRs/CISs to ensure better user satisfaction of system interfaces.

Acknowledgments

The research leading to these results received funding from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Finland. The authors thank the Finnish Federation of Local and Basic Caregivers (SuPer ry) and the Union of Public and Welfare Sectors (JHL) for sending the survey to their members and all the licensed practical nurses who responded to the survey. We also thank researcher Samuel Salovaara for commenting on the survey questionnaire. This study was supported by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Finland (project 414919001). The funder’ did not have any role in the study design, collection, analysis, interpretation of data, or writing of the report.

Data Availability

The data collected and analyzed during this study are not publicly available due to coregistratorship between the University of Eastern Finland and the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, the controllers of the data.

Conflicts of Interest

None declared.

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Abbreviations

Edited by T de Azevedo Cardoso; submitted 03.03.23; peer-reviewed by S Nissinen, S Ashraf, C Wang, R Zhang ; comments to author 19.09.23; revised version received 06.10.23; accepted 23.04.24; published 29.05.24.

©Satu Paatela, Maiju Kyytsönen, Kaija Saranto, Ulla-Mari Kinnunen, Tuulikki Vehko. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (https://www.jmir.org), 29.05.2024.

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Category: Cold War Soviet APCs

• Post author By Pavel Alexe
• Post date April 17, 2021
• 2 Comments on BTR-50

Soviet Union (1954-1970) Amphibious Armored Personnel Carrier – 6,500+ Built

Introduction.

The BTR-50 was the first mass-produced tracked and amphibious Soviet-built armored personnel carrier (APC). It was developed from the desperate need of a more mobile APC, capable of keeping up with tanks in rough terrain and be able to operate in the difficult terrain of eastern and central Europe. Despite not having any weapons and being very vulnerable to enemy fire, it served for a long period of time within the Soviet and later Russian armed forces, but also in many other countries.

First Prototypes

The Sormovo No.122 plant was tasked with the design of the first prototypes in 1948. By 1949, these were ready and were documented as the ‘Object 101’ (R-39 light tank) and ‘Object 102’ (R-40 APC). They, however, failed the factory tests. The reliability and strength of certain components were poor and the vehicles did not even reach the desired speeds of 10 to 12 km/h (6 – 7 mph) over water. They were as well underpowered on land, not reaching the desired top speeds of 50 km/h (31 mph). On the second prototype, to fix the slow speed, the propellers were mounted externally and were supposed to be lifted onto the engine deck when not used, causing them to be vulnerable to enemy fire and overall damage. The second round of testing was done at VNII-100 institute in Leningrad, but they failed those too. The poor performances led to the Sormovo No.112 factory being removed from the program. After this disappointment (the program was supervised by Stalin himself), some of the heads of No.112 factory, alongside certain engineers, were removed from their offices and held accountable.

The Council of Ministers of the USSR decided on 15th August 1949 that the VNI-100 research institute in Leningrad should restart the development of the two vehicles, with testing to be started in 1950.

Work started immediately on the new combat vehicles on the 15th of August, 1949 and the blueprints were ready by the 1st of September. The project was moved entirely to the Chelyabinsk factory, receiving the GABTU designation ‘Object 750’ for the APC and ‘Object 740’ for the light tank. In ChTZ, there were four different systems proposed for the steering and propelling of the light tank (Object 740) in water. These were:

• propellers in water tunnels
• conventionally mounted propellers on hinges
• tracked propulsion.

Engineers Kotin and L.Troyanov wanted to implement hinged propellers, as they had worked on vehicles with the same propulsion before, however, Nikolai Shashmurin (the famous Soviet tank designer behind the IS-7 and others), who was also involved in the project, wanted to implement water jets. Shashmurin went to the Minister of Medium Machine building, Viacheslav Malyshev, to get his idea materialized. Malyashev agreed, and this meant that all alternative propulsion system projects were terminated, focusing entirely on a vehicle with two waterjet engines. The first Object 750 prototype was completed in April 1950.

The reasoning behind why the water propulsion system was first designed as part of the light tank was that, because the light tank was expected to weigh more than the APC (in reality, they were almost identical), whatever system would work on the tank would surely work on the APC.

Design and technical data

The BTR-50’s lower hull was identical to that of the PT-76, a wide and spacious body for good stability and buoyancy in water, and a heavily sloped front to give better fording capabilities. A large lightly armored box was mounted over the front of the vehicle. The driver sat in the middle and the commander was on the left, with three TNP-B periscopes to look out from. The driver had a small hatch right in front of him which could be opened in non-combat environments, however, it could not be used for entering or exiting. On the other hand, he did have an emergency exit port on the floor of the vehicle, which was not recommended to be used while in water.

The compartiment where the 12 troops sat on benches running across the width of the APC was open-topped and had no side hatches. This meant that the soldiers had to climb over the sides of the vehicle and sit in the open air. This issue was fixed in later versions. The main engine was a V-6, being a 6 cylinder in-line, 4-stroke, water-cooled diesel capable of delivering 240 hp (179 kW) at 1800 rpm, giving the 14.5 tonne (32,000 lbs) APC a top speed of 44 km/h (27 mph) on roads, a power to weight ratio of 16.6 hp per tonne and a range of 400 km from three 400 liter fuel tanks (two in front of the engine compartment and one at the rear of the vehicle). Tests also showed it could run along 30° side slopes, climb 60° gradients, climb 1.1 m high vertical obstacles, and negotiate trenches up to 2.8 m wide. The engine cooling system had a pre-heater to start at extremely low temperatures. The manual shaft-type transmission had 5-gears (4 forward/1 reverse), similar to the T-34-85 system. The side clutch helped the driver for turning, assisted by a mechanical transmission and a band-brake. Taking the harsh Russian weather conditions into consideration, it could operate in a range between -40 C° to 40 C° (-40° to 104° Fahrenheit). The radio was a 10 RT-26E and for internal communication, a TPU-47 tank intercom was used.

The running gear had 6 wheels per side with no return rollers. These wheels were hollow and helped with the buoyancy of the APC. Additionally, the wheels used simple torsion bar suspension. This layout proved to be very reliable, with countless Soviet vehicles using similar running gear and tracks, such as the MT-LB and BMP-1. This goes to show that the original GABTU request of making the PT-76 and BTR-50 hull very modular and interchangeable truly paid off.

The armor of the vehicle was very thin and was designed to only protect from shrapnel. It was made out of cold-rolled homogeneous steel sheets welded together. In the front, the armor was 13 mm (0.5 inches) thick, 10 mm on the sides and just 7 mm in the rear (0.3 inch). For later versions that had a 10 mm (0.4 inches) thick roof.

Propulsion in water was done through two main jets with openings in the floor of the APC. Water would be pumped up and propelled out the back of the vehicle through two holes, creating thrust. To steer, either one of the holes was shut. For example, to turn to the right, the right whole was closed while the left was still running. Closing the ports to the jets forced the water to exit under pressure through the ports on the side, forcing the water forwards. When reversing, both rear jet holes were shut, redirecting the water to the two smaller ports on the side of the vehicle. This system was designed by Nikolai Konowalow and was identical to that of the PT-76.

As mentioned earlier, the BTR-50 was supposed to be able to carry 2,000 kg over water. The reasoning behind this rather high carrying capacity was to transport a large variety of equipment over water. This included towed weapons and cannons, such as 57 mm, 76 mm, 85 mm guns, 107 mm recoilless rifle, 120 mm mortars, and even GAZ-69 cars. This would have sped up crossing rivers considerably, and having an APC that could transport both the troops and their weapons was a massive upside to the design. Engineers experimented with two different types of mounting systems for the equipment, either an electric crane or a winch with a simple ramp. The crane, run by the main engine, would lift the equipment over the sides and onto a bed. This option was deemed too mechanically and operationally complex, added weight, and, most importantly, expensive. As a result, the winch and ramp alternative was chosen. The winch was mounted underneath the hull, meaning that the cable was running through the center of the fighting compartiment. The winch had a lifting power of 1,500 kg. The system was only used on the BTR-50P and was eventually dropped, as designated amphibious transporters were developed, such as the PTS.

The BTR-50P was the first production version to be accepted into service in 1952. It was very rudimentary, with no roof over the crew compartment. The crew and soldiers had to climb over the sides to enter and exit. Likewise, it had no firing ports for the soldiers inside, but considering the vehicle was designed to drive the troops to battle, from where they go off by foot, it was deemed as acceptable. Inside the troop compartment, 12 soldiers could sit on three benches.

Because it had no roof, it completely lacked NBC (Nuclear, Biological & Chemical) protection, which was a large problem considering the military and political environment of the 1950s and 60s. This was also the version with the ramps for transporting material. A similar version, the BTR-50PA, had a 14.5 mm KPV heavy machine gun instead of the DShK machine gun which was mounted on some vehicles. It also lacked the loading ramps and winch system.

As aforementioned, the BTR-50P had the ability to carry a variety of equipment while afloat thanks to its winch and ramp system. These were:

• 3x 82 mm D-10 recoilless rifles with 24 rounds (6 boxes), spare parts (6 boxes) and individual gun crews, each crew consisting of 4 men.
• 3x 82 mm M1937 mortars with 120 projectiles (12 boxes), spare parts (3 boxes) and individual gun crews, each crew consisting of 4 men.
• 1x 107 mm D-11 recoilless rifle with ammunition, spare parts and 5 man crew.
• 1x 120 mm gun with 32 projectiles (16 boxes), spare parts and 6 man crew.
• 1x 57 mm or 76 mm gun with 25 rounds (5 boxes), spare parts and 5 man crew.
• 1x 85 mm gun and two gun crews.
• GAZ-69 light utility car.

During the Hungarian Revolution in 1956, the Soviet Army experienced considerable BTR-50 losses. The lack of a roof meant that Molotov cocktails and grenades could be dropped into the crew compartment. Thus, an armored roof with two large hatches for exit/entrance for the troops and a round hatch for the commander were added. Considering this additional weight, a torsion bar was added that prevented injuries when closing the door. The roof also allowed for NBC protection for the crew. When the engine was on, air was distributed into the compartment by a supercharger. When the engine was turned off, a ventilator was used.

The troops sat behind the crew’s compartment that ran along the entire width of the vehicle. There was no separator of any sort in between the two spaces, so communication between the crew and troops was simple. Now that the roof was closed, two gun ports were added on each side wall through which the troops could fire.

Other changes were made, such as the addition of a TVN-2B night vision device for the driver, a P-113 radio, and an automatic carbon-dioxide fire protection system. A new fuel tank was installed, extending the range with 150 km (93 miles). It entered service on 27th October 1958 and was the largest upgrade for the BTR-50 during its service life within the USSR. It received the codename Object 750PK. Many BTR-50Ps were converted to the PK standard.

This was the most produced and exported version of the BTR-50. In addition to being a conventional troop transporter, the PU version was a command version of the BTR. These had new radios, an auxiliary power supply, a new ‘cupola’ in the front with three additional TNP-B periscopes, four antennas, and lacked weapons. A TVN-2B night vision device was also added for the driver. A third crew member was also added, responsible for navigation. He sat to the right of the driver. For communication between the crew members, an R-120 intercom system was used.

This version was heavily exported to many nations. Poland and Czechoslovakia produced this version under the name OT-62 and had an entire array of other versions. There was also a marine version with an elongated ‘nose’. Three other versions were the BTR-50PU-2 with R-123 and the R-130M radios and a portable generator, the modernized BTR-50PUM with an AMU telescopic antenna mast and R-123 (3x), R-130, R-326, R-405D, and T-218 radios, and the BTR-50PUM-2 with a reduced crew of 8 and the same equipment as in the BTR-60 R-145BM. Both M versions were converted between 1972 and 1980.

Soviet variants

Given the versatility, huge production, and reliability of the BTR-50, many versions were produced within the USSR.

The UR-67 (Ustanovka Razminirovaniya Eng: Mine clearer) is a mine-clearing vehicle equipped with a UR-67 rocket launcher system, with extra UZP-67 or UZR-3 explosive tubes stored inside the hull. This innovative system launches a rocket and an explosive charge. The charge detonates mines, thus clearing a path wide enough for tanks and other vehicles to pass.

The MTP (Mashina Tekhnicheskoj Pomoshchi, Eng: Technical Assistance Machine) was an armored technical assistance vehicle built on the base of the BTR-50PK, featuring an electrically operated crane mounted on the left side of the vehicle. For easier transportation, the crane was stored on the side of the vehicle, and when needed, it was lifted and mounted into place. To provide better comfort and more working space for the crew, the hull was raised significantly.

Object 209 ‘Penguin’

This peculiar vehicle was born in 1957 when M.M. Somov from the Soviet Academy of Sciences addressed Kotin from the Kirov plant for the need for a new vehicle to be used in the explorations of Antarctica. Due to the short time for development and strict requirements, a proven platform was needed, thus the BTR-50 chassis was used. The vehicles were very reliable, transporting over 15,000 tonnes of material during the Antarctic expeditions. Thanks to the large, insulated interior compartment, work could be done inside of the vehicle without any need for thick clothes, despite the temperatures being as low as -50°C outside of the vehicle. There was also the Object 210, for the Northern Fleet, but was fundamentally the same vehicle.

While the BTR-50 itself did not serve as a chassis for many derivatives (thanks to the use of the PT-76), there were attempts to mount anti-aircraft guns on top of the troop compartment of a BTR-50P in 1955. These were the ZTPU-2 (BTR-50P2) and ZTPU-4 (BTR-50P4). The first had two 14.5 mm KPVT machine guns while the latter had four. The effective range was around 600 meters. They fell short because of the conception of the ZSU-23-4 Shilka in 1957, based on the PT-76 chassis.

Object 211 (BTR-50 with GTD-350 engine)

In the 1960s, engineer J.Y. Kotin got together with the head of the Klimovsk plant, S. P. Izotov to work together on a gas-turbine engine for the Object 288 tank. They used the GTD-350 helicopter engine found on the Mil Mi-2. They placed the engine into a K-700 tractor and a BTR-50 to study the possibility of using such an engine in a ground vehicle. The engineers noted that it offered pros in terms of mass and size and did not need liquid-cooling, however at the cost of poor efficiency and fuel consumption, plus lack of engine braking.

Muromteplovoz upgrade

Russian company OJSC Muromteplovoz offered an upgrade package for the BTR-50 in the 2000s, replacing the engine with a turbocharged 300 hp YMZ-7601, elevating the top speed to 63 km/h. The main addition is the new turret, similar to that on the BTR-80A, it has a 30 mm 2A42 autocannon, automatic smoke grenade launchers and a PKT machine gun. The company claims that this upgrade could extend the service life of a BTR-50 by 15 years.

Like many Soviet vehicles of the era, the BTR-50 was exported in massive numbers in various nations across the world. Exporting military hardware was one of the ways the superpowers of the Cold War era attempted to keep or bring states into their spheres of influence. It is thus not surprising that a large number of the states which received BTR-50s were communists or socialists. Keeping track of the exact versions and names can be difficult, as each nation has its own modifications, own designations, etcetera. There are also many private companies offering their own upgrade packages for BTR-50s.

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Belarus inherited a large number of BTR-50PKs. An upgrade package has been developed, but Belarus no longer has BTR-50s in service. The upgrade, BTR-50PKM, had new brakes, steering, transmission and a new engine; the UTD-20, giving 300 hp. An ARV (Armored Recovery Vehicle) upgrade package is also available. The upgrades are carried out by Minotor Service in Minsk.

Czechoslovakia & Poland

The OT-62 TOPAS (Obrněný Transportér vzor 62 – Eng: Armored Personnel Carrier model 62) was a joint development between Czechoslovakia and Poland in the 60s. These were based on the BTR-50PK and were built into a variety of different designs and variants, such as ARVs and SPAAGs. Unlike their Soviet counterparts, they often had machine gun turrets to give the vehicle better protection against enemy infantry, an issue with the BTR-50.

East Germany (DDR)

East Germany produced and imported a large number of BTR-50s and built many specialized versions. The Soviet-built BTR-50Ps were named SPW-50P (Schützenpanzerwagen Eng: Armored Personnel Carrier). Many variations were built, including reconnaissance, ARV, air defense observation unit, minesweeper, command vehicles, and many more. After the unification of Germany, the BTR-50s were scrapped or sold.

One of the more interesting East German variants of the SPW-50 was the Minenräumfahrzeug (MRF) mine-clearing vehicle. Using a similar basis as the UR-67, it used two ‘coffin’ shaped containers containing the explosive charges and the rocket. These were able to create a 100 meter (328 feet) long alley inside a minefield. Two slides were mounted on either side of the engine deck for loading the containers.

Finland bought 118 BTR-50s from the USSR between 1964 and 1969 and has converted them into command versions and upgraded APCs. These were withdrawn from service in 2018.

In 1997, Indonesia purchased 34 BTR-50s from Ukraine, with subsequent orders in later years. These were upgraded with new engines, brakes, radios etcetera. They are used by their Marines. Another version used by the Indonesian Marines is the PAL-AFV, which is a local modernization of the BTR-50. Two large issues had been identified by the Indonesian Marines with the standard BTR-50, the first being water entering into the radiator. The water pumps tasked with removing the water can fail in powerful currents. The second issue was that the engine deck was too low, which can be problematic in a high-rise, powerful waters. To fix this, the entire engine deck was elevated.

There are still a number of BTR-50s left in Iran, after they purchased around 270 in 1966 from the USSR. A heavily modified BTR-50, known as the ‘Makran’, was unveiled in 2020, with additional armor and a new turret. This conversion was made by the Iran Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC).

Iraq ordered around 250 units in 1968 from the USSR and they have been used in the Iran-Iraq War and Gulf War. More recently, some have been converted with large armored turrets, housing ZU-23-2 AA guns. The Iraqis have also converted OT-62s with, amongst others, Cascavel turrets.

Serbia still has 12 BTR-50s in service in addition to 28 in reserve it inherited from Yugoslavia. Yugoimport offers an upgrade package, the BTR-50S, fitted with an M91 E turret with a 20 mm M-55 autocannon, 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun, 9M14 Malytuka ATGM, and smoke grenade launchers.

Other operators

– Afghanistan (total of 660 vehicles from 1963 to 1988; large amount most likely destroyed). First 100 ordered from the USSR in 1963, delivered between 1965-66. – Albania (200 BTR-50s, withdrawn from service) – Algeria (130 BTR-50s, withdrawn from service) – Angola – Bangladesh (withdrawn from service) – Republic of the Congo – Croatia (26 BTR-50s, replaced by Patria AMV) – Cuba (200) – Egypt (500 BTR-50s upgraded to BTR-50PKM in 2014) – Guinea – Germany (Passed over from DDR, sold/scrapped) – Hungary (150 ordered in 1959. 20 BTR-50PU-2 still in service) – India (200 BTR-50s in service) – Indonesia (70 in service) – Iran (150 in service) – Iraq (Various rudimentary conversions, such as a turret equipped with ZU-23-2 AA gun). – Israel (captured from Egypt and Syria, now withdrawn from service) – Kazakhstan (inherited from former USSR) – Liberia – Libya (many still in service) – Nicaragua – North Korea – Romania (withdrawn from service) – Russia (withdrawn from service) – Serbia (12 are active and 28 in reserve) – Slovenia – Somalia – Somaliland – Sudan – Syria – Ukraine (none in service; BTR-50M upgrade package available under the name BTR-50M). – Vietnam – Yemen – Zimbabwe

The Chinese APC, Type 77, has many visual similarities to the BTR-50. However, it is a completely independent design, based on the Type 63-I, itself derived from the PT-76, ironically coming back full circle. It was produced by Norinco into the mid-1980s and entered service in 1978. The Type 77 was not exported and was declined into four versions, a gun carrier, ammunition carrier, ambulance, and command vehicle.

Due to the large export numbers, BTR-50s have seen plenty of combat in recent history, however, being an unarmed APC, there are not many notable combat stories and scenarios, as opposed to battle tanks. Used as early as the Vietnam War, they also saw action in the Middle East. Both Egypt and Syria used them during the Six-Day War in 1967, leading to a handful being captured by Israel. The Syrian armored units consisted of 31 MBTs ( T-55s / T-62s /T-72Ms), 2 BTR-50s/BTR-60s, and 10 trucks. They were also used in the War of Attrition by both sides.

BTR-50s were used again by all sides during the Yom Kippur War, in October 1973. BTR-50s have and are being used in the Hungarian Revolution 1954, Prague Spring 1968, Iran-Iraq War (1989-1988), and as recently as the War in Donbas (2014-present).

Likewise, they have been used in the war in Syria by various factions with many homemade adaptations. The lack of armor and the Soviet doctrinal design of the BTR-50 makes it a poor IFV/tank, in the way that it has been used by rebels and fighters in Syria.

Hungarian Uprising

In the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 against the Soviet-controlled communist government, Soviet troops stationed within Hungary entered Budapest on 4th November. Sources disagree on how many tanks and AFVs were used by the Soviets, with numbers ranging between 4,000 to as low as 1,100, with the latter being more realistic. Revolutionaries had no weapons to reliably fight off Soviet tanks, many of which were IS-3 or T-55 tanks. However, due to the narrow streets of central Budapest, Molotov cocktails were used by revolutionaries to set tanks on fire. This posed huge dangers to the open-topped APCs then in service, such as the BTR-40, BTR-152, and BTR-50. Around 700 Soviet troops were lost.

Prague Spring

The Prague Spring began in January of 1968 after Alexander Dubček was elected as First Secretary in the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia. He strived for decentralization from the Soviet Union, and encouraged more democratic reforms, loosening control and restriction on media or freedom of speech. The main reform was the splitting of Czechoslovakia into the Czech Socialist Republic and the Slovak Socialist Republic.

Naturally, the Soviets were not too happy about these reforms, and, in the night between 20th and 21st August, invaded the ČSSR, with help from other Warsaw Pact nations – Poland, Hungary, and Bulgaria. It is worth noting that there were attempts by the USSR to reverse the reforms by Dubček, diplomatically, but to no avail. Around 200,000 troops alongside 2,000 AFVs invaded the country, according to the Washington Post. Despite the quick occupation, civilian sabotages and resistance continued for nearly 8 months, leading to around 137 dead and 500 wounded.

BTR-50 in Israeli use

Israel first captured around 240 BTR-50s and OT-62s from Egypt in the Six-Day War in 1967. The IDF used them extensively until the 1980s when they were sold off/retired in favor of M113s which were first delivered in 1971. Some BTRs were assigned to the 88th Battalion and 440th Reserve Tank Division, which consisted of only captured equipment.

BTR-50s were also used by the IDF in the Ten Hour War, also known as Operation Raviv. Operation Raviv was an Israeli armored raid into the western bank of the Gulf of Suez, on 9th September 1969. Under the cover of darkness, six T-55s and three BTR-50s painted in Egyptian colors landed south of Ain Sokhna just after 0330 hours, north of their main objective; an Egyptian radar installation located at Abu-Dareg. Without stopping, the armored raiding party drove approximately 45 km south along the coast, raiding Egyptian outposts and attacking the thoroughly surprised Egyptian forces along the way. Infantry forces, consisting of elements of the 7th Armored Brigade’s reconnaissance company and Arab-speaking special forces members, fought while mounted in order to maintain momentum and prevent a protracted battle with Egyptian forces. After nine hours of operating in Egyptian territory, the armored force was withdrawn just after 1200 hours via ship north of Zaafarana, having suffered only light casualties and no known vehicle losses.

BTR-50 in VPA service & Vietnam War

By 1965, the People’s Army of Vietnam (VPA) had received 50 PT-76 light tanks and 50 BTR-50 APCs from the Soviet Union. While the PT-76 was used successfully in the south, the BTR-50 was deemed obsolete and vulnerable at close range and to airborne attacks. One thing remains certain, that even the North Vietnamese found the lack of firepower of the APC a drawback, limiting the effectiveness and versatility of the APC. It is important to note that the Vietnamese landscape is not what the BTR-50 was designed for, being rather the opposite of the plains of eastern and central Europe. Nonetheless, at least three BTR-50s were converted into SPAAGs, with two ZPU 14.5 AA heavy machine guns mounted. These belonged to the 202 Motorized Infantry Regiment and were named BTR-50 ‘phòng không’, meaning anti-air. They saw combat in Quang Tri in 1973 and 1975. Starting in 2014, Vietnamese BTR-50s were upgraded using the Belarusian Minotor upgrade package.

Iran-Iraq War

By the time of the First Battle of Al-Faw, the Iran-Iraq War had been a stalemate for years. Iran’s lack of resources and spare parts meant that a lot of equipment was lost and unretrievable, having relied on human wave attacks. However, Iran had to focus more on surprise attacks to be able to break the stalemate. One of these was Operation Dawn 8, which consisted of an amphibious landing on the Al-Faw peninsula and occupying it, leaving Iraq landlocked.

Between 100,000 to 150,000 Iranian troops attacked on 9th February 1986. Human wave attacks were sustained on the north of the peninsula while, at the south, amphibious armored assaults were made. The Iranian forces used torrential rain to their advantage, taking the Iraqi forces by surprise, additionally not allowing them to use their vastly superior air force and artillery.

Amphibious ships and BTR-50s, amongst others, were used to transport troops across the Persian Gulf and Shat al-Arab River, until Iranian engineers were able to build bridges to continue the flow of troops and equipment. In the end, Iran captured the Al-Faw peninsula. The entire operation decreased the morale of Iraqi troops and population, also cutting them off from the Persian Gulf.

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News archives, faculty media experts, social media directory, publications, style guidelines, public relations team, requests for public relations services, matthew urban pursues ophthalmology research with passion and precision, his research focus has led to multiple presentations at national conferences and in scholarly publications, including jama.

Matthew Urban , SOM Class of 2026, has been laser-focused on ophthalmology since he began medical school at New York Medical College (NYMC), a focus that has already resulted in multiple presentations at national conferences and in scholarly publications, including most recently a study published in JAMA Ophthalmology on potential Medicare Part D savings on ophthalmic generic drugs, though his penchant for research goes back much further.

“My grandfather – who received an emergency cornea transplant in 2014 – was my inspiration to pursue ophthalmology and improve visual acuity in patients suffering from similar conditions,” says Urban. “This latest JAMA publication has been a significant validation of all the hard work I have dedicated to research in the field of ophthalmology, and it only motivates me more.”

Urban began performing research on stem cells in the eye with Victor L. Perez, M.D., at the University of Miami Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in 2015, while still a high school student. Since he began at NYMC, he has continued research with Dr. Perez at Bascom Palmer and at the Duke Eye Center in Durham, North Carolina. He currently works as a research fellow at Bascom Palmer with Dr. Perez and at Westchester Medical Center (WMC) with Abha Amin, M.D., associate professor of ophthalmology at NYMC and chief of complex anterior segment surgery at WMC. 

“From the outset of my research journey, I've been drawn to the profound synergy between basic scientific inquiry and its practical applications,” says Urban. “Witnessing the transition from theoretical concepts to tangible advancements in clinical practice has been a driving force behind my passion for research.”

Projects to date have included research focused on graft-versus-host disease, allergic eye disease, limbal stem cells in vitro and in vivo, and a clinical study on tubulointerstitial nephritis and uveitis. In April, he presented at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery annual meeting in Boston on studies he conducted with Dr. Amin on ergonomics education of ophthalmology residents and on using digital motion technology to investigate ergonomics/posture in the clinic. The next step for Urban include drafting the manuscripts for those studies for publication submission.

“One of the most compelling aspects of research for me lies in the journey itself. From the initial spark of an idea to the meticulous process of data collection, analysis, and dissemination, each stage offers its own set of challenges and rewards, contributing to the collective body of knowledge,” says Urban. “I also deeply value the collaborative nature of research. Working alongside colleagues, each bringing their unique expertise to the table, fosters an environment of innovation and shared progress. The collective effort of a team amplifies the impact of our work, propelling us towards new discoveries and breakthroughs.”

NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATORY POLICY AS TO STUDENTS The New York Medical College admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the college. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs. See full non-discrimination statement with contact info .

What You Need to Know About Marijuana Rescheduling

by Victoria Litman, M.Div., J.D., LL.M.

On May 21, 2024, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) signed by Attorney General Merrick Garland in the Federal Register. This publication kicks off a 62-day comment period on a rule that would move marijuana to Schedule 3 of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), classifying it as a substance with “a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence.” The process of rescheduling may be long and is unlikely to create a pathway to federal compliance for state-legal marijuana businesses without further federal legislation. Ultimately, Congress likely will need to clarify the division of federal and state regulatory powers over cannabis.

The CSA is a federal law that classifies substances into schedules based on their potential for medical use and risk of abuse. The cannabis plant has been in the most restrictive category, Schedule 1, since the CSA was enacted in 1970. In the 2018 Farm Bill , cannabis plants with less than .3% concentration of the major psychoactive component of marijuana, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), were removed from the CSA and legally defined as hemp. All other cannabis remains Schedule 1 , defined as a substance with no currently accepted medical use (CAMU), lack of safety for use under medical supervision, and a high potential for abuse.

Despite ongoing cannabis restrictions on the federal level, since 1996 many states have enacted legislation regulating and taxing medical and recreational marijuana and creating dispensaries for patients and consumers to access it. For several decades, these state-regulated businesses have existed under the shadow of federal illegality. Marijuana’s Schedule 1 status has impacted the economic feasibility of these businesses due to punitive federal taxes , significant burdens on banks willing to work with cannabis businesses, and no legal interstate commerce.

Since 2014, Congress has passed spending amendments that limit the use of federal funds for enforcement against state-compliant medical marijuana programs. From 2009-2018, several U.S. Attorneys General issued memos directing federal prosecutors to limit enforcement against all state-compliant marijuana businesses, medical and recreational. In 2018 Attorney General Jeff Sessions technically rescinded prior memos and encouraged prosecution of federally illegal marijuana activity; however, in practice there has been limited federal enforcement.

In the fall of 2022, President Biden issued a statement on marijuana reform, announcing federal pardons for some federal crimes involving marijuana and urging state governors to pardon state-level cannabis possession charges. Biden also asked the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Attorney General to initiate the administrative process to review the scheduling of cannabis under the CSA.

In August 2023,  HHS sent an official recommendation to the DEA that it categorize marijuana under the less restrictive Schedule 3 category. The recommendation became public in early 2024 as a result of a lawsuit . Notably, the recommendation was the first statement from a federal government agency that marijuana has a currently accepted medical use and a low potential for abuse. An April 11, 2024 opinion from the Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) asserted that DEA must “accord significant deference” to HHS’ recommendation until the beginning of formal rulemaking. However, the NPRM notes that DEA has not decided how marijuana should be scheduled.

Now that the NPRM has been published, individuals and businesses may submit comments on the proposal until July 22nd. Interested persons (defined in regulations ) may request an administrative law hearing before June 20th in accordance with the requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act.

Once comments are received and after any hearing, the DEA will review all evidence and generally respond to comments when publishing the final rule. There is no set statutory time for this process but in other situations, for example telemedicine , it has taken over a year.

Once published, the DEA’s final rule will not go into effect for 30 days, during which time aggrieved parties who submitted comments and can demonstrate they have standing can challenge the final rule in court. At least one major opposition group is already fundraising for the legal effort.

The two main issues likely to be challenged are the impact of rescheduling on adherence to United Nations treaty obligations and the way HHS determined that marijuana has a CAMU. For the first time, HHS considered the existing widespread use of medical marijuana under the supervision of health care practitioners within state medical marijuana programs. The OLC’s opinion addresses these issues directly.

A letter from Democratic senators opposing rescheduling and supporting removal of marijuana from the CSA entirely explains that although rescheduling likely provides tax relief, it does not impact criminal justice and immigration issues related to cannabis criminalization. Rescheduling would not be a panacea for the challenges faced by state legal marijuana businesses and would not necessarily make marijuana easier to research .

Schedule 3 drugs must be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA,) prescribed by a doctor, and distributed by a pharmacy. Thus, none of the existing state-regulated marijuana dispensaries would be able to comply without extreme cost or further regulation or legislation. Another Attorney General’s memo is expected to clarify enforcement priorities against marijuana-related businesses that are legal in the state, but federally non-compliant.

I have previously written that no matter what happens with rescheduling, Congress will need to clarify the division of federal and state regulatory powers over cannabis. Congress must specify that FDA’s jurisdiction over cannabis should be no more than that over alcohol and designate cannabis in food as “generally recognized as safe.” These, and other FDA-related fixes, already drafted as part of proposed legislation, the States Reform Act , would create legal pathways for existing state-licensed marijuana operators to be in compliance with the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act . By doing so, Congress could reduce unnecessary spending on unfeasible federal enforcement and preserve limited federal resources to evaluate clinical research on cannabis-derived drugs . Thus, even if marijuana is moved to Schedule 3, federal legislation is necessary. The only question is how long it will take Congress to act.

Victoria Litman M.Div, J.D., LL.M. is a nonprofit tax lawyer focused on the emerging cannabis and psychedelic tax exempt sectors and an adjunct law professor. She is also an Affiliated Researcher of the Project on Psychedelics Law and Regulation (POPLAR) at the Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology, and Bioethics at Harvard Law School.

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The Petrie-Flom Center Staff

The Petrie-Flom Center staff often posts updates, announcements, and guests posts on behalf of others.

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