A telecommunications intervention for frontier patients with diabetes.

Science.gov (United States)

Wagnild, Gail; MacCart, John G; Mitchell, Scot; Tyabah, Kiran; Leenknecht, Cindy; Meszaros, Jane Fitch

2008-10-01

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a telecommunications diabetes self-management (DSM) intervention would improve health-related outcomes among frontier participants with diabetes. A one-group pre-test/post-test quasi-experimental design with two groups of participants was used. Differences between pre and post-test periods on measures of physical and emotional health, knowledge of diabetes, and self-care behaviors were measured. Overall, participants did better along measures of blood pressure, HbA(1c), self-efficacy, knowledge of diabetes, understanding of DSM, monitoring behaviors, and reported less personal and social disruption from diabetes. Six-month follow-up results showed continued positive outcomes.

Telecommunications: international opportunities for power utilities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lewis, A. [Teleglobe Canada, Ottawa, ON (Canada)

1996-08-01

International telecommunications services markets and trends were reviewed in an effort to identify business opportunities for Canadian power utilities. With increasing deregulation in the U.S. and Canada, and other countries around the globe, market opportunities are beginning to open up. In monopoly markets opportunities exist in providing dual infrastructures to upgrade both the power delivery services (frequently poor), and telecommunications. Billing, collection and customer service expertise might be other marketable commodities, perhaps packaged as part of a network provision project as a service to existing power and telecommunications service providers. In countries with directed competition markets local partnerships may be the only vehicle for entering the market. In managed competition markets opportunities were said to exist in cellular radio technology, as well as in switched telephone service, local, long distance, or international. In general, opportunities outside telecommunications-rich North America were considered to have better potential, due to rapid deregulation and higher current growth rates in telecommunications. Careful examination and research of the political and business environment prior to entering any of the potentially fertile areas was advised.

The digital transformation of oral health care. Teledentistry and electronic commerce.

Science.gov (United States)

Bauer, J C; Brown, W T

2001-02-01

Health care is being changed dramatically by the marriage of computers and telecommunications. Implications for hospitals and physicians already have received extensive media attention, but comparatively little has been said about the impact of information technology on dentistry. This article illustrates how the digital transformation will likely affect dentists and their patients. Based on recent experiences of hospitals and medical practices, dentists can expect to encounter revolutionary changes as a result of the digital transformation. The Internet, the World Wide Web and other developments of the information revolution will redefine patient care, referral relationships, practice management, quality, professional organizations and competition. To respond proactively to the digital transformation of oral health care, dentists must become familiar with its technologies and concepts. They must learn what new information technology can do for them and their patients and then develop creative applications that promote the profession and their approaches to care.

Telecommunications: Avoiding the Black Hole.

Science.gov (United States)

Riel, Margaret

1993-01-01

Careful planning is required for teachers to take full advantage of the cross-cultural learning opportunities afforded by electronic networks and telecommunications. Networking with more than one classroom and using a well-defined group project integral to other classroom activities are recommended. (EA)

5 G wireless telecommunications expansion: Public health and environmental implications.

Science.gov (United States)

Russell, Cindy L

2018-04-11

The popularity, widespread use and increasing dependency on wireless technologies has spawned a telecommunications industrial revolution with increasing public exposure to broader and higher frequencies of the electromagnetic spectrum to transmit data through a variety of devices and infrastructure. On the horizon, a new generation of even shorter high frequency 5G wavelengths is being proposed to power the Internet of Things (IoT). The IoT promises us convenient and easy lifestyles with a massive 5G interconnected telecommunications network, however, the expansion of broadband with shorter wavelength radiofrequency radiation highlights the concern that health and safety issues remain unknown. Controversy continues with regards to harm from current 2G, 3G and 4G wireless technologies. 5G technologies are far less studied for human or environmental effects. It is argued that the addition of this added high frequency 5G radiation to an already complex mix of lower frequencies, will contribute to a negative public health outcome both from both physical and mental health perspectives. Radiofrequency radiation (RF) is increasingly being recognized as a new form of environmental pollution. Like other common toxic exposures, the effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (RF EMR) will be problematic if not impossible to sort out epidemiologically as there no longer remains an unexposed control group. This is especially important considering these effects are likely magnified by synergistic toxic exposures and other common health risk behaviors. Effects can also be non-linear. Because this is the first generation to have cradle-to-grave lifespan exposure to this level of man-made microwave (RF EMR) radiofrequencies, it will be years or decades before the true health consequences are known. Precaution in the roll out of this new technology is strongly indicated. This article will review relevant electromagnetic frequencies, exposure standards and current scientific

Telemedicine and rural health care applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Smith Anthony

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Telemedicine has the potential to help facilitate the delivery of health services to rural areas. In the right circumstances, telemedicine may also be useful for the delivery of education and teaching programmes and the facilitation of administrative meetings. In this paper reference is made to a variety of telemedicine applications in Australia and other countries including telepaediatrics, home telehealth, critical care telemedicine for new born babies, telemedicine in developing countries, health screening via e-mail, and teleradiology. These applications represent some of the broad range of telemedicine applications possible. An overriding imperative is to focus on the clinical problem first with careful consideration given to the significant organisational changes which are associated with the introduction of a new service or alternative method of service delivery. For telemedicine to be effective it is also important that all sites involved are adequately resourced in terms of staff, equipment, telecommunications, technical support and training. In addition, there are a number of logistical factors which are important when considering the development of a telemedicine service including site selection, clinician empowerment, telemedicine management, technological requirements, user training, telemedicine evaluation, and information sharing through publication.

Telecommunications glossary of telecommunications terms

CERN Document Server

1997-01-01

This glossary contains more than 5,000 technical terms and definitions that were standardized by the federal government for use by international and U.S. government telecommunications specialists. It includes international and national terms drawn from the International Telecommunication Union, the International Organization for Standardization, the TIA, ANSI, and others.

[The Telehealth Network of the Americas and its role in primary health care].

Science.gov (United States)

Bill, Guillermo; Crisci, Carlos D; Canet, Tomislav

2014-01-01

The need to guarantee equitable access to health regardless of geographic, economic, or technological barriers motivated the Member States of the Organization of American States to create the Telehealth Network of the Americas, coordinated by the Inter-American Telecommunication Committee. The Network focuses on the use of new information and communications technology applied to health, based on the values of respect, equity, and solidarity and mandated by the philosophy of primary health. Its members include government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, university forums, hospital federations, and telecommunications companies, and it has already extended its reach to other continents and to different fields in which telemedicine is being used. Among its first achievements, it has implemented an innovative tool to be used in cases of disaster or limited geographic access. This mobile telemedicine station is housed in a portable case that includes a computer, various digital devices (otoscope, ophthalmoscope, microscope, dermatoscope), a high-resolution digital camera, an X-ray film viewer, and a satellite antenna. With this tool, it is possible to provide specialized support for rural physicians and primary health care workers located far from large urban centers.

Telecommunications demystified

CERN Document Server

Nassar, Carl R

2001-01-01

Carl R. Nassar, Ph.D., is professor of telecommunications at Colorado State University and director of the Research in Advanced Wireless Communications (RAWCom) laboratory there. He also consults for telecommunications firms and publishes extensively in the wireless literature.Balances a solid theoretical treatment of subjects with practical applications and examples.Covers both digital and analogue telecommunications systems, including digital modulation techniques.The CD accompanying the book includes MATLAB® tutorials that permit readers to model various telecommunications systems and an el

Quality of service provision assessment in the healthcare information and telecommunications infrastructures.

Science.gov (United States)

Babulak, Eduard

2006-01-01

The continuous increase in the complexity and the heterogeneity of corporate and healthcare telecommunications infrastructures will require new assessment methods of quality of service (QoS) provision that are capable of addressing all engineering and social issues with much faster speeds. Speed and accessibility to any information at any time from anywhere will create global communications infrastructures with great performance bottlenecks that may put in danger human lives, power supplies, national economy and security. Regardless of the technology supporting the information flows, the final verdict on the QoS is made by the end user. The users' perception of telecommunications' network infrastructure QoS provision is critical to the successful business management operation of any organization. As a result, it is essential to assess the QoS Provision in the light of user's perception. This article presents a cost effective methodology to assess the user's perception of quality of service provision utilizing the existing Staffordshire University Network (SUN) by adding a component of measurement to the existing model presented by Walker. This paper presents the real examples of CISCO Networking Solutions for Health Care givers and offers a cost effective approach to assess the QoS provision within the campus network, which could be easily adapted to any health care organization or campus network in the world.

Protection using telecommunications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2001-07-01

Deregulation in both the telecommunication and electric power industry, together with new telecommunication network technologies and advances in numerical protection, has resulted in the need to reconsider traditional methods of delivering tele-protection schemes and their associated bearer services. Fibre-optic technology is commonly deployed in new telecommunication networks for inter-station communication and utility-owned and public telecommunication networks from third parties are available for protection purposes. (author)

Simulation studies of a wide area health care network.

Science.gov (United States)

McDaniel, J. G.

1994-01-01

There is an increasing number of efforts to install wide area health care networks. Some of these networks are being built to support several applications over a wide user base consisting primarily of medical practices, hospitals, pharmacies, medical laboratories, payors, and suppliers. Although on-line, multi-media telecommunication is desirable for some purposes such as cardiac monitoring, store-and-forward messaging is adequate for many common, high-volume applications. Laboratory test results and payment claims, for example, can be distributed using electronic messaging networks. Several network prototypes have been constructed to determine the technical problems and to assess the effectiveness of electronic messaging in wide area health care networks. Our project, Health Link, developed prototype software that was able to use the public switched telephone network to exchange messages automatically, reliably and securely. The network could be configured to accommodate the many different traffic patterns and cost constraints of its users. Discrete event simulations were performed on several network models. Canonical star and mesh networks, that were composed of nodes operating at steady state under equal loads, were modeled. Both topologies were found to support the throughput of a generic wide area health care network. The mean message delivery time of the mesh network was found to be less than that of the star network. Further simulations were conducted for a realistic large-scale health care network consisting of 1,553 doctors, 26 hospitals, four medical labs, one provincial lab and one insurer. Two network topologies were investigated: one using predominantly peer-to-peer communication, the other using client-server communication.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) PMID:7949966

Smart practice: smart card design considerations in health care.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindley, R A; Pacheco, F

1995-01-01

Recent innovations in microelectronics and advances in cryptography are driving the appearance of a new generation of smart cards with wider applications; this has important repercussions for our society in the coming years. Essentially, these breakthroughs include built-in microprocessors capable of generating cryptographic transactions (e.g.,Jelectronic blinded signatures, digital pseudonyms, and digital credentials), developments toward a single electronic card offering multi-access to services such as transport, telecommunications, health, financial, and entertainment (Universal Access Services), and incorporation of personal identification technologies such as voice, eye, or skin pattern recognition. For example, by using electronic representatives or cryptographic blinded signatures, a smart card can be used for multi transactions across different organizations and under different generated pseudonyms. These pseudonyms are capable of recognizing an individual unambiguously, while none of her records can be linked [1]. Moreover, tamper-proof electronic observers would make smart cards a very attractive technology for high-security based applications, such as those in the health care field. New trends in smart card technology offer excellent privacy and confidentiality safeguards. Therefore, smart cards constitute a promising technology for the health sector in Australia and other countries around the world in their pursuit of technology to support the delivery of quality care services. This paper addresses the main issues and the key design criteria which may be of strategic importance to the success of future smart card technology in the health care sector.

Network Performance and Coordination in the Health, Education, Telecommunications System. Satellite Technology Demonstration, Technical Report No. 0422.

Science.gov (United States)

Braunstein, Jean; Janky, James M.

This paper describes the network coordination for the Health, Education, Telecommunications (HET) system. Specifically, it discusses HET network performance as a function of a specially-developed coordination system which was designed to link terrestrial equipment to satellite operations centers. Because all procedures and equipment developed for…

Remote Earth Terminals in the Health, Education, Telecommunications Network. Satellite Technology Demonstration, Technical Report No. 0423.

Science.gov (United States)

Braunstein, Jean; And Others

The major purpose of the Health, Education, Telecommunications experiment was to demonstrate the feasibility of distributing video materials to a large number of low-cost earth terminals located in rural areas. The receivers are of two types: one-way video receivers for the reception of video programs, and two-way voice/data terminals which permit…

Health care consumers' experiences of information communication technology--a summary of literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Akesson, Kerstin M; Saveman, Britt-Inger; Nilsson, Gunilla

2007-09-01

There is an increasing interest in reaching consumers directly through the Internet and different telecommunication systems. The most important contacts in health care will always be the face-to-face meetings, but the tools of health informatics can be seen as a means to an end, which is to provide the best possible health care. A variety of applications have been described in different references. To our knowledge there has been no review of a research-based state of the art in the field of consumers' experiences in using different applications in health informatics. According to the benefits in using information communication technology (ICT) as being cost-effective and timesaving it is of great importance to focus on and examine consumers' experiences. It is important that it is user friendly and regarded as valuable and useful. The aim of this study was to describe consumers' subjective experiences of using electronic resources with reference to health and illness. DESIGN AND/OR METHOD: A systematic literature search was performed in databases CINAHL, Medline and Cochrane, as well as a manual search. Retrieved references (n=14) were appraised according to their scientific structure and quality. A broad search was performed in order to find as many different applications as possible. Our primary intention was to identify existing references describing consumers' experiences with ICT. In spite of this broad search few references were found. Twelve references remained and three themes were identified: support and help, education and information, and telecommunication instead of on-site visiting. Consumers felt more confident and empowered, their knowledge increased and their health status improved due to the ICT resources. Lack of face-to-face meetings or privacy did not appear to be a problem. ICT can improve the nurse-patient relationship and augment well-being for consumers. More research is needed to measure consumers' experiences and factors that influence it

Use of satellite telecommunications for telemedicine

Science.gov (United States)

Tamkovich, Gennady

1991-01-01

The use of space telecommunications facilities in the interests of medicine should establish a reliable and timely connection between the specialists involved and access for each of them to information sources the need. Since a certain global-scale program should be implemented for this goal to be achieved, one of the top-priority tasks is to determine appropriate orbital facilities for telecommunications as well as appropriate areas and countries for them, outlining the territories where portable data receive/transport records can be placed and stations that are cheap and simple enough to operate can be stored. Eventually the satellite telecommunications system should encourage health workers to unite in a world community on the basis of a regular and efficient information exchange with the goal of protecting the health of man and the peace of Earth. This goal could only be achieved by gradually removing differences in the domain of medical education and information in different regions over the globe, by providing a possibility of rapid and coordinated access to the information on medical problems of interest on the global scale, as well as by coordinating the discussion and solution of all problems associated with the development and progress of the satellite communications system.

47 CFR 36.171 - Property held for future telecommunications use-Account 2002; Telecommunications plant under...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Property held for future telecommunications use-Account 2002; Telecommunications plant under construction-Account 2003; and Telecommunications plant adjustment-Account 2005. 36.171 Section 36.171 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED...

Free/Libre Open Source Software in Health Care: A Review

Science.gov (United States)

Schmuhl, Holger; Demski, Hans

2014-01-01

Objectives To assess the current state of the art and the contribution of Free/Libre Open Source Software in health care (FLOSS-HC). Methods The review is based on a narrative review of the scientific literature as well as sources in the context of FLOSS-HC available through the Internet. All relevant available sources have been integrated into the MedFLOSS database and are freely available to the community. Results The literature review reveals that publications about FLOSS-HC are scarce. The largest part of information about FLOSS-HC is available on dedicated websites and not in the academic literature. There are currently FLOSS alternatives available for nearly every specialty in health care. Maturity and quality varies considerably and there is little information available on the percentage of systems that are actually used in health care delivery. Conclusions The global impact of FLOSS-HC is still very limited and no figures on the penetration and usage of FLOSS-HC are available. However, there has been a considerable growth in the last 5 to 10 years. While there where only few systems available a decade ago, in the meantime many systems got available (e.g., more than 300 in the MedFLOSS database). While FLOSS concepts play an important role in most IT related sectors (e.g., telecommunications, embedded devices) the healthcare industry is lagging behind this trend. PMID:24627814

Free/Libre open source software in health care: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Karopka, Thomas; Schmuhl, Holger; Demski, Hans

2014-01-01

To assess the current state of the art and the contribution of Free/Libre Open Source Software in health care (FLOSS-HC). The review is based on a narrative review of the scientific literature as well as sources in the context of FLOSS-HC available through the Internet. All relevant available sources have been integrated into the MedFLOSS database and are freely available to the community. The literature review reveals that publications about FLOSS-HC are scarce. The largest part of information about FLOSS-HC is available on dedicated websites and not in the academic literature. There are currently FLOSS alternatives available for nearly every specialty in health care. Maturity and quality varies considerably and there is little information available on the percentage of systems that are actually used in health care delivery. The global impact of FLOSS-HC is still very limited and no figures on the penetration and usage of FLOSS-HC are available. However, there has been a considerable growth in the last 5 to 10 years. While there where only few systems available a decade ago, in the meantime many systems got available (e.g., more than 300 in the MedFLOSS database). While FLOSS concepts play an important role in most IT related sectors (e.g., telecommunications, embedded devices) the healthcare industry is lagging behind this trend.

Viewpoint: Telecommunications and Internet Broadband Policy: Sorting Out the Pieces for Telerehabilitation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kate D. Seelman

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Technological change is accelerating and with it regulatory upheaval.  Most of us agree that providing universal telecommunication services to all our citizens is a worthy ideal.  Nonetheless, many of us do not agree that regulation should be the means to make broadband Internet services widely available. This Viewpoint begins sorting out pieces of the emerging United States, regulatory and policy puzzle for broadband Internet with an eye to the interests of telerehabilitation providers and consumers. Just how might changes in legal authority, regulation and agency jurisdictions impact us?Key words: telecommunications regulation, telerehabilitation, Federal Communications Commission (FCC, Telecommunications Act of 1996, National Broadband Plan; Comcast vs. FCC; electronic health records (EHR; personal health records (PHR; health information technology (HIT, 

Open Source Telecommunication Companies

OpenAIRE

Peter Liu

2007-01-01

Little is known about companies whose core business is selling telecommunications products that lever open source projects. Open source telecommunications (OST) companies operate in markets that are very different from typical software product markets. The telecommunications market is regulated, vertically integrated, and proprietary designs and special chips are widely used. For a telecommunications product to be useful, it must interact with both access network products and core network pro...

Satellite Telecommunications.

Science.gov (United States)

Forum, 1986

1986-01-01

This issue of a quarterly publication of the Council of Europe covers aspects of the history, technology, policies, and impact of telecommunications in Europe, with an emphasis on European television. The following articles are included: (1) "Man and the World of Telecommunications" (Piet Stoffelen); (2) "The European Communications…

Nanotechnology for telecommunications

CERN Document Server

Anwar, Sohail; Qazi, Salahuddin; Ilyas, Mohammad

2010-01-01

With its unique promise to revolutionize science, engineering, technology, and other fields, nanotechnology continues to profoundly impact associated materials, components, and systems, particularly those used in telecommunications. These developments are leading to easier convergence of related technologies, massive storage data, compact storage devices, and higher-performance computing. Nanotechnology for Telecommunications presents vital technical scientific information to help readers grasp issues and challenges associated with nanoscale telecommunication system development and commerciali

Telecommunication Sector of the Russian Economy: Transformation Into a Global Information and Telecommunication Infrastructure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fokina Elena Anatolyevna

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The author concerns the current state and possible ways of telecommunication sector of the Russian economy development in the conditions of world economy globalization and suggests that the process of globalization reflects the current stage of telecommunication companies’ capital internationalization. The analysis of telecommunication sector shows that it is not only a perspective, highmargin and dynamically developing sector but is still one of the most integrated into the system of world economic relations. The stages of Russian telecommunication companies’ capital internationalization are determined, the internal connections between internationalization process and globalization are revealed. It is revealed that the new information and communication technologies development and expansion results in substantial increase in cooperation between economical entities and provides a sustainable long-term economical growth of telecommunication enterprises. The financial and operational data determining the effectiveness of telecommunication companies’ activity are presented. The analysis of tendencies promoting the extension of the market activity of Russian telecommunication companies at global information and telecommunication infrastructure shows that the main tendencies are the following ones: foreign capital inflow increase, capital integration and expansion of new services based on technologies convergence. The author reasonably concludes in recent times, the telecommunication sector of the Russian economy formation and development is determined by the existing global trends.

The Telecommunications Review

Science.gov (United States)

1991-01-01

TELECOMMUNICATION NETWORKS ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY COMPLEX. THEY MUST MEET THE NEEDS OF SOPHISTICATED USERS WHO DEMAND A HIGH-LEVEL OF FUNCTIONALITY, HIGH PERFORMANCE, AND LOW COST. : TELECOMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY IS CHANGING RAPIDLY TO MEET THA...

[Continuity of nutritional care at discharge in the era of ICT].

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez Olmos, Miguel Ángel

2015-05-07

Telemedicine represents the union of information technology and telecommunication services in health. This allows the improvement of health care, especially in underserved areas, bringing professionals working in continuing education and improving patient care at home. The application of telemedicine in various hospital complexes, clinics and health centers, has helped to provide a better service, within the parameters of efficiency, effectiveness, cost-benefit, with increasing satisfaction of medical staff and patients. The development and application of various types of telemedicine, the technological development of audio, text, video and data, and constant improvement of infrastructure in telecommunications, have favored the expansion and development of telemedicine in various medical specialties. The use of electronic health records by different health professionals can have a positive impact on the care provided to patients. This should also be supported by the development of better health policies, legal security and greater awareness in health professionals and patients regarding the potential benefits. Regarding the clinical activity in Nutrition, new technologies also provide an opportunity to improve in various educational, preventive, diagnostic and treatment aspects, including shared track between Nutrition Units and Primary Care Teams, for patients who need home nutritional care at, with shared protocols, providing teleconsultation in required cases and avoiding unnecessary travel to hospital.

Potential applications of smart clothing solutions in health care and personal protection.

Science.gov (United States)

Meinander, Harriet; Honkala, Markku

2004-01-01

The rapid development in the fields of sensor and telecommunication technologies has created completely new possibilities also for the textile and clothing field. New smart textile and clothing systems can be developed by integrating sensors in the textile constructions. Application fields for these added-value products are e.g. protective clothing for extreme environments, garments for the health care sector, technical textiles, sport and leisure wear. Some products have already been introduced on the markets, but generally it can be stated that the development is only in its starting phase, and the expectations for the future are big. Many different aspects have to be considered in the development of the wearable technology products for the health care sector: medical problems and their diagnosis, sensor choice, data processing and telecommunication solutions, clothing requirements. A functional product can be achieved only if all aspects work together, and therefore experts from all fields should participate in the RTD projects. In the EC-funded project DE3002 Easytex clothing and textiles for disabled and elderly people were investigated. Some recommendations concerning durability, appearance, comfort, service and safety of products for different special user groups were defined, based on user questionnaires and seminars, general textile and clothing requirements and on laboratory test series."Clothing Area Network--Clan" is a research project aiming to develop a technical concept and technology needed in enabling both wired and wireless data and power transfer between different intelligent modules (user interfaces, sensors, CPU's, batteries etc.) integrated into a smart clothing system. Fire-fighters clothing system is chosen as the development platform, being a very challenging application from which the developed technology can be transferred to other protective clothing systems.

Promoting Individual Health Using Information Technology: Trends in the US Health System

Science.gov (United States)

Nimkar, Swateja

2016-01-01

Objectives: Advances in electronics, the Internet and telecommunication have pushed the field of health care to embrace information technology (IT). However, the purposeful use of technology is relatively new to the field of health promotion. The primary objective of this paper is to review various applications of health IT, with a focus on its…

Multi-purpose HealthCare Telemedicine Systems with mobile communication link support

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karayiannis D

2003-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract The provision of effective emergency telemedicine and home monitoring solutions are the major fields of interest discussed in this study. Ambulances, Rural Health Centers (RHC or other remote health location such as Ships navigating in wide seas are common examples of possible emergency sites, while critical care telemetry and telemedicine home follow-ups are important issues of telemonitoring. In order to support the above different growing application fields we created a combined real-time and store and forward facility that consists of a base unit and a telemedicine (mobile unit. This integrated system: can be used when handling emergency cases in ambulances, RHC or ships by using a mobile telemedicine unit at the emergency site and a base unit at the hospital-expert's site, enhances intensive health care provision by giving a mobile base unit to the ICU doctor while the telemedicine unit remains at the ICU patient site and enables home telemonitoring, by installing the telemedicine unit at the patient's home while the base unit remains at the physician's office or hospital. The system allows the transmission of vital biosignals (3–12 lead ECG, SPO2, NIBP, IBP, Temp and still images of the patient. The transmission is performed through GSM mobile telecommunication network, through satellite links (where GSM is not available or through Plain Old Telephony Systems (POTS where available. Using this device a specialist doctor can telematically "move" to the patient's site and instruct unspecialized personnel when handling an emergency or telemonitoring case. Due to the need of storing and archiving of all data interchanged during the telemedicine sessions, we have equipped the consultation site with a multimedia database able to store and manage the data collected by the system. The performance of the system has been technically tested over several telecommunication means; in addition the system has been clinically validated in three

How streamlining telecommunications can cut IT expense.

Science.gov (United States)

McIntyre, Greg

2016-02-01

Hospitals and health systems can save IT expenses by implementing more efficient processes in accordance with the principles of effective telecommunications expense management. This approach involves three primary steps: Inventory of existing infrastructure. Charge verification. Optimization of rates and design for continual improvement.

[Scientific role of German ophthalmology in the European telecommunication project OPHTEL].

Science.gov (United States)

Mertz, M; Mann, G; Zahlmann, G; Obermaier, M

1997-07-01

In Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain and Italy, the OPHTEL project combines clinical centers of ophthalmology and internal medicine, an institute for medical informatics and health services research, a publishing company and different industrial partners in the EDP market. With the aid of visual telecommunication and rapid data transfer, methods and conditions will be developed and proved so that any physician can very easily obtain sufficient information for treating his patient. Thus, the regional differences in the quality of structured health service (e.g., urban/ rural) will be overcome throughout Europe. SCIENTIFIC TASKS: A multilingual diagnostic and therapeutic thesaurus has to be worked out in order to create standards for communication and quality control. Based on literature, images and image analysis in a knowledge-based data bank, a monitoring system (containing watch-dog functions) and the basic aspects of an ophthalmological patient/disease register will be investigated. (In parallel, a technical development of synchronous and asynchronous telecommunication between eye physicians is taking place in close cooperation with the regional Bavarian project Teleopathalmology in Bavaria on-line). State of the art 6 months after starting the project:the knowledge-based image data bank has been founded and also an ophthalmological 8 language thesaurus and definition standard. All data transfer lines are installed. The project is taking place amid diverging sections of medicine: ophthalmology and internal medicine, health politics and data protection, individual treatment and common interest (health care), product management and office organization. Thus, the scientific quality of the transferred ophthalmological content must undergo sophisticated controls. FUTURE STEPS: Intense cooperation with the big German associations for ophthalmology (DOG, BVA) and the European ophthalmological societies concerning EDP, classification and quality control.

Reforming the health care system: implications for health care marketers.

Science.gov (United States)

Petrochuk, M A; Javalgi, R G

1996-01-01

Health care reform has become the dominant domestic policy issue in the United States. President Clinton, and the Democratic leaders in the House and Senate have all proposed legislation to reform the system. Regardless of the plan which is ultimately enacted, health care delivery will be radically changed. Health care marketers, given their perspective, have a unique opportunity to ensure their own institutions' success. Organizational, managerial, and marketing strategies can be employed to deal with the changes which will occur. Marketers can utilize personal strategies to remain proactive and successful during an era of health care reform. As outlined in this article, responding to the health care reform changes requires strategic urgency and action. However, the strategies proposed are practical regardless of the version of health care reform legislation which is ultimately enacted.

Handbook of optimization in telecommunications

CERN Document Server

Pardalos, Panos M

2008-01-01

Covers the field of optimization in telecommunications, and the optimization developments that are frequently applied to telecommunications. This book aims to provide a reference tool for scientists and engineers in telecommunications who depend upon optimization.

COMMUNITY HEALTH & PRIMARY HEALTH CARE

African Journals Online (AJOL)

care policy which was intended to make health care which of the two alternative methods of health care available to individuals and families in the financing options of free health or DRF was community at very little or no cost at all. However, preferred by the community members within most health facilities would appear to ...

Telecommunication networks

CERN Document Server

Iannone, Eugenio

2011-01-01

Many argue that telecommunications network infrastructure is the most impressive and important technology ever developed. Analyzing the telecom market's constantly evolving trends, research directions, infrastructure, and vital needs, Telecommunication Networks responds with revolutionized engineering strategies to optimize network construction. Omnipresent in society, telecom networks integrate a wide range of technologies. These include quantum field theory for the study of optical amplifiers, software architectures for network control, abstract algebra required to design error correction co

36 CFR 1194.23 - Telecommunications products.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Telecommunications products... Telecommunications products. (a) Telecommunications products or systems which provide a function allowing voice... intermix speech with TTY use. (b) Telecommunications products which include voice communication...

VIP-PERSONNEL FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Konstantin Yakovishin

2013-12-01

Full Text Available In the article the new nonconventional technology of preparation of the experts of high qualification for telecommunications is considered. The experience of teaching of discipline “Informatics” on Faculty of Telecommunication systems in National Aviation University is generalized. The following idea develops: the modern VІР-expert in telecommunications should know and be able to simulate telecommunication systems and protocols in systems of fast designing by methods of the Object- guided programming. In the article the new elements of new technology are considered – they are: the formation of knowledge and skills on modeling the telecommunication protocols, training is exclusively on the examples (projects, teaching of lectures by analogy to a method of descending designing. It is marked, that it is necessary to supplement the usual comments of the texts, photo and video from electronic lectures on a multimedia projector by start and performance of the simulating programs on the computer.

Telecommunication Reform and WTO

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Henten, Anders

1996-01-01

An analysis of the negotiations on telecommunication liberalisation in the World Trade Organization.......An analysis of the negotiations on telecommunication liberalisation in the World Trade Organization....

47 CFR 54.502 - Supported telecommunications services.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Supported telecommunications services. 54.502 Section 54.502 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES... telecommunications services. For purposes of this subpart, supported telecommunications services provided by...

Government Procurement Agreements and Telecommunications Business

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shin-Won Kang

2001-12-01

Full Text Available The opening of the telecommunications market is acceleration due to the world trends of deregulation and privatization under the WTO basic telecommunications agreements. Diversification of services and fast and efficient equipment procurement are becoming necessary conditions for the survival of telecommunications operators. However, the issue here is that telecommunications operators are still bound by the GPA (Government Procurement Agreement based on conditions of monopoly even though the procurement market in Korean is open substantially since 1997. Under such conditions, the continued application of the GPA on telecommunications operator who is highly competitive may result in a negative impact on the telecommunications business and quality of telecommunications service by undermining the autonomy of operator and decreasing operator’s procurement competitiveness. Therefore, this study examines the GPA and the issues raised by the agreement, and also attempts to suggest revisions or means of abrogating the unfair GPA with regards to the development and deregulation of the telecommunications business.

What Makes Health Care Special?: An Argument for Health Care Insurance.

Science.gov (United States)

Horne, L Chad

2017-01-01

While citizens in a liberal democracy are generally expected to see to their basic needs out of their own income shares, health care is treated differently. Most rich liberal democracies provide their citizens with health care or health care insurance in kind. Is this "special" treatment justified? The predominant liberal account of justice in health care holds that the moral importance of health justifies treating health care as special in this way. I reject this approach and offer an alternative account. Health needs are not more important than other basic needs, but they are more unpredictable. I argue that citizens are owed access to insurance against health risks to provide stability in their future expectations and thus to protect their capacities for self-determination.

CRC handbook of modern telecommunications

CERN Document Server

Morreale, Patricia A

2001-01-01

This authoritative handbook, contributed to by a team of international experts, covers the most dynamic areas in the changing telecommunications landscape. Written for telecommunications specialists who implement the new technologies, The CRC Handbook of Modern Telecommunications is an excellent companion volume to the authors' The Telecommunications Handbook, but stands well on its own, as it extends the range of topics to include voice over Internet, traffic management, quality of service, and other dominant future trends. It is an indispensable reference for all professionals working in the

Dictionary of Telecommunications.

Science.gov (United States)

Bones, R. A.

A wide range of terms used in the telecommunications industry are defined in this dictionary. Many of the terms and definitions are either reproduced from, or based on, the "Glossary of Terms Used in Telecommunications (including Radio) and Electronics" prepared by the British Standards Institute. The principal entry for each term is found under…

Associations of family-centered care with health care outcomes for children with special health care needs.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuo, Dennis Z; Bird, T Mac; Tilford, J Mick

2011-08-01

The objective of this study is to examine the association of family-centered care (FCC) with specific health care service outcomes for children with special health care needs (CSHCN). The study is a secondary analysis of the 2005-2006 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs. Receipt of FCC was determined by five questions regarding how well health care providers addressed family concerns in the prior 12 months. We measured family burden by reports of delayed health care, unmet need, financial costs, and time devoted to care; health status, by stability of health care needs; and emergency department and outpatient service use. All statistical analyses used propensity score-based matching models to address selection bias. FCC was reported by 65.6% of respondents (N = 38,915). FCC was associated with less delayed health care (AOR: 0.56; 95% CI: 0.48, 0.66), fewer unmet service needs (AOR: 0.53; 95% CI: 0.47, 0.60), reduced odds of ≥1 h/week coordinating care (AOR: 0.83; 95% CI: 0.74, 0.93) and reductions in out of pocket costs (AOR: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.80, 0.96). FCC was associated with more stable health care needs (AOR: 1.11; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.21), reduced odds of emergency room visits (AOR: 0.90; 95% CI: 0.82, 0.99) and increased odds of doctor visits (AOR: 1.25; 95% CI: 1.14, 1.37). Our study demonstrates associations of positive health and family outcomes with FCC. Realizing the health care delivery benefits of FCC may require additional encounters to build key elements of trust and partnership.

Public Service Telecommunications: PEACESAT.

Science.gov (United States)

Okamura, Norman H.; Mukaida, Lori Van Dusen

1996-01-01

Describes the Pan-Pacific Education and Communication Experiments by Satellite (PEACESAT), a public service telecommunication program developed to facilitate the use of telecommunications and information technologies. Highlights include the historical development; digital capabilities; cooperation and collaboration with users, government, and…

"A constant struggle to receive mental health care": health care professionals' acquired experience of barriers to mental health care services in Rwanda.

Science.gov (United States)

Rugema, Lawrence; Krantz, Gunilla; Mogren, Ingrid; Ntaganira, Joseph; Persson, Margareta

2015-12-16

In Rwanda, many people are still mentally affected by the consequences of the genocide and yet mental health care facilities are scarce. While available literature explains the prevalence and consequences of mental disorders, there is lack of knowledge from low-income countries on health care seeking behavior due to common mental disorders. Therefore, this study sought to explore health care professionals' acquired experiences of barriers and facilitators that people with common mental disorders face when seeking mental health care services in Rwanda. A qualitative approach was applied and data was collected from six focus group discussions (FGDs) conducted in October 2012, including a total of 43 health care professionals, men and women in different health professions. The FGDs were performed at health facilities at different care levels. Data was analyzed using manifest and latent content analysis. The emerging theme "A constant struggle to receive mental health care for mental disorders" embraced a number of barriers and few facilitators at individual, family, community and structural levels that people faced when seeking mental health care services. Identified barriers people needed to overcome were: Poverty and lack of family support, Fear of stigmatization, Poor community awareness of mental disorders, Societal beliefs in traditional healers and prayers, Scarce resources in mental health care and Gender imbalance in care seeking behavior. The few facilitators to receive mental health care were: Collaboration between authorities and organizations in mental health and having a Family with awareness of mental disorders and health insurance. From a public health perspective, this study revealed important findings of the numerous barriers and the few facilitating factors available to people seeking health for mental disorders. Having a supportive family with awareness of mental disorders who also were equipped with a health insurance was perceived as vital for

Co-evolution of electric and telecommunications networks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rivkin, S.R.

1998-05-01

There are potentially significant societal benefits in co-evolution between electricity and telecommunications in the areas of common infrastructure, accelerated deployment of distributed energy, tighter integration of information flow for energy management and distribution, and improved customer care. With due regard for natural processes that are more potent than any regulation and more real than any ideology, the gains from co-evolution would far outweigh the attenuated and speculative savings from restructuring of electricity that is too simplistic.

48 CFR 870.112 - Telecommunications equipment.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Telecommunications... DEPARTMENT SUPPLEMENTARY REGULATIONS SPECIAL PROCUREMENT CONTROLS Controls 870.112 Telecommunications... specifications for telecommunications equipment, as defined in VA manual MP-6, Part VIII (available at any VA...

Market structures in international telecommunications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Henten, Anders

1998-01-01

Paper dealing with the internationalisation of telecommunications and the developing market structures.......Paper dealing with the internationalisation of telecommunications and the developing market structures....

JPRS Report, Telecommunications

Science.gov (United States)

1987-07-07

The management puts great emphasis on its human resources sector — its de- velopment, motivation, and perform- ance. Entrepreneurship also plays...telecommunications services outside Telco’s franchise . And HCV has indicated to the Government it hopes Telco’s monopoly will be stripped when its franchise expires...under a franchised monopoly by Telco, he explained. The other telecommunications services, such as mobile telephone and radio paging, are all

Towards an Equitable Development of Telecommunications ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Present and future equitable development of telecommunications services calls for an immediate development of an indigenous telecommunications technology capability in order to effectively and efficiently utilizes the services provided by the country's presently imported telecommunications systems while at the same time ...

Advancing LGBT Health Care Policies and Clinical Care Within a Large Academic Health Care System: A Case Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruben, Mollie A; Shipherd, Jillian C; Topor, David; AhnAllen, Christopher G; Sloan, Colleen A; Walton, Heather M; Matza, Alexis R; Trezza, Glenn R

2017-01-01

Culturally competent health care is especially important among sexual and gender minority patients because poor cultural competence contributes to health disparities. There is a need to understand how to improve health care quality and delivery for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) veterans in particular, because they have unique physical and mental health needs as both LGBT individuals and veterans. The following article is a case study that focuses on the policy and clinical care practices related to LGBT clinical competency, professional training, and ethical provision of care for veteran patients in the VA Boston Healthcare System. We apply Betancourt et al.'s (2003) cultural competence framework to outline the steps that VA Boston Healthcare System took to increase cultural competency at the organizational, structural, and clinical level. By sharing our experiences, we aim to provide a model and steps for other health care systems and programs, including other VA health care systems, large academic health care systems, community health care systems, and mental health care systems, interested in developing LGBT health initiatives.

Telecommunications Network Plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-05-01

The Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management (OCRWM) must, among other things, be equipped to readily produce, file, store, access, retrieve, and transfer a wide variety of technical and institutional data and information. The data and information regularly produced by members of the OCRWM Program supports, and will continue to support, a wide range of program activities. Some of the more important of these information communication-related activities include: supporting the preparation, submittal, and review of a license application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to authorize the construction of a geologic repository; responding to requests for information from parties affected by and/or interested in the program; and providing evidence of compliance with all relevant Federal, State, local, and Indian Tribe regulations, statutes, and/or treaties. The OCRWM Telecommunications Network Plan (TNP) is intended to identify, as well as to present the current strategy for satisfying, the telecommunications requirements of the civilian radioactive waste management program. The TNP will set forth the plan for integrating OCRWM's information resources among major program sites. Specifically, this plan will introduce a telecommunications network designed to establish communication linkages across the program's Washington, DC; Chicago, Illinois; and Las Vegas, Nevada, sites. The linkages across these and associated sites will comprise Phase I of the proposed OCRWM telecommunications network. The second phase will focus on the modification and expansion of the Phase I network to fully accommodate access to the OCRWM Licensing Support System (LSS). The primary components of the proposed OCRWM telecommunications network include local area networks; extended local area networks; and remote extended (wide) area networks. 10 refs., 6 figs

Tile-Ippokratis: The Experience of an Ehealth Platform for the Provision of Health Care Services in the Island of Chios and Cyprus

Science.gov (United States)

Papadopoulos, Homer

2010-01-01

Tile-Ippokratis proposed an integrated platform for the provision of low-cost ehealth services to citizens in southeast Mediterranean area (Island of Chios and Cyprus). The aim of the paper is to present the architecture, the design, and the evaluation results of this platform. The platform based on already evaluated state-of-the-art mobile ehealth systems and using wireless and terrestrial telecommunication networks is able to provide the following health care services: (i) telecollaboration and teleconsultation services between health care personnel and between health care personnel and patients and (ii) ehealth services for “at risk” citizens such as elderly and patients with chronic diseases (Island of Chios) and postsurgery patients (Cyprus). The ehealth systems supported capabilities for vital signal measurements (ECG 1 lead, SPO2, HR, BP, weight, and temperature), an Electronic Patient Record (EPR) infrastructure, and video conference, along with communication gateways for data transmission over ADSL, GPRS, and WLAN networks. PMID:20871664

7 CFR 1700.55 - Telecommunications Program.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 11 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Telecommunications Program. 1700.55 Section 1700.55... AGRICULTURE GENERAL INFORMATION Loan and Grant Approval Authorities § 1700.55 Telecommunications Program. (a..., Telecommunications Program, has the authority to approve the following loans, loan guarantees, and lien...

7 CFR 1700.29 - Telecommunications Program.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 11 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Telecommunications Program. 1700.29 Section 1700.29... AGRICULTURE GENERAL INFORMATION Agency Organization and Functions § 1700.29 Telecommunications Program. RUS and RTB, through the Telecommunications Program, make loans and loan guarantees to furnish and improve...

A PDA-based flexible telecommunication system for telemedicine applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Nazeran, Homer; Setty, Sunil; Haltiwanger, Emily; Gonzalez, Virgilio

2004-01-01

Technology has been used to deliver health care at a distance for many years. Telemedicine is a rapidly growing area and recently there are studies devoted to prehospital care of patients in emergency cases. In this work we have developed a compact, reliable, and low cost PDA-based telecommunication device for telemedicine applications to transmit audio, still images, and vital signs from a remote site to a fixed station such as a clinic or a hospital in real time. This was achieved based on a client-server architecture. A Pocket PC, a miniature camera, and a hands-free microphone were used at the client site and a desktop computer running the Windows XP operating system was used as a server. The server was located at a fixed station. The system was implemented on TCP/IP and HTTP protocol. Field tests have shown that the system can reliably transmit still images, audio, and sample vital signs from a simulated remote site to a fixed station either via a wired or wireless network in real time. The Pocket PC was used at the client site because of its compact size, low cost and processing capabilities.

Diagnosis of compliance of health care product processing in Primary Health Care

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Camila Eugenia Roseira

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective: identify the compliance of health care product processing in Primary Health Care and assess possible differences in the compliance among the services characterized as Primary Health Care Service and Family Health Service. Method: quantitative, observational, descriptive and inferential study with the application of structure, process and outcome indicators of the health care product processing at ten services in an interior city of the State of São Paulo - Brazil. Results: for all indicators, the compliance indices were inferior to the ideal levels. No statistically significant difference was found in the indicators between the two types of services investigated. The health care product cleaning indicators obtained the lowest compliance index, while the indicator technical-operational resources for the preparation, conditioning, disinfection/sterilization, storage and distribution of health care products obtained the best index. Conclusion: the diagnosis of compliance of health care product processing at the services assessed indicates that the quality of the process is jeopardized, as no results close to ideal levels were obtained at any service. In addition, no statistically significant difference in these indicators was found between the two types of services studied.

Health care operations management

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Carter, M.W.; Hans, Elias W.; Kolisch, R.

2012-01-01

Health care operations management has become a major topic for health care service providers and society. Operations research already has and further will make considerable contributions for the effective and efficient delivery of health care services. This special issue collects seven carefully

Holistic health care: Patients' experiences of health care provided by an Advanced Practice Nurse.

Science.gov (United States)

Eriksson, Irene; Lindblad, Monica; Möller, Ulrika; Gillsjö, Catharina

2018-02-01

Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) is a fairly new role in the Swedish health care system. To describe patients' experiences of health care provided by an APN in primary health care. An inductive, descriptive qualitative approach with qualitative open-ended interviews was chosen to obtain descriptions from 10 participants regarding their experiences of health care provided by an APN. The data were collected during the spring 2012, and a qualitative approach was used for analyze. The APNs had knowledge and skills to provide safe and secure individual and holistic health care with high quality, and a respectful and flexible approach. The APNs conveyed trust and safety and provided health care that satisfied the patients' needs of accessibility and appropriateness in level of care. The APNs way of providing health care and promoting health seems beneficial in many ways for the patients. The individual and holistic approach that characterizes the health care provided by the APNs is a key aspect in the prevailing change of health care practice. The transfer of care and the increasing number of older adults, often with a variety of complex health problems, call for development of the new role in this context. © 2017 The Authors. International Journal of Nursing Practice Published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Oral Health Care Delivery Within the Accountable Care Organization.

Science.gov (United States)

Blue, Christine; Riggs, Sheila

2016-06-01

The accountable care organization (ACO) provides an opportunity to strategically design a comprehensive health system in which oral health works within primary care. A dental hygienist/therapist within the ACO represents value-based health care in action. Inspired by health care reform efforts in Minnesota, a vision of an accountable care organization that integrates oral health into primary health care was developed. Dental hygienists and dental therapists can help accelerate the integration of oral health into primary care, particularly in light of the compelling evidence confirming the cost-effectiveness of care delivered by an allied workforce. A dental insurance Chief Operating Officer and a dental hygiene educator used their unique perspectives and experience to describe the potential of an interdisciplinary team-based approach to individual and population health, including oral health, via an accountable care community. The principles of the patient-centered medical home and the vision for accountable care communities present a paradigm shift from a curative system of care to a prevention-based system that encompasses the behavioral, social, nutritional, economic, and environmental factors that impact health and well-being. Oral health measures embedded in the spectrum of general health care have the potential to ensure a truly comprehensive healthcare system. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Health Care Delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Starfield, Barbara

1987-01-01

The article reviews emerging health care delivery options for handicapped children. Cost structures, quality of care, and future prospects are considered for Health Maintenance Organizations, Preferred Provider Organizations, Tax Supported Direct Service Programs, Hospital-Based Services, and Ambulatory Care Organizations. (Author/DB)

Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Trends in Information, Telecommunication and Computing

CERN Document Server

2013-01-01

The Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Trends in Information, Telecommunication and Computing provides in-depth understanding of the fundamental challenges in the fields of Computational Engineering, Computer, Power Electronics, Instrumentation, Control System, and Telecommunication Technology. This book provides a broad vision for the future of research in these fields with ideas on how to support these new technologies currently practice. Every submitted paper received a careful review from the committee and the final accept/reject decisions were made by the co-chairs on the bases of recommendations from the committee members.

An Integrative Behavioral Health Care Model Using Automated SBIRT and Care Coordination in Community Health Care.

Science.gov (United States)

Dwinnells, Ronald; Misik, Lauren

2017-10-01

Efficient and effective integration of behavioral health programs in a community health care practice emphasizes patient-centered medical home principles to improve quality of care. A prospective, 3-period, interrupted time series study was used to explore which of 3 different integrative behavioral health care screening and management processes were the most efficient and effective in prompting behavioral health screening, identification, interventions, and referrals in a community health practice. A total of 99.5% ( P < .001) of medical patients completed behavioral health screenings; brief intervention rates nearly doubled to 83% ( P < .001) and 100% ( P < .001) of identified at-risk patients had referrals made using a combination of electronic tablets, electronic medical record, and behavioral health care coordination.

The Shifting Landscape of Health Care: Toward a Model of Health Care Empowerment

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

In a rapidly changing world of health care information access and patients’ rights, there is limited conceptual infrastructure available to understand how people approach and engage in treatment of medical conditions. The construct of health care empowerment is defined as the process and state of being engaged, informed, collaborative, committed, and tolerant of uncertainty regarding health care. I present a model in which health care empowerment is influenced by an interplay of cultural, social, and environmental factors; personal resources; and intrapersonal factors. The model offers a framework to understand patient and provider roles in facilitating health care empowerment and presents opportunities for investigation into the role of health care empowerment in multiple outcomes across populations and settings, including inquiries into the sources and consequences of health disparities. PMID:21164096

Bio-inspired computation in telecommunications

CERN Document Server

Yang, Xin-She; Ting, TO

2015-01-01

Bio-inspired computation, especially those based on swarm intelligence, has become increasingly popular in the last decade. Bio-Inspired Computation in Telecommunications reviews the latest developments in bio-inspired computation from both theory and application as they relate to telecommunications and image processing, providing a complete resource that analyzes and discusses the latest and future trends in research directions. Written by recognized experts, this is a must-have guide for researchers, telecommunication engineers, computer scientists and PhD students.

[Health care networks].

Science.gov (United States)

Mendes, Eugênio Vilaça

2010-08-01

The demographic and epidemiologic transition resulting from aging and the increase of life expectation means an increment related to chronic conditions. The healthcare systems contemporary crisis is characterized by the organization of the focus on fragmented systems turned to the acute conditions care, in spite of the chronic conditions prevalence, and by the hierarchical structure without communication flow among the different health care levels. Brazil health care situation profile is now presenting a triple burden of diseases, due to the concomitant presence of infectious diseases, external causes and chronic diseases. The solution is to restore the consistence between the triple burden of diseases on the health situation and the current system of healthcare practice, with the implantation of health care networks. The conclusion is that there are evidences in the international literature on health care networks that these networks may improve the clinical quality, the sanitation results and the user's satisfaction and the reduction of healthcare systems costs.

COMMUNITY HEALTH & PRIMARY HEALTH CARE

African Journals Online (AJOL)

the_monk

Journal of Community Medicine and Primary Health Care. 26 (1) 12-20 .... large proportions of the population work in the poor people use health care services far less than. 19 ... hypertension, cancers and road traffic accidents) below 1 dollar ...

Digital health care--the convergence of health care and the Internet.

Science.gov (United States)

Frank, S R

2000-04-01

The author believes that interactive media (the Internet and the World Wide Web) and associated applications used to access those media (portals, browsers, specialized Web-based applications) will result in a substantial, positive, and measurable impact on medical care faster than any previous information technology or communications tool. Acknowledging the dynamic environment, the author classifies "pure" digital health care companies into three business service areas: content, connectivity, and commerce. Companies offering these services are attempting to tap into a host of different markets within the health care industry including providers, payers, pharmaceutical and medical products companies, employers, distributors, and consumers. As the fastest growing medium in history, and given the unique nature of health care information and the tremendous demand for content among industry professionals and consumers, the Internet offers a more robust and targeted direct marketing opportunity than traditional media. From the medical consumer's standpoint (i.e., the patient) the author sees the Internet as performing five critical functions: (1) Disseminate information, (2) Aid informed decision making, (3) Promote health, (4) Provide a means for information exchange and support--the community concept, and (5) Increase self-care and manage demand for health services, lowering direct medical costs. The author firmly submits the Web will provide overall benefits to the health care economy as health information consumers manage their own health problems that might not directly benefit from an encounter with a health professional. Marrying the Internet to other interactive technologies, including voice recognition systems and telephone-based triage lines among others, holds the promise of reducing unnecessary medical services.

47 CFR 32.2003 - Telecommunications plant under construction.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Telecommunications plant under construction. 32.2003 Section 32.2003 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES UNIFORM SYSTEM OF ACCOUNTS FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANIES Instructions for Balance Sheet...

Consumer Directed Health Care

OpenAIRE

John Goodman

2006-01-01

Consumer driven health care (CDHC) is a potential solution to two perplexing problems: (1) How to choose between health care and other uses of money, and (2) how to allocate resources in an industry where normal market forces have been systemically suppressed. In the consumer-driven model, consumers occupy the primary decision-making role regarding the health care that they receive. From an employee benefits perspective, consumer driven health care in the broadest sense may refer to limited e...

Mental health care roles of non-medical primary health and social care services.

Science.gov (United States)

Mitchell, Penny

2009-02-01

Changes in patterns of delivery of mental health care over several decades are putting pressure on primary health and social care services to increase their involvement. Mental health policy in countries like the UK, Australia and New Zealand recognises the need for these services to make a greater contribution and calls for increased intersectoral collaboration. In Australia, most investment to date has focused on the development and integration of specialist mental health services and primary medical care, and evaluation research suggests some progress. Substantial inadequacies remain, however, in the comprehensiveness and continuity of care received by people affected by mental health problems, particularly in relation to social and psychosocial interventions. Very little research has examined the nature of the roles that non-medical primary health and social care services actually or potentially play in mental health care. Lack of information about these roles could have inhibited development of service improvement initiatives targeting these services. The present paper reports the results of an exploratory study that examined the mental health care roles of 41 diverse non-medical primary health and social care services in the state of Victoria, Australia. Data were collected in 2004 using a purposive sampling strategy. A novel method of surveying providers was employed whereby respondents within each agency worked as a group to complete a structured survey that collected quantitative and qualitative data simultaneously. This paper reports results of quantitative analyses including a tentative principal components analysis that examined the structure of roles. Non-medical primary health and social care services are currently performing a wide variety of mental health care roles and they aspire to increase their involvement in this work. However, these providers do not favour approaches involving selective targeting of clients with mental disorders.

47 CFR 32.2001 - Telecommunications plant in service.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Telecommunications plant in service. 32.2001 Section 32.2001 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES UNIFORM SYSTEM OF ACCOUNTS FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANIES Instructions for Balance Sheet Accounts § 32...

Operations management in health care.

Science.gov (United States)

Henderson, M D

1995-01-01

Health care operations encompass the totality of those health care functions that allow those who practice health care delivery to do so. As the health care industry undergoes dramatic reform, so will the jobs of those who manage health care delivery systems. Although health care operations managers play one of the most vital and substantial roles in the new delivery system, the criteria for their success (or failure) are being defined now. Yet, the new and vital role of the operations manager has been stunted in its development, which is primarily because of old and outdated antipathy between hospital administrators and physicians. This article defines the skills and characteristics of today's health care operations managers.

Telecommunication system engineering

CERN Document Server

Freeman, Roger L

2004-01-01

From the review of the Third Edition:""A must for anyone in volved in the practical aspects of the telecommunications industry.""-CHOICE* Outlines the expertise essential to the successful operation and design of every type of telecommunications networks in use today* New edition is fully revised and expanded to present authoritative coverage of the important developments that have taken place since the previous edition was published* Includes new chapters on hot topics such as cellular radio, asynchronous transfer mode, broadband technologies, and network management

Petroleum and Health Care: Evaluating and Managing Health Care's Vulnerability to Petroleum Supply Shifts

Science.gov (United States)

Bednarz, Daniel; Bae, Jaeyong; Pierce, Jessica

2011-01-01

Petroleum is used widely in health care—primarily as a transport fuel and feedstock for pharmaceuticals, plastics, and medical supplies—and few substitutes for it are available. This dependence theoretically makes health care vulnerable to petroleum supply shifts, but this vulnerability has not been empirically assessed. We quantify key aspects of petroleum use in health care and explore historical associations between petroleum supply shocks and health care prices. These analyses confirm that petroleum products are intrinsic to modern health care and that petroleum supply shifts can affect health care prices. In anticipation of future supply contractions lasting longer than previous shifts and potentially disrupting health care delivery, we propose an adaptive management approach and outline its application to the example of emergency medical services. PMID:21778473

Resilient health care

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hollnagel, E.; Braithwaite, J.; Wears, R. L.

Health care is everywhere under tremendous pressure with regard to efficiency, safety, and economic viability - to say nothing of having to meet various political agendas - and has responded by eagerly adopting techniques that have been useful in other industries, such as quality management, lean...... production, and high reliability. This has on the whole been met with limited success because health care as a non-trivial and multifaceted system differs significantly from most traditional industries. In order to allow health care systems to perform as expected and required, it is necessary to have...... engineering's unique approach emphasises the usefulness of performance variability, and that successes and failures have the same aetiology. This book contains contributions from acknowledged international experts in health care, organisational studies and patient safety, as well as resilience engineering...

Telecommunications Is Here and Now.

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, Chris

1988-01-01

Presents an overview of telecommunications and its use in the field of education. Topics discussed include conferencing, electronic messaging, distance learning, networking, database searching, and projects relating to educational telecommunications sponsored by the International Council for Computers in Education (ICCE). (LRW)

Differences in Health Care Needs, Health Care Utilization, and Health Care Outcomes Among Children With Special Health Care Needs in Ohio: A Comparative Analysis Between Medicaid and Private Insurance.

Science.gov (United States)

Sarkar, Madhurima; Earley, Elizabeth R; Asti, Lindsey; Chisolm, Deena J

This study explores comparative differentials in health care needs, health care utilization, and health status between Medicaid and private/employer-sponsored insurance (ESI) among a statewide population of children with special health care needs (CSHCN) in Ohio. We used data from the 2012 Ohio Medicaid Assessment Survey to examine CSHCN's health care needs, utilization, status, and health outcomes by insurance type. Adjusted multivariable logistic regression models were used to explore associations between public and private health insurance, as well as the utilization and health outcome variables. Bivariate analyses indicate that the Medicaid population had higher care coordination needs (odds ratio [OR] = 1.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1-2.2) as well as need for mental/educational health care services (OR = 1.5; 95% CI; 1.1-2.0). They also reported higher unmet dental care needs (OR = 2.2; 95% CI, 1.2-4.0), higher emergency department (ED) utilization (OR = 2.3; 95% CI, 1.7-3.2), and worse overall health (OR = 0.6; 95% CI, 0.4-0.7), oral health (OR = 0.4; 95% CI, 0.3-0.5), and vision health (OR = 0.4; 95% CI, 0.2-0.6). After controlling for demographic variables, CSHCN with Medicaid insurance coverage were more likely to need mental health and education services (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.8; 95% CI; 1.2-2.6), had significantly more ED visits (AOR = 2.3; 95% CI, 1.5-3.5), and were less likely to have excellent overall health (AOR = 0.64; 95% CI, 0.4-0.9), oral health (AOR = 0.43; 95% CI, 0.3-0.7), and vision health (AOR = 0.38; 95% CI, 0.2-0.6) than those with private insurance/ESI. The CSHCN population is a highly vulnerable population. While Ohio's Medicaid provides greater coverage to CSHCN, disparities continue to exist within access and services that Medicaid provides versus the ones provided by private insurance/ESI.

Telecommunications Reform in Nigeria: The Marketing Challenges ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Telecommunications Reform in Nigeria: The Marketing Challenges. ... Journal of Research in National Development ... This paper discusses the telecommunications reforms process, the role of the regulatory body (Nigeria Commission, the current state of the telecommunication sector and the marketing challenges in ...

Telecommunications network modelling, planning and design

CERN Document Server

Evans, Sharon

2003-01-01

Telecommunication Network Modelling, Planning and Design addresses sophisticated modelling techniques from the perspective of the communications industry and covers some of the major issues facing telecommunications network engineers and managers today. Topics covered include network planning for transmission systems, modelling of SDH transport network structures and telecommunications network design and performance modelling, as well as network costs and ROI modelling and QoS in 3G networks.

Behavioral health and health care reform models: patient-centered medical home, health home, and accountable care organization.

Science.gov (United States)

Bao, Yuhua; Casalino, Lawrence P; Pincus, Harold Alan

2013-01-01

Discussions of health care delivery and payment reforms have largely been silent about how behavioral health could be incorporated into reform initiatives. This paper draws attention to four patient populations defined by the severity of their behavioral health conditions and insurance status. It discusses the potentials and limitations of three prominent models promoted by the Affordable Care Act to serve populations with behavioral health conditions: the Patient-Centered Medical Home, the Health Home initiative within Medicaid, and the Accountable Care Organization. To incorporate behavioral health into health reform, policymakers and practitioners may consider embedding in the reform efforts explicit tools-accountability measures and payment designs-to improve access to and quality of care for patients with behavioral health needs.

Forecast for the Future: Telecommunications.

Science.gov (United States)

Sekaquaptewa, Sam; Yawakie, Madonna; Scheer, Roger; Yawakie, Mel

1999-01-01

Four telecommunications experts comment on changes in the industry and how these changes may result in career opportunities for American Indians. American Indian reservations have limited access to telecommunications and information technology and would benefit from the advocacy of Native professionals. (CDS)

Health care in the Netherlands.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Weel, C. van; Schers, H.J.; Timmermans, A.

2012-01-01

This article analyzes Dutch experiences of health care reform--in particular in primary care--with emphasis on lessons for current United States health care reforms. Recent major innovations were the introduction of private insurance based on the principles of primary care-led health care and

The Obama health care plan: what it means for mental health care of older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Sorrell, Jeanne M

2009-01-01

Health care was an important issue for both the Obama and McCain election campaigns. Now that Barack Obama is poised to serve as the 44th President of the United States, many health care providers are focused on what Obama's administration will mean for new health care initiatives. This article focuses specifically on aspects of the Obama and Biden health care plan that affects mental health care for older adults.

Discourse and policy making on consumer protection in the areas of mobile telecommunication and tanning.

Science.gov (United States)

Schweikardt, Christoph; Rosentreter, Michael; Gross, Dominik

2012-01-01

Perceived health risks from electromagnetic fields in mobile telecommunication and from UV radiation in tanning have become regulation issues in Germany during the last decade. Health risk messages from government expert bodies and the main stakeholders in these areas as well as subsequent consumer protection policy making are investigated. Publications and websites of government expert bodies and the main stakeholders as well as debates in Federal Parliament were analysed to compare argumentation patterns and parliamentary decision-making processes. In both areas, the public received competing health risk messages from the industries and their critics. As a government expert body, the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) held the view that alleged health risks from electromagnetic telecommunication were not proven, and propagated the precautionary principle. This opinion did not endanger the agreement of 2001 between the government and mobile telecommunication operators. After the failure to obtain voluntary commitment from the tanning industry, by contrast, the BfS recommended stricter consumer protection legislation, which was subsequently implemented. The BfS was in a key position to demand the prerogative of interpretation concerning mutually excluding health risk messages and to provide the argumentation which led the way to non-ionic radiation health protection measures.

Antenatal and obstetric care in Afghanistan--a qualitative study among health care receivers and health care providers.

Science.gov (United States)

Rahmani, Zuhal; Brekke, Mette

2013-05-06

Despite attempts from the government to improve ante- and perinatal care, Afghanistan has once again been labeled "the worst country in which to be a mom" in Save the Children's World's Mothers' Report. This study investigated how pregnant women and health care providers experience the existing antenatal and obstetric health care situation in Afghanistan. Data were obtained through one-to-one semi-structured interviews of 27 individuals, including 12 women who were pregnant or had recently given birth, seven doctors, five midwives, and three traditional birth attendants. The interviews were carried out in Kabul and the village of Ramak in Ghazni Province. Interviews were taped, transcribed, and analyzed according to the principles of Giorgi's phenomenological analysis. Antenatal care was reported to be underused, even when available. Several obstacles were identified, including a lack of knowledge regarding the importance of antenatal care among the women and their families, financial difficulties, and transportation problems. The women also reported significant dissatisfaction with the attitudes and behavior of health personnel, which included instances of verbal and physical abuse. According to the health professionals, poor working conditions, low salaries, and high stress levels contributed to this matter. Personal contacts inside the hospital were considered necessary for receiving high quality care, and bribery was customary. Despite these serious concerns, the women expressed gratitude for having even limited access to health care, especially treatment provided by a female doctor. Health professionals were proud of their work and enjoyed the opportunity to help their community. This study identified several obstacles which must be addressed to improve reproductive health in Afghanistan. There was limited understanding of the importance of antenatal care and a lack of family support. Financial and transportation problems led to underuse of available care

The Danish Regulatory Reform of Telecommunications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Skouby, Knud Erik

1998-01-01

An overview of the liberalisation process and regulatory reform of telecommunications in Denmark......An overview of the liberalisation process and regulatory reform of telecommunications in Denmark...

Kids Interactive Telecommunications Project by Satellite (KITES): A Telecommunications Partnership To Empower Middle School Students.

Science.gov (United States)

LeBaron, John

Kids Interactive Telecommunications Project by Satellite (KITES) is a cooperative international telecommunications partnership involving the University of Lowell, Digital's corporate video network, Videostar Connections Inc. (a satellite networking broker), PanAmSat (a satellite operator), and several other public education institutions in…

Improving eye care in the primary health care setting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M de Wet

2000-09-01

Full Text Available One of the challenges facing primary health care in South Africa is the delivery of quality eye care to all South Africans. In this regard the role of the primary health care worker, as the first point of contact, is crucial. This paper reports on the problems primary health care workers experience in providing quality eye care in Region B of the Free State. Problems identified by those involved in the study include the cumbersome referral system, the unavailability of appropriate medicine at clinics, the insufficient knowledge of primary health care workers regarding eye conditions and the lack of communication between the various eye care service providers. Suggestions to address the problems identified included more in-service training of primary health care workers regarding eye conditions, liaison with NGO’s providing eye care, decentralisation of services and the establishment of an eye care committee in the region.

Respiratory Home Health Care

Science.gov (United States)

... Us Home > Healthy Living > Living With Lung Disease > Respiratory Home Health Care Font: Aerosol Delivery Oxygen Resources ... Teenagers Living With Lung Disease Articles written by Respiratory Experts Respiratory Home Health Care Respiratory care at ...

Marketing health care to employees: the structure of employee health care plan satisfaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Mascarenhas, O A

1993-01-01

Providing cost-contained comprehensive quality health care to maintain healthy and productive employees is a challenging problem for all employers. Using a representative panel of metropolitan employees, the author investigates the internal and external structure of employee satisfaction with company-sponsored health care plans. Employee satisfaction is differentiated into four meaningful groups of health care benefits, whereas its external structure is supported by the traditional satisfaction paradigms of expectation-disconfirmation, attribution, and equity. Despite negative disconfirmation, employees register sufficiently high health care satisfaction levels, which suggests some useful strategies that employers may consider implementing.

Rural health care bypass behavior: how community and spatial characteristics affect primary health care selection.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanders, Scott R; Erickson, Lance D; Call, Vaughn R A; McKnight, Matthew L; Hedges, Dawson W

2015-01-01

(1) To assess the prevalence of rural primary care physician (PCP) bypass, a behavior in which residents travel farther than necessary to obtain health care, (2) To examine the role of community and non-health-care-related characteristics on bypass behavior, and (3) To analyze spatial bypass patterns to determine which rural communities are most affected by bypass. Data came from the Montana Health Matters survey, which gathered self-reported information from Montana residents on their health care utilization, satisfaction with health care services, and community and demographic characteristics. Logistic regression and spatial analysis were used to examine the probability and spatial patterns of bypass. Overall, 39% of respondents bypass local health care. Similar to previous studies, dissatisfaction with local health care was found to increase the likelihood of bypass. Dissatisfaction with local shopping also increases the likelihood of bypass, while the number of friends in a community, and commonality with community reduce the likelihood of bypass. Other significant factors associated with bypass include age, income, health, and living in a highly rural community or one with high commuting flows. Our results suggest that outshopping theory, in which patients bundle services and shopping for added convenience, extends to primary health care selection. This implies that rural health care selection is multifaceted, and that in addition to perceived satisfaction with local health care, the quality of local shopping and levels of community attachment also influence bypass behavior. © 2014 National Rural Health Association.

The evolution of investments decision mode in China's telecommunication

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

ZHANG Ai-hua; ZHAO Lian-qiang; SHU Hua-ying

2007-01-01

This essay analyzes the data of Chinese telecommunication market, telecommunication investments and investment benefits over the past 20 years. On the basis of these data, the essay reviews Chinese changing telecommunication policies and discusses the major events in the course of China's telecommunication development. It is argued that telecommunication policies, regime backgrounds and market demand characteristics have a significant impact on investment decision mode in telecommunication industry. The evolution of network investments decision mode in China's telecommunication has corresponded to the transformation of these key factors. Considering the special events in the development of Chinese telecommunication as divisions, the essay discusses three stages of the evolution of investments decision mode in China's telecommunication. With the firm environment and problems that Chinese telecommunication operators have been facing since 2000 analyzed. it is demonstrated that Chinese telecommunication operators should change their mode of investment decision into the "profit-oriented investment decision mode" in order to achieve a high growth performance in the capital market,. This investment decision mode will result in increase of the investment profit with limited investment capital. The main procedure of profit-oriented investment decision mode is set out, which is abstracted to a mathematical model eventually.

[A Maternal Health Care System Based on Mobile Health Care].

Science.gov (United States)

Du, Xin; Zeng, Weijie; Li, Chengwei; Xue, Junwei; Wu, Xiuyong; Liu, Yinjia; Wan, Yuxin; Zhang, Yiru; Ji, Yurong; Wu, Lei; Yang, Yongzhe; Zhang, Yue; Zhu, Bin; Huang, Yueshan; Wu, Kai

2016-02-01

Wearable devices are used in the new design of the maternal health care system to detect electrocardiogram and oxygen saturation signal while smart terminals are used to achieve assessments and input maternal clinical information. All the results combined with biochemical analysis from hospital are uploaded to cloud server by mobile Internet. Machine learning algorithms are used for data mining of all information of subjects. This system can achieve the assessment and care of maternal physical health as well as mental health. Moreover, the system can send the results and health guidance to smart terminals.

Toward a 21st-century health care system: Recommendations for health care reform

NARCIS (Netherlands)

K. Arrow (Kenneth); A. Auerbach (Alan); J. Bertko (John); L.P. Casalino (Lawrence Peter); F.J. Crosson (Francis); A. Enthoven (Alain); E. Falcone; R.C. Feldman; V.R. Fuchs (Victor); A.M. Garber (Alan); M.R. Gold (Marthe Rachel); D.A. Goldman; G.K. Hadfield (Gillian); M.A. Hall (Mark Ann); R.I. Horwitz (Ralph); M. Hooven; P.D. Jacobson (Peter); T.S. Jost (Timothy Stoltzfus); L.J. Kotlikoff; J. Levin (Jonathan); S. Levine (Sharon); R. Levy; K. Linscott; H.S. Luft; R. Mashal; D. McFadden (Daniel); D. Mechanic (David); D. Meltzer (David); J.P. Newhouse (Joseph); R.G. Noll (Roger); J.B. Pietzsch (Jan Benjamin); P. Pizzo (Philip); R.D. Reischauer (Robert); S. Rosenbaum (Sara); W. Sage (William); L.D. Schaeffer (Leonard Daniel); E. Sheen; B.N. Silber (Bernie Michael); J. Skinner (Jonathan Robert); S.M. Shortell (Stephen); S.O. Thier (Samuel); S. Tunis (Sean); L. Wulsin Jr.; P. Yock (Paul); G.B. Nun; S. Bryan (Stirling); O. Luxenburg (Osnat); W.P.M.M. van de Ven (Wynand); J. Cooper (Jim)

2009-01-01

textabstractThe coverage, cost, and quality problems of the U.S. health care system are evident. Sustainable health care reform must go beyond financing expanded access to care to substantially changing the organization and delivery of care. The FRESH-Thinking Project (www.fresh-thinking.org) held a

7 CFR 1703.112 - Expedited telecommunications loans

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 11 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Expedited telecommunications loans 1703.112 Section... § 1703.112 Expedited telecommunications loans RUS will expedite consideration and determination of an application submitted by an RUS telecommunications borrower for a loan under the Act or an advance of such...

Integrating Community Health Workers (CHWs) into Health Care Organizations.

Science.gov (United States)

Payne, Julianne; Razi, Sima; Emery, Kyle; Quattrone, Westleigh; Tardif-Douglin, Miriam

2017-10-01

Health care organizations increasingly employ community health workers (CHWs) to help address growing provider shortages, improve patient outcomes, and increase access to culturally sensitive care among traditionally inaccessible or disenfranchised patient populations. Scholarly interest in CHWs has grown in recent decades, but researchers tend to focus on how CHWs affect patient outcomes rather than whether and how CHWs fit into the existing health care workforce. This paper focuses on the factors that facilitate and impede the integration of the CHWs into health care organizations, and strategies that organizations and their staff develop to overcome barriers to CHW integration. We use qualitative evaluation data from 13 awardees that received Health Care Innovation Awards from the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to enhance the quality of health care, improve health outcomes, and reduce the cost of care using programs involving CHWs. We find that organizational capacity, support for CHWs, clarity about health care roles, and clinical workflow drive CHW integration. We conclude with practical recommendations for health care organizations interested in employing CHWs.

Telecommunication for the Physically Handicapped.

Science.gov (United States)

Cunningham, Pat; Gose, Joan

The paper examines the uses of telecommunication for physically handicapped students. Basic equipment, including a modem and keyboard interface, are described. The types and uses of computer bulletin boards are also described. Among benefits of telecommunications for physically handicapped students noted in the paper are social prestige,…

Health care employee perceptions of patient-centered care.

Science.gov (United States)

Balbale, Salva Najib; Turcios, Stephanie; LaVela, Sherri L

2015-03-01

Given the importance of health care employees in the delivery of patient-centered care, understanding their unique perspectives is essential for quality improvement. The purpose of this study was to use photovoice to evaluate perceptions and experiences around patient-centered care among U.S. Veterans Affairs (VA) health care employees. We asked participants to take photographs of salient features in their environment related to patient-centered care. We used the photographs to facilitate dialogue during follow-up interviews. Twelve VA health care employees across two VA sites participated in the project. Although most participants felt satisfied with their work environment and experiences at the VA, they identified several areas for improvement. These included a need for more employee health and wellness initiatives and a need for enhanced opportunities for training and professional growth. Application of photovoice enabled us to learn about employees' unique perspectives around patient-centered care while engaging them in an evaluation of care delivery. © The Author(s) 2014.

Controversies in faith and health care.

Science.gov (United States)

Tomkins, Andrew; Duff, Jean; Fitzgibbon, Atallah; Karam, Azza; Mills, Edward J; Munnings, Keith; Smith, Sally; Seshadri, Shreelata Rao; Steinberg, Avraham; Vitillo, Robert; Yugi, Philemon

2015-10-31

Differences in religious faith-based viewpoints (controversies) on the sanctity of human life, acceptable behaviour, health-care technologies and health-care services contribute to the widespread variations in health care worldwide. Faith-linked controversies include family planning, child protection (especially child marriage, female genital mutilation, and immunisation), stigma and harm reduction, violence against women, sexual and reproductive health and HIV, gender, end-of-life issues, and faith activities including prayer. Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and traditional beliefs have similarities and differences in their viewpoints. Improved understanding by health-care providers of the heterogeneity of viewpoints, both within and between faiths, and their effect on health care is important for clinical medicine, public-health programmes, and health-care policy. Increased appreciation in faith leaders of the effect of their teachings on health care is also crucial. This Series paper outlines some faith-related controversies, describes how they influence health-care provision and uptake, and identifies opportunities for research and increased interaction between faith leaders and health-care providers to improve health care. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Health-care users, key community informants and primary health care workers' views on health, health promotion, health assets and deficits: qualitative study in seven Spanish regions.

Science.gov (United States)

Pons-Vigués, Mariona; Berenguera, Anna; Coma-Auli, Núria; Pombo-Ramos, Haizea; March, Sebastià; Asensio-Martínez, Angela; Moreno-Peral, Patricia; Mora-Simón, Sara; Martínez-Andrés, Maria; Pujol-Ribera, Enriqueta

2017-06-13

Although some articles have analysed the definitions of health and health promotion from the perspective of health-care users and health care professionals, no published studies include the simultaneous participation of health-care users, primary health care professionals and key community informants. Understanding the perception of health and health promotion amongst these different stakeholders is crucial for the design and implementation of successful, equitable and sustainable measures that improve the health and wellbeing of populations. Furthermore, the identification of different health assets and deficits by the different informants will generate new evidence to promote healthy behaviours, improve community health and wellbeing and reduce preventable inequalities. The objective of this study is to explore the concept of health and health promotion and to compare health assets and deficits as identified by health-care users, key community informants and primary health care workers with the ultimate purpose to collect the necessary data for the design and implementation of a successful health promotion intervention. A descriptive-interpretive qualitative research was conducted with 276 participants from 14 primary care centres of 7 Spanish regions. Theoretical sampling was used for selection. We organized 11 discussion groups and 2 triangular groups with health-care users; 30 semi-structured interviews with key community informants; and 14 discussion groups with primary health care workers. A thematic content analysis was carried out. Health-care users and key community informants agree that health is a complex, broad, multifactorial concept that encompasses several interrelated dimensions (physical, psychological-emotional, social, occupational, intellectual, spiritual and environmental). The three participants' profiles consider health promotion indispensable despite defining it as complex and vague. In fact, most health-care users admit to having

Association of functional limitation with health care needs and experiences of children with special health care needs.

Science.gov (United States)

Nageswaran, Savithri; Silver, Ellen Johnson; Stein, Ruth E K

2008-05-01

The goal was to evaluate whether having a functional limitation was associated with health care needs and experiences of children with special health care needs. We used caregivers' responses in the National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs (2001). Functional limitation was categorized as severe, some, or no limitation. We performed analyses of the relationships of functional limitation to measures of health care needs and experiences. Children with special health care needs with severe functional limitation were more likely to have received specialized educational services, to have had physician visits, and to have needed health services, compared with those with no limitation. They had significantly greater odds of delayed care, unmet health care and care-coordination needs, referral problems, dissatisfaction, and difficulty using health services, compared with those without limitation. Caregivers of children with special health care needs with severe limitation were twice as likely as those with no limitation to report that providers did not spend enough time, listen carefully, provide needed information, and make family members partners in the child's care. Compared with children with special health care needs without limitation, those with severe limitation had worse health insurance experiences, in terms of insurance coverage, copayments, being able to see needed providers, and problems with health insurance. The impact on families (financial problems, need to provide home care, or need to stop or to cut work) of children with special health care needs with severe functional limitation was much greater than the impact on families of children with special health care needs without limitation. For most measures examined, results for some limitation were between those for severe limitation and no limitation. Functional limitation is significantly associated with the health care needs and experiences of children with special health care needs.

Health Care Efficiencies: Consolidation and Alternative Models vs. Health Care and Antitrust Regulation - Irreconcilable Differences?

Science.gov (United States)

King, Michael W

2017-11-01

Despite the U.S. substantially outspending peer high income nations with almost 18% of GDP dedicated to health care, on any number of statistical measurements from life expectancy to birth rates to chronic disease, 1 the U.S. achieves inferior health outcomes. In short, Americans receive a very disappointing return on investment on their health care dollars, causing economic and social strain. 2 Accordingly, the debates rage on: what is the top driver of health care spending? Among the culprits: poor communication and coordination among disparate providers, paperwork required by payors and regulations, well-intentioned physicians overprescribing treatments, drugs and devices, outright fraud and abuse, and medical malpractice litigation. Fundamentally, what is the best way to reduce U.S. health care spending, while improving the patient experience of care in terms of quality and satisfaction, and driving better patient health outcomes? Mergers, partnerships, and consolidation in the health care industry, new care delivery models like Accountable Care Organizations and integrated care systems, bundled payments, information technology, innovation through new drugs and new medical devices, or some combination of the foregoing? More importantly, recent ambitious reform efforts fall short of a cohesive approach, leaving fundamental internal inconsistencies across divergent arms of the federal government, raising the issue of whether the U.S. health care system can drive sufficient efficiencies within the current health care and antitrust regulatory environments. While debate rages on Capitol Hill over "repeal and replace," only limited attention has been directed toward reforming the current "fee-for-service" model pursuant to which providers are paid for volume of care rather than quality or outcomes. Indeed, both the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ("ACA") 3 and proposals for its replacement focus primarily on the reach and cost of providing coverage for

Benchmarking HIV health care

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Podlekareva, Daria; Reekie, Joanne; Mocroft, Amanda

2012-01-01

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: State-of-the-art care involving the utilisation of multiple health care interventions is the basis for an optimal long-term clinical prognosis for HIV-patients. We evaluated health care for HIV-patients based on four key indicators. METHODS: Four indicators of health care we...... document pronounced regional differences in adherence to guidelines and can help to identify gaps and direct target interventions. It may serve as a tool for assessment and benchmarking the clinical management of HIV-patients in any setting worldwide....

Costs of health care across primary care models in Ontario.

Science.gov (United States)

Laberge, Maude; Wodchis, Walter P; Barnsley, Jan; Laporte, Audrey

2017-08-01

The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between newly introduced primary care models in Ontario, Canada, and patients' primary care and total health care costs. A specific focus is on the payment mechanisms for primary care physicians, i.e. fee-for-service (FFS), enhanced-FFS, and blended capitation, and whether providers practiced as part of a multidisciplinary team. Utilization data for a one year period was measured using administrative databases for a 10% sample selected at random from the Ontario adult population. Primary care and total health care costs were calculated at the individual level and included costs from physician services, hospital visits and admissions, long term care, drugs, home care, lab tests, and visits to non-medical health care providers. Generalized linear model regressions were conducted to assess the differences in costs between primary care models. Patients not enrolled with a primary care physicians were younger, more likely to be males and of lower socio-economic status. Patients in blended capitation models were healthier and wealthier than FFS and enhanced-FFS patients. Primary care and total health care costs were significantly different across Ontario primary care models. Using the traditional FFS as the reference, we found that patients in the enhanced-FFS models had the lowest total health care costs, and also the lowest primary care costs. Patients in the blended capitation models had higher primary care costs but lower total health care costs. Patients that were in multidisciplinary teams (FHT), where physicians are also paid on a blended capitation basis, had higher total health care costs than non-FHT patients but still lower than the FFS reference group. Primary care and total health care costs increased with patients' age, morbidity, and lower income quintile across all primary care payment types. The new primary care models were associated with lower total health care costs for patients compared to the

31 CFR 538.512 - Transactions related to telecommunications authorized.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... telecommunications authorized. 538.512 Section 538.512 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and... telecommunications authorized. All transactions with respect to the receipt and transmission of telecommunications... a person in Sudan of telecommunications equipment or technology. ...

47 CFR 43.61 - Reports of international telecommunications traffic.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Reports of international telecommunications traffic. 43.61 Section 43.61 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON... Reports of international telecommunications traffic. (a) Each common carrier engaged in providing...

The retailing of health care.

Science.gov (United States)

Paul, T; Wong, J

1984-01-01

A number of striking parallels between recent developments in health care marketing and changes in the retailing industry exist. The authors have compared retailing paradigms to the area on health care marketing so strategists in hospitals and other health care institutions can gain insight from these parallels. Many of the same economic, demographic, technological and lifestyle forces may be at work in both the health care and retail markets. While the services or products offered in health care are radically different from those of conventional retail markets, the manner in which the products and services are positioned, priced or distributed is surprisingly similar.

The Military Health Care System May Have the Potential to Prevent Health Care Disparities.

Science.gov (United States)

Pierre-Louis, Bosny J; Moore, Angelo D; Hamilton, Jill B

2015-09-01

The existence of health disparities in military populations has become an important topic of research. However, to our knowledge, this is the first study to examine health disparities, as related to access to care and health status, among active duty soldiers and their families. Specifically, the purpose of this analysis was to evaluate whether health disparities exist in access to care and health outcomes of patient satisfaction, physical health status, and mental health status according to race, gender, and sponsor rank in the population of active duty soldiers and their family members. In this cross-sectional study, active duty army soldiers and family members were recruited from either one particular army health clinic where they received their health care or from an adjacent shopping center frequented by eligible participants. Data were collected using validated measures to assess concepts of access to care and health status. Statistical analysis, including one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to investigate differences in study outcome measures across four key demographic subgroups: race, gender, sponsor rank, and component (active soldier or family member). A total of 200 participants completed the study questionnaires. The sample consisted of 45.5 % soldiers and 54.5 % family members, with 88.5 % reporting a sponsor rank in the category of junior or senior enlisted rank. Mean scores for access to care did not differ significantly for the groups race/ethnicity (p = 0.53), gender (p = 0.14), and sponsor rank (p = 0.10). Furthermore, no significant differences were observed whether respondents were active soldiers or their family members (p = 0.36). Similarly, there were no statistically significant subgroup (race/ethnicity, gender, sponsor rank, or component) differences in mean patient satisfaction, physical health, and mental health scores. In a health equity system of care such as the military health care system, active duty

Managed care: employers' influence on the health care system.

Science.gov (United States)

Corder, K T; Phoon, J; Barter, M

1996-01-01

Health care reform is a complex issue involving many key sectors including providers, consumers, insurers, employers, and the government. System changes must involve all sectors for reform to be effective. Each sector has a responsibility to understand not only its own role in the health care system, but the roles of others as well. The role of business employers is often not apparent to health care providers, especially nurses. Understanding the influence employers have on the health care system is vital if providers want to be proactive change agents ensuring quality care.

Youth with special health care needs: transition to adult health care services.

Science.gov (United States)

Oswald, Donald P; Gilles, Donna L; Cannady, Mariel S; Wenzel, Donna B; Willis, Janet H; Bodurtha, Joann N

2013-12-01

Transition to adult services for children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) has emerged as an important event in the life course of individuals with disabilities. Issues that interfere with efficient transition to adult health care include the perspectives of stakeholders, age limits on pediatric service, complexity of health conditions, a lack of experienced healthcare professionals in the adult arena, and health care financing for chronic and complex conditions. The purposes of this study were to develop a definition of successful transition and to identify determinants that were associated with a successful transition. The 2007 Survey of Adult Transition and Health dataset was used to select variables to be considered for defining success and for identifying predictors of success. The results showed that a small percentage of young adults who participated in the 2007 survey had experienced a successful transition from their pediatric care.

Strengthening of Oral Health Systems: Oral Health through Primary Health Care

Science.gov (United States)

Petersen, Poul Erik

2014-01-01

Around the globe many people are suffering from oral pain and other problems of the mouth or teeth. This public health problem is growing rapidly in developing countries where oral health services are limited. Significant proportions of people are underserved; insufficient oral health care is either due to low availability and accessibility of oral health care or because oral health care is costly. In all countries, the poor and disadvantaged population groups are heavily affected by a high burden of oral disease compared to well-off people. Promotion of oral health and prevention of oral diseases must be provided through financially fair primary health care and public health intervention. Integrated approaches are the most cost-effective and realistic way to close the gap in oral health between rich and poor. The World Health Organization (WHO) Oral Health Programme will work with the newly established WHO Collaborating Centre, Kuwait University, to strengthen the development of appropriate models for primary oral health care. PMID:24525450

Evolution and convergence in telecommunications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Radicella, S; Grilli, D [Abdus Salam ICTP, Trieste (Italy)

2002-12-15

These lectures throw a spotlight on different aspects of the evolution of telecommunications networks, namely on the various facets of service and network convergence. The last years progress in data and telecommunications technologies, such as P-based networks, and the enormous potential of mobile communication systems and users' demands for comprehensive and network-independent have led to a convergence of data and telecommunications infrastructures in many aspects. In order to help the reader to an easier understanding of the phenomenon convergence, in the first two parts of this volume the evolution of the basic technologies is described one by one. This is done briefly and is focused on the principle topics, just to build a basis for the third part devoted to problems of convergence in telecommunications. These notes are addressed to those readers, who in a quick overview want to be informed on the future service and network landscape. The notes are equally suited for professionals with the desire to extend their horizon as well as for students looking for an introduction into telecommunications under more general aspects. The authors clearly understand the difficulties in writing a book devoted to the evolution in telecommunications. Today, telecom landscape varies at very high speed. Every few months new network technologies, new products and new services are developed. Attempts to present them in time can be accessible only for magazine publications or contributions to conferences. Therefore, in a number of areas, such as Voice over IP and new switching technologies not much more than the starting point of new paradigms is described. However, the content is up-to-date to a degree, that the phenomenon convergence can be fully understood. Partially, these notes are based on a number of lecture courses that were delivered during recent ICTP winter schools devoted to multimedia and digital communications.

Evolution and convergence in telecommunications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Radicella, S.; Grilli, D.

2002-01-01

These lectures throw a spotlight on different aspects of the evolution of telecommunications networks, namely on the various facets of service and network convergence. The last years progress in data and telecommunications technologies, such as P-based networks, and the enormous potential of mobile communication systems and users' demands for comprehensive and network-independent have led to a convergence of data and telecommunications infrastructures in many aspects. In order to help the reader to an easier understanding of the phenomenon convergence, in the first two parts of this volume the evolution of the basic technologies is described one by one. This is done briefly and is focused on the principle topics, just to build a basis for the third part devoted to problems of convergence in telecommunications. These notes are addressed to those readers, who in a quick overview want to be informed on the future service and network landscape. The notes are equally suited for professionals with the desire to extend their horizon as well as for students looking for an introduction into telecommunications under more general aspects. The authors clearly understand the difficulties in writing a book devoted to the evolution in telecommunications. Today, telecom landscape varies at very high speed. Every few months new network technologies, new products and new services are developed. Attempts to present them in time can be accessible only for magazine publications or contributions to conferences. Therefore, in a number of areas, such as Voice over IP and new switching technologies not much more than the starting point of new paradigms is described. However, the content is up-to-date to a degree, that the phenomenon convergence can be fully understood. Partially, these notes are based on a number of lecture courses that were delivered during recent ICTP winter schools devoted to multimedia and digital communications

The Nordic Mobile Telecommunication Cluster

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Ulrik

2000-01-01

A study of the historic role of the Nordic mobile telephone and telecommunications cluster and its background in both coordinated innovation policies and societal developments in Scandinavia.......A study of the historic role of the Nordic mobile telephone and telecommunications cluster and its background in both coordinated innovation policies and societal developments in Scandinavia....

48 CFR 239.7405 - Delegated authority for telecommunications resources.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... telecommunications resources. 239.7405 Section 239.7405 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEFENSE ACQUISITION... TECHNOLOGY Telecommunications Services 239.7405 Delegated authority for telecommunications resources. The contracting officer may enter into a telecommunications service contract on a month-to-month basis or for any...

Mothers' health services utilization and health care seeking ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: data from different studies showed health care behaviour and estimated per capita health care expenditure for the general population, but the specific data for infants at different levels of care are lacking. The objectives of this study were to describe mothers' health service utilization during pregnancy and ...

Hope for health and health care.

Science.gov (United States)

Stempsey, William E

2015-02-01

Virtually all activities of health care are motivated at some level by hope. Patients hope for a cure; for relief from pain; for a return home. Physicians hope to prevent illness in their patients; to make the correct diagnosis when illness presents itself; that their prescribed treatments will be effective. Researchers hope to learn more about the causes of illness; to discover new and more effective treatments; to understand how treatments work. Ultimately, all who work in health care hope to offer their patients hope. In this paper, I offer a brief analysis of hope, considering the definitions of Hobbes, Locke, Hume and Thomas Aquinas. I then differentiate shallow and deep hope and show how hope in health care can remain shallow. Next, I explore what a philosophy of deep hope in health care might look like, drawing important points from Ernst Bloch and Gabriel Marcel. Finally, I suggest some implications of this philosophy of hope for patients, physicians, and researchers.

Collaborative HIV care in primary health care: nurses' views.

Science.gov (United States)

Ngunyulu, R N; Peu, M D; Mulaudzi, F M; Mataboge, M L S; Phiri, S S

2017-12-01

Collaborative HIV care between the nurses and traditional health practitioners is an important strategy to improve health care of people living with HIV. To explore and describe the views of nurses regarding collaborative HIV care in primary healthcare services in the City of Tshwane, South Africa. A qualitative, descriptive design was used to explore and describe the views of nurses who met the study's inclusion criteria. In-depth individual interviews were conducted to collect data from purposively selected nurses. Content analysis was used to analyse data. Two main categories were developed during the data analysis stage. The views of nurses and health system challenges regarding collaborative HIV care. The study findings revealed that there was inadequate collaborative HIV care between the nurses and the traditional health practitioners. It is evident that there is inadequate policy implementation, monitoring and evaluation regarding collaboration in HIV care. The study findings might influence policymakers to consider the importance of collaborative HIV care, and improve the quality of care by strengthening the referral system and follow-up of people living with HIV and AIDS, as a result the health outcomes as implied in the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 might be improved. Training and involvement of traditional health practitioners in the nursing and health policy should be considered to enhance and build a trustworthy working relationship between the nurses and the traditional health practitioners in HIV care. © 2017 International Council of Nurses.

Engaging men in health care.

Science.gov (United States)

Malcher, Greg

2009-03-01

Engaging men in health care involves a multifaceted approach that has as its main principle the recognition that men consume health care differently to women. This article identifies barriers to engaging men in health care and offers potential and existing solutions to overcome these barriers in a range of health care settings. The concept of multiple masculinities recognises that not all men can be engaged via a particular technique or strategy. The perception that men are disinterested in their health is challenged and a range of approaches discussed, both in the community and in health care facilities. In the general practice setting opportunities exist for the engagement of men at the reception desk and waiting room, as well as during the consultation. Use of the workplace in engaging men is discussed. Future activities to build the capacity of health care providers to better engage men are identified and the role of policy and program development is addressed.

A Plan for Application of Telecommunications Satellites in Postsecondary Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Cincinnati Univ., OH. Coll. of Community Services.

The proposed system for implementing new uses of telecommunication satellite technology is user-driven, addressing the needs of employed health personnel who would not otherwise have access to university resources, especially women, members of minority and disadvantaged groups, handicapped persons, and persons in rural areas. The plan, which…

Advertising and Consumer Choice of Telecommunication Services in Nigeria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Oladipo Olalekan

2015-09-01

Full Text Available This study examines the critical influence of advertising on consumer choice of telecommunication services in Nigeria. The advertisement played a key role in providing the consumers with product information. The study investigates the effect of marketing medium of telecommunication as a proxy for advertisement on preference of telecommunication services as a proxy for consumer choice in Nigeria. The Binary Logit Model (BLM and descriptive analytical frameworks are used to evaluate the statistical importance of advertisement, quality of services, income of the consumer, product’s self and related service charges for a consumer choice of telecommunication services through Wald test. The findings show that product’s self service charge and service quality are statistically significant for a consumer choice of telecommunication services in Nigeria at 1 percent significance level. And, related product’s service is statistically significant for a consumer choice of telecommunication services in Nigeria at 5 percent significance level. While advertisement and income of the consumer are statistically significant for a consumer choice of telecommunication services in Nigeria at 10 percent. The study concludes that advertisement is important for the choice of telecommunication services in Nigeria but having less impact. And, product’s self service charge and service quality are hugely significant for the choice of telecommunication services in Nigeria. Therefore, the sector of telecommunications needs more investment in advertisement so as to have telecommunications’ products information spread in order to stimulate the increase in demand for telecommunication services in Nigeria.

Specification and validation of telecommunication services in ACPt

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zhaorui, Y.

1999-01-01

This paper is concerned with the formal specification and validation of telecommunication services. Firstly, we provide a method to model the telecommunication system. Based on this result, we give the formal specification of telecommunication services and the detection of feature interactions,

Impact of Home Health Care on Health Care Resource Utilization Following Hospital Discharge: A Cohort Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Roy; Miller, Jacob A; Zafirau, William J; Gorodeski, Eiran Z; Young, James B

2018-04-01

As healthcare costs rise, home health care represents an opportunity to reduce preventable adverse events and costs following hospital discharge. No studies have investigated the utility of home health care within the context of a large and diverse patient population. A retrospective cohort study was conducted between 1/1/2013 and 6/30/2015 at a single tertiary care institution to assess healthcare utilization after discharge with home health care. Control patients discharged with "self-care" were matched by propensity score to home health care patients. The primary outcome was total healthcare costs in the 365-day post-discharge period. Secondary outcomes included follow-up readmission and death. Multivariable linear and Cox proportional hazards regression were used to adjust for covariates. Among 64,541 total patients, 11,266 controls were matched to 6,363 home health care patients across 11 disease-based Institutes. During the 365-day post-discharge period, home health care was associated with a mean unadjusted savings of $15,233 per patient, or $6,433 after adjusting for covariates (p Home health care independently decreased the hazard of follow-up readmission (HR 0.82, p home health care most benefited patients discharged from the Digestive Disease (death HR 0.72, p home health care was associated with significant reduction in healthcare utilization and decreased hazard of readmission and death. These data inform development of value-based care plans. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Health care reforms.

Science.gov (United States)

Marušič, Dorjan; Prevolnik Rupel, Valentina

2016-09-01

In large systems, such as health care, reforms are underway constantly. The article presents a definition of health care reform and factors that influence its success. The factors being discussed range from knowledgeable personnel, the role of involvement of international experts and all stakeholders in the country, the importance of electoral mandate and governmental support, leadership and clear and transparent communication. The goals set need to be clear, and it is helpful to have good data and analytical support in the process. Despite all debates and experiences, it is impossible to clearly define the best approach to tackle health care reform due to a different configuration of governance structure, political will and state of the economy in a country.

Health promotion in supplementary health care: outsourcing, microregulation and implications for care.

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Kênia Lara; Sena, Roseni Rosângela; Rodrigues, Andreza Trevenzoli; Araújo, Fernanda Lopes; Belga, Stephanie Marques Moura Franco; Duarte, Elysângela Dittz

2015-01-01

to analyze health promotion programs in the supplementary health care. This was a multiple case study with a qualitative approach whose data were obtained from interviews with coordinators of providers contracted by the corporations of health insurance plans in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. The data were submitted to Critical Discourse Analysis. Home care has been described as the main action in the field of health promotion transferred to the providers, followed by management of patients and cases, and the health education.groups. The existence of health promotion principles is questionable in all programs. Outsourcing is marked by a process with a division between cost and care management. Implications of this process occur within admission and interventions on the needs of the beneficiaries. Statements revealed rationalization of cost, restructuring of work, and reproduction of the dominant logic of capital accumulation by the health insurance companies.

ARTES: the future of satellite telecommunication

Science.gov (United States)

González-Blázquez, Angel; Detain, Dominique

2005-08-01

Throughout its 30-year existence, ESA has played a key role by providing telecommunications infrastructures that have allowed the in-orbit validation, qualification and demonstration of equipment, technology and services. In the past, this has been achieved through the provision of dedicated satellites like OTS, Marecs, Olympus and Artemis, as well as by the implementation of piggy-back payloads on other ESA or commercial satellites. Today, due to the importance of satellite telecommunications, ESA continues to support this sector mainly through its ARTES - Advanced Research in Telecommunications - Programme.

Organizing emotions in health care.

Science.gov (United States)

Mark, Annabelle

2005-01-01

To introduce the articles in this special issue, discussing emotion in the in health-care organisations. Discusses such topics as what makes health care different, editorial perspectives, how health care has explored emotion so far, and the impact of emotion on patients and the consequences for staff. Health care provides a setting that juxtaposes emotion and rationality, the individual and the body corporate, the formal and the deeply personal, the public and the private, all of which must be understood better if changes in expectations and delivery are to remain coherent. The papers indicate a shared international desire to understand meaning in emotion that is now spreading across organizational process and into all professional roles within health care.

US health care crisis.

Science.gov (United States)

Cirić, Ivan

2013-01-01

The United States health care is presently challenged by a significant economic crisis. The purpose of this report is to introduce the readers of Medicinski Pregled to the root causes of this crisis and to explain the steps undertaken to reform health care in order to solve the crisis. It is hoped that the information contained in this report will be of value, if only in small measure, to the shaping of health care in Serbia.

?A constant struggle to receive mental health care?: health care professionals? acquired experience of barriers to mental health care services in Rwanda

OpenAIRE

Rugema, Lawrence; Krantz, Gunilla; Mogren, Ingrid; Ntaganira, Joseph; Persson, Margareta

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: In Rwanda, many people are still mentally affected by the consequences of the genocide and yet mental health care facilities are scarce. While available literature explains the prevalence and consequences of mental disorders, there is lack of knowledge from low-income countries on health care seeking behavior due to common mental disorders. Therefore, this study sought to explore health care professionals' acquired experiences of barriers and facilitators that people with common m...

Health Care Utilisation and Attitudes towards Health Care in Subjects Reporting Environmental Annoyance from Electricity and Chemicals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frida Eek

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Environmentally intolerant persons report decreased self-rated health and daily functioning. However, it remains unclear whether this condition also results in increased health care costs. The aim of this study was to describe the health care consumption and attitudes towards health care in subjects presenting subjective environmental annoyance in relation to the general population, as well as to a group with a well-known disorder as treated hypertension (HT. Methods. Postal questionnaire (n = 13 604 and record linkage with population-based register on health care costs. Results. Despite significantly lower subjective well being and health than both the general population and HT group, the environmentally annoyed subjects had lower health care costs than the hypertension group. In contrast to the hypertension group, the environmentally annoyed subjects expressed more negative attitudes toward the health care than the general population. Conclusions. Despite their impaired subjective health and functional capacity, health care utilisation costs were not much increased for the environmentally annoyed group. This may partly depend on negative attitudes towards the health care in this group.

Health Care Utilisation and Attitudes towards Health Care in Subjects Reporting Environmental Annoyance from Electricity and Chemicals

Science.gov (United States)

Eek, Frida; Merlo, Juan; Gerdtham, Ulf; Lithman, Thor

2009-01-01

Environmentally intolerant persons report decreased self-rated health and daily functioning. However, it remains unclear whether this condition also results in increased health care costs. The aim of this study was to describe the health care consumption and attitudes towards health care in subjects presenting subjective environmental annoyance in relation to the general population, as well as to a group with a well-known disorder as treated hypertension (HT). Methods. Postal questionnaire (n = 13 604) and record linkage with population-based register on health care costs. Results. Despite significantly lower subjective well being and health than both the general population and HT group, the environmentally annoyed subjects had lower health care costs than the hypertension group. In contrast to the hypertension group, the environmentally annoyed subjects expressed more negative attitudes toward the health care than the general population. Conclusions. Despite their impaired subjective health and functional capacity, health care utilisation costs were not much increased for the environmentally annoyed group. This may partly depend on negative attitudes towards the health care in this group. PMID:19936124

Health Care Utilisation and Attitudes towards Health Care in Subjects Reporting Environmental Annoyance from Electricity and Chemicals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eek, F.; Merlo, J.; Gerdtham, U.; Lithman, T.

2010-01-01

Environmentally intolerant persons report decreased self-rated health and daily functioning. However, it remains unclear whether this condition also results in increased health care costs. The aim of this study was to describe the health care consumption and attitudes towards health care in subjects presenting subjective environmental annoyance in relation to the general population, as well as to a group with a well-known disorder as treated hypertension (HT). Methods. Postal questionnaire (n = 13 604) and record linkage with population-based register on health care costs. Results. Despite significantly lower subjective well being and health than both the general population and HT group, the environmentally annoyed subjects had lower health care costs than the hypertension group. In contrast to the hypertension group, the environmentally annoyed subjects expressed more negative attitudes toward the health care than the general population. Conclusions. Despite their impaired subjective health and functional capacity, health care utilisation costs were not much increased for the environmentally annoyed group. This may partly depend on negative attitudes towards the health care in this group.

Telecommunication. Special issue

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hooijen, O.G.; Quispel, M.N.; Van Dok, H.; Strabbing, W.; Milatz, J.H.P.; Sieswerda, J.E.; Emous, K.; Wehrmeijer, J.P.

1996-01-01

In 9 brief articles an overview is given of different aspects of the use of telecommunications in the energy sector in the Netherlands. The subjects are the problems (attenuation and non-Gaussian noise) of using the low-voltage network for digital communication (residential power line carriers or RPLC), fiberglass techniques in the telecommunication and distribution network, the interest of energy companies for the options of the electronic superhighway, the necessity of communication protocols in the energy sector for the information exchange in power systems control, the option of applying wireless wide-band signals instead of fiberglass cables, and the use of synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH) as the standard in digital transmission systems

Health care delivery systems.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Stevens, F.; Zee, J. van der

2007-01-01

A health care delivery system is the organized response of a society to the health problems of its inhabitants. Societies choose from alternative health care delivery models and, in doing so, they organize and set goals and priorities in such a way that the actions of different actors are effective,

[Costs of maternal-infant care in an institutionalized health care system].

Science.gov (United States)

Villarreal Ríos, E; Salinas Martínez, A M; Guzmán Padilla, J E; Garza Elizondo, M E; Tovar Castillo, N H; García Cornejo, M L

1998-01-01

Partial and total maternal and child health care costs were estimated. The study was developed in a Primary Care Health Clinic (PCHC) and a General Hospital (GH) of a social security health care system. Maternal and child health care services, type of activity and frequency utilization during 1995, were defined; cost examination was done separately for the PCHC and the GH. Estimation of fixed cost included departmentalization, determination of inputs, costs, basic services disbursements, and weighing. These data were related to depreciation, labor period and productivity. Estimation of variable costs required the participation of field experts; costs corresponded to those registered in billing records. The fixed cost plus the variable cost determined the unit cost, which multiplied by the of frequency of utilization generated the prenatal care, labor and delivery care, and postnatal care cost. The sum of these three equaled the maternal and child health care cost. The prenatal care cost was $1,205.33, the labor and delivery care cost was $3,313.98, and the postnatal care was $559.91. The total cost of the maternal and child health care corresponded to $5,079.22. Cost information is valuable for the health care personnel for health care planning activities.

The Telecommunications Industry; Integration Vs. Competition.

Science.gov (United States)

Irwin, Manley R.

Vertical integration stands as the salient structural configuration of the telecommunications equipment market. Computer hardware manufacturers are obviously potential competitors with the captive telecommunications equipment suppliers. Direct government policies, such as patents and a permissive attitude toward mergers, and indirect policies,…

Health care reforms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marušič Dorjan

2016-09-01

Full Text Available In large systems, such as health care, reforms are underway constantly. The article presents a definition of health care reform and factors that influence its success. The factors being discussed range from knowledgeable personnel, the role of involvement of international experts and all stakeholders in the country, the importance of electoral mandate and governmental support, leadership and clear and transparent communication. The goals set need to be clear, and it is helpful to have good data and analytical support in the process. Despite all debates and experiences, it is impossible to clearly define the best approach to tackle health care reform due to a different configuration of governance structure, political will and state of the economy in a country.

Children With Special Health Care Needs: Child Health and Functioning Outcomes and Health Care Service Use.

Science.gov (United States)

Caicedo, Carmen

This study describes health, functioning, and health care service use by medically complex technology-dependent children according to condition severity (moderately disabled, severely disabled, and vegetative state). Data were collected monthly for 5 months using the Pediatric Quality of Life Generic Core Module 4.0 Parent-Proxy Report. Health care service use measured the number of routine and acute care office visits (including primary and specialty physicians), emergency department visits, hospitalizations, nursing health care services, special therapies, medications, medical technology devices (MTDs), and assistive devices. Child physical health was different across the condition severity groups. The average age of the children was 10.1 years (SD, 6.2); the average number of medications used was 5.5 (SD, 3.7); the average number of MTDs used was 4.2 (SD, 2.9); and the average number of assistive devices used was 4.3 (SD, 2.7). Severely disabled and vegetative children were similar in age (older) and had a similar number of medications, MTDs, and assistive devices (greater) than moderately disabled children. The advanced practice nurse care coordinator role is necessary for the health and functioning of medically complex, technology-dependent children. Copyright © 2016 National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The ethical self-fashioning of physicians and health care systems in culturally appropriate health care.

Science.gov (United States)

Shaw, Susan J; Armin, Julie

2011-06-01

Diverse advocacy groups have pushed for the recognition of cultural differences in health care as a means to redress inequalities in the U.S., elaborating a form of biocitizenship that draws on evidence of racial and ethnic health disparities to make claims on both the state and health care providers. These efforts led to federal regulations developed by the U.S. Office of Minority Health requiring health care organizations to provide Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services. Based on ethnographic research at workshops and conferences, in-depth interviews with cultural competence trainers, and an analysis of postings to a moderated listserv with 2,000 members, we explore cultural competence trainings as a new type of social technology in which health care providers and institutions are urged to engage in ethical self-fashioning to eliminate prejudice and embody the values of cultural relativism. Health care providers are called on to re-orient their practice (such as habits of gaze, touch, and decision-making) and to act on their own subjectivities to develop an orientation toward Others that is "culturally competent." We explore the diverse methods that cultural competence trainings use to foster a health care provider's ability to be self-reflexive, including face-to-face workshops and classes and self-guided on-line modules. We argue that the hybrid formation of culturally appropriate health care is becoming detached from its social justice origins as it becomes rationalized by and more firmly embedded in the operations of the health care marketplace.

Telecommunication Networks: Economy, Ecology, Rule

OpenAIRE

Cubitt, Sean

2014-01-01

This essay deals with technologies, techniques, business models and legal structures governing telecommunications infrastructures. Megacities are especially vulnerable to shifting agencies in telecoms provision. This paper addresses the relation of the economics of growth, built-in obsolescence and product life cycles with the complex determinations of telecommunications governance in relation to the physical environment of megacities. It argues that an ‘environmentalism of the poor’ must be ...

What is the health care product?

Science.gov (United States)

France, K R; Grover, R

1992-06-01

Because of the current competitive environment, health care providers (hospitals, HMOs, physicians, and others) are constantly searching for better products and better means for delivering them. The health care product is often loosely defined as a service. The authors develop a more precise definition of the health care product, product line, and product mix. A bundle-of-elements concept is presented for the health care product. These conceptualizations help to address how health care providers can segment their market and position, promote, and price their products. Though the authors focus on hospitals, the concepts and procedures developed are applicable to other health care organizations.

Telecommunications and Higher Education. Occasional Paper No. 3.

Science.gov (United States)

Froke, Marlowe, Ed.; And Others

The first of the three papers which set the theme for this monograph on telecommunications is an examination of the implications of telecommunications developments for the learning society by Michael B. Spring. Marlowe Froke then looks at telecommunications development in institutions of higher education and discusses institutional change that…

Demand Modelling in Telecommunications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Chvalina

2009-01-01

Full Text Available This article analyses the existing possibilities for using Standard Statistical Methods and Artificial Intelligence Methods for a short-term forecast and simulation of demand in the field of telecommunications. The most widespread methods are based on Time Series Analysis. Nowadays, approaches based on Artificial Intelligence Methods, including Neural Networks, are booming. Separate approaches will be used in the study of Demand Modelling in Telecommunications, and the results of these models will be compared with actual guaranteed values. Then we will examine the quality of Neural Network models. 

Functional separation in telecommunications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jess Olsen, Ole; Henten, Anders; Falch, Morten

2008-01-01

During the past 20 to 30 years, public utilities have been subject to market reforms in most parts of the world. Liberalisation has been introduced to improve efficiency in terms of lower costs and more and better services. The subject of this paper is the Danish reforms of its public utilities....... The focus is on the utilities where the reforms were first introduced, i.e. telecommunications and electricity. The paper examines the following questions: Which are the main reasons for the different regulatory approaches to the liberalisation of telecommunications and electricity supply? In which...

Optimizing Health Care Environmental Hygiene.

Science.gov (United States)

Carling, Philip C

2016-09-01

This article presents a review and perspectives on aspects of optimizing health care environmental hygiene. The topics covered include the epidemiology of environmental surface contamination, a discussion of cleaning health care patient area surfaces, an overview of disinfecting health care surfaces, an overview of challenges in monitoring cleaning versus cleanliness, a description of an integrated approach to environmental hygiene and hand hygiene as interrelated disciplines, and an overview of the research opportunities and challenges related to health care environmental hygiene. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The political economy of competition in telecommunication

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Henten, Anders; Skouby, Knud Erik

1998-01-01

Article dealing with the regulation of telecommunications and the establishment of a competitive regime.......Article dealing with the regulation of telecommunications and the establishment of a competitive regime....

Danish Telecommunications: Keeping the Policy Options Open

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Henten, Anders; Wulff, Thomas

1996-01-01

In recent years Danish telecommunications policy has gone through a marked change in emphasis, Tele Danmark, formed only 6 years ago as the national operator in order to strengthen the Danish telecom industry, has come under pressure in the present liberalization. This article discusses Tele...... Danmark's situation and future possibilities and presents background information on the new Danish telecommunications legislation, the present Danish telecommunications market, and Tele Danmark's strategies. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd...

Opportunities for electric utilities in telecommunications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meehan, C.M.

1994-01-01

This article examines the opportunities for utility participation in the telecommunications market on private microwave systems and hybrid microwave and fiber systems. The topics of the article include entering the market, national information infrastructure, business opportunities and considerations, levels of participation in telecommunications market, and regulatory objectives

Telecommunication Policy Structure in Japan. Summary.

Science.gov (United States)

Komatsuzaki, Seisuke

This paper outlines the structure of Japanese telecommunication industries and how the various parts of the mechanism work together. Explanations of the Japanese: 1) structure of telecommunication industries; 2) control of regulatory lags; 3) text information service and regulation; and 4) text information service and the telecommunication…

Integrated primary health care in Australia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gawaine Powell Davies

2009-10-01

Full Text Available Introduction: To fulfil its role of coordinating health care, primary health care needs to be well integrated, internally and with other health and related services. In Australia, primary health care services are divided between public and private sectors, are responsible to different levels of government and work under a variety of funding arrangements, with no overarching policy to provide a common frame of reference for their activities. Description of policy: Over the past decade, coordination of service provision has been improved by changes to the funding of private medical and allied health services for chronic conditions, by the development in some states of voluntary networks of services and by local initiatives, although these have had little impact on coordination of planning. Integrated primary health care centres are being established nationally and in some states, but these are too recent for their impact to be assessed. Reforms being considered by the federal government include bringing primary health care under one level of government with a national primary health care policy, establishing regional organisations to coordinate health planning, trialling voluntary registration of patients with general practices and reforming funding systems. If adopted, these could greatly improve integration within primary health care. Discussion: Careful change management and realistic expectations will be needed. Also other challenges remain, in particular the need for developing a more population and community oriented primary health care.

Integrated primary health care in Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Davies, Gawaine Powell; Perkins, David; McDonald, Julie; Williams, Anna

2009-10-14

To fulfil its role of coordinating health care, primary health care needs to be well integrated, internally and with other health and related services. In Australia, primary health care services are divided between public and private sectors, are responsible to different levels of government and work under a variety of funding arrangements, with no overarching policy to provide a common frame of reference for their activities. Over the past decade, coordination of service provision has been improved by changes to the funding of private medical and allied health services for chronic conditions, by the development in some states of voluntary networks of services and by local initiatives, although these have had little impact on coordination of planning. Integrated primary health care centres are being established nationally and in some states, but these are too recent for their impact to be assessed. Reforms being considered by the federal government include bringing primary health care under one level of government with a national primary health care policy, establishing regional organisations to coordinate health planning, trialling voluntary registration of patients with general practices and reforming funding systems. If adopted, these could greatly improve integration within primary health care. Careful change management and realistic expectations will be needed. Also other challenges remain, in particular the need for developing a more population and community oriented primary health care.

Practices of depression care in home health care: Home health clinician perspectives

Science.gov (United States)

Bao, Yuhua; Eggman, Ashley A.; Richardson, Joshua E.; Sheeran, Thomas; Bruce, Martha L.

2015-01-01

Objective To assess any gaps between published best practices and real-world practices of treating depression in home health care (HHC), and barriers to closing any gaps. Methods A qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews with HHC nurses and administrators from five home health agencies in five states (n=20). Audio-recorded interviews were transcribed and analyzed by a multi-disciplinary team using grounded theory method to identify themes. Results Routine home health nursing care overlapped with all functional areas of depression care. However, there were reported gaps between best practices and real-world practices. Gaps were associated with perceived scope of practice by HHC nurses, knowledge gaps and low self-efficacy in depression treatment, stigma attached to depression, poor quality of antidepressant management in primary care, and poor communication between HHC and primary care. Conclusions Strategies to close gaps between typical and best practices need to enhance HHC clinician knowledge and self-efficacy with depression treatment and improve the quality of antidepressant management and communication with primary care. PMID:26423098

VT Telecommunication Facilities

Data.gov (United States)

Vermont Center for Geographic Information — (Link to Metadata) The UtilityTelecom_TELEFAC data layer contains points which are intended to represent the location of telecommunications facilities (towers and/or...

Towards Sustainable Health Care Organizations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mauro ROMANELLI

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Health care organizations have to develop a sustainable path for creating public value by seeking legitimacy for building and maintaining public trust with patients as social and economic institutions creating value and sustaining both health and wealth for people and communities within society. Health care organizations having at disposal decreasing resources and meeting increasing demands of citizens are following an unsustainable path. Designing sustainable health care systems and organizations is emerging as a strategic goal for developing the wealth of people and communities over time. Building sustainable organizations relies on valuing human resources, designing efficient and effective processes, using technology for better managing the relationships within and outside organizations. Sustainable health care organizations tend to rediscover the importance of human resource management and policies for effectively improving communication with patients and building trust-based relationships. While processes of accreditation contribute to legitimizing effectiveness and quality of health care services and efficient processes, introducing and using new information and communication technologies (ICTs and informatics helps communication leading to restore trust-based relationships between health care institutions and patients for value creation within society.

47 CFR 32.2002 - Property held for future telecommunications use.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Property held for future telecommunications use. 32.2002 Section 32.2002 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES UNIFORM SYSTEM OF ACCOUNTS FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANIES Instructions for Balance...

47 CFR 54.201 - Definition of eligible telecommunications carriers, generally.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Definition of eligible telecommunications carriers, generally. 54.201 Section 54.201 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED... § 54.201 Definition of eligible telecommunications carriers, generally. (a) Carriers eligible to...

47 CFR 68.106 - Notification to provider of wireline telecommunications.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Notification to provider of wireline telecommunications. 68.106 Section 68.106 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON... of Terminal Equipment § 68.106 Notification to provider of wireline telecommunications. (a) General...

Adherence and health care costs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iuga AO

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Aurel O Iuga,1,2 Maura J McGuire3,4 1Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 2Johns Hopkins University, 3Johns Hopkins Community Physicians, 4Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA Abstract: Medication nonadherence is an important public health consideration, affecting health outcomes and overall health care costs. This review considers the most recent developments in adherence research with a focus on the impact of medication adherence on health care costs in the US health system. We describe the magnitude of the nonadherence problem and related costs, with an extensive discussion of the mechanisms underlying the impact of nonadherence on costs. Specifically, we summarize the impact of nonadherence on health care costs in several chronic diseases, such as diabetes and asthma. A brief analysis of existing research study designs, along with suggestions for future research focus, is provided. Finally, given the ongoing changes in the US health care system, we also address some of the most relevant and current trends in health care, including pharmacist-led medication therapy management and electronic (e-prescribing. Keywords: patient, medication, adherence, compliance, nonadherence, noncompliance, cost

The Case for Deep Space Telecommunications Relay Stations

Science.gov (United States)

Chandler, Charles W.; Miranda, Felix A. (Technical Monitor)

2004-01-01

Each future mission to Jupiter and beyond must carry the traditional suite of telecommunications systems for command and control and for mission data transmission to earth. The telecommunications hardware includes the large antenna and the high-power transmitters that enable the communications link. Yet future spacecraft will be scaled down from the hallmark missions of Galileo and Cassini to Jupiter and Saturn, respectively. This implies that a higher percentage of the spacecraft weight and power must be dedicated to telecommunications system. The following analysis quantifies this impact to future missions and then explores the merits of an alternative approach using deep space relay stations for the link back to earth. It will be demonstrated that a telecommunications relay satellite would reduce S/C telecommunications weight and power sufficiently to add one to two more instruments.

Advancing adolescent health and health services in Saudi Arabia: exploring health-care providers' training, interest, and perceptions of the health-care needs of young people

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

AlBuhairan FS

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Fadia S AlBuhairan,1–3 Tina M Olsson3,4 1Department of Pediatrics, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 2King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 3King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 4School of Social Work, Lund University, Lund, Sweden Background: Adolescent health is regarded as central to global health goals. Investments made in adolescent health and health services protect the improvements witnessed in child health. Though Saudi Arabia has a large adolescent population, adolescent health-care only began to emerge in recent years, yet widespread uptake has been very limited. Health-care providers are key in addressing and providing the necessary health-care services for adolescents, and so this study was conducted with the aim of identifying opportunities for the advancement of knowledge transfer for adolescent health services in Saudi Arabia. Methods: This Web-based, cross-sectional study was carried out at four hospitals in Saudi Arabia. Physicians and nurses were invited to participate in an online survey addressing their contact with adolescent patients, and training, knowledge, and attitudes towards adolescent health-care. Results: A total of 232 professionals participated. The majority (82.3% reported sometimes or always coming into contact with adolescent patients. Less than half (44%, however, had received any sort of training on adolescent health during their undergraduate or postgraduate education, and only 53.9% reported having adequate knowledge about the health-care needs of adolescents. Nurses perceived themselves as having more knowledge in the health-care needs of adolescents and reported feeling more comfortable in communicating with adolescents as compared with physicians. The majority of participants were interested in gaining further skills and knowledge in adolescent health-care and agreed or strongly agreed that adolescents have

TELECOMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE AND GDP /JIPP CURVE/

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mariana Kaneva

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The relationship between telecommunications infrastructure and economic activity is under discussion in many scientific papers. Most of the authors use for research and analysis the Jipp curve. A lot of doubts about the correctness of the Jipp curve appear in terms of applying econometric models. The aim of this study is a review of the Jipp curve, refining the possibility of its application in modern conditions. The methodology used in the study is based on dynamic econometric models, including tests for nonstationarity and tests for causality. The focus of this study is directed to methodological problems in measuring the local density types of telecommunication networks. This study offers a specific methodology for assessing the Jipp law, through VAR-approach and Granger causality tests. It is proved that mechanical substitution of momentary aggregated variables (such as the number of subscribers of a telecommunication network at the end of the year and periodically aggregated variables (such as GDP per capita in the Jipp�s curve is methodologically wrong. Researchers have to reconsider the relationship set in the Jipp�s curve by including additional variables that characterize the Telecommunications sector and the economic activity in a particular country within a specified time period. GDP per capita should not be regarded as a single factor for the local density of telecommunications infrastructure. New econometric models studying the relationship between the investments in telecommunications infrastructure and economic development may be not only linear regression models, but also other econometric models. New econometric models should be proposed after testing and validating with sound economic theory and econometric methodology.

[Strengthening primary health care: a strategy to maximize coordination of care].

Science.gov (United States)

de Almeida, Patty Fidelis; Fausto, Márcia Cristina Rodrigues; Giovanella, Lígia

2011-02-01

To describe and analyze the actions developed in four large cities to strengthen the family health strategy (FHS) in Brazil. Case studies were carried out in Aracaju, Belo Horizonte, Florianópolis, and Vitória based on semi-structured interviews with health care managers. In addition, a cross-sectional study was conducted with questionnaires administered to a sample of FHS workers and services users. Actions needed to strengthen primary health care services were identified in all four cities. These include increasing the number of services offered at the primary health care level, removing barriers to access, restructuring primary services as the entry point to the health care system, enhancing problem-solving capacity (diagnostic and therapeutic support and networking between health units to organize the work process, training, and supervision), as well as improving articulation between surveillance and care actions. The cities studied have gained solid experience in the reorganization of the health care model based on a strengthening of health primary care and of the capacity to undertake the role of health care coordinator. However, to make the primary care level the customary entry point and first choice for users, additional actions are required to balance supplier-induced and consumer-driven demands. Consumer driven demand is the biggest challenge for the organization of teamwork processes. Support for and recognition of FHS as a basis for primary health care is still an issue. Initiatives to make FHS better known to the population, health care professionals at all levels, and civil society organizations are still needed.

Reducing Ex-offender Health Disparities through the Affordable Care Act: Fostering Improved Health Care Access and Linkages to Integrated Care

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lacreisha Ejike-King

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Despite steadily declining incarceration rates overall, racial and ethnic minorities, namely African Americans, Latinos, and American Indians and Alaska Natives, continue to be disproportionately represented in the justice system. Ex-offenders commonly reenter communities with pressing health conditions but encounter obstacles to accessing care and remaining in care. The lack of health insurance coverage and medical treatment emerge as the some of the most reported reentry health needs and may contribute to observed health disparities. Linking ex-offenders to care and services upon release increases the likelihood that they will remain in care and practice successful disease management. The Affordable Care Act (ACA offers opportunities to address health disparities experienced by the reentry population that places them at risk for negative health outcomes and recidivism. Coordinated efforts to link ex-offenders with these newly available opportunities may result in a trajectory for positive health and overall well-being as they reintegrate into society.

Mobile telecommunication networks choice among Ghanaians

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Boateng Henry

2013-07-01

Full Text Available The paper investigates the factors influencing customers choice of telecommunication network in Ghana. The survey design was employed to enable the researchers perform statistical analysis. Questionnaire consisting of Likert scale question was used to collect the primary data. Multiple regression analysis was performed to ascertain the factors influencing customers’ choice of telecommunication networks. The study found six factors that influence customers to choose a particular network. These factors include; brand awareness, brand image, perceived quality, price, convenience and brand loyalty. The study concludes that all the six factors contribute to the factors that drive consumer choice of telecommunications service in Ghana.

Remote diagnosis via a telecommunication satellite--ultrasonic tomographic image transmission experiments.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakajima, I; Inokuchi, S; Tajima, T; Takahashi, T

1985-04-01

An experiment to transmit ultrasonic tomographic section images required for remote medical diagnosis and care was conducted using the mobile telecommunication satellite OSCAR-10. The images received showed the intestinal condition of a patient incapable of verbal communication, however the image screen had a fairly coarse particle structure. On the basis of these experiments, were considered as the transmission of ultrasonic tomographic images extremely effective in remote diagnosis.

How to achieve care coordination inside health care organizations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Prætorius, Thim; C. Becker, Markus

2015-01-01

Understanding how health care organizations can achieve care coordination internally is essential because it is difficult to achieve, but essential for high quality and efficient health care delivery. This article offers an answer by providing a synthesis of knowledge about coordination from...

Mobile Health for Mental Health in West Africa: The Case for Ghana.

Science.gov (United States)

Ben-Zeev, Dror

2018-03-15

Although underdeveloped in mental health care, the sub-Saharan country of Ghana is advanced in telecommunications. In this context, innovative mobile health (mHealth) approaches may help to overcome limited infrastructure (lack of clinics, trained professionals, and landlines) and to address significant unmet public mental health needs. The Technology in Mental Health editor reports on travels to Ghana to assess the viability of mHealth for mental health initiatives in the region. He found that stakeholders from all sectors (patients, providers, government officials, and traditional and faith healers) were open to exploring whether mHealth approaches could promote more humane care, reduce human rights violations, and improve the clinical outcomes of those in need. mHealth strategies that use audio and video content to overcome barriers associated with limited literacy may be most suitable. To succeed, any mHealth model must be culturally and contextually adapted to fit the needs, beliefs, and capacities of Ghanaian users.

Health Care Reform: a Socialist Vision

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martha Livingston

2010-04-01

Full Text Available At first glance, it doesn't seem as though socialism and health-care reform have a whole lot to do with each other. After all, the most visible "left" position in the current discussion of health-care reform merely advocates for the government to assume the function of national insurer, leaving the delivery of health care - from its often-questionable content to its hierarchical relationships - firmly in place. As such, a single payer, Medicare-for-All insurance program is a modest, even tepid reform. Those of us on the left who have been active in the single payer movement have always seen it as a steppingstone toward health-care justice: until the question of access to care is solved, how do we even begin to address not only health care but also health inequities? How, for example, can working-class Americans, Americans of color, and women demand appropriate, respectful, humane, first-rate care when our ability to access any health-care services at all is so tightly constrained?

Gender disparities in health care.

Science.gov (United States)

Kent, Jennifer A; Patel, Vinisha; Varela, Natalie A

2012-01-01

The existence of disparities in delivery of health care has been the subject of increased empirical study in recent years. Some studies have suggested that disparities between men and women exist in the diagnoses and treatment of health conditions, and as a result measures have been taken to identify these differences. This article uses several examples to illustrate health care gender bias in medicine. These examples include surgery, peripheral artery disease, cardiovascular disease, critical care, and cardiovascular risk factors. Additionally, we discuss reasons why these issues still occur, trends in health care that may address these issues, and the need for acknowledgement of the current system's inequities in order to provide unbiased care for women in the future. © 2012 Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

Gender and communication style in general practice: differences between women's health care and regular health care.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brink-Muinen, A. van den; Bensing, J.M.; Kerssens, J.J.

1998-01-01

Objectives: differences were investigated between general practitioners providing women's health care (4 women) and general practitioners providing regular health care (8 women and 8 men). Expectations were formulated on the basis of the principles of women's health care and literature about gender

Estimating network effects in China's mobile telecommunications

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2005-01-01

A model is proposed along with empirical investigation to prove the existence of network effects in China's mobile telecommunications market. Futhernore, network effects on China's mobile telecommunications are estimated with a dynamic model. The structural parameters are identified from regression coefficients and the results are analyzed and compared with another literature. Data and estimation issues are also discussed. Conclusions are drawn that network effects are significant in China's mobile telecommunications market, and that ignoring network effects leads to bad policy making.

77 FR 75182 - President's National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee

Science.gov (United States)

2012-12-19

... Telecommunications Advisory Committee AGENCY: National Protection and Programs Directorate, DHS. ACTION: Committee... Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC) will meet on Friday, January 11, 2013, via... related to national security and emergency preparedness telecommunications policy. Agenda: The NSTAC...

Telecommunication Value Network in Malaysia

OpenAIRE

Ong, Li Chien

2009-01-01

Business network is believed to offer a superior way of managing the challenges related to the uncertainty and complexity of the contemporary business environment in Malaysia telecommunication industry. This study strives to analyze the value business network in Malaysia telecommunication industry with emphasize on the market leader, Maxis Communication Bhd in its mobile content services. The business network represents the form of organization where the focal company focuses on certain key a...

Health care law versus constitutional law.

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Mark A

2013-04-01

National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius, the Supreme Court's ruling on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, is a landmark decision - both for constitutional law and for health care law and policy. Others will study its implications for constitutional limits on a range of federal powers beyond health care. This article considers to what extent the decision is also about health care law, properly conceived. Under one view, health care law is the subdiscipline that inquires how courts and government actors take account of the special features of medicine that make legal or policy issues especially problematic - rather than regarding health care delivery and finance more generically, like most any other economic or social enterprise. Viewed this way, the opinions from the Court's conservative justices are mainly about general constitutional law principles. In contrast, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's dissenting opinion for the four more liberal justices is just as much about health care law as it is about constitutional law. Her opinion gives detailed attention to the unique features of health care finance and delivery in order to inform her analysis of constitutional precedents and principles. Thus, the Court's multiple opinions give a vivid depiction of the compelling contrasts between communal versus individualistic conceptions of caring for those in need, and between health care and health insurance as ordinary commodities versus ones that merit special economic, social, and legal status.

Telecommunications Technology and Service Changes Since the Telecommunications Act of 1996

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Simmons, Matthew

2002-01-01

The Telecom Act of 1996 was intended to address the lack of competition and reduce regulation in local telephone services and in other areas of the telecommunications sector, The competitive situation...

Quality Improvement in Athletic Health Care.

Science.gov (United States)

Lopes Sauers, Andrea D; Sauers, Eric L; Valier, Alison R Snyder

2017-11-01

  Quality improvement (QI) is a health care concept that ensures patients receive high-quality (safe, timely, effective, efficient, equitable, patient-centered) and affordable care. Despite its importance, the application of QI in athletic health care has been limited.   To describe the need for and define QI in health care, to describe how to measure quality in health care, and to present a QI case in athletic training.   As the athletic training profession continues to grow, a widespread engagement in QI efforts is necessary to establish the value of athletic training services for the patients that we serve. A review of the importance of QI in health care, historical perspectives of QI, tools to drive QI efforts, and examples of common QI initiatives is presented to assist clinicians in better understanding the value of QI for advancing athletic health care and the profession. Clinical and Research Advantages:  By engaging clinicians in strategies to measure outcomes and improve their patient care services, QI practice can help athletic trainers provide high-quality and affordable care to patients.

Discrimination and Delayed Health Care Among Transgender Women and Men: Implications for Improving Medical Education and Health Care Delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Jaffee, Kim D; Shires, Deirdre A; Stroumsa, Daphna

2016-11-01

The transgender community experiences health care discrimination and approximately 1 in 4 transgender people were denied equal treatment in health care settings. Discrimination is one of the many factors significantly associated with health care utilization and delayed care. We assessed factors associated with delayed medical care due to discrimination among transgender patients, and evaluated the relationship between perceived provider knowledge and delayed care using Anderson's behavioral model of health services utilization. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to test whether predisposing, enabling, and health system factors were associated with delaying needed care for transgender women and transgender men. A sample of 3486 transgender participants who took part in the National Transgender Discrimination Survey in 2008 and 2009. Predisposing, enabling, and health system environment factors, and delayed needed health care. Overall, 30.8% of transgender participants delayed or did not seek needed health care due to discrimination. Respondents who had to teach health care providers about transgender people were 4 times more likely to delay needed health care due to discrimination. Transgender patients who need to teach their providers about transgender people are significantly more likely to postpone or not seek needed care. Systemic changes in provider education and training, along with health care system adaptations to ensure appropriate, safe, and respectful care, are necessary to close the knowledge and treatment gaps and prevent delayed care with its ensuing long-term health implications.

Evidence from district level inputs to improve quality of care for maternal and newborn health: interventions and findings.

Science.gov (United States)

Salam, Rehana A; Lassi, Zohra S; Das, Jai K; Bhutta, Zulfiqar A

2014-09-04

District level healthcare serves as a nexus between community and district level facilities. Inputs at the district level can be broadly divided into governance and accountability mechanisms; leadership and supervision; financial platforms; and information systems. This paper aims to evaluate the effectivness of district level inputs for imporving maternal and newborn health. We considered all available systematic reviews published before May 2013 on the pre-defined district level interventions and included 47 systematic reviews. Evidence suggests that supervision positively influenced provider's practice, knowledge and client/provider satisfaction. Involving local opinion leaders to promote evidence-based practice improved compliance to the desired practice. Audit and feedback mechanisms and tele-medicine were found to be associated with improved immunization rates and mammogram uptake. User-directed financial schemes including maternal vouchers, user fee exemption and community based health insurance showed significant impact on maternal health service utilization with voucher schemes showing the most significant positive impact across all range of outcomes including antenatal care, skilled birth attendant, institutional delivery, complicated delivery and postnatal care. We found insufficient evidence to support or refute the use of electronic health record systems and telemedicine technology to improve maternal and newborn health specific outcomes. There is dearth of evidence on the effectiveness of district level inputs to improve maternal newborn health outcomes. Future studies should evaluate the impact of supervision and monitoring; electronic health record and tele-communication interventions in low-middle-income countries.

Health care and equity in India.

Science.gov (United States)

Balarajan, Y; Selvaraj, S; Subramanian, S V

2011-02-05

In India, despite improvements in access to health care, inequalities are related to socioeconomic status, geography, and gender, and are compounded by high out-of-pocket expenditures, with more than three-quarters of the increasing financial burden of health care being met by households. Health-care expenditures exacerbate poverty, with about 39 million additional people falling into poverty every year as a result of such expenditures. We identify key challenges for the achievement of equity in service provision, and equity in financing and financial risk protection in India. These challenges include an imbalance in resource allocation, inadequate physical access to high-quality health services and human resources for health, high out-of-pocket health expenditures, inflation in health spending, and behavioural factors that affect the demand for appropriate health care. Use of equity metrics in monitoring, assessment, and strategic planning; investment in development of a rigorous knowledge base of health-systems research; development of a refined equity-focused process of deliberative decision making in health reform; and redefinition of the specific responsibilities and accountabilities of key actors are needed to try to achieve equity in health care in India. The implementation of these principles with strengthened public health and primary-care services will help to ensure a more equitable health care for India's population. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

78 FR 45255 - President's National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-26

... Telecommunications Advisory Committee AGENCY: National Protection and Programs Directorate, DHS. [[Page 45256... President's National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC) will meet on Tuesday, August 20... related to national security and emergency preparedness (NS/EP) telecommunications policy. Agenda: The...

A Telecommunications Industry Primer: A Systems Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Obermier, Timothy R.; Tuttle, Ronald H.

2003-01-01

Describes the Telecommunications Systems Model to help technical educators and students understand the increasingly complex telecommunications infrastructure. Specifically looks at ownership and regulatory status, service providers, transport medium, network protocols, and end-user services. (JOW)

75 FR 3913 - President's National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-25

...] President's National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee AGENCY: National Communications System... Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC) will be meeting by teleconference; the meeting will be open to the... implementing national security and emergency preparedness telecommunications policy. Notice of this meeting is...

Health care of youth aging out of foster care.

Science.gov (United States)

2012-12-01

Youth transitioning out of foster care face significant medical and mental health care needs. Unfortunately, these youth rarely receive the services they need because of lack of health insurance. Through many policies and programs, the federal government has taken steps to support older youth in foster care and those aging out. The Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 (Pub L No. 110-354) requires states to work with youth to develop a transition plan that addresses issues such as health insurance. In addition, beginning in 2014, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (Pub L No. 111-148) makes youth aging out of foster care eligible for Medicaid coverage until age 26 years, regardless of income. Pediatricians can support youth aging out of foster care by working collaboratively with the child welfare agency in their state to ensure that the ongoing health needs of transitioning youth are met.

The Impact of Health Insurance on Health Care Provision in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study assesses the impact of the NHIS scheme in promoting access to health care. It identifies a need for all stakeholders to engage in the active promotion of awareness on health insurance as option of health care provisioning. It argues that health insurance can make health care more accessible to a wider segment ...

What Contributes Most to High Health Care Costs? Health Care Spending in High Resource Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Pritchard, Daryl; Petrilla, Allison; Hallinan, Shawn; Taylor, Donald H; Schabert, Vernon F; Dubois, Robert W

2016-02-01

U.S. health care spending nearly doubled in the decade from 2000-2010. Although the pace of increase has moderated recently, the rate of growth of health care costs is expected to be higher than the growth in the economy for the near future. Previous studies have estimated that 5% of patients account for half of all health care costs, while the top 1% of spenders account for over 27% of costs. The distribution of health care expenditures by type of service and the prevalence of particular health conditions for these patients is not clear, and is likely to differ from the overall population. To examine health care spending patterns and what contributes to costs for the top 5% of managed health care users based on total expenditures. This retrospective observational study employed a large administrative claims database analysis of health care claims of managed care enrollees across the full age and care spectrum. Direct health care expenditures were compared during calendar year 2011 by place of service (outpatient, inpatient, and pharmacy), payer type (commercially insured, Medicare Advantage, and Medicaid managed care), and therapy area between the full population and high resource patients (HRP). The mean total expenditure per HRP during calendar year 2011 was $43,104 versus $3,955 per patient for the full population. Treatment of back disorders and osteoarthritis contributed the largest share of expenditures in both HRP and the full study population, while chronic renal failure, heart disease, and some oncology treatments accounted for disproportionately higher expenditures in HRP. The share of overall expenditures attributed to inpatient services was significantly higher for HRP (40.0%) compared with the full population (24.6%), while the share of expenditures attributed to pharmacy (HRP = 18.1%, full = 21.4%) and outpatient services (HRP = 41.9%, full = 54.1%) was reduced. This pattern was observed across payer type. While the use of physician

47 CFR 32.2000 - Instructions for telecommunications plant accounts.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... known, of telecommunications plant, governmental franchises and other similar rights acquired shall be..., and Property Held For Future Telecommunications Use, as appropriate, and credited to Account 1439... depreciation, or Account 3200, Accumulated depreciation—held for future telecommunications use, or Account 3410...

31 CFR 594.508 - Transactions related to telecommunications authorized.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... telecommunications authorized. 594.508 Section 594.508 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and... related to telecommunications authorized. All transactions ordinarily incident to the receipt or transmission of telecommunications involving persons whose property or interests in property are blocked...

75 FR 29781 - President's National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee

Science.gov (United States)

2010-05-27

...] President's National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee AGENCY: National Protection and Programs... Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC) will be meeting by teleconference; the meeting will... telecommunications policy. Notice of this meeting is given under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), Public...

31 CFR 545.508 - Transactions related to telecommunications authorized.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... telecommunications authorized. 545.508 Section 545.508 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and... related to telecommunications authorized. All transactions ordinarily incident to the receipt or transmission of telecommunications involving the territory of Afghanistan controlled by the Taliban are...

Challenges in mental health care in the Family Health Strategy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Consuelo Helena Aires de Freitas

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Objective: To discuss the practice of mental health care performed by healthcare professionals from the Family Health Strategy in Fortaleza-CE, Brazil. Methods: This is a critical and reflective study conducted in six Basic Health Units in Fortaleza-Ce. The study subjects were 12 health workers of the following professions: doctor, nurse, community health agents and technical and/or nursing assistant. Semi-structured interviews, systematic observationand questionnaire were used for data collection. The empirical analysis was based on an understanding of the discourses through critical hermeneutics. Results: It was evident that the mental health services are developed by some health workers in the ESF, such as, matrix support, relational technologies, home visits and community group therapy. However, there is still deficiency in training/coaching by most professionals in primary care, due to anenduring model of pathological or curative health care. Conclusion: Mental health care is still occasionally held by some workers in primary care. However, some progresses are already present as matrix support, relational technologies in health care, home visits andcommunity therapy.

Regionalizing Telecommunications Reform in West Africa

OpenAIRE

World Bank

2007-01-01

This report assesses the potential gains from regionalized telecommunications policy in West Africa. The report seeks to assist officials in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the West African Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA) and member states in designing an effective regional regulatory process. To this end, the report: (i) discusses how regional coop...

Health Care Performance Indicators for Health Information Systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Hyppönen, Hannele; Ronchi, Elettra; Adler-Milstein, Julia

2016-01-01

Health Information Systems (HISs) are expected to have a positive impact on quality and efficiency of health care. Rapid investment in and diffusion of HISs has increased the importance of monitoring the adoption and impacts of them in order to learn from the initiatives, and to provide decision makers evidence on the role of HISs in improving health care. However, reliable and comparable data across initiatives in various countries are rarely available. A four-phase approach is used to compare different HIS indicator methodologies in order to move ahead in defining HIS indicators for monitoring effects of HIS on health care performance. Assessed approaches are strong on different aspects, which provide some opportunities for learning across them but also some challenges. As yet, all of the approaches do not define goals for monitoring formally. Most focus on health care structural and process indicators (HIS availability and intensity of use). However, many approaches are generic in description of HIS functionalities and context as well as their impact mechanisms on health care for HIS benchmarking. The conclusion is that, though structural and process indicators of HIS interventions are prerequisites for monitoring HIS impacts on health care outputs and outcomes, more explicit definition is needed of HIS contexts, goals, functionalities and their impact mechanisms in order to move towards common process and outcome indicators. A bottom-up-approach (participation of users) could improve development and use of context-sensitive HIS indicators.

Attending Unintended Transformations of Health Care Infrastructure

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wentzer, Helle; Bygholm, Ann

2007-01-01

Introduction: Western health care is under pressure from growing demands on quality and efficiency. The development and implementation of information technology, IT is a key mean of health care authorities to improve on health care infrastructure. Theory and methods: Against a background of theor......Introduction: Western health care is under pressure from growing demands on quality and efficiency. The development and implementation of information technology, IT is a key mean of health care authorities to improve on health care infrastructure. Theory and methods: Against a background...

The Oral Health Care Manager in a Patient-Centered Health Facility.

Science.gov (United States)

Theile, Cheryl Westphal; Strauss, Shiela M; Northridge, Mary Evelyn; Birenz, Shirley

2016-06-01

The dental hygienist team member has an opportunity to coordinate care within an interprofessional practice as an oral health care manager. Although dental hygienists are currently practicing within interprofessional teams in settings such as pediatric offices, hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and federally qualified health centers, they often still assume traditional responsibilities rather than practicing to the full extent of their training and licenses. This article explains the opportunity for the dental hygiene professional to embrace patient-centered care as an oral health care manager who can facilitate integration of oral and primary care in a variety of health care settings. Based on an innovative model of collaboration between a college of dentistry and a college of nursing, an idea emerged among several faculty members for a new management method for realizing continuity and coordination of comprehensive patient care. Involved faculty members began working on the development of an approach to interprofessional practice with the dental hygienist serving as an oral health care manager who would address both oral health care and a patient's related primary care issues through appropriate referrals and follow-up. This approach is explained in this article, along with the results of several pilot studies that begin to evaluate the feasibility of a dental hygienist as an oral health care manager. A health care provider with management skills and leadership qualities is required to coordinate the interprofessional provision of comprehensive health care. The dental hygienist has the opportunity to lead closer integration of oral and primary care as an oral health care manager, by coordinating the team of providers needed to implement comprehensive, patient-centered care. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

75 FR 16159 - President's National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-31

...] President's National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee AGENCY: National Communications System... Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC) will hold its annual meeting on May 6, 2010. The meeting will be open... preparedness telecommunications policy. Notice of this meeting is given under the Federal Advisory Committee...

Diaspora, disease, and health care.

Science.gov (United States)

Wick, Jeannette Y; Zanni, Guido R

2007-03-01

When groups of people relocate from their homelands to other nations, especially if the movement is involuntary, minority populations are created in the countries that receive them. The issues related to these diaspora and diasporic communities--any groups that have been dispersed outside their traditional homelands--are financial, social, historical, political, or religious. In health care, issues include heritable diseases, cultural barriers, patients' health care beliefs, and unique disease presentations. In long-term care, many residents and health care providers have relocated to the United States from other countries.

Have out-of-pocket health care payments risen under free health care policy? The case of Sri Lanka.

Science.gov (United States)

Pallegedara, Asankha; Grimm, Michael

2018-04-26

Compared to its neighbors, Sri Lanka performs well in terms of health. Health care is provided for free in the public sector, yet households' out-of-pocket health expenditures are steadily increasing. We explore whether this increase can be explained by supply shortages and insufficient public health care financing or whether it is rather the result of an income-induced demand for supplementary and higher quality services from the private sector. We focus on total health care expenditures and health care expenditures for specific services such as expenses on private outpatient treatments and expenses on laboratory and other diagnostic services. Overall, we find little indication that limited supply of public health care per se pushes patients into the private sector. Yet income is identified as one key driver of rising health care expenditures, ie, as households get richer, they spend an increasing amount on private services suggesting a dissatisfaction with the quality offered by the public sector. Hence, quality improvements in the public sector seem to be necessary to ensure sustainability of the public health care sector. If the rich and the middle class increasingly opt out of public health care, the willingness to pay taxes to finance the free health care policy will certainly shrink. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. The International Journal of Health Planning and Management published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Health system challenges to integration of mental health delivery in primary care in Kenya--perspectives of primary care health workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Jenkins, Rachel; Othieno, Caleb; Okeyo, Stephen; Aruwa, Julyan; Kingora, James; Jenkins, Ben

2013-09-30

Health system weaknesses in Africa are broadly well known, constraining progress on reducing the burden of both communicable and non-communicable disease (Afr Health Monitor, Special issue, 2011, 14-24), and the key challenges in leadership, governance, health workforce, medical products, vaccines and technologies, information, finance and service delivery have been well described (Int Arch Med, 2008, 1:27). This paper uses focus group methodology to explore health worker perspectives on the challenges posed to integration of mental health into primary care by generic health system weakness. Two ninety minute focus groups were conducted in Nyanza province, a poor agricultural region of Kenya, with 20 health workers drawn from a randomised controlled trial to evaluate the impact of a mental health training programme for primary care, 10 from the intervention group clinics where staff had received the training programme, and 10 health workers from the control group where staff had not received the training). These focus group discussions suggested that there are a number of generic health system weaknesses in Kenya which impact on the ability of health workers to care for clients with mental health problems and to implement new skills acquired during a mental health continuing professional development training programmes. These weaknesses include the medicine supply, health management information system, district level supervision to primary care clinics, the lack of attention to mental health in the national health sector targets, and especially its absence in district level targets, which results in the exclusion of mental health from such district level supervision as exists, and the lack of awareness in the district management team about mental health. The lack of mental health coverage included in HIV training courses experienced by the health workers was also striking, as was the intensive focus during district supervision on HIV to the detriment of other

Health care entrepreneurship: financing innovation.

Science.gov (United States)

Grazier, Kyle L; Metzler, Bridget

2006-01-01

Entrepreneurship is often described as the ability to create new ventures from new or existing concepts, ideas and visions. There has been significant entrepreneurial response to the changes in the scientific and social underpinnings of health care services delivery. However, a growing portion of the economic development driving health care industry expansion is threatened further by longstanding use of financing models that are suboptimal for health care ventures. The delayed pace of entrepreneurial activity in this industry is in part a response to the general economy and markets, but also due to the lack of capital for new health care ventures. The recent dearth of entrepreneurial activities in the health services sector may also due to failure to consider new approaches to partnerships and strategic ventures, despite their mutually beneficial organizational and financing potential. As capital becomes more scarce for innovators, it is imperative that those with new and creative ideas for health and health care improvement consider techniques for capital acquisition that have been successful in other industries and at similar stages of development. The capital and added expertise can allow entrepreneurs to leverage resources, dampen business fluctuations, and strengthen long term prospects.

Private sector in public health care systems

OpenAIRE

Matějusová, Lenka

2008-01-01

This master thesis is trying to describe the situation of private sector in public health care systems. As a private sector we understand patients, private health insurance companies and private health care providers. The focus is placed on private health care providers, especially in ambulatory treatment. At first there is a definition of health as a main determinant of a health care systems, definition of public and private sectors in health care systems and the difficulties at the market o...

Telecommunications

OpenAIRE

Fransman, Martin; Krafft, Jackie

2002-01-01

What is the telecommunications industry? How does it relate to other activities in areas such as computing, software, semiconductors, the internet and electronic commerce, and the media? Where are its boundaries? What products and services should be included within it? What are its major markets? Which companies should be included in the industry? In this paper, we tackle these important questions by developing a layer model in order to map the industry. Layer models generally have a long and...

Dealing with Health and Health Care System Challenges in China: assessing health determinants and health care reforms

NARCIS (Netherlands)

H. Zhang (Hao)

2017-01-01

markdownabstractThis dissertation investigates the challenges faced by China around 2010 in two domains – population health and the health care system. Specifically, chapters 2 and 3 are devoted to health challenges, explaining the female health disadvantage in later life and assessing the effect

Behavioral Health and Health Care Reform Models: Patient-Centered Medical Home, Health Home, and Accountable Care Organization

OpenAIRE

Bao, Yuhua; Casalino, Lawrence P.; Pincus, Harold Alan

2013-01-01

Discussions of health care delivery and payment reforms have largely been silent about how behavioral health could be incorporated into reform initiatives. This paper draws attention to four patient populations defined by the severity of their behavioral health conditions and insurance status. It discusses the potentials and limitations of three prominent models promoted by the Affordable Care Act to serve populations with behavioral health conditions: the Patient Centered Medical Home, the H...

Rationalising health care in india : Challenges & strategies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K I Mathai

2014-01-01

Full Text Available An overview of health care delivery in India is essential, if we are to plan and to improve health care delivery and the indices of health in the coming decades. The health sector in India is a mix of private and government services. While some health care indices appear dismal, several others, including life expectancy are heartening. A balance between regulation and free enterprise is possibly the best option. In this paper we provide a glimpse of health and health related statistics & a n overview of the public health care delivery systems. In the end, we offer suggestion on rationalisation of health care delivery to provide maximum services for the majority of our population within the budget of an optimal health care system outlay

Health federalism: the role of health care professionals in Nepal.

Science.gov (United States)

Dulal, R K

2009-01-01

Nepal has entered from its unitary system into a new "Federal Democratic Republic State". The current constitution presents basic health care services as a fundamental right. The Ministry for Health and Population has been providing resources to meet health demands, but managers are wrestling to meet these demands. Persistent disparities between rural and urban and across regions resulted inferior health outcomes, e.g., life expectancy in an urban district like Bhaktapur is 71 years, whereas in the rural district of Mugu it is 44 years. The poor health and poor access to health care in the past systems prompted people to seek a different model. Ultimately, all political parties except one have agreed on federalism. The exact number of federal states that are going to be created is unknown. In federalism, all federated states have to assume certain relationships between the locality, the region, and the nation that apply not only in politics but in health care too. Managing changes in health care organization during the transitional period and after restructuring the unitary Nepal into federal states should be carefully planned. In case, if new system also fails to deliver necessary health care services, the possibility of igniting of dissatisfaction, public unrest and even disintegration cannot be ignored. In order to outline a structure and give life to a health care system under federalism, health care professionals need to engage themselves seriously.

Health care need

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hasman, Andreas; Hope, Tony; Østerdal, Lars Peter

2006-01-01

The argument that scarce health care resources should be distributed so that patients in 'need' are given priority for treatment is rarely contested. In this paper, we argue that if need is to play a significant role in distributive decisions it is crucial that what is meant by need can be precis......The argument that scarce health care resources should be distributed so that patients in 'need' are given priority for treatment is rarely contested. In this paper, we argue that if need is to play a significant role in distributive decisions it is crucial that what is meant by need can...... be precisely articulated. Following a discussion of the general features of health care need, we propose three principal interpretations of need, each of which focuses on separate intuitions. Although this account may not be a completely exhaustive reflection of what people mean when they refer to need...

31 CFR 585.513 - Transactions related to telecommunications authorized.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... telecommunications authorized. 585.513 Section 585.513 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and... Transactions related to telecommunications authorized. (a) All transactions of U.S. common carriers with respect to the receipt and transmission of telecommunications involving the FRY (S&M) are authorized...

31 CFR 586.510 - Transactions related to telecommunications authorized.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... telecommunications authorized. 586.510 Section 586.510 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and... Licensing Policy § 586.510 Transactions related to telecommunications authorized. All transactions with respect to the receipt and transmission of telecommunications involving the FRY (S&M) are authorized. This...

Health care utilization

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jacobsen, Christian Bøtcher; Andersen, Lotte Bøgh; Serritzlew, Søren

An important task in governing health services is to control costs. The literatures on both costcontainment and supplier induced demand focus on the effects of economic incentives on health care costs, but insights from these literatures have never been integrated. This paper asks how economic cost...... containment measures affect the utilization of health services, and how these measures interact with the number of patients per provider. Based on very valid register data, this is investigated for 9.556 Danish physiotherapists between 2001 and 2008. We find that higher (relative) fees for a given service...... make health professionals provide more of this service to each patient, but that lower user payment (unexpectedly) does not necessarily mean higher total cost or a stronger association between the number of patients per supplier and the health care utilization. This implies that incentives...

Solidarity as a national health care strategy.

Science.gov (United States)

West-Oram, Peter

2018-05-02

The Trump Administration's recent attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act have reignited long-running debates surrounding the nature of justice in health care provision, the extent of our obligations to others, and the most effective ways of funding and delivering quality health care. In this article, I respond to arguments that individualist systems of health care provision deliver higher-quality health care and promote liberty more effectively than the cooperative, solidaristic approaches that characterize health care provision in most wealthy countries apart from the United States. I argue that these claims are mistaken and suggest one way of rejecting the implied criticisms of solidaristic practices in health care provision they represent. This defence of solidarity is phrased in terms of the advantages solidaristic approaches to health care provision have over individualist alternatives in promoting certain important personal liberties, and delivering high-quality, affordable health care. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Future of Home Health Care

Science.gov (United States)

Landers, Steven; Madigan, Elizabeth; Leff, Bruce; Rosati, Robert J.; McCann, Barbara A.; Hornbake, Rodney; MacMillan, Richard; Jones, Kate; Bowles, Kathryn; Dowding, Dawn; Lee, Teresa; Moorhead, Tracey; Rodriguez, Sally; Breese, Erica

2016-01-01

The Future of Home Health project sought to support transformation of home health and home-based care to meet the needs of patients in the evolving U.S. health care system. Interviews with key thought leaders and stakeholders resulted in key themes about the future of home health care. By synthesizing this qualitative research, a literature review, case studies, and the themes from a 2014 Institute of Medicine and National Research Council workshop on “The Future of Home Health Care,” the authors articulate a vision for home-based care and recommend a bold framework for the Medicare-certified home health agency of the future. The authors also identify challenges and recommendations for achievement of this framework. PMID:27746670

Health care expenditure for hospital-based delivery care in Lao PDR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Douangvichit Daovieng

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Delivery by a skilled birth attendant (SBA in a hospital is advocated to improve maternal health; however, hospital expenses for delivery care services are a concern for women and their families, particularly for women who pay out-of-pocket. Although health insurance is now implemented in Lao PDR, it is not universal throughout the country. The objectives of this study are to estimate the total health care expenses for vaginal delivery and caesarean section, to determine the association between health insurance and family income with health care expenditure and assess the effect of health insurance from the perspectives of the women and the skilled birth attendants (SBAs in Lao PDR. Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out in two provincial hospitals in Lao PDR, from June to October 2010. Face to face interviews of 581 women who gave birth in hospital and 27 SBAs was carried out. Both medical and non-medical expenses were considered. A linear regression model was used to assess influencing factors on health care expenditure and trends of medical and non-medical expenditure by monthly family income stratified by mode of delivery were assessed. Results Of 581 women, 25% had health care insurance. Health care expenses for delivery care services were significantly higher for caesarean section (270 USD than for vaginal delivery (59 USD. After adjusting for the effect of hospital, family income was significantly associated with all types of expenditure in caesarean section, while it was associated with non-medical and total expenditures in vaginal delivery. Both delivering women and health providers thought that health insurance increased the utilisation of delivery care. Conclusions Substantially higher delivery care expenses were incurred for caesarean section compared to vaginal delivery. Three-fourths of the women who were not insured needed to be responsible for their own health care payment. Women who had higher family

Health Care Personnel Perception of the Privacy of Electronic Health Records.

Science.gov (United States)

Saito, Kenji; Shofer, Frances S; Saberi, Poune; Green-McKenzie, Judith

2017-06-01

: Health care facilities are increasingly converting paper medical records to electronic health records. This study investigates the perception of privacy health care personnel have of electronic health records. A pilot tested, anonymous survey was administered to a convenience sample of health care personnel. Standard summary statistics and Chi-square analysis were used to assess differences in perception. Of the 93% (96/103) who responded, 65% were female and 43% white. The mean age was 44.3 years. Most (94%) felt that Medical Record privacy was important and one-third reported they would not seek care at their workplace if Electronic Health Records were used. Efforts to assure and communicate the integrity of electronic health records are essential toward reducing deterrents for health care personnel to access geographically convenient and timely health care.

Health Literacy and Communication Quality in Health Care Organizations

Science.gov (United States)

Wynia, Matthew K.; Osborn, Chandra Y.

2011-01-01

The relationship between limited health literacy and poor health may be due to poor communication quality within health care delivery organizations. We explored the relationship between health literacy status and receiving patient-centered communication in clinics and hospitals serving communication-vulnerable patient populations. Thirteen health care organizations nationwide distributed a survey to 5,929 patients. All patients completed seven items assessing patient-centered communication. One third also completed three items assessing health literacy. The majority of patients had self-reported health literacy challenges, reporting problems learning about their medical condition because of difficulty understanding written information (53%), a lack of confidence in completing medical forms by themselves (61%), and needing someone to help them read hospital/clinic materials (57%). Logistic regression models showed that, after adjustment for patient demographic characteristics and health care organization type, patients with limited health literacy were 28–79% less likely than those with adequate health literacy to report their health care organization “always” provides patient-centered communication across seven communication items. Using a scaled composite of these items, limited health literacy remained associated with lower reported communication quality. These results suggest that improving communication quality in health care organizations might help to address the challenges facing patients with limited health literacy. They also highlight that efforts to address the needs of patients with limited health literacy should be sensitive to the range of communication challenges confronting these patients and their caregivers. PMID:20845197

Planning for health care transitions: results from the 2005-2006 National Survey of Children With Special Health Care Needs.

Science.gov (United States)

Lotstein, Debra S; Ghandour, Reem; Cash, Amanda; McGuire, Elizabeth; Strickland, Bonnie; Newacheck, Paul

2009-01-01

Many youth with special health care needs have difficulties transferring to adult medical care. To address this, the Maternal and Child Health Bureau has made receipt of transition services a core performance outcome for community-based systems of care for youth with special health care needs. In this article we describe the results for the transition core outcome from the 2005-2006 National Survey of Children With Special Health Care Needs. We also describe changes in the measurement strategy for this outcome since the first National Survey of Children With Special Health Care Needs in 2001. In the nationally representative, cross-sectional 2005-2006 National Survey of Children With Special Health Care Needs, parent or guardian respondents of 18198 youth with special health care needs (aged 12-17) were asked if they have had discussions with their child's health care providers about (1) future adult providers, (2) future adult health care needs, (3) changes in health insurance, and (4) encouraging their child to take responsibility for his or her care. All 4 components had to be met for the youth to meet the overall transition core outcome. Those who had not had transition discussions reported if such discussions would have been helpful. Overall, 41% of youth with special health care needs met the core performance outcome for transition. Forty-two percent had discussed shifting care to an adult provider, 62% discussed their child's adult health care needs, and 34% discussed upcoming changes in health insurance. Most (78%) respondents said that providers usually or always encourage their child to take responsibility for his or her health. Non-Hispanic black or Hispanic race/ethnicity, lower income level, not speaking English, and not having a medical home reduced the odds of meeting the transition core outcome. Current performance on the transition core outcome leaves much room for improvement. Many parents feel that having transition-related discussions with their

Telecommunications, politics, economics, and national sovereignty: A new game

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bugliarello, G.

1996-12-31

The impact of telecommunications on politics, economics and national sovereignty is creating a new game. Political and economic power may operate over the same territory, as in the now-rare case of isolated economies, but, more often, their domains do not coincide. Increasingly, telecommunications create major challenges for countries preoccupied with issues of national sovereignty because the national state has only a limited ability to control these intrinsic and at times potentially destabilizing powers of telecommunications and the {open_quotes}telecommunities{close_quotes} they make possible. As many traditional aspects of sovereignty are becoming weakened by telecommunications, and as the intense dynamics of networks and the expansion of telecommunities revolutionize business and politics, there is a need to prevent the situation from becoming chaotic and uncontrollable, even while recognizing the possibilities of enhanced opportunities. This requires focusing on a more flexible conception of sovereignty which can enhance the state`s attractiveness for telecommunications infrastructure, while addressing issues of ethics and morality in the new telecommications environment. A new, broad socio-technological research agenda needs to be developed - with the ultimate purpose of providing society with the tools to play the new game and thrive. 10 refs., 3 tabs.

[Intercultural health care policy from the perspective of health care providers and Mapuche clients].

Science.gov (United States)

Alarcón, Ana María; Astudillo, Paula; Barrios, Sara; Rivas, Edith

2004-09-01

Intercultural health is becoming an emergent topic in the design of health care programs for Mapuche people of Chile. This process faces important challenges such as the scarce theoretical support about the meaning of intercultural health and their practical consequences for providers and clients. To explore the perception in providers and Mapuche clients about intercultural health. A survey performed in 11 counties with the highest concentration of Mapuche people, of the IX region of Chile. The perception about the development of a new health policy specially designed for Mapuche patients was surveyed in 399 Mapuche patients and 64 providers of primary health care centers. Mapuche clients considered, as the main regional challenges, the indifference and discrimination of health care teams towards Mapuche patients, aggravated by the indifference of authorities. Providers considered that the main problem was a lack of knowledge about Mapuche culture and skills to deal with this ethnic group. Patients and providers agreed on the need to use Mapuche dialect in health care attentions, to coordinate actions with traditional healers and to accept ethnical therapeutic practices. There is scarce agreement between providers and Mapuche clients about the need for an special intercultural health policy, its contents, and the regional conditions for its implementation and development.

Promoting oral health care among people living in residential aged care facilities: Perceptions of care staff.

Science.gov (United States)

Villarosa, Amy R; Clark, Sally; Villarosa, Ariana C; Patterson Norrie, Tiffany; Macdonald, Susan; Anlezark, Jennifer; Srinivas, Ravi; George, Ajesh

2018-04-23

This study aimed to look at the practices and perspectives of residential aged care facility (RACF) care staff regarding the provision of oral health care in RACFs. Emphasis has been placed on the provision of adequate oral health care in RACFs through the Better Oral Health in Residential Aged Care programme. Endorsed by the Australian government, this programme provided oral health education and training for aged care staff. However, recent evidence suggests that nearly five years after the implementation of this programme, the provision of oral care in RACFs in NSW remains inadequate. This project utilised an exploratory qualitative design which involved a focus group with 12 RACF care staff. Participants were asked to discuss the current oral health practices in their facility, and their perceived barriers to providing oral health care. The key findings demonstrated current oral health practices and challenges among care staff. Most care staff had received oral health training and demonstrated positive attitudes towards providing dental care. However, some participants identified that ongoing and regular training was necessary to inform practice and raise awareness among residents. Organisational constraints and access to dental services also limited provision of dental care while a lack of standardised guidelines created confusion in defining their role as oral healthcare providers in the RACF. This study highlighted the need for research and strategies that focus on capacity building care staff in oral health care and improving access of aged care residents to dental services. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S and The Gerodontology Association. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

76 FR 72124 - Internet-Based Telecommunications Relay Service Numbering

Science.gov (United States)

2011-11-22

... Docket No. 10-191; FCC 11-123] Internet-Based Telecommunications Relay Service Numbering AGENCY: Federal..., the information collection associated with the Commission's Internet- Based Telecommunications Relay... Telecommunications Relay Service Numbering, CG Docket No. 03-123; WC Docket No. 05-196; WC Docket No. 10-191; FCC 11...

31 CFR 515.542 - Mail and telecommunications-related transactions.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Mail and telecommunications-related... Licenses, Authorizations, and Statements of Licensing Policy § 515.542 Mail and telecommunications-related..., incident to the provision of telecommunications services between the United States and Cuba, the provision...

Self-care as a health resource of elders

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Høy, Bente; Wagner, Lis; Hall, Elisabeth O.C.

2007-01-01

into self-care as a significant health resource of elders with different health status. It suggests that an elder's self-care ability is determined by the interaction of various sub-resources and conditions and emphasizes the constantly evolving nature of self-care. The framework may be of use in clinical......AIM: To review the literature related to self-care and health promotion for elders and to develop an understanding of self-care as a health resource. BACKGROUND: Self-care may improve health and prevent illness and disabilities in elders. Although studies of self-care are numerous, the significance...... of the concept as a health resource for elders lacks clarity. Before 1989, research focused principally on medical self-care at the expense of health care, and self-care was seen more as supplementary to professional health care rather than as a health-promoting approach in health care. METHOD...

COMMUNITY HEALTH & PRIMARY HEALTH CARE

African Journals Online (AJOL)

adedamla

Background: The well-being of women and children is one of the major determinants ... The Sample for the study were women recruited from 11 primary health care ... respondents educational level and knowledge of preconception care (X =24.76, ... single adult or married couple) are in an optimal state .... The major site for.

Croatian Telecommunication Market: Concentration Trends in the Period from 2003 to 2008

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mirjana Pejić Bach

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Telecommunication markets are a valuable factor that contributes to the economic growth and development. The development of the telecommunication markets and services was slower in the countries in transition than in developed European countries, altough after the fall of communism countries in transition implemented a big progress in spreading and modernizing of their telecommunication network.The paper analysis the level of concentration of telecommunication industry in Croatia from 2003 to 2008. The data used in the analysis consider 50 Croatian largest IT firms that are operating on telecommunication market and specific telecommunication sectors: producers of telecommunication equipment, distributers of telecommunication services and implementers of telecommunication solutions. The main two conclusions of this article are: (1 degree of concentration on the telecommunication market in Croatia changed differently in different market shares, (2 degree of concentration on the telecommunication market in Croatia is influenced by different barriers to enter the market.The analysis finds that Croatian telecommunication industry is in a good position even a few steps ahead of some other transition countries.

Integrated occupational health care at sea

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Olaf Chresten

2011-01-01

exposures during life at sea and work place health promotion. SEAHEALTH and some of the shipping companies have already added workplace health promotion to occupational health care programs. The purpose of this article is to reinforce this trend by adding some international perspectives and by providing......Workplace Health Promotion is the combined efforts of employers, employees and society to improve the health and well-being of people at work. Integrated maritime health care can be defined as the total maritime health care function that includes the prevention of health risks from harmful...

[The ethics of health care organization].

Science.gov (United States)

Goic, Alejandro

2004-03-01

Health care organization is not only a technical issue. Ethics gives meaning to the medical profession's declared intent of preserving the health and life of the people while honoring their intelligence, dignity and intimacy. It also induces physicians to apply their knowledge, intellect and skills for the benefit of the patient. In a health care system, it is important that people have insurance coverage for health contingencies and that the quality of the services provided be satisfactory. People tend to judge the medical profession according to the experience they have in their personal encounter with physicians, health care workers, hospitals and clinics. Society and its political leaders must decide upon the particular model that will ensure the right of citizens to a satisfactory health care. Any health care organization not founded on humanitarian and ethical values is doomed tofailure. The strict adherence of physicians to Hippocratic values and to the norms of good clinical practice as well as to an altruistic cooperative attitude will improve the efficiency of the health care sector and reduce its costs. It is incumbent upon society to generate the conditions where by the ethical roots of medical care can be brought to bear upon the workings of the health care system. Every country must strive to provide not only technically efficient medical services, but also the social mechanisms that make possible a humanitarian interaction between professionals and patients where kindness and respect prevail.

31 CFR 500.571 - Transactions related to telecommunications authorized.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... telecommunications authorized. 500.571 Section 500.571 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and... telecommunications authorized. All transactions of U.S. common carriers incident to the receipt or transmission of telecommunications involving North Korea are authorized. Note: Exports or reexports to North Korea of goods and...

31 CFR 560.508 - Telecommunications and mail transactions authorized.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Telecommunications and mail... REGULATIONS Licenses, Authorizations and Statements of Licensing Policy § 560.508 Telecommunications and mail... telecommunications and mail between the United States and Iran are authorized. For purposes of this section, the term...

Primary care and behavioral health practice size: the challenge for health care reform.

Science.gov (United States)

Bauer, Mark S; Leader, Deane; Un, Hyong; Lai, Zongshan; Kilbourne, Amy M

2012-10-01

We investigated the size profile of US primary care and behavioral health physician practices since size may impact the ability to institute care management processes (CMPs) that can enhance care quality. We utilized 2009 claims data from a nationwide commercial insurer to estimate practice size by linking providers by tax identification number. We determined the proportion of primary care physicians, psychiatrists, and behavioral health providers practicing in venues of >20 providers per practice (the lower bound for current CMP practice surveys). Among primary care physicians (n=350,350), only 2.1% of practices consisted of >20 providers. Among behavioral health practitioners (n=146,992) and psychiatrists (n=44,449), 1.3% and 1.0% of practices, respectively, had >20 providers. Sensitivity analysis excluding single-physician practices as "secondary" confirmed findings, with primary care and psychiatrist practices of >20 providers comprising, respectively, only 19.4% and 8.8% of practices (difference: Pestimate practice census for a high-complexity, high-cost behavioral health condition; only 1.3-18 patients per practice had claims for this condition. The tax identification number method for estimating practice size has strengths and limitations that complement those of survey methods. The proportion of practices below the lower bound of prior CMP studies is substantial, and care models and policies will need to address the needs of such practices and their patients. Achieving a critical mass of patients for disorder-specific CMPs will require coordination across multiple small practices.

Changing trends in health care tourism.

Science.gov (United States)

Karuppan, Corinne M; Karuppan, Muthu

2010-01-01

Despite much coverage in the popular press, only anecdotal evidence is available on medical tourists. At first sight, they seemed confined to small and narrowly defined consumer segments: individuals seeking bargains in cosmetic surgery or uninsured and financially distressed individuals in desperate need of medical care. The study reported in this article is the first empirical investigation of the medical tourism consumer market. It provides the demographic profile, motivations, and value perceptions of health care consumers who traveled abroad specifically to receive medical care. The findings suggest a much broader market of educated and savvy health care consumers than previously thought. In the backdrop of the health care reform, the article concludes with implications for health care providers.

Investments and costs of oral health care for Family Health Care

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Márcia Stefânia Ribeiro Macêdo

2016-01-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To estimate the investments to implement and operational costs of a type I Oral Health Care Team in the Family Health Care Strategy. METHODS This is an economic assessment study, for analyzing the investments and operational costs of an oral health care team in the city of Salvador, BA, Northeastern Brazil. The amount worth of investments for its implementation was obtained by summing up the investments in civil projects and shared facilities, in equipments, furniture, and instruments. Regarding the operational costs, the 2009-2012 time series was analyzed and the month of December 2012 was adopted for assessing the monetary values in effect. The costs were classified as direct variable costs (consumables and direct fixed costs (salaries, maintenance, equipment depreciation, instruments, furniture, and facilities, besides the indirect fixed costs (cleaning, security, energy, and water. The Ministry of Health’s share in funding was also calculated, and the factors that influence cost behavior were described. RESULTS The investment to implement a type I Oral Health Care Team was R$29,864.00 (US$15,236.76. The operational costs of a type I Oral Health Care Team were around R$95,434.00 (US$48,690.82 a year. The Ministry of Health’s financial incentives for investments accounted for 41.8% of the implementation investments, whereas the municipality contributed with a 59.2% share of the total. Regarding operational costs, the Ministry of Health contributed with 33.1% of the total, whereas the municipality, with 66.9%. Concerning the operational costs, the element of heaviest weight was salaries, which accounted for 84.7%. CONCLUSIONS Problems with the regularity in the supply of inputs and maintenance of equipment greatly influence the composition of costs, besides reducing the supply of services to the target population, which results in the service probably being inefficient. States are suggested to partake in funding

Investments and costs of oral health care for Family Health Care

Science.gov (United States)

Macêdo, Márcia Stefânia Ribeiro; Chaves, Sônia Cristina Lima; Fernandes, Antônio Luis de Carvalho

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To estimate the investments to implement and operational costs of a type I Oral Health Care Team in the Family Health Care Strategy. METHODS This is an economic assessment study, for analyzing the investments and operational costs of an oral health care team in the city of Salvador, BA, Northeastern Brazil. The amount worth of investments for its implementation was obtained by summing up the investments in civil projects and shared facilities, in equipments, furniture, and instruments. Regarding the operational costs, the 2009-2012 time series was analyzed and the month of December 2012 was adopted for assessing the monetary values in effect. The costs were classified as direct variable costs (consumables) and direct fixed costs (salaries, maintenance, equipment depreciation, instruments, furniture, and facilities), besides the indirect fixed costs (cleaning, security, energy, and water). The Ministry of Health’s share in funding was also calculated, and the factors that influence cost behavior were described. RESULTS The investment to implement a type I Oral Health Care Team was R$29,864.00 (US$15,236.76). The operational costs of a type I Oral Health Care Team were around R$95,434.00 (US$48,690.82) a year. The Ministry of Health’s financial incentives for investments accounted for 41.8% of the implementation investments, whereas the municipality contributed with a 59.2% share of the total. Regarding operational costs, the Ministry of Health contributed with 33.1% of the total, whereas the municipality, with 66.9%. Concerning the operational costs, the element of heaviest weight was salaries, which accounted for 84.7%. CONCLUSIONS Problems with the regularity in the supply of inputs and maintenance of equipment greatly influence the composition of costs, besides reducing the supply of services to the target population, which results in the service probably being inefficient. States are suggested to partake in funding, especially to cover the

Changing the Care Process: A New Concept in Iranian Rural Health Care

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abbas Abbaszadeh, RN, BSCN, PhD

2013-03-01

Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that the process of health care in Iranian rural society is changing rapidly with community health workers encountering new challenges. There is diminished efficiency in responding to the changing care process in Iran's rural society. Considering this change in process of care, therefore, the health care system should respond to these new challenges by establishing new health care models.

EVALUATION OF HEALTH CARE QUALITY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zlatko Fras

2002-12-01

Full Text Available Background. It is possible to evaluate quality characteristics of different aspects of health care by many different measures. For these purposes, in various countries all over the world authorised institutions and/or agencies developed number of methodological accessories, criteria and tools for selection of more or less appropriately and optimally defined criteria and indicators of quality clinical performance.Conclusions. Recently we have started with activities for gradual introduction of systematic monitoring, assessment and improvement of quality of health care in Slovenia as well. One of the key prerequisites for selection of valid, practicable, efficient and reliable quality indicators is the establishment of continuous and methodologically appropriate system of development and implementation of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. We started this process within the framework of national Health Sector Management Project, where all potential key stakeholders from health care sector participated. Also the project on Quality in Health Care in Slovenia, started, leaded and performed by the Medical Chamber of Slovenia, represents one of the important parallel starting steps towards assurance of reliable data on development/establishment of appropriate set of quality indicators and standards of health care in our country.

Lower Costs, Better Care- Reforming Our Health Care Delivery

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — The Affordable Care Act includes tools to improve the quality of health care that can also lower costs for taxpayers and patients. This means avoiding costly...

76 FR 48939 - Announcement of Meeting of the International Telecommunication Advisory Committee

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-09

... Street, NW., Washington, DC 20520, to seek advice from the telecommunications industry on: (a) The consultation of International Telecommunication Union, Telecommunication Standardization Sector Study Group 15... Telecommunication Advisory Committee SUMMARY: This notice announces a meeting of the International Telecommunication...

Health promotion in connection to the health care students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Kyuchukova

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The activities of health promotion for the students in health care specialties is organized and managed by the teacher process. During the training communication skills are acquired. It is the time for preparing students for work in counseling and patient education, collecting and providing health information - promotive function in the process of care (1. We assumed that these opportunities could be used in our work with children deprived of parental care. We set a goal to explore experiences, attitudes and ideas about students’ participation in health care in health promotion in the community of children and individuals. The study found that students are aware of the social importance of the knowledge acquired during the training and are convinced of the need to support adolescents to develop a responsible attitude towards their own health.

Czechoslovakia's changing health care system.

Science.gov (United States)

Raffel, M W; Raffel, N K

1992-01-01

Before World War II, Czechoslovakia was among the most developed European countries with an excellent health care system. After the Communist coup d'etat in 1948, the country was forced to adapt its existing health care system to the Soviet model. It was planned and managed by the government, financed by general tax money, operated in a highly centralized, bureaucratic fashion, and provided service at no direct charge at the time of service. In recent years, the health care system had been deteriorating as the health of the people had also been declining. Life expectancy, infant mortality rates, and diseases of the circulatory system are higher than in Western European countries. In 1989, political changes occurred in Czechoslovakia that made health care reform possible. Now health services are being decentralized, and the ownership of hospitals is expected to be transferred to communities, municipalities, churches, charitable groups, or private entities. Almost all health leaders, including hospital directors and hospital department heads, have been replaced. Physicians will be paid according to the type and amount of work performed. Perhaps the most important reform is the establishment of an independent General Health Care Insurance Office financed directly by compulsory contributions from workers, employers, and government that will be able to negotiate with hospitals and physicians to determine payment for services.

47 CFR 32.6511 - Property held for future telecommunications use expense.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Property held for future telecommunications use expense. 32.6511 Section 32.6511 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES UNIFORM SYSTEM OF ACCOUNTS FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANIES Instructions for Expense...

47 CFR 54.307 - Support to a competitive eligible telecommunications carrier.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Support to a competitive eligible telecommunications carrier. 54.307 Section 54.307 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED....307 Support to a competitive eligible telecommunications carrier. (a) Calculation of support. A...

47 CFR 80.54 - Automated Maritime Telecommunications System (AMTS)-System Licensing.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Automated Maritime Telecommunications System (AMTS)-System Licensing. 80.54 Section 80.54 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION... § 80.54 Automated Maritime Telecommunications System (AMTS)—System Licensing. AMTS licensees will be...

The Child Health Care System in Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Corsello, Giovanni; Ferrara, Pietro; Chiamenti, Gianpietro; Nigri, Luigi; Campanozzi, Angelo; Pettoello-Mantovani, Massimo

2016-10-01

Pediatric care in Italy has been based during the last 40 years on the increased awareness of the importance of meeting the psychosocial and developmental needs of children and of the role of families in promoting the health and well-being of their children. The pediatric health care system in Italy is part of the national health system. It is made up of 3 main levels of intervention: first access/primary care, secondary care/hospital care, and tertiary care based on specialty hospital care. This overview will also include a brief report on neonatal care, pediatric preventive health care, health service accreditation programs, and postgraduate training in pediatrics. The quality of the Italian child health care system is now considered to be in serious danger because of the restriction of investments in public health caused both by the 2008 global and national economic crisis and by a reduction of the pediatric workforce as a result of progressively insufficient replacement of specialists in pediatrics. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A practitioner's guide to telemental health how to conduct legal, ethical, and evidence-based telepractice

CERN Document Server

Luxton, David D; Maheu, Marlene M

2016-01-01

As telecommunication technologies and health apps become more ubiquitous and affordable, they expand opportunities for mental health professionals to provide quality care. However, physical distance as well as technology itself can create challenges to safe and ethical practice. Such challenges are manageable when following the best practices outlined in this book. Providers can use videoconference and other technologies for assessment, treatment delivery, psychoeducation, supervision, and consultation. This practical guide covers each facet of telemental health care in turn, with emphasis on:

Attending unintended transformations of health care infrastructure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Helle Wentzer

2007-11-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Western health care is under pressure from growing demands on quality and efficiency. The development and implementation of information technology, IT is a key mean of health care authorities to improve on health care infrastructure. Theory and methods: Against a background of theories on human-computer interaction and IT-mediated communication, different empirical studies of IT implementation in health care are analyzed. The outcome is an analytical discernment between different relations of communication and levels of interaction with IT in health care infrastructure. These relations and levels are synthesized into a framework for identifying tensions and potential problems in the mediation of health care with the IT system. These problems are also known as unexpected adverse consequences, UACs, from IT implementation into clinical health care practices. Results: This paper develops a conceptual framework for addressing transformations of communication and workflow in health care as a result of implementing IT. Conclusion and discussion: The purpose of the conceptual framework is to support the attention to and continuous screening for errors and unintended consequences of IT implementation into health care practices and outcomes.

System Design for Telecommunication Gateways

CERN Document Server

Bachmutsky, Alexander

2010-01-01

System Design for Telecommunication Gateways provides a thorough review of designing telecommunication network equipment based on the latest hardware designs and software methods available on the market. Focusing on high-end efficient designs that challenge all aspects of the system architecture, this book helps readers to understand a broader view of the system design, analyze all its most critical components, and select the parts that best fit a particular application. In many cases new technology trends, potential future developments, system flexibility and capability extensions are outline

CULTURAL INFLUENCES ON PRE-PAY MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES USERS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Georgeta-Madalina MEGHISAN

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Purpose: The purpose of this research paper is to identify the preferences of the pre-pay mobile telecommunications services young users from Romania. Approach/ methodology: The analysis of the pre-pay mobile telecommunications services was made using statistical functions: descriptive statistics, t test, correlation and factor analysis. Results: According to the analysis made, we could underline the habits of usage from the part of pre-pay mobile telecommunications services consumers. Originality: The paper drew an objective analysis on the pre-pay mobile telecommunications services from the perspective of young consumers.

Child Health Care Services in Austria.

Science.gov (United States)

Kerbl, Reinhold; Ziniel, Georg; Winkler, Petra; Habl, Claudia; Püspök, Rudolf; Waldhauser, Franz

2016-10-01

We describe child health care in Austria, a small country in Central Europe with a population of about 9 million inhabitants of whom approximately 1.7 million are children and adolescents under the age of 20 years. For children and adolescents, few health care indicators are available. Pediatric and adolescent health provision, such as overall health provision, follows a complex system with responsibilities shared by the Ministry of Health, 19 social insurance funds, provinces, and other key players. Several institutions are affiliated with or cooperate with the Ministry of Health to assure quality control. The Austrian public health care system is financed through a combination of income-based social insurance payments and taxes. Pediatric primary health care in Austria involves the services of general pediatricians and general practitioners. Secondary care is mostly provided by the 43 children's hospitals; tertiary care is (particularly) provided in 4 state university hospitals and 1 private university hospital. The training program of residents takes 6 years and is completed by a final examination. Every year, this training program is completed by about 60 residents. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Adolescent Health Care in School-Based Health Centers. Position Statement

Science.gov (United States)

National Assembly on School-Based Health Care, 2008

2008-01-01

School-based health centers (SBHCs) are considered one of the most effective strategies for delivering preventive care, including reproductive and mental health care services, to adolescents--a population long considered difficult to reach. National Assembly on School-Based Health Care (NASBHC) recommends practices and policies to assure…

Breaks in continuity of care and the rural senior transferred for medical care under regionalisation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. Jay Biem

2003-09-01

Full Text Available Continuity of care, defined as the patient experiencing coherent care over time and place, is challenged when a rural senior with multiple medical problems is transferred to a regional hospital for acute care. From an illustrative case of an older patient with pneumonia and atrial fibrillation, we catalogue potential breaks in continuity of care. Optimal continuity of care is characterised not only by regular contact with the providers who establish collaboration with patients and their caregivers, but also by communication, co-ordination, contingency, convenience, and consistency. Because it is not possible to have the same providers continuously available (relational continuity, for continuity of care, there is a need for integrative system approaches, such as: (1 policy and standards, disease management programs, integrated clinical pathways (management continuity, (2 electronic health information systems and telecommunications technology (communication continuity. The evaluation of these approaches requires measures that account for the multi-faceted nature of continuity of care.

Health Literacy and Access to Care

Science.gov (United States)

Janke, Alex

2016-01-01

Despite well-documented links between low health literacy, low rates of health insurance coverage, and poor health outcomes, there has been almost no research on the relationship between low health literacy and self-reported access to care. This study analyzed a large, nationally representative sample of community-dwelling adults ages 50 and older to estimate the relationship between low health literacy and self-reported difficulty obtaining care. We found that individuals with low health literacy were significantly more likely than individuals with adequate health literacy to delay or forego needed care or to report difficulty finding a provider, even after controlling for other factors including health insurance coverage, employment, race/ethnicity, poverty, and general cognitive function. They were also more likely to lack a usual source of care, although this result was only marginally significant after controlling for other factors. The results show that in addition to any obstacles that low health literacy creates within the context of the clinical encounter, low health literacy also reduces the probability that people get in the door of the health care system in a timely way. PMID:27043757

47 CFR 54.621 - Access to advanced telecommunications and information services.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Access to advanced telecommunications and information services. 54.621 Section 54.621 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED... § 54.621 Access to advanced telecommunications and information services. (a) Twenty-five percent of the...

Health insurance and health care in India: a supply-demand perspective

OpenAIRE

Perianayagam, Arokiasamy; Goli, Srinivas

2013-01-01

India’s health care and health financing provision is characterized by too little Government spending on health, meager health insurance coverage, declining public health care use contrasted by highest levels of private out-of-pocket health spending in the world. To understand the interconnectedness of these disturbing outcomes, this paper envisions a theoretical framework of health insurance and health care revisits the existing health insurance schemes and assesses the health insurance cove...

Using robotic telecommunications to triage pediatric disaster victims.

Science.gov (United States)

Burke, Rita V; Berg, Bridget M; Vee, Paul; Morton, Inge; Nager, Alan; Neches, Robert; Wetzel, Randall; Upperman, Jeffrey S

2012-01-01

During a disaster, hospitals may be overwhelmed and have an insufficient number of pediatric specialists available to care for injured children. The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility of remotely providing pediatric expertise via a robot to treat pediatric victims. In 2008, Los Angeles County held 2 drills involving telemedicine. The first was the Tri-Hospital drill in which 3 Los Angeles County hospitals, one being a pediatric hospital, participated. The disaster scenario involved a Metrolink train crash, resulting in a large surge of traumatic injuries. The second drill involved multiple agencies and was called the Great California Shakeout, a simulated earthquake exercise. The telemedicine equipment installed is an InTouch Health, Inc, Santa Barbara, CA robotic telecommunications system. We used mixed-methods to evaluate the use of telemedicine during these drills. Pediatric specialists successfully provided remote triage and treatment consults of victims via the robot. The robot proved to be a useful means to extend resources and provide expert consult if pediatric specialists were unable to physically be at the site. Telemedicine can be used in the delayed treatment areas as well as for training first receivers to collaborate with specialists in remote locations to triage and treat seriously injured pediatric victims. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Leo satellite-based telecommunication network concepts

Science.gov (United States)

Aiken, John G.; Swan, Peter A.; Leopold, Ray J.

1991-01-01

Design considerations are discussed for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite based telecommunications networks. The satellites are assumed to be connected to each other via intersatellite links. They are connected to the end user either directly or through gateways to other networks. Frequency reuse, circuit switching, packet switching, call handoff, and routing for these systems are discussed by analogy with terrestrial cellular (mobile radio) telecommunication systems.

Health Care Provider Value Chain

OpenAIRE

Kawczynski , Lukasz; Taisch , Marco

2009-01-01

International audience; In every society there is a need for an efficient health care system. This paper aims to propose a value definition and a value chain model within the health care. In order to define value patients and experts were surveyed. The proposed definition offers a complex way of looking at the value within the health care sector. The proposal of the value chain model is anticipated with a value stream mapping activities and experts interviews. Proposed model offers consistent...

Use, misuse and non-use of health care assistants: understanding the work of health care assistants in a hospital setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Spilsbury, Karen; Meyer, Julienne

2004-11-01

This study is concerned with understanding the work of non-registered nurses (health care assistants) in a UK hospital setting. There are increasing numbers of health care assistants employed by the National Health Service in the UK to support registered nurses providing nursing care. However, little is known about the make-up of the health care assistant workforce and the changing nature of their role. This study addresses some of these gaps in the research-based literature. A single case study design using mixed methods (survey, interviews, participant observations, focus groups and documents) was used to generate an in-depth account of health care assistants' work in one organization. The study is built upon what health care assistants say they do, compared with what they actually do in practice. It explores how and whether the work of health care assistants is adequately supervised, tensions between the work of health care assistants and registered nurses and the subsequent effects on teamwork and patient care. There are policy expectations associated with the work of health care assistants. However, this study reveals significant deviations from these goals. The workplace arena and the negotiations between health care assistants and registered nurses that take place within it, actively shape the health care assistants' work. Findings suggest dynamic patterns of use, misuse and non-use of the health care assistants as a resource to patient care. The changing roles of registered nurses have direct implications for the roles of health care assistants: as registered nurses take on extra duties and responsibilities they are conceding some of their role to health care assistants. This has implications for nurse managers. The competence of health care assistants to carry out nursing work needs to be reassessed and there also needs to be ongoing monitoring and supervision of their work to maximize, and further develop, their contribution to patient care and to ensure

Telecommunications Primer

OpenAIRE

Joseph Becker

2013-01-01

A description of modern telecommunications devices which can be useful in inter-library communications, including their capacities, types of signals and carriers. Described are telephone lines, radio broadcasting, coaxial cable, microwave and communications satellites. This article, and the one following, were presented as tutorials by the author's to participants at the American Library Association's Atlantic City Convention on June 25, 1969.

Health care: economic impact of caring for geriatric patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Rich, Preston B; Adams, Sasha D

2015-02-01

National health care expenditures constitute a continuously expanding component of the US economy. Health care resources are distributed unequally among the population, and geriatric patients are disproportionately represented. Characterizing this group of individuals that accounts for the largest percentage of US health spending may facilitate the introduction of targeted interventions in key high-impact areas. Changing demographics, an increasing incidence of chronic disease and progressive disability, rapid technological advances, and systemic market failures in the health care sector combine to drive cost. A multidisciplinary approach will become increasingly necessary to balance the delicate relationship between our constrained supply and increasing demand. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Digital health care: where health care, information technology, and the Internet converge.

Science.gov (United States)

Frank, S R; Williams, J R; Veiel, E L

2000-01-01

The digital health care industry applies information technologies to facilitate communications, commerce, transactions, business problem solving, and enhanced decision making for one or more groups that supply, consume, or finance health care services and products. The variation among companies is significant, but each one attempts to leverage information technology to drive sustainable evolutionary change. In an overview of the industry, a framework is provided to understand the maze of business plans.

Health care consumerism movement takes a step forward.

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Michael; Cutler, Charles M

2010-01-01

One of the contributing factors to both the increase in health care costs and the backlash to managed care was the lack of consumer awareness of the cost of health care service, the effect of health care costs on profits and wages, and the need to engage consumers more actively as consumers in health care decisions. This article reviews the birth of the health care consumerism movement and identifies gaps in health care consumerism today. The authors reveal some of the keys to building a sustainable health care consumerism framework, which involves enlisting consumers as well as other stakeholders.

Health care in China: improvement, challenges, and reform.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chen; Rao, Keqin; Wu, Sinan; Liu, Qian

2013-02-01

Over the past 2 decades, significant progress has been made in improving the health-care system and people's health conditions in China. Following rapid economic growth and social development, China's health-care system is facing new challenges, such as increased health-care demands and expenditure, inefficient use of health-care resources, unsatisfying implementation of disease management guidelines, and inadequate health-care insurance. Facing these challenges, the Chinese government carried out a national health-care reform in 2009. A series of policies were developed and implemented to improve the health-care insurance system, the medical care system, the public health service system, the pharmaceutical supply system, and the health-care institution management system in China. Although these measures have shown promising results, further efforts are needed to achieve the ultimate goal of providing affordable and high-quality care for both urban and rural residents in China. This article not only covers the improvement, challenges, and reform of health care in general in China, but also highlights the status of respiratory medicine-related issues.

Functioning of primary health care in opinion of managers of primary health care units.

Science.gov (United States)

Bojar, I; Wdowiak, L; Kwiatosz-Muc, M

2006-01-01

The aim of the research is to get to know opinions of primary health care managers concerning working of primary health care and concerning quality of medical services offered by family doctors out-patient clinics. The research among managers of primary health care units took place in all out-patient clinics in Lublin province. Research instrument was survey questionnaire of authors own construction. Results were statistically analyzed. From 460 surveys sent, 108 questionnaires were accepted to analysis. Majority of managers of out-patient clinics of primary health care is satisfied with the way and the quality of work of employed staff. In opinion of 71.3% of managers access to family doctor services is very good. Availability of primary health care services is better estimated by managers of not public units. The occupied local provide comfortable work for the staff in opinion of 78.5% of surveyed managers of out-patient clinics. Managers estimate the level of their services as very good (37.96%) and good (37.96%) comparing to other such a subjects present in the market. Internal program of improving quality is run in 22% of out-patient clinics, which were investigated. Managers of primary health care units assess the quality of their services as good and very good. They estimate positively the comfort and politeness in serving patients as well as technical status of equipment and the lodging. They assess availability of their services as very good. Large group of managers of family doctors practices recognizes neighborhood practices as a competitors.

COMMUNITY MEDICINE & PRIMARY HEALTH CARE

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Client Satisfaction with Antenatal Care Services in Primary Health Care. Centres in Sabon ... important information about how well clinicians and the population of women within child bearing. 8 ..... model. Health and Quality of Life outcomes.

Promoting coordination in Norwegian health care

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tor I. Romøren

2011-10-01

Full Text Available   Introduction: The Norwegian health care system is well organized within its two main sectors - primary health and long term care on the one hand, and hospitals and specialist services on the other. However, the relation between them lacks mediating structures.Policy practice: Enhancing coordination between primary and secondary health care has been central in Norwegian health care policy the last decade. In 2003 a committee was appointed to identify coordination problems and proposed a lot of practical and organisational recommendations. It relied on an approach challenging primary and secondary health care in shared geographical regions to take action. However, these proposals were not implemented. In 2008 a new Minister of Health and Care worked out plans under the key term "Coordination Reform". These reform plans superseded and expanded the previous policy initiatives concerning cooperation, but represented also a shift in focus to a regulative and centralised strategy, including new health legislation, structural reforms and use of economic incentives that are now about to be implemented.Discussion: The article analyses the perspectives and proposals of the previous and the recent reform initiatives in Norway and discusses them in relation to integrated care measures implemented in Denmark and Sweden.

Nigerian health care: A quick appraisal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yau Zakari Lawal

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Qualitative health care is a fundamental right of all citizens of a given country. How this health care is delivered depends significantly on the economy, dedication, and quality of the health-care providers and the political will of the government of the country. Health care may be public run or organized by private health-care providers. We can also have an intercalated program where there is public–private partnership. Whichever way this basic fundamental human right is delivered, sustainability, affordability, and accessibility are vital to its success. The Nigerian health-care delivery can be broadly classified into two; the hitherto existing traditional medicine and the modern orthodox medicine which came to our shores with the arrival of the European colonialists. The traditional system is still patronized by most Nigerians and is known by different linguistic terminologies such as the “Wanzami” or Barber in Hausa and the “Babalawo” in Yoruba language. Traditional birth attendants also exist in all communities in Nigeria complemented by herbalist and spiritualists of different shades and callings. It is our aim to give a brief account of our observations on the Nigerian health-care system with a view to correcting the challenges by the government and the public in general.

Consumer Attitudes toward Health and Health Care: A Differential Perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Gould, Stephen J.

1988-01-01

Questionnaires returned by 343 out of 350 subjects measured health attitudes and health status. Results suggest that some consumers take a more scientific approach to health care and prevention. Demographic factors, health status, and health consciousness are partial predictors of consumer attitudes and approach to health care. (SK)

Care for children with special health care needs in a managed care system: a patient satisfaction survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Flynn, J M; Bravo, C J; Reyes, O

2001-09-01

In 1994 the government of Puerto Rico adopted a capitated managed health care system for the medically indigent. The new law has been implemented in most municipalities. A survey of children with special health care needs treated at a tertiary pediatric center under the capitated managed care system and the prior non-capitated system was analyzed using the Consumer Assessments of Health Plan Survey (CHAPS) instrument. One third of the patients who were under the new capitated managed care system were not satisfied with the medial care they were receiving. The parents of children with multidisciplinary conditions found it much more difficult to access care at the tertiary center. It took parents two years to learn to navigate within the capitated managed care system. Studies to measure outcome and health quality of children with special health care needs in capitated managed health care programs must be developed to learn how the potential benefits of managed care can be maximized and the potential harms minimized. The purpose of this study was to analyze the accessibility and satisfaction of caretakers of children with special health care needs under a capitated managed health care system.

The future of health insurance for children with special health care needs.

Science.gov (United States)

Newacheck, Paul W; Houtrow, Amy J; Romm, Diane L; Kuhlthau, Karen A; Bloom, Sheila R; Van Cleave, Jeanne M; Perrin, James M

2009-05-01

Because of their elevated need for services, health insurance is particularly important for children with special health care needs. In this article we assess how well the current system is meeting the insurance needs of children with special health care needs and how emerging trends in health insurance may affect their well-being. We begin with a review of the evidence on the impact of health insurance on the health care experiences of children with special health care needs based on the peer-reviewed literature. We then assess how well the current system meets the needs of these children by using data from 2 editions of the National Survey of Children With Special Health Care Needs. Finally, we present an analysis of recent developments and emerging trends in the health insurance marketplace that may affect this population. Although a high proportion of children with special health care needs have insurance at any point in time, nearly 40% are either uninsured at least part of the year or have coverage that is inadequate. Recent expansions in public coverage, although offset in part by a contraction in employer-based coverage, have led to modest but significant reductions in the number of uninsured children with special health care needs. Emerging insurance products, including consumer-directed health plans, may expose children with special health care needs and their families to greater financial risks. Health insurance coverage has the potential to secure access to needed care and improve the quality of life for these children while protecting their families from financially burdensome health care expenses. Continued vigilance and advocacy for children and youth with special health care needs are needed to ensure that these children have access to adequate coverage and that they fare well under health care reform.

COMMUNITY HEALTH & PRIMARY HEALTH CARE

African Journals Online (AJOL)

adedamla

enrol in an insurance scheme feeling that they need more information on health insurance and the willingness to enrol in a ... and utilize the benefits of different types of health insurance services. Conclusion: The findings ..... improvements in access and quality of care, and the ... the 'rising tide' of and information technology.

Occupational Health for Health Care Providers

Science.gov (United States)

Health care workers are exposed to many job hazards. These can include Infections Needle injuries Back injuries ... prevention practices. They can reduce your risk of health problems. Use protective equipment, follow infection control guidelines, ...

eHealth and quality in health care: implementation time

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ossebaard, Hans Cornelis; van Gemert-Pijnen, Julia E.W.C.

2016-01-01

The use of information and communication technologies in health and health care could improve healthcare quality in many ways. Today's evidence base demonstrates the (cost-)effectiveness of online education, self-management support and tele-monitoring in several domains of health and care. While new

Women's self-perception and self-care practice: implications for health care delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Mendias, E P; Clark, M C; Guevara, E B

2001-01-01

Mexican American women experience unique health care needs related to integration of Mexican and American cultures. To learn how to better promote self-care practices and service utilization in women of Mexican origin living in Texas, researchers used a qualitative approach to interview a convenience sample of 11 low-income women attending a health clinic. Researchers collected narrative data about the women's perceptions of health, wellness, and self-care. Using the matrix approach described by Miles and Huberman, we organized findings around women's roles, including participants' descriptions of themselves, their health and wellness awareness, self-care practices for health/illness and wellness/nonwellness, barriers to self-care, origin of self-care practices, and perceptions of life control. Implications for health planning and service delivery are presented.

Disabling health care? Medicaid managed care and people with disabilities in America

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hiranandani, Vanmala Sunder

2011-01-01

Medicaid, America's largest government-funded health insurance program, plays a pivotal role in providing health services to eight million adults with disabilities. Since the mid-1990s, many Medicaid programs have aggressively introduced managed care, which reconfigures service delivery using...... business principles. Most states have insufficient experience in developing managed care plans for Medicaid beneficiaries with disabilities. Middle-aged adults with physical disabilities present their own constellation of health care issues that is not readily appreciated in health and social services....... The purpose of the study was to understand their experiences in accessing physical health care services and to ascertain the effects of managed care on their health and well-being. This study found beneficiaries encounter numerous barriers in accessing preventative, treatment, and acute care services. Overall...

Health care in rural areas.

Science.gov (United States)

Nath, L M

1994-02-01

In India, although the health care system infrastructure is extensive, the people often regard government facilities as family planning (FP) centers instead of primary health care centers. This problem has been compounded by the separation of health care and FP at all stages, even down to the storage of the same medication in two different locations depending upon whether it is to be used for "health" or for "FP." In rural areas where the government centers are particularly desolate, the community has chosen to erect its own health care system of private practitioners of all sorts and qualifications. Even in rural areas where a comprehensive health service is provided, with each household visited regularly by health workers, and where this service has resulted in a lowering of the crude death rate from 14.6 to 7 and the maternal mortality rate from 4.7 to 0.5/1000, people depend upon practitioners of various types. Upon analysis, it was discovered that the reason for using this multiplicity of practitioners had nothing to do with the level of satisfaction with the government service or with the accessibility of the services. Rather, when ill, the people make a diagnosis and then go to the proper place for treatment. If, for instance, they believe their malady was caused by the evil eye, they consult a magico-religious practitioner. These various types of practitioners flourish in areas with the best primary health care because they fulfill a need not met by the primary health care staff. If government agencies work with the local practitioners and afford them the proper respect, their skills can be upgraded in selected areas and the whole community will benefit.

Case Study: Modelling Telecommunication Systems using Concurrent ML

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hoffmann, Torben

1998-01-01

How can telecommunication hardware be modelled in CML. How are generalities and parallelism captured in CML.......How can telecommunication hardware be modelled in CML. How are generalities and parallelism captured in CML....

National Health-Care Reform

Science.gov (United States)

2009-03-24

and pre/ post partum care during delivery. America should select measures that reflect the health-care goals of the nation. As an example, the Healthy...accidents (8) More than 50% of patients with diabetes, hypertension, tobacco addiction, hyperlipidemia, congestive heart failure, asthma, depression ...reflect the cumulative efforts of different types of individual care. For example, infant mortality is a reflection of pre-natal care, post - natal care

Care of children with disabilities in Primary Health Care

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thaís Giudice Schultz

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Objective: This article describes an experience report that aimed to present perceptions on the care of children with disabilities in the Family Health Strategy (FHS, showing its limits and potentials based on the experience of participation in the program ‘PET-Saúde’. Method: Data were collected from field notes which recorded the monitoring of the care process offered to children with disabilities by the FHS teams. The study was conducted in a health facility in the city of Rio de Janeiro for one year. Results: Content analysis results listed the two main themes that composed the issues of concern for child care in this experience: the coordination of health care and the family and community orientation as the core for child care in the FHS. Conclusion: Despite the weakness in compliance with these categories, which are principles and fundamentals of the FHS, this is a privileged space with regard to care practices for children with disabilities.

Using appreciative inquiry to transform health care.

Science.gov (United States)

Trajkovski, Suza; Schmied, Virginia; Vickers, Margaret; Jackson, Debra

2013-08-01

Amid tremendous changes in contemporary health care stimulated by shifts in social, economic and political environments, health care managers are challenged to provide new structures and processes to continually improve health service delivery. The general public and the media are becoming less tolerant of poor levels of health care, and health care professionals need to be involved and supported to bring about positive change in health care. Appreciative inquiry (AI) is a philosophy and method for promoting transformational change, shifting from a traditional problem-based orientation to a more strength-based approach to change, that focuses on affirmation, appreciation and positive dialog. This paper discusses how an innovative participatory approach such as AI may be used to promote workforce engagement and organizational learning, and facilitate positive organizational change in a health care context.

Discrimination against older women in health care.

Science.gov (United States)

Belgrave, L L

1993-01-01

Growing awareness of apparent gaps in health care received by women and men raises concern over possible discrimination. This literature review examines this issue for elderly women, whose health care is obtained in a system that also may be permeated with age discrimination. Physicians tend to spend more time with women and older patients, suggesting that discrimination may not be an issue in the physician-patient relationship or may work in favor of older women. However, this may simply reflect elderly women's poorer health. Gender and age disparities in medical treatments received provide a more compelling argument that the health care system is a source of discrimination against older women, who are less likely than others to receive available treatments for cardiac, renal, and other conditions. The history of medical treatment of menopause suggests that stereotypes of older women have been advantageous for segments of the health care system. Finally, in addition to discrimination that has its source within the health care system itself, societal-wide inequities, particularly economic, are extremely detrimental to older women's health care. As we respond to the health care crisis, we must be alert to the potential to rectify those structures and tendencies that can lead to discrimination against women and the aged. Health care reform presents a unique opportunity to ensure health care equity.

Care Preferences Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults With Chronic Disease in Europe: Individual Health Care Needs and National Health Care Infrastructure.

Science.gov (United States)

Mair, Christine A; Quiñones, Ana R; Pasha, Maha A

2016-08-01

The purpose of this study is to expand knowledge of care options for aging populations cross-nationally by examining key individual-level and nation-level predictors of European middle-aged and older adults' preferences for care. Drawing on data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, we analyze old age care preferences of a sample of 6,469 adults aged 50 and older with chronic disease in 14 nations. Using multilevel modeling, we analyze associations between individual-level health care needs and nation-level health care infrastructure and preference for family-based (vs. state-based) personal care. We find that middle-aged and older adults with chronic disease whose health limits their ability to perform paid work, who did not receive personal care from informal sources, and who live in nations with generous long-term care funding are less likely to prefer family-based care and more likely to prefer state-based care. We discuss these findings in light of financial risks in later life and the future role of specialized health support programs, such as long-term care. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Boundaries and e-health implementation in health and social care

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

King Gerry

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The major problem facing health and social care systems globally today is the growing challenge of an elderly population with complex health and social care needs. A longstanding challenge to the provision of high quality, effectively coordinated care for those with complex needs has been the historical separation of health and social care. Access to timely and accurate data about patients and their treatments has the potential to deliver better care at less cost. Methods To explore the way in which structural, professional and geographical boundaries have affected e-health implementation in health and social care, through an empirical study of the implementation of an electronic version of Single Shared Assessment (SSA in Scotland, using three retrospective, qualitative case studies in three different health board locations. Results Progress in effectively sharing electronic data had been slow and uneven. One cause was the presence of established structural boundaries, which lead to competing priorities, incompatible IT systems and infrastructure, and poor cooperation. A second cause was the presence of established professional boundaries, which affect staffs’ understanding and acceptance of data sharing and their information requirements. Geographical boundaries featured but less prominently and contrasting perspectives were found with regard to issues such as co-location of health and social care professionals. Conclusions To provide holistic care to those with complex health and social care needs, it is essential that we develop integrated approaches to care delivery. Successful integration needs practices such as good project management and governance, ensuring system interoperability, leadership, good training and support, together with clear efforts to improve working relations across professional boundaries and communication of a clear project vision. This study shows that while technological developments make

Health care needs and use of health care services among newly arrived Syrian refugees: a cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Oda, Anna; Tuck, Andrew; Agic, Branka; Hynie, Michaela; Roche, Brenda; McKenzie, Kwame

2017-05-03

Canada welcomed 33 723 Syrian refugees between November 2015 and November 2016. This paper reports the results of a rapid assessment of health care needs and use of health care services among newly arrived Syrian refugees in Toronto. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Toronto among Syrian refugees aged 18 years or more who had been in Canada for 12 months or less. Participants were recruited initially through distribution of flyers in hotels and through direct referrals and communication with community and settlement agency partners, and then through snowball sampling. We collected sociodemographic information and data on self-perceived physical health and mental health, unmet health care needs and use of health care services. A total of 400 Syrian refugees (221 women [55.2%] and 179 men [44.8%]) were enrolled. Of the 400, 209 (52.2%) were privately sponsored refugees, 177 (44.2%) were government-assisted refugees, and 12 (3.0%) were refugees under the Blended Visa Office-Referred Program. They reported high levels of self-perceived physical and mental health. Over 90% of the sample saw a doctor in their first year in Canada, and 79.8% had a family doctor they saw regularly. However, almost half (49.0%) of the respondents reported unmet health care needs, with the 3 most common reasons reported being long wait times, costs associated with services and lack of time to seek health care services. Many factors may explain our respondents' high levels of self-perceived physical and mental health during the first year of resettlement, including initial resettlement support and eligibility for health care under the Interim Federal Health Program. However, newly arrived Syrian refugees report unmet health care needs, which necessitates more comprehensive care and management beyond the initial resettlement support. Copyright 2017, Joule Inc. or its licensors.

Health care agreements as a tool for coordinating health and social services

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rudkjøbing, Andreas; Strandberg-Larsen, Martin; Vrangbaek, Karsten

2014-01-01

of general practitioners (n = 700/853). RESULTS: The health care agreements were considered more useful for coordinating care than the previous health plans. The power relationship between the regional and municipal authorities in drawing up the agreements was described as more equal. Familiarity......INTRODUCTION: In 2007, a substantial reform changed the administrative boundaries of the Danish health care system and introduced health care agreements to be signed between municipal and regional authorities. To assess the health care agreements as a tool for coordinating health and social...... with the agreements among general practitioners was higher, as was the perceived influence of the health care agreements on their work. DISCUSSION: Health care agreements with specific content and with regular follow-up and systematic mechanisms for organising feedback between collaborative partners exemplify...

Telecommunications technology and rural education in the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Perrine, J. R.

1975-01-01

The rural sector of the US is examined from the point of view of whether telecommunications technology can augment the development of rural education. Migratory farm workers and American Indians were the target groups which were examined as examples of groups with special needs in rural areas. The general rural population and the target groups were examined to identify problems and to ascertain specific educational needs. Educational projects utilizing telecommunications technology in target group settings were discussed. Large scale regional ATS-6 satellite-based experimental educational telecommunications projects were described. Costs and organizational factors were also examined for large scale rural telecommunications projects.

[Calculation of workers' health care costs].

Science.gov (United States)

Rydlewska-Liszkowska, Izabela

2006-01-01

In different health care systems, there are different schemes of organization and principles of financing activities aimed at ensuring the working population health and safety. Regardless of the scheme and the range of health care provided, economists strive for rationalization of costs (including their reduction). This applies to both employers who include workers' health care costs into indirect costs of the market product manufacture and health care institutions, which provide health care services. In practice, new methods of setting costs of workers' health care facilitate regular cost control, acquisition of detailed information about costs, and better adjustment of information to planning and control needs in individual health care institutions. For economic institutions and institutions specialized in workers' health care, a traditional cost-effect calculation focused on setting costs of individual products (services) is useful only if costs are relatively low and the output of simple products is not very high. But when products form aggregates of numerous actions like those involved in occupational medicine services, the method of activity based costing (ABC), representing the process approach, is much more useful. According to this approach costs are attributed to the product according to resources used during different activities involved in its production. The calculation of costs proceeds through allocation of all direct costs for specific processes in a given institution. Indirect costs are settled on the basis of resources used during the implementation of individual tasks involved in the process of making a new product. In this method, so called map of processes/actions consisted in the manufactured product and their interrelations are of particular importance. Advancements in the cost-effect for the management of health care institutions depend on their managerial needs. Current trends in this regard primarily depend on treating all cost reference

Corruption in health-care systems and its effect on cancer care in Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Mostert, Saskia; Njuguna, Festus; Olbara, Gilbert; Sindano, Solomon; Sitaresmi, Mei Neni; Supriyadi, Eddy; Kaspers, Gertjan

2015-08-01

At the government, hospital, and health-care provider level, corruption plays a major role in health-care systems in Africa. The returns on health investments of international financial institutions, health organisations, and donors might be very low when mismanagement and dysfunctional structures of health-care systems are not addressed. More funding might even aggravate corruption. We discuss corruption and its effects on cancer care within the African health-care system in a sociocultural context. The contribution of high-income countries in stimulating corruption is also described. Corrupt African governments cannot be expected to take the initiative to eradicate corruption. Therefore, international financial institutions, health organisations, and financial donors should use their power to demand policy reforms of health-care systems in Africa troubled by the issue of corruption. These modifications will ameliorate the access and quality of cancer care for patients across the continent, and ultimately improve the outcome of health care to all patients. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Healthy People 2010 outcomes for the care of children with special health care needs: an effective national policy for meeting mental health care needs?

Science.gov (United States)

Spears, Amanda P

2010-05-01

To assess the effectiveness of the Maternal and Child Health Bureau's (MCHB) Six Core Outcomes for children with special health care needs (CSHCN) as indicators in measuring the degree to which mental health care needs are met. This study analyzes data from the 2001 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs for 9,748 CSHCN who needed mental health care. Bivariate and logistic analyses were employed to investigate the impact of the MCHB's Six Core Outcomes on the probability of having an unmet need for mental health services. Of the 2.3 million CSHCN in the U.S. who needed mental health care in 2001, almost one-fifth did not receive all of the mental health services that they needed. Ultimately, eight Outcomes and sub-categories of Outcomes were considered. Sixty-one percent of CSHCN with a need for mental health care had care that fulfills six of the eight considered Outcomes. Logistic analysis indicates that individual fulfillment of each of the Core Outcomes and fulfillment of additional Outcomes have a significant association with reducing the probability of having an unmet mental health care need for CSHCN. This study is the first attempt to apply the Six Core Outcomes to meeting the needs for mental health care among CSHCN. Estimates of unmet need for mental health care suggest that efforts can be made to improve access for CSHCN. The initial estimates generated by this study indicate that the MCHB Outcomes are important in meeting children's mental health needs and are important indicators for informing MCHB policy.

Adult care transitioning for adolescents with special health care needs: a pivotal role for family centered care.

Science.gov (United States)

Duke, Naomi N; Scal, Peter B

2011-01-01

To examine the relationship between having a usual source of care, family centered care, and transition counseling for adolescents with special health care needs. Data are from 18,198 parents/guardians, of youth aged 12-17 years, who participated in the 2005-2006 National Survey of Children With Special Health Care Needs. Linear and logistic regression models were used to define relationships between parent report of identification of a usual place and provider of medical care for their child and counseling on four transition issues: transfer to adult providers, review of future health needs, maintaining health insurance in adulthood, and youth taking responsibility for care. The direct mediating effect of family centered care was evaluated. Youth having a usual source of care (vs. not) were more likely to receive counseling on future health needs (47.4 vs. 33.6%, P needs (56.3 vs. 39.6%, P needs and 94.9% of the effect of a usual source of care on encouragement to take responsibility for care. Study findings support the development of health care delivery models focusing on family centered care to the same degree as other health care access issues.

Professional values, technology and future health care: The view of health care professionals in The Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

M.E. Nieboer; A.M. van Hout; Joost van Hoof; Sil Aarts; Eveline Wouters

2014-01-01

Perceptions and values of care professionals are critical in successfully implementing technology in health care. The aim of this study was threefold: (1) to explore the main values of health care professionals, (2) to investigate the perceived influence of the technologies regarding these values,

Health care technology as a policy issue

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Banta, H.D.

1994-01-01

Health care technology has become an increasingly visible issue in many countries, primarily because of the rising costs of health care. In addition, many questions concerning quality of care are being raised. Health care technology assessment has been seen as an aid in addressing questions

Health care and equity in India

Science.gov (United States)

Balarajan, Yarlini; Selvaraj, S; Subramanian, S V

2011-01-01

India’s health system faces the ongoing challenge of responding to the needs of the most disadvantaged members of Indian society. Despite progress in improving access to health care, inequalities by socioeconomic status, geography and gender continue to persist. This is compounded by high out-of-pocket expenditures, with the rising financial burden of health care falling overwhelming on private households, which account for more than three-quarter of health spending in India. Health expenditures are responsible for more than half of Indian households falling into poverty; the impact of this has been increasing pushing around 39 million Indians into poverty each year. In this paper, we identify key challenges to equity in service delivery, and equity in financing and financial risk protection in India. These include imbalanced resource allocation, limited physical access to quality health services and inadequate human resources for health; high out-of-pocket health expenditures, health spending inflation, and behavioral factors that affect the demand for appropriate health care. Complementing other paper in this Series, we argue for the application of certain principles in the pursuit of equity in health care in India. These are the adoption of equity metrics in monitoring, evaluation and strategic planning, investment in developing a rigorous knowledge-base of health systems research; development of more equity-focused process of deliberative decision-making in health reform, and redefinition of the specific responsibilities and accountabilities of key actors. The implementation of these principles, together with strengthening of public health and primary care services, provide an approach for ensuring more equitable health care for India’s population. PMID:21227492

(abstract) Telecommunications for Mars Rovers and Robotic Missions

Science.gov (United States)

Cesarone, Robert J.; Hastrup, Rolf C.; Horne, William; McOmber, Robert

1997-01-01

Telecommunications plays a key role in all rover and robotic missions to Mars both as a conduit for command information to the mission and for scientific data from the mission. Telecommunications to the Earth may be accomplished using direct-to-Earth links via the Deep Space Network (DSN) or by relay links supported by other missions at Mars. This paper reviews current plans for missions to Mars through the 2005 launch opportunity and their capabilities in support of rover and robotic telecommunications.

Ethical thinking and discrimination in health care

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aleksander Mlinšek

2012-02-01

Full Text Available RQ: Personal excellence of nursing focusing on self-transcendence and achievements is crucial for achieving excellence in health care. The question is whether there is unequal treatment of patients despite high ethical standards placed in health care.Purpose: Professional nurses code is a guide in assessing their ethical performance. People are different amongst each other, but have the same rights in the health system, which should be provided by health care services. The need to overcome inequalities has become a cornerstone of excellence in health care.Method: A small quantitative survey of nurses was conducted in one of the departments in a Slovenian hospital. To analyse the results, we used frequency statistics, Spearman's rank correlation test and chi-square test. Results: Providers of health care services are aware of the importance of ethics in its formation. Professional Code is relatively well known; 8.4 % of the respondents were not sure if they clearly define the principles of respect for equality. Discrimination, caused by providers of health care, is of a less extent. Ethical awareness among health care providers does not affect identification with the profession. The education level ofnursing personnel and the perception of discrimination based on religious affiliation influenced one another. Education has no influence on the perception of discrimination based on other circumstances.Organization: Health care organizations should integrate hygieneethical thinking among its strategic goals. Quality is not only quantifying the data. Personal excellence of health care providers, which is difficult to measure, is the basic building block of organizational excellence and patient satisfaction.Originality: There are not many research studies on perceptionsof discrimination in health care. The article raises the sensitive issue that we should talk more about.Limitations: The survey was conducted on a small sample size. Further research

7 CFR 1755.30 - List of telecommunications standard contract forms.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 11 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false List of telecommunications standard contract forms... UTILITIES SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICIES ON SPECIFICATIONS, ACCEPTABLE MATERIALS, AND STANDARD CONTRACT FORMS § 1755.30 List of telecommunications standard contract forms. (a...

Cross-cultural barriers to health care.

Science.gov (United States)

Vidaeff, Alex C; Kerrigan, Anthony J; Monga, Manju

2015-01-01

Culturally sensitive health care represents a real ethical and practical need in a Western healthcare system increasingly serving a multiethnic society. This review focuses on cross-cultural barriers to health care and incongruent aspects from a cultural perspective in the provision of health care. To overcome difficulties in culturally dissimilar interactions and eventually remove cross-cultural barriers to health care, a culturally sensitive physician considers his or her own identity, values, and beliefs; recognizes the similarities and differences among cultures; understands what those similarities and differences mean; and is able to bridge the differences to accomplish clear and effective communication.

Conscientious objection in health care

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kuře Josef

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The paper deals with conscientious objection in health care, addressing the problems of scope, verification and limitation of such refusal, paying attention to ideological agendas hidden behind the right of conscience where the claimed refusal can cause harm or where such a claim is an attempt to impose certain moral values on society or an excuse for not providing health care. The nature of conscientious objection will be investigated and an ethical analysis of conscientious objection will be conducted. Finally some suggestions for health care policy will be proposed.

Telecommunications Primer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joseph Becker

2013-05-01

Full Text Available A description of modern telecommunications devices which can be useful in inter-library communications, including their capacities, types of signals and carriers. Described are telephone lines, radio broadcasting, coaxial cable, microwave and communications satellites. This article, and the one following, were presented as tutorials by the author's to participants at the American Library Association's Atlantic City Convention on June 25, 1969.

Dual Loyalty in Prison Health Care

Science.gov (United States)

Stöver, Heino; Wolff, Hans

2012-01-01

Despite the dissemination of principles of medical ethics in prisons, formulated and advocated by numerous international organizations, health care professionals in prisons all over the world continue to infringe these principles because of perceived or real dual loyalty to patients and prison authorities. Health care professionals and nonmedical prison staff need greater awareness of and training in medical ethics and prisoner human rights. All parties should accept integration of prison health services with public health services. Health care workers in prison should act exclusively as caregivers, and medical tasks required by the prosecution, court, or security system should be carried out by medical professionals not involved in the care of prisoners. PMID:22390510

Islamic Cultures: Health Care Beliefs and Practices.

Science.gov (United States)

Kemp, Charles

1996-01-01

Presents an overview of Islamic health care beliefs and practices, noting health-related social and spiritual issues, fundamental beliefs and themes in Islam, health care beliefs and practices common among Muslims, and health-affecting social roles among Muslims. Cultural, religious, and social barriers to health care and ways to reduce them are…

High and rising health care costs.

Science.gov (United States)

Ginsburg, Paul B

2008-10-01

The U.S. is spending a growing share of the GDP on health care, outpacing other industrialized countries. This synthesis examines why costs are higher in the U.S. and what is driving their growth. Key findings include: health care inefficiency, medical technology and health status (particularly obesity) are the primary drivers of rising U.S. health care costs. Health payer systems that reward inefficiencies and preempt competition have impeded productivity gains in the health care sector. The best evidence indicates medical technology accounts for one-half to two-thirds of spending growth. While medical malpractice insurance and defensive medicine contribute to health costs, they are not large enough factors to significantly contribute to a rise in spending. Research is consistent that demographics will not be a significant factor in driving spending despite the aging baby boomers.

[Managed care. Its impact on health care in the USA, especially on anesthesia and intensive care].

Science.gov (United States)

Bauer, M; Bach, A

1998-06-01

Managed care, i.e., the integration of health insurance and delivery of care under the direction of one organization, is gaining importance in the USA health market. The initial effects consisted of a decrease in insurance premiums, a very attractive feature for employers. Managed care promises to contain expenditures for health care. Given the shrinking public resources in Germany, managed care seems attractive for the German health system, too. In this review the development of managed care, the principal elements, forms of organisation and practical tools are outlined. The regulation of the delivery of care by means of controlling and financial incentives threatens the autonomy of physicians: the physician must act as a "double agent", caring for the interest for the individual patient and being restricted by the contract with the managed care organisation. Cost containment by managed care was achieved by reducing the fees for physicians and hospitals (and partly by restricting care for patients). Only a fraction of this cost reduction was handed over to the enrollee or employer, and most of the money was returned with profit to the shareholders of the managed care organisations. The preeminent role of primary care physicians as gatekeepers of the health network led to a reduced demand for specialist services in general and for university hospitals and anesthesiologists in particular. The paradigm of managed care, i.e., to guide the patient and the care giver through the health care system in order to achieve cost-effective and high quality care, seems very attractive. The stress on cost minimization by any means in the daily practice of managed care makes it doubtful if managed care should be an option for the German health system, in particular because there are a number of restrictions on it in German law.

Health care financing and the sustainability of health systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Liaropoulos, Lycourgos; Goranitis, Ilias

2015-09-15

The economic crisis brought an unprecedented attention to the issue of health system sustainability in the developed world. The discussion, however, has been mainly limited to "traditional" issues of cost-effectiveness, quality of care, and, lately, patient involvement. Not enough attention has yet been paid to the issue of who pays and, more importantly, to the sustainability of financing. This fundamental concept in the economics of health policy needs to be reconsidered carefully. In a globalized economy, as the share of labor decreases relative to that of capital, wage income is increasingly insufficient to cover the rising cost of care. At the same time, as the cost of Social Health Insurance through employment contributions rises with medical costs, it imperils the competitiveness of the economy. These reasons explain why spreading health care cost to all factors of production through comprehensive National Health Insurance financed by progressive taxation of income from all sources, instead of employer-employee contributions, protects health system objectives, especially during economic recessions, and ensures health system sustainability.

Health care engineering management.

Science.gov (United States)

Jarzembski, W B

1980-01-01

Today, health care engineering management is merely a concept of dreamers, with most engineering decisions in health care being made by nonengineers. It is the purpose of this paper to present a rationale for an integrated hospital engineering group, and to acquaint the clinical engineer with some of the salient features of management concepts. Included are general management concepts, organization, personnel management, and hospital engineering systems.

Health Care Services

Science.gov (United States)

Misuse and Addiction Prevention Finance & Management Services Health Care Services Juvenile Justice , 2017 Warning - A phone number that was once used for the Denali KidCare program is now being used to ask people for their credit card number in order to win a prize. The phone number related to this

Solid health care waste management status at health care centers in the West Bank - Palestinian Territory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Khatib, Issam A.; Sato, Chikashi

2009-01-01

Health care waste is considered a major public health hazard. The objective of this study was to assess health care waste management (HCWM) practices currently employed at health care centers (HCCs) in the West Bank - Palestinian Territory. Survey data on solid health care waste (SHCW) were analyzed for generated quantities, collection, separation, treatment, transportation, and final disposal. Estimated 4720.7 m 3 (288.1 tons) of SHCW are generated monthly by the HCCs in the West Bank. This study concluded that: (i) current HCWM practices do not meet HCWM standards recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) or adapted by developed countries, and (ii) immediate attention should be directed towards improvement of HCWM facilities and development of effective legislation. To improve the HCWM in the West Bank, a national policy should be implemented, comprising a comprehensive plan of action and providing environmentally sound and reliable technological measures.

Health Care Employee Perceptions of Patient-Centered Care: A Photovoice Project

Science.gov (United States)

Balbale, Salva Najib; Turcios, Stephanie; LaVela, Sherri L.

2015-01-01

Given the importance of health care employees in the delivery of patient-centered care, understanding their unique perspective is essential for quality improvement. The purpose of this study was to use photovoice to evaluate perceptions and experiences around patient-centered care among Veterans Affairs (VA) health care employees. We asked participants to take photographs of salient features in their environment related to patient-centered care. We used the photographs to facilitate dialogue during follow-up interviews. Twelve VA health care employees across two VA sites participated in the project. Although most participants felt satisfied with their work environment and experiences at the VA, several areas for improvement were identified. These included a need for more employee health and wellness initiatives and a need for enhanced opportunities for training and professional growth. Application of photovoice enabled us to learn about employees' unique perspectives around patient-centered care while engaging them in an evaluation of care delivery. PMID:25274626

76 FR 65965 - Contributions to the Telecommunications Relay Services Fund

Science.gov (United States)

2011-10-25

...] Contributions to the Telecommunications Relay Services Fund AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION... Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS) Fund in a manner prescribed by regulation that is consistent with and... . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's Contributions to the Telecommunications Relay...

Telecommunications Policy Research Conference. International Comparisons I (Europe) Section. Papers.

Science.gov (United States)

Telecommunications Policy Research Conference, Inc., Washington, DC.

Three papers consider telecommunications policy in Great Britain and Germany specifically, and the nations of the European Economic Community generally. The first paper, "German Telecommunications Law and Policies" (Ernst-Joachim Mestamacker) outlines the present structure of telecommunications in West Germany, and discusses deregulation…

47 CFR 32.6561 - Depreciation expense-telecommunications plant in service.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Depreciation expense-telecommunications plant... Expense Accounts § 32.6561 Depreciation expense—telecommunications plant in service. This account shall include the depreciation expense of capitalized costs in Accounts 2112 through 2441, inclusive. [69 FR...

Teaching Health Care in Introductory Economics

Science.gov (United States)

Cutler, David M.

2017-01-01

Health care is one of the economy's biggest industries, so it is natural that the health care industry should play some role in the teaching of introductory economics. There are many ways that health care can appear in such a context: in the teaching of microeconomics, as a macroeconomic issue, to learn about social welfare, and even to learn how…

Health-enabling technologies for pervasive health care: on services and ICT architecture paradigms.

Science.gov (United States)

Haux, Reinhold; Howe, Jurgen; Marschollek, Michael; Plischke, Maik; Wolf, Klaus-Hendrik

2008-06-01

Progress in information and communication technologies (ICT) is providing new opportunities for pervasive health care services in aging societies. To identify starting points of health-enabling technologies for pervasive health care. To describe typical services of and contemporary ICT architecture paradigms for pervasive health care. Summarizing outcomes of literature analyses and results from own research projects in this field. Basic functions for pervasive health care with respect to home care comprise emergency detection and alarm, disease management, as well as health status feedback and advice. These functions are complemented by optional (non-health care) functions. Four major paradigms for contemporary ICT architectures are person-centered ICT architectures, home-centered ICT architectures, telehealth service-centered ICT architectures and health care institution-centered ICT architectures. Health-enabling technologies may lead to both new ways of living and new ways of health care. Both ways are interwoven. This has to be considered for appropriate ICT architectures of sensor-enhanced health information systems. IMIA, the International Medical Informatics Association, may be an appropriate forum for interdisciplinary research exchange on health-enabling technologies for pervasive health care.

NATO Telecommunications Symposium

CERN Document Server

Lucas, William; Conrath, David

1978-01-01

This book contains the proceedings of the first international symposium devoted to research on the evaluation and planning of new person-to-person telecommunication systems. It was sponsored by NATO's Special Programme Panel on Systems Science and took place, in September 1977, at the University of Bergamo in the north of Italy. Telecommunication systems which provide for communication be­ tween people, rather than computers or other instruments, are of two kinds. There are mass communication systems (broadcast radio and television) and interpersonal systems (for example, the telephone and Telex) which join together individuals or small groups. Here we have included in the interpersonal category certain systems for re­ trieving information from computers, essentially those systems in which the role of the computer 1s primarily to act as a store and to identify that information which best fits a user's request. (This excludes management information systems in which the computer performs important transformat...

Self-care as a health resource of elders

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Høy, Bente; Wagner, Lis; Hall, Elisabeth O.C.

2007-01-01

into self-care as a significant health resource of elders with different health status. It suggests that an elder's self-care ability is determined by the interaction of various sub-resources and conditions and emphasizes the constantly evolving nature of self-care. The framework may be of use in clinical...... practice, policy-making and research into health care of frail or robust elders.......AIM: To review the literature related to self-care and health promotion for elders and to develop an understanding of self-care as a health resource. BACKGROUND: Self-care may improve health and prevent illness and disabilities in elders. Although studies of self-care are numerous, the significance...

Insurance + Access ≠ Health Care: Typology of Barriers to Health Care Access for Low-Income Families

Science.gov (United States)

DeVoe, Jennifer E.; Baez, Alia; Angier, Heather; Krois, Lisa; Edlund, Christine; Carney, Patricia A.

2007-01-01

PURPOSE Public health insurance programs have expanded coverage for the poor, and family physicians provide essential services to these vulnerable populations. Despite these efforts, many Americans do not have access to basic medical care. This study was designed to identify barriers faced by low-income parents when accessing health care for their children and how insurance status affects their reporting of these barriers. METHODS A mixed methods analysis was undertaken using 722 responses to an open-ended question on a health care access survey instrument that asked low-income Oregon families, “Is there anything else you would like to tell us?” Themes were identified using immersion/crystallization techniques. Pertinent demographic attributes were used to conduct matrix coded queries. RESULTS Families reported 3 major barriers: lack of insurance coverage, poor access to services, and unaffordable costs. Disproportionate reporting of these themes was most notable based on insurance status. A higher percentage of uninsured parents (87%) reported experiencing difficulties obtaining insurance coverage compared with 40% of those with insurance. Few of the uninsured expressed concerns about access to services or health care costs (19%). Access concerns were the most common among publicly insured families, and costs were more often mentioned by families with private insurance. Families made a clear distinction between insurance and access, and having one or both elements did not assure care. Our analyses uncovered a 3-part typology of barriers to health care for low-income families. CONCLUSIONS Barriers to health care can be insurmountable for low-income families, even those with insurance coverage. Patients who do not seek care in a family medicine clinic are not necessarily getting their care elsewhere. PMID:18025488

Health Care System Measures to Advance Preconception Wellness: Consensus Recommendations of the Clinical Workgroup of the National Preconception Health and Health Care Initiative.

Science.gov (United States)

Frayne, Daniel J; Verbiest, Sarah; Chelmow, David; Clarke, Heather; Dunlop, Anne; Hosmer, Jennifer; Menard, M Kathryn; Moos, Merry-K; Ramos, Diana; Stuebe, Alison; Zephyrin, Laurie

2016-05-01

Preconception wellness reflects a woman's overall health before conception as a strategy to affect health outcomes for the woman, the fetus, and the infant. Preconception wellness is challenging to measure because it attempts to capture health status before a pregnancy, which may be affected by many different service points within a health care system. The Clinical Workgroup of the National Preconception Health and Health Care Initiative proposes nine core measures that can be assessed at initiation of prenatal care to index a woman's preconception wellness. A two-stage web-based modified Delphi survey and a face-to-face meeting of key opinion leaders in women's reproductive health resulted in identifying seven criteria used to determine the core measures. The Workgroup reached unanimous agreement on an aggregate of nine preconception wellness measures to serve as a surrogate but feasible assessment of quality preconception care within the larger health community. These include indicators for: 1) pregnancy intention, 2) access to care, 3) preconception multivitamin with folic acid use, 4) tobacco avoidance, 5) absence of uncontrolled depression, 6) healthy weight, 7) absence of sexually transmitted infections, 8) optimal glycemic control in women with pregestational diabetes, and 9) teratogenic medication avoidance. The focus of the proposed measures is to quantify the effect of health care systems on advancing preconception wellness. The Workgroup recommends that health care systems adopt these nine preconception wellness measures as a metric to monitor performance of preconception care practice. Over time, monitoring these baseline measures will establish benchmarks and allow for comparison within and among regions, health care systems, and communities to drive improvements.

The Quiet Health Care Revolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Herzlinger, Regina

1994-01-01

Discusses how entrepreneurs have helped reduce costs in health care and examines the major changes in the health care system that are simultaneously lowering costs and increasing quality. The author then explains how current reform proposals might affect these entrepreneurial innovations. (GLR)

The carbon footprint of Australian health care.

Science.gov (United States)

Malik, Arunima; Lenzen, Manfred; McAlister, Scott; McGain, Forbes

2018-01-01

Carbon footprints stemming from health care have been found to be variable, from 3% of the total national CO 2 equivalent (CO 2 e) emissions in England to 10% of the national CO 2 e emissions in the USA. We aimed to measure the carbon footprint of Australia's health-care system. We did an observational economic input-output lifecycle assessment of Australia's health-care system. All expenditure data were obtained from the 15 sectors of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare for the financial year 2014-15. The Australian Industrial Ecology Virtual Laboratory (IELab) data were used to obtain CO 2 e emissions per AUS$ spent on health care. In 2014-15 Australia spent $161·6 billion on health care that led to CO 2 e emissions of about 35 772 (68% CI 25 398-46 146) kilotonnes. Australia's total CO 2 e emissions in 2014-15 were 494 930 kilotonnes, thus health care represented 35 772 (7%) of 494 930 kilotonnes total CO 2 e emissions in Australia. The five most important sectors within health care in decreasing order of total CO 2 e emissions were: public hospitals (12 295 [34%] of 35 772 kilotonnes CO 2 e), private hospitals (3635 kilotonnes [10%]), other medications (3347 kilotonnes [9%]), benefit-paid drugs (3257 kilotonnes [9%]), and capital expenditure for buildings (2776 kilotonnes [8%]). The carbon footprint attributed to health care was 7% of Australia's total; with hospitals and pharmaceuticals the major contributors. We quantified Australian carbon footprint attributed to health care and identified health-care sectors that could be ameliorated. Our results suggest the need for carbon-efficient procedures, including greater public health measures, to lower the impact of health-care services on the environment. None. Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

[An experience of collaboration between primary health care and mental health care in La Ribera Department of Health (Valencia, Spain)].

Science.gov (United States)

Morera-Llorca, Miquel; Romeu-Climent, José Enrique; Lera-Calatayud, Guillem; Folch-Marín, Blanca; Palop-Larrea, Vicente; Vidal-Rubio, Sonia

2014-01-01

Despite the high prevalence of mental health problems among patients attending primary care, diagnosis and treatment of these disorders remain inadequate. Sound training of primary care physicians in how to manage mental health problems is needed to reduce the health, economic and social impact associated with these disorders. Among other elements, there is a need for cooperation between primary care physicians and mental health services. Distinct models are available for such collaboration. In 2006, our health department started a collaboration between these two levels of heath care, using a liaison model. Delays until the first specialist visit were reduced and satisfaction among health professionals increased, although these results should be interpreted with caution. Evidence has recently accumulated on the usefulness of the collaborative model, but evaluation of this model and extrapolation of its results are complex. We intend to evaluate our model more thoroughly, similar to other projects in our environment. Copyright © 2014 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Health care policy and community pharmacy: implications for the New Zealand primary health care sector.

Science.gov (United States)

Scahill, Shane; Harrison, Jeff; Carswell, Peter; Shaw, John

2010-06-25

The aim of our paper is to expose the challenges primary health care reform is exerting on community pharmacy and other groups. Our paper is underpinned by the notion that a broad understanding of the issues facing pharmacy will help facilitate engagement by pharmacy and stakeholders in primary care. New models of remuneration are required to deliver policy expectations. Equally important is redefining the place of community pharmacy, outlining the roles that are mooted and contributions that can be made by community pharmacy. Consistent with international policy shifts, New Zealand primary health care policy outlines broad directives which community pharmacy must respond to. Policymakers are calling for greater integration and collaboration, a shift from product to patient-centred care; a greater population health focus and the provision of enhanced cognitive services. To successfully implement policy, community pharmacists must change the way they think and act. Community pharmacy must improve relationships with other primary care providers, District Health Boards (DHBs) and Primary Health Organisations (PHOs). There is a requirement for DHBs to realign funding models which increase integration and remove the requirement to sell products in pharmacy in order to deliver services. There needs to be a willingness for pharmacy to adopt a user pays policy. General practitioners (GPs) and practice nurses (PNs) need to be aware of the training and skills that pharmacists have, and to understand what pharmacists can offer that benefits their patients and ultimately general practice. There is also a need for GPs and PNs to realise the fiscal and professional challenges community pharmacy is facing in its attempt to improve pharmacy services and in working more collaboratively within primary care. Meanwhile, community pharmacists need to embrace new approaches to practice and drive a clearly defined agenda of renewal in order to meet the needs of health funders, patients

Health and Disability: Partnerships in Health Care

Science.gov (United States)

Tracy, Jane; McDonald, Rachael

2015-01-01

Background: Despite awareness of the health inequalities experienced by people with intellectual disability, their health status remains poor. Inequalities in health outcomes are manifest in higher morbidity and rates of premature death. Contributing factors include the barriers encountered in accessing and receiving high-quality health care.…

Curing a meagre health care system by lean methods--translating 'chains of care' in the Swedish health care sector.

Science.gov (United States)

Trägårdh, Björn; Lindberg, Kajsa

2004-01-01

The purpose of this article is to discuss what happens when work embedded in a 'meagre' organizational context is changed by lean production-related methods. The article is based on studies of seven lean production-inspired projects in the Swedish health care sector, a sector already poor due to organizational slack. The projects were directed to develop 'health care chains', an organizational concept regarded as a way to rationalize health care organizations as well as to develop them, i.e. increase productivity, quality from a customer perspective and quality of working conditions. The article analyses the projects from an interpretative perspective and discusses how modem management models with ambitions to concurrently rationalize and develop organizations--e.g. lean production and health care chains--are used in a 'meagre' organizational field. As an outcome, a model is presented that explores what is beyond simple imitations and unique translations of ideas when a new concept is implemented in local organizations.

Transforming health care delivery through consumer engagement, health data transparency, and patient-generated health information.

Science.gov (United States)

Sands, D Z; Wald, J S

2014-08-15

Address current topics in consumer health informatics. Literature review. Current health care delivery systems need to be more effective in the management of chronic conditions as the population turns older and experiences escalating chronic illness that threatens to consume more health care resources than countries can afford. Most health care systems are positioned poorly to accommodate this. Meanwhile, the availability of ever more powerful and cheaper information and communication technology, both for professionals and consumers, has raised the capacity to gather and process information, communicate more effectively, and monitor the quality of care processes. Adapting health care systems to serve current and future needs requires new streams of data to enable better self-management, improve shared decision making, and provide more virtual care. Changes in reimbursement for health care services, increased adoption of relevant technologies, patient engagement, and calls for data transparency raise the importance of patient-generated health information, remote monitoring, non-visit based care, and other innovative care approaches that foster more frequent contact with patients and better management of chronic conditions.

Software Development Process Changes in the Telecommunications Industry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John Kevin Doyle

2006-06-01

Full Text Available The tremendous changes in the telecommunications business in the last several years drove changes in the software development processes of telecommunications equipment providers. We compare changes in these very large projects, in two companies, with those proposed in the Theory of Constraints / Critical Chains, Extreme Programming, and Agile development models. The 2000s have been a time of significant challenge in the telecommunications equipment business. Telecommunications service providers have excess equipment capacity. Many are waiting for next generation telephone switches that will simultaneously lower operating costs and enable additional revenue generation. The large service providers have drastically reduced their capital and expense purchases. Many small service providers, particularly the dot-coms, went bankrupt; much of their equipment is on the secondary market, at a fraction of the original cost. Thus the equipment market has significantly shrunk, and the equipment providers have been reducing expenses, while continuing to deliver software and hardware equipment at the high quality level required by the service providers. This drove many changes in the software development process. While the process changes are reported in two telecommunication equipment development organizations, the changes are applicable in any product development organization.

FastStats: Home Health Care

Science.gov (United States)

... this? Submit What's this? Submit Button NCHS Home Home Health Care Recommend on Facebook Tweet Share Compartir Data are ... National Study of Long-Term Care Providers Nursing Home Care Residential Care Communities Centers for Medicare and Medicaid ...

Competence of health care providers on care of newborns at birth in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Introduction: This is an observational study which was carried out at a level one health facility in Yaoundé from June to July 2009. The aim was to evaluate the competence of health care providers towards newborns' care at birth. Methods: Ten health care providers took care of three hundred and thirty-five pregnant women ...

Regulatory governance of telecommunications liberalisation in Taiwan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, Kuo-Tai; Hebenton, Bill

2008-01-01

This paper examines the changing role of government and market in regulating the telecommunications sector from since 1996 in Taiwan. It contextualises the theoretical aspects of regulatory governance for institutional design and practices, and reviews the concepts and mechanisms for appraising privatisation and regulatory systems. Using a conceptual framework for researching privatisation and regulation, it describes the process and issues pertinent to telecommunications liberalisation and privatisation in Taiwan, supported by a brief presentation of theoretical points of view as well as practitioners' views. The paper presents results concerning criteria for appraising privatisation and regulatory governance and considers policy lessons that can be learned from the experiences of the Taiwanese telecommunications sector's liberalisation. (author)

Regulatory governance of telecommunications liberalisation in Taiwan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cheng, Kuo-Tai [Department of Regional Studies in Humanity and Social Sciences, National Hsin-Chu University of Education, No. 521 Nan-Da Road, Hsin-Chu 300 (China); Hebenton, Bill [School of Law, University of Manchester, M13 9PP (United Kingdom)

2008-12-15

This paper examines the changing role of government and market in regulating the telecommunications sector from since 1996 in Taiwan. It contextualises the theoretical aspects of regulatory governance for institutional design and practices, and reviews the concepts and mechanisms for appraising privatisation and regulatory systems. Using a conceptual framework for researching privatisation and regulation, it describes the process and issues pertinent to telecommunications liberalisation and privatisation in Taiwan, supported by a brief presentation of theoretical points of view as well as practitioners' views. The paper presents results concerning criteria for appraising privatisation and regulatory governance and considers policy lessons that can be learned from the experiences of the Taiwanese telecommunications sector's liberalisation. (author)

Understanding telecommunications networks

CERN Document Server

Valdar, Andy

2017-01-01

A telecommunications network is an electronic system of links, nodes and the controls that govern their operations to allow voice and data transfer among users and devices. This fully revised, updated and expanded second edition covers all aspects of today's networks, including how they are planned, formed and operated.

34 CFR 668.38 - Enrollment in telecommunications and correspondence courses.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 34 Education 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Enrollment in telecommunications and correspondence... Student Eligibility § 668.38 Enrollment in telecommunications and correspondence courses. (a) If a student..., or graduate degree. (b)(1) For purposes of this section, a student enrolled in a telecommunications...

Benchmarking in Identifying Priority Directions of Development of Telecommunication Operators

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zaharchenko Lolita A.

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The article analyses evolution of development and possibilities of application of benchmarking in the telecommunication sphere. It studies essence of benchmarking on the basis of generalisation of approaches of different scientists to definition of this notion. In order to improve activity of telecommunication operators, the article identifies the benchmarking technology and main factors, that determine success of the operator in the modern market economy, and the mechanism of benchmarking and component stages of carrying out benchmarking by a telecommunication operator. It analyses the telecommunication market and identifies dynamics of its development and tendencies of change of the composition of telecommunication operators and providers. Having generalised the existing experience of benchmarking application, the article identifies main types of benchmarking of telecommunication operators by the following features: by the level of conduct of (branch, inter-branch and international benchmarking; by relation to participation in the conduct (competitive and joint; and with respect to the enterprise environment (internal and external.

Telecommunications Deregulation

OpenAIRE

Jerry A. Hausman; William E. Taylor

2012-01-01

From Fred Kahn's writings and experiences as a telecommunications regulator and commenter, we draw the following conclusions: prices must be informed by costs; costs are actual incremental costs; costs and prices are an outcome of a Schumpeterian competitive process, not the starting point; excluding incumbents from markets is fundamentally anticompetitive; and a regulatory transition to deregulation entails propensities to micromanage the process to generate preferred outcomes, visible compe...

Parity for mental health and substance abuse care under managed care.

Science.gov (United States)

Frank, Richard G.; McGuire, Thomas G.

1998-12-01

BACKGROUND: Parity in insurance coverage for mental health and substance abuse has been a key goal of mental health and substance abuse care advocates in the United States during most of the past 20 years. The push for parity began during the era of indemnity insurance and fee for service payment when benefit design was the main rationing device in health care. The central economic argument for enacting legislation aimed at regulating the insurance benefit was to address market failure stemming from adverse selection. The case against parity was based on inefficiency related to moral hazard. Empirical analyses provided evidence that ambulatory mental health services were considerably more responsive to the terms of insurance than were ambulatory medical services. AIMS: Our goal in this research is to reexamine the economics of parity in the light of recent changes in the delivery of health care in the United States. Specifically managed care has fundamentally altered the way in which health services are rationed. Benefit design is now only one mechanism among many that are used to allocate health care resources and control costs. We examine the implication of these changes for policies aimed at achieving parity in insurance coverage. METHOD: We develop a theoretical approach to characterizing rationing under managed care. We then analyze the traditional efficiency concerns in insurance, adverse selection and moral hazard in the context of policy aimed at regulating health and mental health benefits under private insurance. RESULTS: We show that since managed care controls costs and utilization in new ways parity in benefit design no longer implies equal access to and quality of mental health and substance abuse care. Because costs are controlled by management under managed care and not primarily by out of pocket prices paid by consumers, demand response recedes as an efficiency argument against parity. At the same time parity in benefit design may accomplish less

Journal of Community Medicine and Primary Health Care

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Journal of Community Medicine and Primary Health Care. ... environmental health, clinical care, health planning and management, health policy, health ... non-communicable diseases within the Primary Health Care system in the Federal ... Assessment of occupational hazards, health problems and safety practices of petrol ...

International Conference on Microelectronics, Electromagnetics and Telecommunications

CERN Document Server

Rao, N; Kumar, S; Raj, C; Rao, V; Sarma, G

2016-01-01

This volume contains 73 papers presented at ICMEET 2015: International Conference on Microelectronics, Electromagnetics and Telecommunications. The conference was held during 18 – 19 December, 2015 at Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, GITAM Institute of Technology, GITAM University, Visakhapatnam, INDIA. This volume contains papers mainly focused on Antennas, Electromagnetics, Telecommunication Engineering and Low Power VLSI Design.

Community health workers and health care delivery: evaluation of a women's reproductive health care project in a developing country.

Science.gov (United States)

Wajid, Abdul; White, Franklin; Karim, Mehtab S

2013-01-01

As part of the mid-term evaluation of a Women's Health Care Project, a study was conducted to compare the utilization of maternal and neonatal health (MNH) services in two areas with different levels of service in Punjab, Pakistan. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to interview Married Women of Reproductive Age (MWRA). Information was collected on MWRA knowledge regarding danger signs during pregnancy, delivery, postnatal periods, and MNH care seeking behavior. After comparing MNH service utilization, the two areas were compared using a logistic regression model, to identify the association of different factors with the intervention after controlling for socio-demographic, economic factors and distance of the MWRA residence to a health care facility. The demographic characteristics of women in the two areas were similar, although socioeconomic status as indicated by level of education and better household amenities, was higher in the intervention area. Consequently, on univariate analysis, utilization of MNH services: antenatal care, TT vaccination, institutional delivery and use of modern contraceptives were higher in the intervention than control area. Nonetheless, multivariable analysis controlling for confounders such as socioeconomic status revealed that utilization of antenatal care services at health centers and TT vaccination during pregnancy are significantly associated with the intervention. Our findings suggest positive changes in health care seeking behavior of women and families with respect to MNH. Some aspects of care still require attention, such as knowledge about danger signs and neonatal care, especially umbilical cord care. Despite overall success achieved so far in response to the Millennium Development Goals, over the past two decades decreases in maternal mortality are far from the 2015 target. This report identifies some of the key factors to improving MNH and serves as an interim measure of a national and global challenge that remains

Community health workers and health care delivery: evaluation of a women's reproductive health care project in a developing country.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdul Wajid