Category: Health

In what circumstances might you use this cost-benefit analysis method or design in a program for chronic kidney disease? What would be the benefits and disadvantages of this approach in those circumstances?

This cost-benefit analysis method can be used in situations where resources are limited. The Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is one of the calamities listed by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). It requires response, regardless of the limited resources. It is always the hope of everyone to have a good health care. The less fortunate in societies also deserve good healthcare. Offering health services to millions of people require well laid strategies and resources. The cost-benefit analysis can offer solutions to CKD. The revenues that are raised through this program are critical for the program in terms of administrative and logistics mobilization to beneficiaries. The large portions of these revenues come from the ministries of health.

Identify the evaluation method the cost-benefit analysis, and describe a scenario in which you might use this. Explain why this would be an appropriate choice. Discuss the pros and cons of this method or design

Quantitative evaluation methods are the most suitable for Cost-benefit analysis (Garbarino, 2009). The program is designed to benefit a large number of beneficiaries. The relevance, efficiency and effectiveness of the program can be retrieved from these evaluation methods. Quantitative evaluation methods are effective in getting large scale data, as in this case. Quantitative methods that can be used may include surveys, questionnaires, and observation checklist. An example where this approach may come in handy is when the program needs to get the actual number of beneficiaries. A survey will help determine the actual number.

The numbers obtained from the survey will represent that of beneficiaries. Qualitative methods are the best, in the sense that they are easy to conduct within the shortest time possible. They are also suitable because they obtain large samples compared to qualitative methods. The pros and cons of this method are simple. It is important to choose samples correctly. The sample should be manageable and well balanced. Understanding all the risks involved before evaluation is advisable. However, it is important to note that in-depth data calculations should be avoided because the main objective is to find out the effectiveness of the program. The sample selection should not be specific but generalized.

Explain in two pages how you would evaluate your hypothetical program, addressing the following from attachment: Measurable objectives you already identified. Revise them if you can improve on them. Explain how you will measure the objectives to determine if you have reached your goals. Include a description of how you will get the data with which to evaluate your objectives

The first step in evaluating this program will be to develop relevant questions for the process. The hypothesis of this program is based on its goals and objectives. The solutions that this program seeks to offer societies include increasing the supply of kidneys for transplantation, prolonging the lives of CKD patients, reducing cost of treating ESRDs, and reducing the mortality rate of ESRD patients on dialysis.

From these four objectives, the questions that can be used to evaluate the effectiveness, relevance and efficiency of the program will be developed. The programs objectives are realistic. To measure the objectives to see the programs success proper resource organization will be required. The program core goal is to help in averting CKD crises. Survey evaluation method will be used to determine success of the program. To ensure accuracy of the program, it is important to work hand in hand with relevant authorities. These include the ministry of health, hospitals and clinics, and health based non-governmental organizations.

A successful survey requires accuracy of data for the analysis. The data used in survey will come primarily from beneficiaries, hospitals, ministries, and any other relevant agency that can provide important data. Clinical tests data and observational checklists from hospitals will be utilized in the whole process. The survey will obtain these data and add to the information from beneficiaries. Data from beneficiaries will be obtained through interviews and questionnaires. The information from the ministry of health will also be important in the sense that, it will provide statistics about the cases of CKD. The Ministry will also provide health records of the affected. All this information will help determine achievement of this program.

To measure the objectives, data collected will indicate whether the program has: reduced cost of treatment; increased kidney supply; prolonged lives of patient; reduced mortality rate of patients. If not, the data will help in establishing what could have gone wrong during the process. For instance, the increase in kidney supply can be obtained from hospital records and interviews with the beneficiaries. The increased number of beneficiaries would mean an increase in kidney donations. Beneficiaries can also provide information about treatment cost if they are compared with the initial rates.

Discuss some of the obstacles you can foresee in this process and how you would try to overcome them

The major obstacle will be obtaining health records from relevant agencies with respect to the health information privacy rule. To overcome this, it will be wise to follow the due process.

Indicate whether the evaluative measures are process (activities) or outcomes. Review the budget you created

This programs evaluative measure is the outcomes, which is the increased kidney supply. They seek to measure the achievement rather than the activities. The programs goals are not activities but outcomes of a process, aimed at averting CKD crises.

A big chunk of the budget will be to improve health services. That is improving equipment, infrastructure and most importantly, the medical supplies. By doing this, the budget will create an environment where CKD healthcare will be available to many people. The budget is well spread and will sustain the program because it caters for all essential costs.

Does your budget reflect the costs for evaluation? If so, do you think it is sufficient? If not, how would you amend to cover the costs of evaluation?

A portion of the budget allocation for administration will be used for evaluation. Seven percent ($7766.75) of the cost of administration will be dedicated to evaluation. It will be sufficient and enough to conduct the whole process. The allocation will be sufficient, owing to the fact that most data will come from other sources.

The presented budget has a number of strengths that qualify it to meet the Generally Acceptable Accounting Principles (GAAP). According to GAAP, a budget should be prepared in a manner that will reflect the true and fair position of the organization (Sensining, 2007).

One of its strengths is that the appropriation amount is not less than the budgeted amount. The general rule of thumb regarding budgeting is that one cannot budget with what they do not have, thus this budget complies with this rule (Sensining, 2007).

Similarly, the approved amount in the budget is larger than the actual amount. This implies that all the expenditures will be within the required range. The variance that exists between the actual and the budgeted amount creates flexibility in the event that the cost of products, labor and other variables increase or decrease.

Further, its arrangement in terms of expenditure and revenue items facilitates ease of record analysis and provides a proper means of monitoring expenditures. This aspect gives room for transparency and accountability that may arise during the audit of the financial books.

The methods used in its preparation are in tandem with the accounting and recording guidelines espoused by the International Accounting Standards (IAS). Such guidelines play an important role in ensuring that the approved standards of accounting are universally applied in analysis of the books of accounts.

Alongside the above complements, this budget has a few shortfalls as well. One of its most obvious weaknesses is that the budgeted revenue and expenditure are equal. This attribute portrays inflexibility despite the budgeted amount exceeding the actual amount. Thus, in the event that there is an increase in expenditure, the organization may find itself in financial woes due to lack of funds to handle such emergencies.

Additionally, the variance margin of this budget is exaggerated on certain items like the wage expenses, fringe benefits and Admin OH Salaries and Fringes. The funds should be allocated reasonably and appropriately, in line with the preceding budgets that had been prepared. Due to this excess variance margin, the entire amount has been budgeted for without any savings or allocations for miscellaneous expenses.

It is surprising to note that with the exaggerated variance margin, the budget places emphasis on the required inputs and resources rather than the expected results. This attribute prompts one to think that there was mischief in the motives of those who prepared this budget. Since it concerns county health, its priority should be health matters rather than the additional indirect expenses that prominently feature. These expenses only serve to make it inflexible and prone to irregularities and misappropriation of funds.

Based on the weaknesses identified in this budget, there are certain items that should either be reduced or removed. These include the excess variance in wage expenses and fringe benefits as well as the Admin OH Salaries and Fringes. The allocation for marketing should be increased since it helps in the creation of awareness regarding the program in the society.

As it is, it fails to meet the average expectations of a good budget. Its overs and the unders should be reasonable. The prudence concept ought to have been applied in the allocation of funds to ensure that right allocations are assigned to the items (Sensining, 2007). Such a move would have ensured truth and fairness in the development of the document.

In conclusion, a good budget should comply with all the accounting guidelines provided by the Generally Acceptable Accounting Practices in order to reflect a true and fair position of an institution. This should be in terms of budget allocations and the items that have been prioritized in the budget. This budget complies with some of these requirements but largely fails to rise above the threshold for a good budget.

Reference

Sensining, A. (2007). Refining estimates of public health spending as measured in national health expenditure accounts: The United States experience. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 13(2), 103114.

Physical activity, past and present

Michael Joseph is a 70-year-old man from California. He is quite positive about physical health. He claims to be exercising on a daily basis. He walks around his home every morning. Additionally, he rides his bicycle around the neighborhood every evening. He is quite sharp and focused. He looks strong and healthy. He is quite eloquent. Mr. Joseph swims every weekend. His wife and grandchildren keep him company whenever he is out of the house.

Mentally stimulating activities, past and present

The fact that he rides a bicycle in an actively populated area confirms his ability to stay sharp. Additionally, Joseph admits that he plays board games on his computer to help him stay sharp. He also noted that he plays crossword puzzles with his grandchildren most of which are in colleges. However, he is not taking any course even though he has been thinking about it. He claims that the numerous meetings he attends keep him active.

Social support and social interactions

Mr. Joseph talks happily about his wife. He says that Catherine has been his only close contact apart from his children, grandchildren, and colleagues. He claims that the numerous numbers of appointments have stopped him from joining any social clubs or activities. However, he claims to have been invited severally to join social clubs or activities. Specifically, he claims that he was invited to be the patron of a religious community around his local area.

Meaningful activities

The old man says that he has considered every activity as meaningful. In this regard, he mentions his participation in teaching young people how to live meaningfully by helping their parents. Moreover, he mentions his past engagement in numerous social activities, which were aimed at conserving the environment. Additionally, since he is a religious person, Mr. Joseph claims to enjoy encouraging faithful at his local church. It is important to note that he participates in countrywide workshops aimed at encouraging the young generations. He also jokes that he has been trying to polish his basketball skills having been a renowned striker in his youth. He also admits that he is tied to his community and he tries all he can to assist the new generation.

Recreational or leisure activities

As mentioned earlier, Mr. Joseph was a renowned striker in the past. Therefore, he spends his free time playing basketball with his wife who is sixty-five. Moreover, he swims and rides around his home. He also plays crossword puzzles with his wife and grandchildren during his free time. Essentially, he is very active and tries to make use of every free time. He claims that this helps him to keep in touch with the new generation.

Living environment

The old man views his living environment as cool. He shares his evening tea with other old men in the community. This helps them to share ways of improving the lives of the young generation. He does not live in a retirement community because of the companionship from his grandchildren who are usually around him. Moreover, he does not wish to be separated from his loving wife who prefers to be around him. However, he admits that in the future he may be willing to move to a retirement community. He claims that he would love to keep driving although his wife and grandchildren never want to see him in the drivers seat. He also claims that changes in climate have been worsening in the area.

Reflective paper

Meeting Mr. Joseph was quite meaningful. I kept asking myself why the old man treasured young people. He had been involved in many workshops aimed at helping them live longer and help the community. Moreover, his grandchildren were cordially close to him. They kept listening to his advice even during the interview. I was also concerned that Josephs wife was by his side. This was a truly unique individual. He was able to keep his family close, even at old age. Besides, I was also influenced by his strong personality, which made me value every moment I spent with him.

Most notable aspects of the interview

Notable moments included the old mans ability to draw people to him. At his age, we all seemed to enjoy his conversation. Moreover, we seemed to trust every comment from him. Notably, most contemporary people tend to alienate old people because of the gap between them. However, this did not happen to Joseph. He seemed relevant. His contributions to the interview were astounding. He remained relevant to the topic of discussion. Mr. Joseph was sharp and critical of some issues especially those relating to marriage. He wondered why most couples separated, something, which rarely happened at their time. According to t him, marriage was highly regarded. People sacrificed for their marriage to work.

Joseph argued that as a born-again Christian; he abhorred issues like abortion, same-sex marriage, and divorce. He claimed that spending time in workshops across the country was important to him because it gave him the pleasure to teach the young generation the meaning of life. It is necessary to note that the old man was quite active whenever asked questions concerning life and the meaning of life.

He kept telling me that our generation never knew the meaning of life. He attributed issues such as pollution of the environment as proofs that we never considered life important. Moreover, he was concerned that we were ruining the life of future generations through the misuse of available resources. Essentially, Mr. Joseph was at pains with the way we considered life. He wanted a better life for the coming generations and us.

Most surprising aspects of the interview

It is necessary to note that more than half of the old mans answers were quite surprising to me. To begin with, I did not expect him to be in his house at that age. I had expected him to inform me that he had just come for a visit and that he was living in a retirement community. Secondly, he was able to command a strong personality at his age. Almost everyone wanted to share his or her experiences with him. I was amazed at his ability to answer my questions concretely.

I had expected a frail person who would be helped to even listen to my question or understand. However, to my surprise, he needed neither an interpreter nor a speaker to listen to my questions. Moreover, his answers were to the point. In fact, I started wondering if I had prepared adequately for the interview since he kept me at bay in every answer he gave.

I later realized he had been at many workshops and he was used to these questions. Additionally, I did not expect him to be riding a bicycle in a crowded area. However, he surprised me when he came to our meeting on a bike. Essentially, this old man had many spectacular aspects of him. He was considered healthy for his age. I had particularly chosen a 70-year-old because I imagined that he was frail and highly susceptible to isolation. However, none of these things happened to Mr. Joseph.

Commentary on the participants overall functioning

This participant could be considered as a healthy aging person. In fact, he matches the caliber of the aged who live healthily. Some of the reasons for this include his sharp focus and his ability to participate regularly in development activities aimed at helping the young generation. Moreover, his ability to listen carefully to my questions and answer them as concretely as possible was also a strong reason for this. Additionally, he was able to exercise routine as well as keep his family happy (Masotti, Fick, Johnson-Masotti & Macleod, 2006).

Mr. Joseph did numerous things well. For instance, he went around trying to help young generations to live healthy lives. At his local church, he encouraged couples to stop meaningless divorce and abortion. Moreover, he advocated for healthy living and conservation of the environment. His level of cognition was also quite active for his old age. Additionally, exercises were important for his health. Moreover, emotionally, he was protected since he enjoyed the company of both his family and friends. He also had self-esteem because everyone seemed to take advice from him. He was therefore wise in his interactions with people.

Despite all this, it should be noted that some improvements were necessary for the old man. For instance, I would advise him to reduce his rides around a crowd of people. This is to help him keep healthy because any form of the accident would reduce his chances of living his usual life. I would also advise him to accelerate his plans for living in a retirement center because this would help him to access many health facilities at his doorstep. Additionally, I would advise him to embrace change and try to help the young generation with that in mind (Potkanowicz, Hartman-Stein & Biermann, 2009).

Healthy aging involves a number of aspects. These include physical health, independence, optimism, coping well, productivity, staying involved in meaningful activities, to some extent employment, and financial security. Nonetheless, the main factors that determine healthy living are physical health, optimism, staying involved, productivity, and financial security. Based on these I would suggest that Mr. Joseph keep involved in his social activities albeit with reservations for his age. This would help to last his ability to attend such meetings. Additionally, he should fast track his movement to a retirement center to insure him of financial security as well as health services (Hartman-Stein & Potkanowicz, 2003).

Conclusion

I was able to learn a lot from Mr. Joseph. Firstly, he was jovial and focused. I enjoyed every bit of time with him. I learned that joy is important for ones health. Healthy people seem joyous. This helps to calm them and release stress, which can cause illnesses. I also learned that old age is not only characterized by frailness and poor health. It is also associated with active involvement, good health, and productivity. Moreover, the aging generations have a lot to offer to this world in terms of wisdom and experience. In essence, healthy aging is our responsibility.

References

Hartman-Stein, P. & Potkanowicz, E. (2003). Behavioral Determinants of Healthy Aging: Good News for the Baby Boomer Generation. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 8(2), 127-146.

Masotti, P., Fick, R., Johnson-Masotti, A., & Macleod, S. (2006). Healthy naturally occurring retirement communities: A low-cost approach to facilitating healthy aging. American Journal of Public Health, 96 (7), 1164-1170.

Potkanowicz, E. Hartman-Stein, P., & Biermann, J. (2009). Behavioral Determinants of Health Aging Revisited: An Update on the Good News for the Baby Boomer Generation. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 14(3), 11.

How CHPL Might Be Utilized By a Health Care Informatics Professional

Certified Health IT Product List website is very important for a healthcare informatics professional who is considering the purchase of an EHR for an ambulatory practice. This website defines every product that is available on the market, which has been certified by various bodies. This way, one is able to know the product which is appropriate for use and where it can be obtained. According to Andrews and Dark (75), major components of the information systems include computer software and hardware, databases, data warehouses, procedures, and human resources. When one is planning to purchase any equipment, he must ensure the compatibility of these components to achieve efficiency in operations. The information provided on this website may be helpful in this area.

The researcher reviewed three ambulatory products from this website, which include Connect Build-Your-EMR, 2013 Systemedx Clinical Navigator, and 24/7 Smart-EMR. This website has defined these products in a way that makes it easy to identify the benefits and challenges they may bring when used in healthcare facilities. Issues such as data security, speed of data processing, and retrieval are very critical (Cohen and Hanft 90). In cases where necessary, the website explains the impending healthcare information requirement about the product.

When planning to purchase HER, one may need to know about the medical record systems that support new regulations. This information is available on this website. One may also have a better knowledge about opportunities and solutions offered by a given tool such as storage capacity, user-friendliness, among other factors. This clearly demonstrates that CPHL provides information than just the certification details about HER products available on the market. It goes beyond this, as was witnessed when reviewing the three products available on the market. An individual is able to gather as many facts about the product as it may be necessary to determine its appropriateness. Some people are always sensitive about the product brand, while others are interested in the certification date (Westbrook 39). All these facts are available on this website to enable a buyer to make an informed choice.

Additional Resources That Informatics Professional Can Use

The information provided in the CPHL website can be trusted because this is a government body that cannot try to favor any firm. However, it may be necessary to use additional websites to shed more light on a product that one is planning to purchase. After reviewing the certifications given in the CPHL website, it is recommended that one should go to the website of the individual companies to get further clarification about the products. A buyer may determine further certifications of the products from these websites. They may also learn more about the products and their applications. Other government regulatory bodies may also be of help in case they certify a given product (Mantas and Hasman 88). Consumer Product Safety Commission website may provide information about the safety of the product before one makes the purchase (Wilson and McEvoy 115). Occupational Safety and Health Administration website can be useful in helping to determine if these products are safe for use in a healthcare facility. Environmental Protection Agencys website may be relied on to identify the products that pose serious threats to the environment once their lifecycles are complete (Tyrrell 62). Such products may be avoided for the sake of protecting the environment.

Works Cited

Andrews, Jean, and Joy Dark. Comptia Healthcare It Technician Hit-001 Cert Guide. Indianapolis: Pearson Certification, 2012. Print.

Cohen, Alan, and Ruth Hanft. Technology in American Health Care: Policy Directions for Effective Evaluation and Management. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2004. Print.

Mantas, Jane, and Arie Hasman. Informatics, Management and Technology in Healthcare. New York: Cengage, 2013. Print.

Tyrrell, Stuart. Using Information and Communication Technology in Healthcare. Abingdon: Radcliffe Medical, 2011. Print.

Westbrook, Johanna. Information Technology in Health Care 2007: Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Information Technology in Health Care: Socio-Technical Approaches. Amsterdam: IOS Press, 2007. Print.

Wilson, Patrick, and Scott McEvoy. Health It Jumpstart: The Best First Step Toward an It Career in Health Information Technology. Indianapolis: Wiley, 2012. Print.

Introduction

Proper health is a very important aspect in life and people have always sought quality and affordable medical services when they are sick to ensure they are healthy. Health institutions are working hard to ensure they meet health requirements of the populations they serve.

Doctors and nurses have ensured all patients get timely treatment and preventive services to control and manage diseases. In addition, public health administrators have played significant roles in ensuring health services are provided to the population according to required regulations (Rowitz 2008). This paper highlights the role of public health administrators in healthcare institutions.

Definition

Public health administrators are professionals in charge of managing all affairs of health institutions. They supervise and coordinate the activities of health facilities and ensure there is a healthy relationship between patients and doctors.

This means that their role includes creating a favorable working environment that will ensure patients and nurses understand each other to promote efficiency in service delivery (Turnock 2011). Even though the roles of these administrators are not usually pronounced, they are very important in determining the future of health institutions.

The most important contributions of public health administrators to improving public health include bridging the gap between physicians and their patients (Rowitz 2008). This means that they have ensured there is a healthy relation among all healthcare stakeholders to promote efficiency, transparency and accountability in health facilities. Therefore, they have enabled health providers and patients to understand each other and this has strengthened their relationships.

In addition, they have ensured doctors and nurses have adequate equipment and facilities that will enable them to offer good services (Turnock 2011). They have pushed governments and health departments to provide the required tools and funds to health facilities. Lastly, they have addressed key issues like accommodation and other requirements that nurses need while providing inpatient and outpatient services.

Public health administration is a career worth pursuing since it is challenging and exposes learners to various health issues including disease prevention, management and treatment. Secondly, it accommodates all other careers including law, education, management and research, therefore, making it a dynamic career that widens an individuals knowledge (Rowitz 2008).

Lastly, it ensures people protect life and advance its quality since health administrators offer their expertise and skills in serving their communities. Therefore, this is a career that ensures an individual enjoys serving other people by improving their health.

The expanded and new roles of public health administrators vary depending on states and the size of health institutions. However, most of them have general roles of ensuring that health facilities provide disease prevention, treatment and management services to the local population (Turnock 2011). This means that they must ensure these institutions have adequate funds and personnel to manage health related issues.

Poverty and chronic diseases have increased and this means that health administrators must develop different approaches in managing health complications (Rowitz 2008). For instance, they must ensure health facilities offer services that will promote affordable healthcare services since most people are poor and unable to fund their hospital bills. In addition, they must develop ways of managing chronic diseases that have increased due to poor diets.

Conclusion

Public health administrators play supportive roles to the services offered by physicians. These stakeholders should work together to ensure patients get good services and, at the same time, healthcare service providers enjoy their work.

References

Rowitz, L. (2008). Public Health Leadership: Putting Principles into Practice. Massachusetts: Jones and Bartlett Learning.

Turnock, B. (2011). Essentials of Public Health. Massachusetts: Jones and Bartlett Learning.

Discharge Summary System

The purpose of an electronic discharge summary system is to help clinicians to receive effective discharge summaries of all the information related to the patient. This system helps to organize the information on the patient and provide the summary necessary for inpatient and outpatient health care providers while saving time and guaranteeing reliability and appropriateness of the content (Electronic discharge summary systems, 2014). Hospitals need electronic discharge summary systems in order to improve the flow of discharge procedures. Electronic discharge summary systems contribute to improving the quality of the discharge procedure and security of transmission.

The electronic discharge summary system generates electronic discharge summaries on the basis of certain implemented software.

In order to generate summaries, actual data inputs are connected with the details of the patients admission and discharge. Physicians and nurses are responsible for entering the patient information in hospitals in order to guarantee the exchange of information between inpatient and outpatient health care providers.

All the administrative information regarding the patients admission is collected and presented in the form of the electronic discharge summary to be transmitted to the community care provider (Electronic discharge summary systems, 2014). The result of the systems work is an electronic discharge summary.

The electronic discharge summary system often needs to interface with Electronic Health Records and personal medical devices. In order to guarantee the interoperability of electronic discharge summaries with the mentioned systems and devices, common standards and interfaces are used (Electronic discharge summary systems, 2014). It is important to focus on the alignment of the electronic discharge summary system and electronic prescribing systems, patient administration systems, and different applications for coding document files because of the necessity to provide complete information on the patient during the discharge procedure.

The Issue of Interoperability

The term interoperability means the ability to transfer certain information effectively to different systems and devices as well as the ability to guarantee the efficient use of the information presented in a uniform and standardized mode. From this point, interoperability of systems and devices guarantees the effective origination of the information, the transmission of the data, and the receipt of the information. In this context, it is important to distinguish between functional and semantic interoperability. Functional interoperability is associated with the ability to exchange information between systems because of shared protocols and adopted standards. Much attention is paid to the actual physical ability of the system to exchange the data. In contrast, semantic interoperability is associated with the systems abilities to share the common meaning and use the exchanged information with the help of the same coding schemes (Hovenga, 2010, p. 157). Thus, the effective exchange of data is possible only if the principle of interoperability is addressed, and both functional and semantic interoperability matter because functional interoperability predicts the efficient share of the common meaning within and between systems.

Systems can be discussed with references to the idea of interoperability when data interfaces and data exchange standards are common because these standards guarantee the exchange and use of data. Data interfaces and data exchange standards and protocols should be compatible in order to provide communication with the help of systems. If the installed data interfaces and data exchange protocols are compatible, they enable the automatic exchange and codification of the data. Difficulties in exchanging the data occur when standards and protocols are different, and there is a case of incompatibility. For instance, while proposing the simultaneous use of Electronic Health Records and personal medical devices, hospitals should guarantee that they use the standard data interface or common data exchange standards in order to promote interoperability and avoid incompatibility. The focus on data standards is crucial for the idea of systems interoperability because only common standards can contribute to connecting systems effectively (Nugent, 2005, p. 134). Interoperability should be addressed at all levels, for instance, personal medical devices should have compatible data interfaces and data exchange standards with the Web services in order to code and use the data appropriately.

Implemented Systems

Such implemented systems as Patient Entertainment Systems and integrated multifunction devices can influence patient safety and patient care directly and significantly because of obvious changes in the performance of tasks by health workers. Patient safety is improved with references to the use of multifunction devices because patients have no need to wait in long queues when there is the necessity to receive the printed copy of records. When the multifunction device is integrated with the patient information system, the process is quick and easy, and it addresses the issue of urgency in hospitals.

From this point, the use of multifunction devices also improves the quality of patient care because physicians and nurses receive the opportunity to pay more attention to patients when their time and costs are saved with the help of the multifunction device (How printers can improve patient care, 2014). Patient Entertainment Systems also improves patient safety because of reducing the possibility of harms and injuries associated with patients movements in corridors while seeking for some entertainment.

The quality of the patient care can be improved because the patients experience changes, and he is encouraged to contribute to treatment (Hovenga, 2010, p. 24). Furthermore, such systems add to the idea of interactivity in patient care. Such basic patients needs as food ordering and interests in test results are addressed with the help of the system.

My Health Clinic At Home: The Telehealth Project in Australia

My Health Clinic At Home is a Telehealth project operated by Feros Care and funded by the Australian government as the pilot Telehealth program (Australia Government Department of Health: Telehealth, 2014). My Health Clinic At Home provides services in daily monitoring of the health of elderly and disabled persons as well as the well-being of persons with chronic illnesses. NBN provides the fiber-to-the-premise connection for measuring devices, touch-screen computers, a video camera, and Telehealth technology enabling patients and health care providers to contact with the help of exchanging health data, videoconferences, and telephone calls (Feros Care: Telehealth, 2014). Without leaving the home, patients receive the opportunity to measure their vital signs and transmit the results to the Telehealth Registered Nurses with the help of technologies. The results are discussed with the patient, and the necessary advice is provided.

My Health Clinic At Home improves the access to healthcare because patients can receive adequate and immediate consultation without leaving their homes. Furthermore, patients receive the opportunity to effectively self-manage their health. The daily recording of the health status is important to control the progress of diseases in those persons who suffer from chronic diseases or who are disabled or have no ability to leave homes. Contacts with health care providers are regular and focused on the concrete problem (My Health Clinic At Home, 2012). In addition, My Health Clinic At Home provides free access to healthcare for residents of rural territories because they often have no opportunity to contact physicians regularly.

My Health Clinic At Home also improves the clinicians healthcare practice because such approaches as video conferencing contribute to saving time and costs. Health care specialists receive daily recordings regarding the patients health status and can contact patients directly, without references to the issue of location. Medical workers state that they receive more opportunities to improve health care delivery in relation to aged and disabled persons (My Health Clinic At Home, 2012). Much attention should be paid to the improvement of the rehabilitation services with the help of video conferencing and providing effective instructional materials. Drug management is also improved because doctors can contact patients at any time and provide necessary prescriptions. Health care specialists can improve their coordination of chronic patients because of receiving the opportunity of daily health care management. Furthermore, the ability to use conferences and work in health teams contributes to improving the collaboration of clinicians.

My Health Clinic At Home is based on conveying several types of health information. The first type is the transmission of recordings and the results of measuring the vital signs and the patients health status. Patients provide health care specialists with information on their blood pressure, oxygen levels, and levels of sugar in the blood. Focusing on this information, specialists of the project control patients diabetes, heart conditions, lung conditions, and hypertension (My Health Clinic At Home, 2012). The other type of information is the health information provided by doctors and nurses during video conferences and phone calls. Health care providers present important information in the form of conferences including several health team members and in the form of consultations. All the professional information is provided by the members of the health team assigned to control the certain patients health status.

References

Australia Government Department of Health: Telehealth. (2014). Web.

Electronic discharge summary systems. (2014). Web.

Feros Care: Telehealth. (2014). Web.

Hovenga, E. (2010). Health informatics: An overview. Melbourne: IOS Press.

How printers can improve patient care. (2014). Web.

My Health Clinic At Home. (2012). Web.

Nugent, C. (2005). Personalised Health Management Systems: The integration of innovative sensing, textile, information and communication technologies. Melbourne: IOS Press.

Statement of personal interest

When I was a child I used to play a lot in my neighborhood with my friends. Sometimes, I could be injured when playing or a friend would be injured. When such an accident occurred, we would be helpless and would rely upon other people for first aid and treatment.

This always hurt me and I started learning a few ways of treating wounds. The children in the neighborhood nicknamed me Nurse. I became popular in the locality for providing first aid to children and I bought a first-aid kit with my savings at the age of thirteen. From a tender age, I developed an interest in providing first aid to people for minor accidents. I became very happy when I saw a patient recover from accidents like a cut on the finger and a bicycle fall.

Public health refers to the science and practice of offering protection and ensuring that a community has an improved health. This is achieved by issuing preventive medicine and controlling communicable diseases (Perrin 56). Other measures include providing sanitary measures and health education to the public. Being a physician has been my greatest goal in life. Having studied a lot and carried out research on public health, I have understood the importance of a community being healthy.

I have attended numerous workshops, seminars and community service programs. An example of such programs is the community service hosted by Jesse Tree. Such programs have sharpened my skills on offering public health as well given me a chance to interact with patients suffering from different illnesses. This cemented my interest in learning more about public health.

I possess many skills which would enable me offer health services to the public. First, I have good communication skills. Our neighborhood consisted of people from different cultures and social status. This enabled me to appreciate every person. I am also social. This would enhance the relationship between me as the physician and the public. Communication is a key factor for administering health assistance to the public as the physician can easily and efficiently diagnose an illness and offer sociological assistance to patients (Chen 82).

I also possess good skills in computers. Most of the researches in medicine are done through the internet. Recording of experiments and patient records is important to every physician (Frumkin 17). Having good computer skills thus will enable me to uniquely identify each patient and review each patients record fast and efficient. Data management is vital for every organization. Having a wide experience in data entry together with my good skills in computers will ensure that the data is always up to date and is systematically arranged.

How a person manages his or her time in a medical institution determines how efficient the institution operates (Porche 89). I plan every moment of my life and give priority to the responsibilities assigned to me in my workplace. Planning my time well has enabled me to always finish duties assigned to me within the scheduled time. At no particular time have I ever, in my previous positions, failed to meet deadlines due to poor time management.

Having being in leadership positions in several orga nizations has given me an opportunity to learn a lot about leadership. Some of such positions include Golden Key International Honor Society and National Society of Collegiate Scholars where I am the Founding President. Good leadership qualities embedded on servant leadership has seen tremendous growth in the organizations over time.

In addition to that, I believe that every persons idea counts. Working in different organizations and with different people has enabled me to appreciate team work. A lot can be achieved if people in an organization work together and have the same goals (Benenson 117). I have read a lot in medicine and public health. Not only reading for academic purposes but also to widen my knowledge on the subject.

My only major weakness is that I fear defeat. If I am convinced that something should be done and it is possible to do it, I strain every nerve to get it done. Sometimes I can be seen as being over ambitious or too persuasive. However, this quality is sometimes required in the field of medicine. An example is where a patient is in a very critical state. A physician who easily gives up might reach a point and lack the zeal to attend to the patient. A physician who fears defeat might fight to the last minute and sometimes he or she might save a life (Holland 103).

Handling of specimen, data entry, medical scribe and fitness advisor are some of the fields I have worked in previously. However, I can easily learn and adapt to most of the fields available.

I am convinced that I have a passion and great interest in providing proper healthcare to the community. However, I still have a lot to learn in the vast field of public health. An internship will give me a chance to learn from the experts. Such a chance would also enable me to relate what I have learnt from books with what is happening in the field. This would help me appreciate the knowledge available at the moment and also compel me to come up with new ideas and new ways of ensuring that quality healthcare is provided to the public.

Works Cited

Benenson, Abram S. Control of Communicable Disease in Man: An Official Report of the American Public Health Association. 15th ed. Washington DC: Association, 1990. Print.

Chen, Nancy N. Food, Medicine, and the Quest for Good Health Nutrition, Medicine, and Culture. New York: Columbia UP, 2009. Print.

Frumkin, Howard. Green Healthcare Institutions Health, Environment, and Economics : Workshop Summary. Washington, D.C.: National Academies, 2007. Print.

Holland, Walter W. Oxford Textbook of Public Health. Oxford [Oxfordshire: Oxford UP, 1984. Print.

Perrin, Edward. Health Performance Measurement in the Public Sector Principles and Policies for Implementing an Information Network. Washington, D.C.: National Academy, 1999. Print.

Porche, Demetrius James. Public & Community Health Nursing Practice a Population-based Approach. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 2004. Print.

Consider the last time you used Canadas health-care system. Was the experience positive or negative? What role did information quality play?

The last time I visited Canadas health care system, I was impacted positively. I recall that I could not explain my health condition to health care providers because I was unconscious. Fortunately, my electronic health record (EHR) in the hospital demonstrated that I was asthmatic.

The EHR helped care providers to do a quick clinical assessment and diagnosis. Since the medications that I had been given by my physician were not very efficacious, the emergency room staff used the data in my EHR to craft a care plan that could improve my health. I was jubilant about the critical role that my EHR played in my visit to the hospital. Thus, I believe that information is important in Canadas health care system.

What do you think of the purpose of Infoway? Do you believe that deep integration is required in the Canadian health-care system?

Infoway is a non-profit organization that aims at deeply integrating health care services through the utilization of information technology (IT). Generally, integration refers to the process of combining many related parts to form a unified whole. From a technical perspective, the integration of an information system culminates in relatively high levels of accuracy, relevancy, and accessibility. From a practical point of view, deep integration in relation to the health care system in Canada would result in decreased wait times, reduced side effects of medications, better ways of managing chronic diseases, and better patient participation in the delivery of health care.

The case study indicates that Canadas universal health care system has a big number of professionals who work in teams to facilitate the delivery of care. To further demonstrate the large size of the health care system in the country, it is indicated that annual health care expenditure is above $180 billion, which implies that every citizen spends an average of $5,300. Therefore, deep integration of the health care system is required in the nation.

With an integrated health care system in the nation, the quality of health care information would be improved. At the end of the day, a deeply integrated health system will improve the health of Canadians and national identity, both in the short-term and long-term. For example, in the case study, a nurse says that she is able to make one or two follow-up appointments in one week using IT tools. In fact, each trip is almost 1600 kilometers.

What kinds of challenges do you believe Canada Health Infoway will face in completing its vision? How long will it take to achieve complete integration?

Although Canada Health Infoway is committed to achieving a deeply integrated health care system in the country, the organization would face some challenges in its endeavor. The firm needs to use strategic management approaches to overcoming the challenges so that it can achieve its goals. First, a large-scale integration approach would require a lot of capital. As contained in the case study, the kind of deeply integrated health care system that is envisaged by Canada Health Infoway is expensive and imperfect.

The firm would not access funds in an easy manner because it would be required to write grant proposals to various organizations. Funds would be needed for training personnel and purchasing IT equipment. Second, there would be a challenge with regard to a lack of technical expertise in implementing the initiative.

Only a few experienced IT professionals would be involved in the project. The firm would be required to train its technical personnel, which would take a relatively long period. Fro the case study, it is evident that Luc Boucher, Karen Madill, and Daniel Girard anticipate the program to be complicated. Based on the high level of complexity of the program it would require a five-year period to be completed.

Experimental Study Designs

Research Question

Are there differences in satisfaction levels of adolescents suffering from type1 diabetes and receiving usual care and those suffering from the same condition but receiving systematic HRQoL intervention?

Health Outcomes of Interest

• Improving health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adolescents suffering from type1 diabetes;
• Establishing if HRQoL intervention provides better care for adolescents with type1 diabetes (Maartje, Waal, Delemarre-van, Alle, Krijn, & Mieke, 2008).

Exposures of Interest

• Usual care for adolescents with type1 diabetes;
• Systematic HRQoL intervention for adolescents with type1 diabetes (Maartje, Waal, Delemarre-van, Alle, Krijn, & Mieke, 2008).

Type of Experimental Research Design

The study utilized three experimental research designs that included therapeutic experimental design (treatment was given to improve health-related quality of life); parallel experimental design (each of the two groups received a different treatment, and the treatments were administered concurrently); and simple experimental design (each group was provided with one treatment).

Inclusion/Exclusion Criteria and the Initial Sample Size in Each Arm

The Inclusion/exclusion criteria required the participants to be adolescents, suffering from type1 diabetes and be residents of the area under the study. The HRQoL intervention group had 46 subjects while the control group had 45 subjects (Maartje, Waal, Delemarre-van, Alle, Krijn, & Mieke, 2008).

Data Collection at Baseline

Data collection was facilitated by the following baseline requirements:

• Adolescents were to be suffering from type1 diabetes for a given duration;
• Comparative treatment regimens were implemented;
• Attendance of the four randomly assigned outpatient clinics was necessary;
• Physical and psychological measurements were assessed using the 87-item child health report questionnaire to establish a patients eligibility;
• Depressive symptomatology was defined using the 20-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Scale for Depression (CES-ED)(Bailey, 2008).

Blinding of Subjects and Use of Placebo

Blinding was achieved by providing normal conditions, such as utilizing contemporary clinical environment and employing normal assessment techniques

Type of Data Analysis

Data was collected using the following tools: Center for Epidemiological Studies Scale for Depression (CES-ED), to determine depressive symptomatology in the subjects; The Patients Evaluation of Quality of Diabetes Care (PEQ-D); The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL), to establish HRQoL; Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ-CF87), to determine the physical and emotional well-being.

Statistical data analysis was done by Paired t-test or Wilcoxon to conduct follow-up studies on the change in baseline scores. Repeated measures ANOVA were obtained using SPSS 14.0 (Bailey, 2008).

Results and Main Findings of the Study

The findings of the study were as follows. The average score on the CHQ subscales of psychosocial health was P < 0.001, the behavior was P < 0.001, mental health was P < 0.001; and family activity at P < 0.001 was seen to improve in the HRQoL intervention group, except for the patients with the highest A1C scores (Maartje, Waal, Delemarre-van, Alle, Krijn, & Mieke, 2008). The HRQoL group also reported higher levels of self-esteem (CHQ) in the follow-up assessment (P=0.016), irrespective of the A1C values, and were more satisfied with the care provided (P= 0.009) as compared to the control subjects. No significant differences were observed between the control and the HRQoL groups (Maartje, Waal, Delemarre-van, Alle, Krijn, & Mieke, 2008).

The findings of the study indicate that the physical and psychological wellbeing of adolescents suffering from type1 diabetes can be improved significantly using the HRQoL strategies.

Comments (Including Generalizability of the Study)

The study has revealed that improvements in the quality of care offered to adolescents suffering from type1 diabetes could contribute to improving their physical and mental wellbeing. The findings of this study could inform researchers of other health conditions with similar effects on adolescents. If that is done, then the quality of life regarding the health of individuals suffering from such long-term diseases will be greatly improved.

References

Bailey, R. A. (2008). Design of Comparative Experiments. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Maartje, D. W., Waal, D., Delemarre-van, H., Alle, B. J., Krijn, H., & Mieke, H. (2008). Monitoring and Discussing Health-Related Quality of life in Adolescents with Type 1 diabetes Improve Psychological Well-Being: A randomized controlled trial. Diabetes Care, 8,1521-6.

Abstract: The development of African countries and more particularly South Africa, has led to some diseases that are hard to treat and they affect a large number of people in the population. More specifically, cardiovascular disease has taken hold and is increasing its effect on the people, especially those of middle and lower social class.

This is a new trend, as previously, the disease was thought to be mostly affecting the higher classes, due to their inactivity. This was mostly the case but presently, people of middle class, who are starting to hold higher positions and are able to move up the social ladder are influenced, as they get higher paid jobs and allow themselves more time without exercise and more fattening lifestyle.

Another reason is that the necessary equipment to diagnose and treat the disease is not available. This brings people back to the lower classes, as well as to the poorest conditions and slums. The cycle seems to drag people in, even though there has been some international attention in the recent years. The paper will focus on the issues in more details. Healthcare, governmental involvement, new techniques that are used to identify and treat the illness, as well as any help from other countries will be looked at.

With the governments increased involvement and the disease becoming an important issue for the country, some results are seen but they are not very reassuring. The rehabilitation has been shown to have great results but only 15-20 per cent of the population are eligible private cardiac patients (Perk, 2007).

These people get referred to the services but there is another problem that arises. There are often schemes and impossible requirements, as well as treatments that are imposed. People are fooled in their treatment and end up giving money away and not receiving the benefits.

Also, some companies do not have the ability to provide the medical assistance, as the people sent to them require more staff and special equipment, which they do not have. This shows that there is a significant disorganization with the healthcare system and the country must change its practices and processes. At the same time, the government is trying to educate people on the preventative measure for cardiovascular disease. The population is reminded to lead a healthy lifestyle, to eat healthy, exercise plenty and avoid stress.

The key figures of the disease are affected by people abusing tobacco products, being obese due to overeating and consuming fattening products, having a mix of other disorders, such as diabetes and high blood cholesterol. The statistics show that in year 2010, 0.56 per cent of people were affected, in 2011, 0.98 per cent and in 2012, 1.02 per cent (Rao, 2012). Such a steady and rapid increase in the disease is closely tied with peoples inability to get proper healthcare due to their resources and the organization of the hospitals.

Currently, there are benefit organizations and private funding agencies that are trying to change the statistics. One example is the Health in Africa Fund that will invest in small centers and health clinics, allowing for more equipment and better diagnosis. The African Development Bank is planning to invest around twenty million dollars towards the countrys needs while Gates Foundations is investing 7 millions of dollars.

There are also numerous companies and charitable organizations that are focusing on the environment and creating the necessary conditions for people to lead a healthy life. As a lot of these problems take place in the slums and conditions of people living below the poverty line, a reorganization of social division is taking place. The government is providing better possibilities for people to find jobs, more support to those in great need and investing in the healthcare system (Perk, 2007).

(Bradshaw, 2010).

Initiatives: Increase in technical provision of healthcare delivery is one of the proposed solutions, adding the number of workers and volunteers, identifying priorities, proper and efficient allocation of services, development of donor initiatives and proper government funding. As of right now, the estimates show that 70% of the budget went to curative medicine, while a mere 10 percent has been allocated for preventative care (Quaye, 2010).

The government tried to change things by aiding in the policy modification, in March 2001, the government abolished user fees in health expenditure (Quaye 2010). The taxes have been somewhat lowered, as the majority of the poor population is forced to contribute the most, financially. Even though there is aid, the numbers of mortality are alarming:

(Bradshaw, 2010).

Several international organizations have taken specific attention to helping South Africa in this matter. For example, World Health Organization is one of the major organizations focused on delivering and bettering the system. They work with local hospitals to increase awareness, getting donors involved and promoting governmental help in finding a more lasting solution.

The IRC or International Rescue Committee is taking active role and participation in changing the life of many in South Africa. Social programs, fund raising and administration help is increasing, allowing for better living conditions and the total functioning of the society. Unfortunately, the majority of African people are still unable to afford healthcare.

This has led the government to set forward a number of reforms and so, the next decade will see major results. Some of the strategies include giving the local communities and administrators more control over healthcare resources and needs of people, the mobile technology is being used to an advantage in the access and transference of available equipment, medical device, drugs are being better controlled and the distribution has become more regulated.

The government realizes that sometimes the international agencies will not be able to provide help, so there is more orientation towards own strength and the reliance on charities is planned to be decreased.

The administration is also targeting the population in the poorest areas, as these are the primary sources of the decease. Universal coverage and basic access to benefits and packages that include necessary pharmaceuticals and tools will increase preventative measures and the onset of the disease (Jamison, 2006).

The changes that are taking place in the healthcare system and governmental control are none like before. The international attention, the increasing demand and number of people dying are all factors that contribute to major changes. Proper life conditions like shelter, food and most importantly drinking water must become readily accessible, so that people do not stress and become a part of the cycle of depression, poverty and unemployment.

The middles class has been increasing in the past decades and so, it must be maintained, as people are starting to fall back into the lower socioeconomic status. Awareness and prevention will prove effective in the next ten years and the future looks somewhat reassuring. The international help has been providing much change and it is greatly appreciated but in order for there to be a shift, the African government must rely on its own strength. This will concretely fix the society and the healthcare system.

References

Bradshaw, D. (2010). Cause of death statistics for South Africa: Challenges and possibilities for improvement. Tygerberg, South Africa: Burden of Disease Research Unit.

Jamison, D. (2006).Disease and Mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa. Washington, United States: World Bank Publications.

Perk, J. (2007). Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation. New York, United States: Springer.

Quaye, R. (2010). Balancing Public and Private Health Care Systems. Maryland, United States: University Press of America.

Rao, G. (2012). Coronary Artery Disease: Risk Promoters, Pathophysiology, and Prevention. New Delhi: Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers.