Posts Tagged ‘systems’
New, Targeted Pain Medicine Delivery Systems May Reduce Costs Long Term; Cost To Treat Pain Varies Significantly By Chronic Pain Condition
Estimates of pain care treatment costs exceed $1 billion annually in the United States. Today at the American Academy of Pain Medicine’s 26th Annual Meeting two abstracts looked at the issue. One evaluated intrathecal drug delivery (a targeted medicine delivery system) that could save costs over time. The other analyzed the differences between the costs of treatment for chronic pain treatments…
Surveillance Systems Are Successful In Tracking Swine Flu
Concerns about the effectiveness of flu surveillance systems during the early phase of the swine flu pandemic were misplaced, according to research published on bmj.com today. An analysis of samples from members of the public who called NHS Direct with cold or flu-like symptoms during June 2009 closely matched local transmission rates in six regions of England.
Need For Studies On People With Weakened Immune Systems: Vulnerability To Flu And Response To Vaccination
An article published in the August edition of The Lancet Infectious Diseases reports that additional research is required on the vulnerability to the new H1N1 flu strain of different immunosuppressed populations. The possible effectiveness and side-effects of future vaccines also need to be evaluated.
Contextual adaptation of the Personnel Evaluation Standards for assessing faculty evaluation systems in developing countries: the case of Iran
Background:Faculty evaluations can identify needs to be addressed in effective development programs. Generic evaluation models exist, but these require adaptation to a particular context of interest. We report on one approach to such adaptation in the context of medical education in Iran, which is integrated into the delivery and management of healthcare services nationwide.Methods:Using a triangulation design, interviews with senior faculty leaders were conducted to identify relevant areas for faculty evaluation. We then adapted the published checklist of the Personnel Evaluation Standards to fit the Iranian medical universities’ context by considering faculty members’ diverse roles. Then the adapted instrument was administered to faculty at twelve medical schools in Iran. Results:The interviews revealed poor linkages between existing forms of development and evaluation, imbalances between faculty work components and evaluated areas, and inappropriate feedback and use of information in decision making. The principles of Personnel Evaluation Standards addressed almost all of these concerns and were used to assess the existing faculty evaluation system and also adapted to evaluate the core faculty roles. The survey response rate was 74%. Responses showed that the four principles in all faculty members’ roles were met occasionally to frequently. Evaluation of teaching and research had the highest mean scores, while clinical and healthcare services, institutional administration, and self-development had the lowest mean scores. There were statistically significant differences between small medium and large medical schools (p<0.0001).Conclusions:The adapted Personnel Evaluation Standards appears to be valid and applicable for monitoring and continuous improvement of a faculty evaluation system in the context of medical universities in Iran. The approach developed here provides a more balanced assessment of multiple faculty roles, including educational, clinical and healthcare services. In order to address identified deficiencies, the evaluation system should recognize, document, and uniformly reward those activities that are vital to the academic mission. Inclusion of personal developmental concerns in the evaluation discussion is essential for evaluation systems.
Quantum And Renaissance Health Systems Take Leadership Role In Advancement Of Electronic Health Records In Florida
The Quantum Group, Inc. (NYSE Amex: QGP) is taking a leadership role to advance the use of electronic health records (EHR) in response to the less than 20% adoption rate by U.S. physicians. The Company has decided to fully subsidize the EHR module of PWeR(TM) to its 550 Renaissance-affiliated Primary Care Physicians in the state of Florida if certain Medicare Advantage membership criteria are met.
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