Thursday, October 10, 2019

Benefits of Electronic Medical Records

Benefits of Electronic Medical Records Stephanie Fine HCS/490 December 5, 2011 Cindy Perkins Benefits of Electronic Medical Records * â€Å"In 1972, the Regenstreif Institute developed the first medical records system† (Unknown, History of Electronic Medical Records, 2011, Para. 3). Since then, health care facilities across the nation are beginning to see the benefits that electronic medical records have on both health care providers and patients as well. This paper will discuss the benefits of electronic medical records for patients as well as one aspect relating to the values and importance of maintaining confidentiality when using this mode of communication. This paper will provide at least one reason this mode is an effective means of communication between consumers and providers and explain how this mode of communication differs from others. Finally, this paper will show how media and social networking change communication in health care as well as how electronic medical records can be used to market health care products or services. Although there are many benefits for patients and Electronic medical records this paper will focus on the top three. The first benefit would be that â€Å"Electronic medical records (EMR’s) help improve the care of patients and reduce medical errors in doctors’ offices† (Huckestein, 2011, Para. 1). This is because all of a patients medical records are kept in one place and access ed through a secured web portal by any provider that the patient must see. This leave less room for errors due to unspoken information that can be critical to the patient but forgotten to say to the provider such as allergies, medications, and previous diagnoses. The second benefit would be the ease of access. Most health care facilities that use electronic medical records also use e-prescriptions as well. â€Å"Prescriptions are electronically sent directly to pharmacies and are ready to be picked up after the office visit† (Huckestein, 2011, Para. 5). This helps to cut down on time and eroors made in patient medications. Along with quick prescription services the patient does not always have to wait for the doctor’s office to open to request information from their providers. â€Å"Patients may also be able to request referrals, prescriptions refills, and appointments through the Internet from their physicians’ offices† (Huckestein, 2011, Para. 5). The third benefit of electronic medical records for patients is the comfort of knowing that their medical records are kept safe , secure , and will never be lost. Keeping these records electronically, especially in the cases where patients can also gain access to them, means the patient won't be left without the records she may need† (Torrey, 2011, Para. 7). This is especially comforting to have if the health facility were happen to close or go out of buisness. The patient knows that he or she will still have all necessary records to continue with the health care that he or she needs. * While ease of access is very important, secu rity of electronic medical records is just as important. Health providers are required to abide by all HIPAA laws within the office as well as electronically. It is very important that not only health care staff but patients as well keep all passwords and user information to themselves and never reveal security information with others. This helps to ensure that all medical information is kept safe and free from identity theft and other crimes involving sharing or reveling medical information to anyone who is not authorized to view it. One reason this mode is an effective means of communication between consumers and providers the ease of access to all medical records in the event of an emergency situation. When a patient is well or seeing a provider for non emergency situations they are able to provide accurate information needed to help keep electronic medical records up to date. This data is kept in the same file and used to help the patient in the event of an emergency that perhaps the patient is unable to speak or inform the health prov iders of their medical history, medications, and or disease or illnesses they may have. At most, quick access to our records can be lifesaving if an emergency occurs and answers to those questions are needed during the emergency decision-making process† (Torrey, 2011). This can be very useful if the patient happened to be on vacation or out of town. It can â€Å"Provide a single, shareable, up to date, accurate, rapidly retrievable source of information, potentially available anywhere at any time† (Unknown, Electronic Medical Records, Electronic Health Records †¦ , 2011, Para. 12). * It is clear that electronic medical records are beneficial and different from any other mode f communication. This is because it is a direct link between both the provider and the patients. It is also set up to still be available regardless of a tragic event such as 911. Paper files, fax, and phone messages can be destroyed in a flood or fire but electronic medical records are here to stay. â€Å"Large scale EMR systems replicate their stored records in several places across the country so that one tragic event won't destroy them† (Torrey, 2011, Para. 4). * Another area that can be benefited by electronic medical records is health care product and service providers. Just like the ads one may find on social networks like face book and MySpace, ads for health care products and services can be place on the web portals that patients and providers use to obtain their electronic medical records. On the patient side, the patients can see new and upcoming health care products that they can discuss with their providers to help with medical issues. They can also see service ads for sites such as Web MD and the Mayo Clinic that help answer other questions they may have regarding healthier lifestyles and other information. On the provider side, there could be ads on new medications and drug reps that can help them decide what medications they would like to prescribe in their facility. * In conclusion, electronic medical records are a huge step forward in the health care world for both providers and patients. This paper has discussed the benefits of electronic medical records for patients as well as one aspect relating to the values and importance of maintaining confidentiality when using this mode of communication. This paper has provided three reasons this mode is an effective means of communication between consumers and providers and explained how this mode of communication differs from others. Finally, this paper has shown how media and social networking change communication in health care as well as how electronic medical records can be used to market health care products or services. * References Huckestein, D. (2011). Patients Benefit from Electronic Medical Records. Retrieved from IHA: http://www. ihacares. com/index. cfm/news-room/patients-benefit-from-electronic-medical-records/ Torrey, T. 2011, April 11). The Benefits of Electronic Medical Records (EMRs). Retrieved from About. com: http://patients. about. com/od/electronicpatientrecords/a/EMRbenefits. htm Unknown. (2011, September 14). Electronic Medical Records, Electronic Health Records †¦ . Retrieved from Open Clinical: http://www. openclinical. org/emr. html Unknown. (2011). History of Electronic Medical Records. Retrieved fr om http://www. nasbhc. org/atf/cf/%7BCD9949F2-2761-42FB-BC7A-CEE165C701D9%7D/TA_HIT_history%20of%20EMR. pdf * * * * *

Geographic coordinate system, Essay

Sextant- allowed users to determine their latitude to within a sea mile or two The gnomon or sun-shadow disk- operated like a sundial, enabling the user to determine his latitude by the length of the sun’s shadow cast on a disk floating level in water. The Arabian kamal- a rectangular plate that one moved closer or farther from one’s face until the distance between the North star and the horizon exactly corresponded to the plate’s upper and lower edges. The distance the plate lay away from the face—measured by a string tied to the center of the plate and held at the other end to the tip of the nose—determined the latitude. cross staff Tools used to measure longitude (Lesson 02.01) (use the first resource in this lesson to help you) Be able to list and describe the 2 main tools used to measure longitude in early navigation the chronometer- the sextant to figure longitude using the lunar-distance method Current Navigation Tools (Lesson 02.01) What tool do we currently use to determine location (latitude and longitude)? The Global Positioning System, Longitude and Latitude (Lesson 02.01) Know the ways that longitude and latitude run (N to S or E to W) and what they measure Longitude E to W – know how far east or west they were of the Prime Meridian Latidude N to S – how far north or south they were from the equator What are longitude and latitude measured in? they measure in degrees Challenger Expedition (Lesson 02.02)—Best resource link to use = â€Å"Account of the Voyage of the Challenger† Besides conducting sampling of the waters on its journey, what were the main findings from the Challenger voyage? found many new species, and provided collections for scores of biologists. What tool was used to do measure the depths of the ocean? The Challenger was equipped with 144 miles of sounding rope What are the 2 pieces of equipment used to collect bottom samples on the Challenger? At left is a shallow-water dredge, whereas a deep-sea trawl is shown at right. What was a newly invented piece of equipment used on the Challenger ship to get water samples called? Buchanan Water Sampler In which zone of the rocky shore would you most likely find only grasses and patches of lichens? splash zone What type of animal uses the rocky shore for their ‘feeding’ grounds? white-tailed deer in the winter What is the name of a plant-like species found in rocky shores? seaweed What is the special adaptation of these organisms found in the rocky shore ecosystem?—to do this, match up the following (Match the organism with its adaptation) Cky shore and tidal pools—what kinds of adaptations do they have that enable them to survive the pounding waves while staying in place, tidal changes (periods of time covered with water or periods of time with no water), sunlight exposure, evaporation of water that may leave concentrated salts behind, blending in to avoid predators What are the physical changes that occur in the rocky shore (3 main ones—think tides, salt content, and wave action)? Rock pools flat area of rock, back part forms a cliff where the front part is flat and in the water, formed by waves, wind, and rain Platform sloping shoreline where group of large rocks found on calm shorelines Boulder fields?depression left from a boulder grinding into a rock that hold water Crustaceans (Lessons 02.05 and 02.04) What 3 special adaptations do crustaceans have that allow them to survive in the rocky shore ecosystem? What characteristics do all crustaceans share (need to be specific) What is the best characteristic to help you identify a crustacean? What are the 3 main example types of crustaceans? Referenses: Baker, K. B., and S. Wing. â€Å"A new magnetic coordinate system for conjugate studies at high latitudes.† Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics 94.A7 (1989): 9139-9143. Dabek, Frank, et al. â€Å"Vivaldi: A decentralized network coordinate system.† ACM SIGCOMM Computer Communication Review. Vol. 34. No. 4. ACM, 2004. Gustafsson, G., N. E. Papitashvili, and V. O. Papitashvili. â€Å"A revised corrected geomagnetic coordinate system for Epochs 1985 and 1990.† Journal of atmospheric and terrestrial physics 54.11-12 (1992): 1609-1631. Priyantha, Nissanka B., et al. â€Å"Anchor-free distributed localization in sensor networks.† Proceedings of the 1st international conference on Embedded networked sensor systems. ACM, 2003. Goodchild, Michael F. â€Å"Citizens as sensors: the world of volunteered geography.† GeoJournal 69.4 (2007): 211-221.

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

The Impact of Postmodernism in the 21st Century Media Essay

The Impact of Postmodernism in the 21st Century Media - Essay Example Postmodernism, on the other hand, is a complicated term. Some define it as a phenomenon or a cultural movement. As Stanley Gentz elaborated in his book, A Primer to Postmodernism (1996), â€Å"Postmodernism affirms that whatever we accept as truth and even the way we envision truth are dependent on the community in which we participate. ... There is no absolute truth; rather, truth is relative to the community in which we participate." Jean-Franà §ois Lyotard in his paper The Postmodern Condition (1984) defined modernity as Enlightenment or as the culmination of Enlightenment thought. Largely defined by incredulity toward the grand narratives, he noted that postmodernity have sought to explain the world. Lyotard also averred that postmodernism designates the state of our culture following the transformations which, since the end of the nineteenth century, have altered the game rules for science, literature, and the arts. Thus, he furthered that: In a society whose communication component is becoming more prominent day by day, both as a reality and as an issue, it is clear that language assumes a new importance. It would be superficial to reduce its significance to the traditional alternative between manipulatory speech and the unilateral transmission of messages on the one hand, and free expression and dialogue on the other. Moreover, because it is a concept that appears in a wide variety of disciplines or areas of study, including art, architecture, music, film, literature, sociology, communications, fashion, and technology, postmodernism appears to be difficult to confine in a simple meaning. It's hard to locate it temporally or historically, since it's not clear exactly when postmodernism begins. In the character of our changing times, people have come to live not only in a situated culture, but in a culture of mediation since the 19th century. The press, film and cinema, television and radio and more recently, the Internet, have developed to supply larger scale means of public communication. Our situated culture exists within a much wider mediated world. The introduction of the term 'global village' in the 1960's illustrates how much our world has changed and the change is due almost entirely to the development of mass communications. With the recent spate of electronic media, like the Net, mass media is inarguably the most democratizing, empowering state that man has ever built. Agreeing to this is Black American activist Malcolm X, as he succinctly stated that, "The media is the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that's power. Because they control the minds of the masses." Sociologists have long agreed that the media has a marked impact not only in opinion, but also on the way people dress, act and relate with one another. Our cultural experiences attests to the development of systems of mass communication, like the television. New York Post critic Clive Barnes reckoned that "Television is the first truly democratic culture - the first culture available to everybody and entirely governed by what the people want. The most terrifying thing is what people do want." Studies have substantiated Barnes' scary

Tuesday, October 8, 2019

Homeopathy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Homeopathy - Essay Example Conventional medicine is the system being practiced by medical degree holders such as medical doctors and the medical practitioners who work with registered nurses, therapists, and psychologists. It is also referred to as mainstream medicine, or "regular" medicine. Complementary medicine, when practiced alone, is used along with conventional medicine to supplement the latter. An example of complementary medicine is the intake of plant extracts and juices believed to have extraordinary therapeutic effects to supplement conventional medicine. The use of alternative medicine, on the other hand, most of the time replaces conventional medicine. For example, a cancer patient may choose to engage in a series of practices including diets and supplements instead of going through the methods of conventional medicine which may include surgery and chemotherapy. Integrative medicine is defined as a practice that "combines mainstream medical therapies and CAM therapies for which there is some high -quality scientific evidence of safety and effectiveness" (NCCAM 2006). For some, the combination of mainstream medical therapies and CAM therapies is best than depending on a single ttype of therapy. Lastly, Complementary and alternative medicine, or CAM, is "a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine" (NCCAM 2006). It is a movement that is seeking ways to treat illness with minimal disruption of the internal environment of the body. A more organized and established example of alternative medicine is the practice of homeopathy. This form of alternative healing, which dates back to 200 years ago, uses a different approach in diagnosing and treating medical conditions. It is primarily based on the Law of Similars which promotes curing "like with like" which means that "small, highly weak & diluted quantities of medicinal substances is given to treat symptoms, but when the same substances are given at higher or more concentrated doses would actually cause those symptoms in patient" (Weiner & Goss 6). Homeopathy is one among the many approaches to complementary and alternative healing. Its increasing popularity over time and its worldwide success indicate that like most approaches to health care, it should be chosen with considerable care, and considered only as an alternative should other approaches to healing such as "conventional medicine" have proven unsuccessful. There are however some doubts on the usefulness and affectivity of the practice of homeopathy. The modern medical practice as we know it is well founded on scientific studies and proofs. There is a growing trend in modern society to seek natural healing treatment for various illnesses that plague mankind. Homeopathy, despite considered to be unscientific by some, is one of those CAM that society is willing to try. The main reason is the that modern medicine, which is based on pharmaceutical products, do not address all the concerns of the ailing public. People want more preventive and natural remedies and don't want to become human experiments for pharmaceutical drugs. Most pharmaceutical products have harmful side effects, sad to say, some of these side effects

Sunday, October 6, 2019

Muslms and health Care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Muslms and health Care - Essay Example Muslims have clear ideas about their medical care due to religious beliefs. This has to be taken into consideration by non-Muslim doctors. Since there are millions of Muslims in the United States, with a growing population, their needs are significant. Many Muslims have no choice but to be treated by a non-Muslim doctor. If their needs are not met, many Muslims would rather practice their religion than get medical care. This would be a travesty. American citizens would be suffering from third world illnesses just because doctors do not meet their needs. Muslims believe in transplantation and organ donations, HIV/AIDS treatment, non-abortive contraception methods (IMANA Ethics Committee, 2005). However Muslims do not believe in assisted reproductive methods, surrogacy, abortion, morning after pill, cloning, or medicines with alcohol (IMANA Ethics Committee, 2005). Another issue is modesty and opposite gender examination. Hajabs, head coverings, must be worn in public (Abdullah, 2008). Public includes hospitals. Opposite gender examinations can be preformed if a third party witness, the same sex as the patient, is present. These rules are important to a Muslim. If a doctor understands these rules, then they can form a treatment plan the patient is more likely to follow. Muslim doctors and health personnel know what treatment plans that Muslims would be more likely to follow. However not all Muslims are treated by doctors from the Muslim faith. Not all non-Muslim doctors are familiar with Muslim religious needs. Many Americans are informed about Muslims through stereotypes on television. This needs to change. The only way to improve this issue is effective communication with the patient. Effective communication will enhance a doctor’s cultural competence in addressing Muslim needs. There two different ways to have effective communication with a patient. The first is asking a patient that walks in with a Hajab what

Saturday, October 5, 2019

Louise Slaughter Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Louise Slaughter - Research Paper Example The term Congress in the United States has two applications (Kura, 2001). First, Congress refers to the Senate or national bicameral legislature. Secondly, Congress refers to the House of Representatives. In the Senate, members are referred to as senators while Representatives are the members in the House of Representatives (Heath, 1999). Persons who are members of both the Senate and House of Representatives are members of congress. Representatives are also referred to as congressmen or congresswomen. The current congress is the 113th and was elected in November 2012. The House of Representatives has 435 members while the Senate has 100 members. The members of US congress are elected to represent people in fifty states. Since the congress representatives are elected, it is possible to have a Congress whose representatives have unequal racial representation. The two Congress chambers are separate. However, they both participated equally in the enactment of legislation. The congress m ust hold one joint meeting in a year to agree on the convening and adjourning dates and count the presidential votes. The ability of the Congress to enact laws is the sanction of that effects other congress actions. The discussion in this paper focuses on the congresswoman named Louise Slaughter. In the discussion, Louise Slaughter is analyzed for her key achievements, voting records, important committee assignments, and leadership positions. Current position of Louise Mclntosh Slaughter Louise was born on 14 August 1929. Today, Slaughter is the New York’s representative for 28th congressional district. She has served in this position since 1993. The political party membership is Democratic Party. Slaughter’s district of representation is found in Rochester, New York. This district partially comprises of counties of Orleans and Monroe in New York. Since 1987 to 1993, Slaughter represented New York’s 30th District. The United States Congressional elections were h eld in November of the year 2012. In these elections, Slaughter’s victory was over Maggie Brooks who had been county representative since 2004. Her representation is now in the restructured 25th District. This District is entirely found in Monroe County except for Rush, Mendon, Hamlin, Wheatland, and part of Clarkson. Slaughter has formerly been the chairperson of the House Rules Committee. Her leadership in this Committee lasted from 2007 to 2011. Other membership roles include ranking minority member as from 2011. After her reelection, Slaughter vowed to fight for issues of Medicare and Social security. She also vowed to fight for the Violence against Women Act renewal (Alaimo, 2012). In most of her career, Slaughter has spent time fighting for the safety, opportunities and health. In addition, Louise is the co-founder of the Bi-partisan Pro Choice Caucus and Co-author of violence against Women Act. Slaughter has also greatly advocated for the protection of the nationâ€⠄¢s troops by ensuring that troops have the needed armor. According to slaughter, she feels that those responsible for protecting the nation should also be protected. Louise has been considered as a true reformer. For now, Slaughter is fighting to pass the Stock Act in her efforts to clean up Washington. Through this act, Congress members will not be in a position to make money in the stock market using insider information. This move will protect million of citizens since her support will not be

Friday, October 4, 2019

Case Study on Business Strategy in the Australian Solar Energy Essay

Case Study on Business Strategy in the Australian Solar Energy Industry - Essay Example Appropriately enough most cutting edge research on implementing solar energy solutions is also being carried out in Australia. Various new companies and old ventures have begun to frequent the Australian solar energy market. CBD Energy is one such company with a two decades old history in the alternative energy industry. (ASX, 2011) This text will attempt to analyse the internal strengths and weaknesses possessed by CBD Energy that will enable it to deal with the solar energy industry effectively. 2. Analysis of the firm's internal resources and/or capabilities Competitive Advantage CBD Energy possesses significant competitive advantages against its competition within the Australian market. CBD is strongly connected to international global renewable companies such as Datang, SOLON, Tianwei and Oelmaier Technologies which ensure that technological access and supply are always available. This is essential as the global solar energy products manufacturing industry is finding itself unde r increased pressure to fulfil customer orders due to inflated demand. Moreover CBD has begun to assemble solar inverters as of January 2011 and had produced 500 units by February 2011 while annual projections put the figure at 20,000 units. This will ensure that CBD has alternative revenue streams in place as well and this will also ensure that CBD has critical components available at its disposal in required quantities at all times. Another significant advantage displayed by CBD is its ability to assemble key components for PV installations on rooftops. Most other companies in the Australian solar industry market do not have the requisite expertise as yet. This aids in reducing input costs, getting government tenders as these products are made in Australia and ensure timely access to required components. The recent opening of an office in China will enhance CBD’s manufacturing standing and will aid its efforts to manage outsourced components. (CBD Energy, 2011a) Consequentl y the lowered prices will encourage a new wave of buyers to invest in solar technology as it becomes more affordable for individual family units. Analysis of Resources Resources Indicators Financial Share value has been unsteady for the last fiscal year; Investors and speculators are pulling out. Organisational Employees are well paid. Physical Company is expanding its manufacturing and servicing capabilities. Technological Company’s resources are being updated continuously with new installations; Continuous improvement in products and services is underway. Human The management team is composed of experts from respective fields. Innovation New methods are being developed for servicing and installations. Reputation Sales are going up indicating developing market reputation. CBD is presenting a mixed picture in terms of its key resources. In terms of its financial resources, the share value of the company has been declining steadily (ASX, 2011) over the entire year (see Appendi x â€Å"A†). While some pressure may be attributed to a low performing stock exchange market but a major reason is the removal of accrued profits to support business expansion. Traded volumes have also remained low. Various speculators and investors are also pulling their stock out of the company although the key investors are still in place (see Appendix â€Å"