The internet and public bureaucracies: towards balancing competing values

Innovation in public administration is one of the central aspects of public sector reforms. Given the procedural nature of government tasks, the adoption of the Internet and related information and communication technologies (ICT) has become critical for government organisations. The aim of this paper is to discuss the implications of the diffusion Internet led innovations in the public sector on balancing public values. Rather than diminishing their benefits, we aim at highlighting challenges and dilemmas that can emerge from ICT implementation in the public sector. The paper starts by reviewing the main trends of e-government research and show a dominant view towards managerial and private sector values embedded in the literature. To propose an alternative approach, we then draw on an empirical example from Mexico, that of the Federal Transparency and Access to Government Information Law. Using Mexico’s available statistics and secondary data, the case explores how a quicker ICT-mediated interaction between citizens and government can result in social and political dilemmas. We propose to bring into play the public value paradigm to highlight these issues. Conclusions follow

The Impact of the Patient-Centered Medical Home on Health Disparities in Adults: A Systematic Review of the Evidence

Introduction: The objective of this study was to review the empirical evidence on Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) impact on health disparities in adults. Methods: We searched PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar to identify studies on PCMH/health homes and health disparities published in English between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2014. Articles met inclusion criteria if they investigated at least one component of PCMH or health homes in vulnerable populations, defined by PROGRESS-PLUS criteria, and reported differences in one of five clinical quality measures. Results: 964 articles were identified through database searching and subsequent snowballing. 60 articles underwent full text screening. Further review eliminated 56 studies. In the final 4 studies, PCMH interventions showed small improvements in health disparities. Discussion: The PCMH has been suggested as a model for improving health disparities. Given rapid implementation in underserved settings, stakeholders should better understand the impact of the PCMH on health disparities

Torture as a method of criminal prosecution: Police Brutality, the Militarization of Security and the Reform of Inquisitorial Criminal Justice in Mexico

How can societies restrain their coercive institutions and transition to a more humane criminal justice system? We argue that two main factors explain why torture can persist as a generalized practice in democratic societies: weak institutional protections of the rights of criminal suspects and the militarization of policing, which leads the police to act as if their job were to occupy a war zone. With the use of a large survey of the Mexican prison population and leveraging the date and place of arrest, this paper provides valid causal evidence about how these two explanatory variables shape torture. Our paper provides a grim picture of the survival of authoritarian policing practices in democracies. It also provides novel evidence of the extent to which the abolition of inquisitorial criminal justice institutions - a remnant of colonial legacies and a common trend in the region - has worked to restrain police brutality

A Comprehensive Analysis on the Healthcare Systems in Latin America

This comprehensive report summarizes and analyzes the current state of healthcare in Latin America, specifically in the countries of Mexico, Brazil, the Northern Triangle (El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras), the Andean Region (Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia) and the Rioplatense Region (Uruguay, and Argentina). Each country's healthcare system is examined in depth, in terms of health infrastructure, the healthcare providing industry, and the effects of healthcare on the countries' respective populations.Mosser, Michael W.International Relations and Global Studie

Pilot Evaluation of the Mexican Model of Dual TVET in the State of Mexico

Since the first public announcement of the Mexican Model of Dual TVET (MMFD) in June 2013, more than 5,000 apprentices have enrolled in the programme and around 2,000 already graduated. The Ministry of Education (SEP and CONALEP), the Chambers of Commerce (i.e. COPARMEX) and the German Cooperation Agencies (i.e. CAMEXA) have been collaborating with state authorities, families, schools and companies to turn this initial idea into a significant and sustainable initiative. Although the numbers are still small, it seemed necessary to undertake a pilot evaluation study of the implementation and impact of this program on its participants to inform those responsible for this policy. We decided to focus our study on the State of Mexico because of the higher number of apprentices in this state and because of the access that the CONALEP authorities gave us to the informants. The report that you are about to read is structured in four main sections. In the first one we reviewed the international evidence on the experiences of policy transfer of Dual TVET. Transferring international good practice sin TVET is always a complex process that requires careful attention to the experiences and lessons from those that tried to do it before. In the second section, we present the main characteristics of the Mexican Model of Dual TVET and the specificities of its implementation in the State of Mexico. In a federal country like Mexico, it is important to understand that national policies may largely vary across states in terms of design and implementation. The third section outlines the methodology of the study, which is inspired by the realist evaluation principles. Realist evaluation, not only tries to measure the impact of interventions on beneficiaries, but also to understand the causal mechanisms that explain why this policy is more effective in certain contexts and with certain beneficiary populations than in others. In the final section, the results of the interviews and the survey with 25 apprentices that completed their studies under the MMFD in the State of Mexico are presented. Obviously, the reduced sample of the study limits the representativeness of our findings but it will offer some expected and unexpected results that should not be ignored by those involved in this policy in the State of Mexico and nationally

An Institutional Examination of the Local Implementation of the DACA Program

In June 2012, President Barack Obama created the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program to offer qualified young undocumented immigrants a two-year renewable stay of deportation and the ability to apply for a work permit. DACA is a federal administrative directive, not a congressional law, and unlike the last major legalization program in 1986, no federal resources have been allocated for its implementation. The case of DACA thus raises questions about how new rights granted by executive prosecutorial discretion are actually implemented in local communities and how they are experienced by the intended beneficiaries in different localities. More specifically, how have different stakeholders, including local government officials, legal service providers, advocacy organizations, funders, consulates, and labor unions, integrated (or not) DACA into their mission, programming, and resource allocation? What collaborations have formed between these different stakeholders around the DACA program? What challenges do they face along the way and how are they addressing these challenges

Affordable Language Services: Implications for Health Care Organizations

Outlines the need to provide medical interpreters and healthcare material for patients with limited English proficiency. Summarizes RWJF's Hablamos Juntos initiative to develop affordable ways to remove language barriers and discusses lessons learned

Southwest Border Violence: Issues in Identifying and Measuring Spillover Violence

[Excerpt] There has been a recent increase in the level of drug trafficking-related violence within and between the drug trafficking organizations in Mexico. This violence has generated concern among U.S. policy makers that the violence in Mexico might spill over into the United States. Currently, U.S. federal officials deny that the recent increase in drug trafficking-related violence in Mexico has resulted in a spillover into the United States, but they acknowledge that the prospect is a serious concern. Currently, no comprehensive, publicly available data exist that can definitively answer the question of whether there has been a significant spillover of drug trafficking-related violence into the United States. Although anecdotal reports have been mixed, U.S. government officials maintain that there has not yet been a significant spillover. In an examination of data that could provide insight into whether there has been a significant spillover in drug trafficking-related violence from Mexico into the United States, CRS analyzed violent crime data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Uniform Crime Report program. The data, however, do not allow analysts to determine what proportion of the violent crime rate is related to drug trafficking or, even more specifically, what proportion of drug trafficking-related violent crimes can be attributed to spillover violence. In conclusion, because the trends in the overall violent crime rate may not be indicative of trends in drug trafficking-related violent crimes, CRS is unable to draw definitive claims about trends in drug trafficking-related violence spilling over from Mexico into the United States. This report will be updated as circumstances warrant

The Mission System: An Electronic Health Record for Medical Treatment in Guatemala

Abstract Problem: The introduction of an electronic health record (EHR) system has become an essential component in monitoring and tracking patient information in most developed countries but are difficult to implement in underdeveloped countries. Guatemala is a country with poor health care and limited resources for patient tracking and monitoring. An organization in Guatemala, Nursing Heart Inc. (NHI), provides care to over 40 underserved rural communities but lacks the ability to monitor and track patient information. In order for NHI to properly monitor and evaluate their programs and track patients’ continuity of care, the introduction of an EHR system is necessary. Methods: A system development framework was used to help identify the elements necessary for successful EHR workflow development for NHI. Focused interviews were conducted using structured interview guides with questions targeted towards EHR system design from first-hand observation from volunteers and staff members. Results: All the participants agreed that an EHR system would benefit NHI and will provide the ability to monitor patient trends over time, but will need to be simple, and have the ability to use in areas with no Wi-Fi. Implications for Practice: Using the information obtained from the structured interview guides, first-hand observation, aggregate data from NHI, and IT considerations, a set of elements and data were identified, and a series of recommendations established for a more streamlined method of collecting patient data for NHI