Determination of utilization in a dental insurance plan

Thesis (M.Sc.D.)--Boston University. Henry M. Goldman School of Graduate Dentistry, 1990 (Public Health Dentistry)Bibliography: leaves 39-40.The objective of this study was to determine and compare the dental care utilization of 37,000 New England employees, insured by Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield and Metropolitan Life insurance companies under dual option, preferred Provider ( Closed) Plan and Open Plan. This investigation was carried out by a random selection of 5,000 records of insurees. Comprehensive statistical analysis was performed to evaluate dental services provided through both dental insurance plans. Dental services were broken down by the ADA Procedure Code classification and service mix statistically examined in relation to Plan type ( Open, Closed), claim administrator (Empire, MetLife) and eligibility type (Employee, Spouse and Dependent). This sample comprised of members (employees), their spouse and dependents who, overall, formed a group of 2064 (41.3%) males and 2936 (58.7%) females. Of the total 5000 dental claims filed 1929 (38.6%) were through the Open Plan and 3071 (61.4%) through the Closed Plan. Specifically, for each dental procedure claims were counted with either Plan type

Anesthesia for cardiac catheterization procedures

Anesthesiologist\u27s involvement for the purpose of diagnostic and interventional procedures in cardiac catheterization laboratory has been evolving particularly since last two decades. Catheterization laboratory environment poses certain challenges for the anesthesiologist including unfamiliar remote location, exposure to radiation, limited help from colleagues and communication with cardiologists. Anesthesiologists working in catheterization laboratory are required to have adequate knowledge of the environment, personnel, fluoroscope, echocardiography and type of radio contrast dye during the procedure. Anyone who is exposed to radiation environment is expected to protect himself from the exposure and must also wear a dosimeter for cumulative exposure tracing.There is no ideal anesthetic technique and the decision about sedation, general anesthesia or regional anesthesia for the procedure has to be made by attending anesthesiologists in consultation with cardiologists. Anesthesiologists should always try to minimize the effects of anesthesia on cardiovascular system. In addition, oxygenation and ventilatory management should be done according to the diagnostic procedure as it can also influence the diagnosis particularly in pediatric cath procedures. Since more complex procedures are being done in cardiac catheterization laboratory, it is the responsibility of anesthesia department to train and assign dedicated anesthesiologists for new challenges. Role of anesthetist should be well defined so that there is no confrontation during patient management. Sedation in cardiac catheterization laboratory by non-anesthetists is also an issue, which can be sorted out by making policies and protocol in consultation with cardiologists

Profil pemikiran Banjar: satu kajian perbandingan antara Suku Banjar di Malaysia dan di Indonesia (Profile of thinking: a comparative study among Banjar in Malaysia and Indonesia)

Kajian ini cuba menyelidiki profil pemikiran Banjar dalam aspek sahsiah, pandangan terhadap kemajuan dunia, aspek keusahawanan dan kesetiaan pada negara. Kaji selidik telah dilakukan untuk memperolehi profil pemikiran mereka. Alat pengukuran sahsiah, pandangan terhadap kemajuan dunia, keusahawanan dan kesetiaan pada negara telah ditadbirkan kepada responden yang berketurunan Banjar seramai 300 orang. Responden terdiri dari 257 orang berketurunan Banjar di Malaysia dan 43 orang berketurunan Banjar di Indonesia. Melalui analisis statistik deskriptif didapati tahap pemikiran Banjar dari segi sahsiah berada pada tahap yang tinggi (78.02), manakala dari aspek pandangan terhadap kemajuan dunia berada pada tahap sederhana (67.12), aspek keusahawanan berada pada tahap tinggi (71.23), dan aspek kesetiaan pada negara pula turut berada pada tahap yang tinggi (87.25). Secara keseluruhan, indeks pemikiran Banjar berada pada tahap yang tinggi (75.96). Ujian t memperlihatkan perbezaan yang signifikan dari segi pandangan terhadap kemajuan dunia (t = 2.200, p<0.05) antara Banjar di Malaysia (min 85.37) dan di Indonesia (min 81.07). Demikian juga, ujian t memperlihatkan perbezaan yang signifikan dari segi keusahawanan (t = 8.542, p<0.05) antara Banjar di Malaysia (min 39.61) dan di Indonesia (min 31.71). Namun dari segi sahsiah dan kesetiaan pada negara, ujian t menunjukkan tiada perbezaan yang signifikan antara Banjar di Malaysia dan di Indonesia. Dengan menggunakan ujian ANOVA dua hala dan ANOVA tiga hala, didapati wujud perbezaan tahap sahsiah antara negara, tempat tinggal dan jantina (F = 6.728, p <0.05), dan dengan ujian ANOVA dua hala didapati terdapat perbezaan tahap keusahawanan antara negara dan tempat tinggal (F = 7.818, p <0.05), juga perbezaan tahap kesetiaan yang signifikan mengikut negara dan tempat tinggal (F = 7.738, p <0.05). Pengkaji berharap dapatan kajian ini dapat memberikan sumbangan idea untuk meningkatkan pemikiran Banjar, dan seterusnya memajukan lagi masyarakat Banjar di seluruh Nusantara

Trade, the Damage from Alien Species, and the Effects of Protectionism Under Alternate Market Structures

We first construct three measures of the expected damage from the unintentional introduction of alien species into a country called Home. We then focus on four market structures. First, perfect competition prevails in both Home and Foreign and Home is a small country. Second, the Home and the Foreign markets are both perfectly competitive but Home is now a large country. Third, the exporter in Foreign is a monopolist and there are no import competing firms in Home. Finally, the Foreign exporter and the import competing firm in Home engage in Cournot competition. In all four scenarios, we analyze the impact of small and optimal Home tariffs on prices, exports, imports, the damage from alien species, and social welfare, in Home. Inter alia, our analysis identifies conditions under which it makes sense to use trade policy (tariffs) to regulate invasive species and conditions under which it does not.Alien Species, International Trade, Market Structure, Social Welfare, Tariff