The Effects of Medicaid Reimbursement Rates on Access to Dental Care

Compares efforts to improve Medicaid access to dental care in California with those in Alabama, Michigan, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington, and assesses the extent to which raising dentists' Medicaid reimbursement rates improved access

Nevrobiologisk grunnlag for musikkterapi

Mange som er kandidater for musikkterapi har redusert funksjonsevne på grunn av en eller annen form for hjernefunksjonssvikt. Kunnskap om hjernen er derfor nødvendig for å vurdere personens funksjonsprofil (funksjonsevne på viktige delområder) og utviklingspotensialer slik at valg av tiltak, tiltaksprofilen (type og nivå av tiltak), tilpasses personens evner og kapasiteter for at personen best mulig kan dra nytte av tiltakene. Nevrobiologisk forskning har gitt økt kunnskap om hvordan hjernen kontrollerer musikk og mer konkret forståelse og vitenskapelig dokumentasjon av effekt av musikk i terapi og medisin. Dette er i ferd med å føre musikkterapi fra supplerende (adjunct) tilbud til en sentral behandlingsmodalitet i rehabilitering og terapi (Thaut 2005). Forståelse av hvordan hjernen virker blir derfor stadig viktigere innen musikkterapi. Denne teksten redegjør for nevropsykologiske prinsipper for tiltak og viktige trekk ved hjernens funksjon

Leader-Member Exchange Paying Attention to Immediate Subordinate Pays Off

The author provides a brief review of leadership seen from the dyadic perspective, also known as leader-member exchange (LMX). This perspective focuses on the relationship between leaders and their immediate subordinates as individuals, with a review of the potential benefits and importance of this perspective. It is evident that hospitality leaders, managers, and supervisors and their organizations may gain much by paying attention to the relationship they have and that they develop with their immediate subordinate

Team-Based Interaction in the Foodservice Instructional Laboratory: An Exploratory Model of Team Composition, Team-Member Interaction, and Performance

[Excerpt] Much like the hard sciences, hospitality laboratory-based education is a frequently required component of academic programs due to the applied nature of the concepts taught. Laboratory courses in hospitality education are typically designed around foodservice based activities, such as operating a restaurant or components there of; lodging-based activities, such as running a front desk or housekeeping department; or gaming-based activities, such as running games and entertainment processes in a casino. While the activities mentioned above may not be present in all hospitality programs, it safe to say that the majority of well-rounded hospitality education programs offer some form of laboratory instruction consistent with their educational mission and specialty. In this investigation foodservice laboratories will be used as a frame of reference and focal point to examine team interaction. It is likely that these concepts could be applied equally well in a number of laboratory settings both in and outside hospitality education

Review of Norwegian Earthquake Assistance to Pakistan 2005 and 2006

The massive earthquake that struck northern parts of Pakistan and India on 8 October 2005, led to the loss of more than 75 000 lives, 100 000 were severely injured and 2.8 million were left without shelter. The relief response was immediate but demanding. It was a race against time to provide assistance before the onset of winter and to reach the most remote areas. The Norwegian Government responded quickly, and prioritised support to Norwegian NGOs with prior experience and networks in Pakistan, Pakistani NGOs with a strong local presence and UN agencies. The total Norwegian earthquake assistance was NOK 522 million, and was generally judged to be delivered in a professional, effective and efficient manner. The new UN Cluster approach was tested in Pakistan. Cluster Heads assigned responsibilities as to agencies with technical expertise, while OCHA had an overall coordination responsibility. This evaluation finds that while the cluster approach improves the relief work, there are a number of weaknesses identified which needs further attention. An important weakness in the current response was that gender issues and women were not prioritised, despite the fact that women had taken on much of the early relief responsibility in the villages, and were particularly vulnerable in the camp environment

How Organizational Standards and Coworker Support Improve Restaurant Service

A model examining the relationship between restaurant employees\u27 reactions to their work environment and their jobs as service providers and guest satisfaction was tested among twenty-five restaurants from a casual dining restaurant chain. In the model, the relationship between guest service employees\u27 work-related perceptions and attitudes are connected to guests\u27 reported satisfaction. Results show that employees\u27 perceptions of the presence of organizational standards for service delivery were strongly related to their perceptions of receiving adequate support from coworkers and supervisors to perform their jobs. Employees\u27 perceived support from coworkers was significantly related to service providers\u27 guest orientation (commitment to their guests), while perceived support from supervisors proved to be a weak influence on guest orientation. Ultimately, service providers\u27 guest orientation was strongly related to guests\u27 satisfaction with their service experience in the restaurant

Consumer Acceptance of Server Recommendations

Servers are typically encouraged to make recommendations and attempt to up-sell. Little is known, however, about the conditions under which restaurant consumers follow server recommendations. We propose considering this from the perspectives of Mertz’s work regarding the effect of source evaluations on persuasive influence and Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior. Both perspectives yield important insights. Potential research questions are proposed. A few propositions are tested and are generally supportive

Lean and Mean Do Not Equal Profitable and Hospitable

Lean and mean hospitality organizations are relevant today. The authors explore research findings from Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) studies, in general, and cite findings from the hospitality industry to make the case for lean and loving hospitality organizations

Hot Beverages at Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) Drive-Thru Windows

The Liebeck hot coffee case is discussed, showing that the court’s decision was not whimsical, but predicated on the knowledge and behaviour of McDonald’s as represented and displayed by their employees and agents. Subsequent research establishing consumer preferred temperatures for consuming hot beverages is reviewed, as is the literature considering that such temperatures are above medical literature thresholds for injuries, yet not causing injuries. Past and current quick service restaurant (QSR) drive-thru window practices regarding hot beverage service temperatures and warnings are established and examined. Finally, circumstances and conditions under which QSR management need to practice due diligence in providing for their customers are addressed

Micro-Brewed Beer and the Patrons of Mid-Priced, Casual Restaurants

Micro-breweries and micro-brewed beer have been growing in popularity ever since 1977. In recent years, the growth has been phenomenal; restaurants have started to take notice and advantage of the increased interest in micro-brewed beers. However, shakeout is expected. The research focused on mid-priced casual restaurants, a large segment with many chain restaurants, with respondents from three regions of the continental United States (i.e., the Southeast, the Pacific Northwest, and the Midwest). The research findings suggest that more than 70 percent of the participants in this study reported that they dine out at least once per week, indicating that they are accustomed to the dining process. These respondents indicated a higher than average socioeconomic index (Byrne, 1971), and a strong preference for micro-brewed product offerings. Additionally those respondents who indicated a preference for micro brewed products were less prone to desire a national brand of beer. Regional differences among the participants\u27 responses are also discussed