A Framework for Healthcare Information Systems: Exploring a Large System of Systems Using System Dynamics

Government and private health agencies are being compelled by internal and external forces to integrate their electronic records and resources. Many medical systems consist of isolated, disparate implementations that are now being required to interoperate with other systems. This study reviewed the literature on healthcare and other large systems of systems (SOS) implementations and frameworks to determine common problem themes. Reports on large government systems revealed that planning frameworks had difficulty accounting for unexpected aspects of system behavior when a systems\u27 whole exceeds the sum of its parts. System Dynamics modeling, first developed at MIT, was examined as a possible answer to comprehending large system behaviors without being overcome by implementation details

A conceptual perspective of internal audit quality and local government performance in Nigeria

The study highlights the influence of internal audit quality on the performance of an organization.Internal audit quality components such as competence, quality of internal audit work, objectivity and independence, training and development, and management support for the internal audit function are critical for enhancing organizational processes.It relies on extant literature in developing the conceptual framework and arriving at hypotheses that guide the study. Thus, the study suggests that the quality of internal audit influences performance and this link opens up a new perspective in examining the local government performance in Nigeria

Integrating sustainability into new product development: The role of organizational leadership and culture

While corporate sustainability research continues to grow, we contend that key organizational factors influence the ability of firms to strategically integrate sustainability orientation to the performance of new products. Using data from 349 product developers, this paper examines organizational factors that instill a sustainability orientation leading to market performance of new products. Specifically, we construct a model where organizational leadership (i.e., leadership practices, employee incentives, and a focus on patents), and culture (i.e., innovation culture and geocentricity) lead to sustainability orientation that results in the translation of firm resources into improved new product development outcomes. Our results support our contention; sustainability orientated firms are likely to realize improved market performance of new products as these firms benefit from an innovative organizational culture exposed to the global environment with complementary leadership that provides focus and reward mechanisms for employees

Rôle de l’ergothérapeute dans la reprise de l’autonomie fonctionnelle du sujet âgé fragile hospitalisé en court séjour

Le vieillissement démographique de la population implique une augmentation du nombre de patients âgés fragiles hospitalisés en court séjour. La fragilité est un syndrome gériatrique qui décrit un état d'équilibre instable et une diminution des capacités d'adaptation au stress et au changement d'environnement. Ces patients sont plus à risque de décompensation de leur état de santé qui peut aller jusqu'au décès. Cependant, la fragilité est potentiellement réversible ; l'intervention de l'ergothérapeute en collaboration avec l'équipe interdisciplinaire peut prévenir les complications liées à l'hospitalisation chez le sujet âgé.Pour réaliser cette recherche, j'ai utilisé une méthode clinique et interrogé trois ergothérapeutes exerçant en court séjour. Mon objectif est de montrer la place de l'ergothérapeute dans la reprise de l'autonomie du sujet âgé fragile hospitalisé en court séjour. Ce travail met en évidence l'intérêt de la prise en charge en ergothérapie du sujet âgé fragile

Stakeholder Analysis Framework for IT Enabled Healthcare Outsourcing: Critical Success Factors

In the past decade, we have seen that information technology (IT) played an important role as an enabler for healthcare outsourcing. Healthcare services at various levels (support, clinical, etc.) are now being outsourced to countries such as India, Philippines and China. While IT outsourcing is at an all time high, healthcare outsourcing has been slowly and steadily increasing. However, there is no clear document in the literature that actually explains what is really going on in healthcare outsourcing. The purpose of this paper is to provide a current picture of healthcare outsourcing while focusing on the role of IT as an enabler. We develop and present a framework that helps stakeholders to understand the opportunities, critical success factors (CSFs), threats, and weaknesses of the business model that drives IT-based healthcare services offshore

The determination of selected trace organics in clams from the Lake St. Clair area.

Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Paper copy at Leddy Library: Theses & Major Papers - Basement, West Bldg. / Call Number: Thesis1984 .O224. Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 40-07, page: . Thesis (M.Sc.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 1984

Uma abordagem multiobjetivo ao problema da intensidade de dose em planejamentos do tratamento de câncer por radioterapia

Orientadora : Profa. Dra. Neida Maria Patias VolpiDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Ciencias Exatas e Setor de Tecnologia, Programa de Pós-Graduaçao em Métodos Numéricos em Engenharia. Defesa: Curitiba, 2011Bibliografia: fls. 87-89Resumo: A técnica de radioterapia tem sido uma das principais alternativas para o tratamento de diversos tipos de câncer na atualidade. Com o desenvolvimento tecnológico, principalmente tratando-se da radioterapia conformacional 3D, diversos cenários antes contraindicados, hoje são aceitáveis e recomendados. Um tratamento considerado adequado é aquele que permite com que a dose prescrita pelo médico chegue ao tumor de maneira que afete o mínimo possível os tecidos nobres e saudáveis. Desta forma, na fase do planejamento da radioterapia, problemas de otimização multiobjetivo aparecem. Este trabalho apresenta um modelo de programação multiobjetivo para o problema da intensidade de dose, que foi resolvido por método exato por meio do software MATLAB R2009b, utilizando a metodologia da função ponderada. Duas situações foram desenvolvidas, uma figurativa com efeito de melhor compreensão da metodologia utilizada, e outra utilizando dados reais, contando com apoio do Hospital Erasto Gaertner, Curitiba-PR. As fronteiras de Pareto, mostraram a importância do especialista decisor, que deve escolher entre uma dose mais próxima da prescrita, mesmo prejudicando os tecidos nobres e saudáveis, ou então proteger ao máximo os tecidos nobres e saudáveis, relaxando a dose necessária para destruir o tumor. Além disso, para comparação, foram realizados testes considerando a heterogeneidade dos tecidos irradiados e sem considerá-los, mostrando que pode existir uma diferença grande entre a dose emitida dependendo do tipo de tecido da região atingida por radiação.UAbstract: The technique of radiotherapy has been one of the main alternatives for the treatment of several types of cancer today. With technological development, especially in the case of 3D conformal radiotherapy, several scenarios before contraindicated, are now acceptable and recommended. A treatment is considered appropriate with one that allows the dose prescribed by the doctor reaches the tumor in a manner that a_ects the minimum as possible the _ne fabrics and healthy.In this way , during the planning of radiotherapy, multiobjective optimization problems appear. This paper presents a multiobjective programming model for the problem of dose intensity, which was solved by exact method using the software MATLAB R2009b, using the methodology of weighted function. Two situations have been developed, the _rst is a _gurative with the purpose of better understanding of the methodology used, and the other using real data, with support from Erastus Gaertner Hospital, Curitiba-PR. The Pareto, showed the importance of expert decision-maker who must choose a dose closer to the prescribed, even harming healthy tissue masses, or to protect the most noble and healthy tissues, relaxing the dose required to destroy the tumor . In addition, for comparison, tests were performed considering the heterogeneity of tissues irradiated and not consider them, showing that there may be a big di_erence between the emitted dose depending on the fabric of the region a_ected by radiation

An Analysis of the Extent of Implementation of Environmental Cost Management and Its Impact on Output of Oil and Gas Companies in Nigeria, (2001-2010)

This study was set out to critically analyzed the extent of implementation of environmental cost management and its impact on output of oil and gas companies in Nigeria from 2001 to 2010. The paper was aim at ascertaining the extent to which implantation of environment cost management has impacted on the oil and gas industries in Nigeria. Using multiple regression analytical technique," data from the central bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Environmental Impact Assessment Agency were obtained. Findings revealed that there exist a significant relationship between the parameters that influence environmental cost management and output of oil and gas produced in Nigeria. Also, it was discovered that there are no established standards in Nigeria guiding environmental cost management in the oil and gas industries in Nigeria. Again there is a lacuna in external reporting of environmental cost data in Nigeria. It was concluded that the extent of environmental cost management in the oil and gas industries is at  its rudimentary stage. It was however recommended inter alia that; there should be improvement in external reporting of environmental cost data in the oil and gas industries in Nigeria. And the adoption  of the United Nations Environmental cost Management Accounting (ECMA) guidelines which will enhance the formulation of a Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) in Nigeria, which will evolve environmental cost management accounting practice. This will facilitate the global campaign for environmentally enhanced society.   Keywords: Social contract, Eco-efficiency, Environmental quality cost, Environment pollution prevention costs,                          Environmental internal failure costs, Environmental external failure costs, Environmental detection cost