Reengineering the Human Resource Information System at Gamma

In 1997, Gamma Health Care Systems embarked on a redesign project for their Human Resource Information System (HRIS). Redesign involved major changes to the existing system to guarantee a very high level of service. This case describes the efforts of the Human Resource Department (HRD) to redesign its HRIS to better meet enterprise-wide goals of cost effectiveness and efficiency. The reengineering project transformed the HRD from a historic role of transaction processing to one of a strategic partner

Using Portable Transducers to Measure Tremor Severity

Background: Portable motion transducers, suitable for measuring tremor, are now available at a reasonable cost. The use of these transducers requires knowledge of their limitations and data analysis. The purpose of this review is to provide a practical overview and example software for using portable motion transducers in the quantification of tremor. Methods: Medline was searched via PubMed.gov in December 2015 using the Boolean expression “tremor AND (accelerometer OR accelerometry OR gyroscope OR inertial measurement unit OR digitizing tablet OR transducer).” Abstracts of 419 papers dating back to 1964 were reviewed for relevant portable transducers and methods of tremor analysis, and 105 papers written in English were reviewed in detail. Results: Accelerometers, gyroscopes, and digitizing tablets are used most commonly, but few are sold for the purpose of measuring tremor. Consequently, most software for tremor analysis is developed by the user. Wearable transducers are capable of recording tremor continuously, in the absence of a clinician. Tremor amplitude, frequency, and occurrence (percentage of time with tremor) can be computed. Tremor amplitude and occurrence correlate strongly with clinical ratings of tremor severity. Discussion: Transducers provide measurements of tremor amplitude that are objective, precise, and valid, but the precision and accuracy of transducers are mitigated by natural variability in tremor amplitude. This variability is so great that the minimum detectable change in amplitude, exceeding random variability, is comparable for scales and transducers. Research is needed to determine the feasibility of detecting smaller change using averaged data from continuous long-term recordings with wearable transducers

Reengineering Comes To the Nonprofit Sector: A Case Study of Goodwill Industries of the Laurel Highlands Incorporated

Traditionally, not-for-profit organizations did not worry about management. “Twenty years ago, management was a dirty word for those involved in nonprofit organizations ... now most of them have learned that nonprofits need management even more than business does, precisely because they lack the discipline of the bottom line” (Drucker, 1989). Not-for-profit organizations are in the initial stages of using strategic management (Wortman, 1988; Bryson, 1988; Karagozoglu and Seglund, 1989; Harvey and McCrohan, 1988). Therefore, it is not surprising that reengineering and business process redesign have been given little attention by not-for-profits