40 CFR 131.4 - State authority.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS WATER QUALITY STANDARDS... reviewing, establishing, and revising water quality standards. As recognized by section 510 of the Clean Water Act, States may develop water quality standards more stringent than required by this regulation...

Effect of poor control of film processors on mammographic image quality.

PubMed

Kimme-Smith, C; Sun, H; Bassett, L W; Gold, R H

1992-11-01

With the increasingly stringent standards of image quality in mammography, film processor quality control is especially important. Current methods are not sufficient for ensuring good processing. The authors used a sensitometer and densitometer system to evaluate the performance of 22 processors at 16 mammographic facilities. Standard sensitometric values of two films were established, and processor performance was assessed for variations from these standards. Developer chemistry of each processor was analyzed and correlated with its sensitometric values. Ten processors were retested, and nine were found to be out of calibration. The developer components of hydroquinone, sulfites, bromide, and alkalinity varied the most, and low concentrations of hydroquinone were associated with lower average gradients at two facilities. Use of the sensitometer and densitometer system helps identify out-of-calibration processors, but further study is needed to correlate sensitometric values with developer component values. The authors believe that present quality control would be improved if sensitometric or other tests could be used to identify developer components that are out of calibration.

Training in quality and safety: the current landscape.

PubMed

Karasick, Andrew S; Nash, David B

2015-01-01

The current US health care environment requires and encourages the development and implementation of training programs focusing on quality improvement and patient safety. This article offers a new resource that details the basic characteristics of such physician-inclusive training programs. Specifically, program type, objectives, eligibility, cost, training length, and modality are aggregated and displayed to provide health care professionals with a new tool to facilitate individual education in the field of quality improvement and patient safety. © The Author(s) 2014.

75 FR 60471 - Statement of Organization, Functions, and Delegations of Authority

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-30

... support for working families and improving the quality of child care to promote healthy development... child care programs authorized under the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) Act and section...; identifies and implements operational planning objectives and initiatives related to child care; provides...

Positive Change through a Credential Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Tinnycua

2018-01-01

Studies have demonstrated the significance of afterschool staff development and have attempted to show the impacts of staff training on program quality and youth outcomes. Professional development, though necessary, wasn't always a priority for the author, especially if training hours conflicted with the author's afterschool program schedule.…

Summary of development and recommendations for a quality assurance program for the procurement and manufacture of urban mass transit operating equipment and systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Witkin, S. A.

1976-01-01

A viable quality program for the urban mass transit industry, and a management approach to ensure compliance with the program are outlined. Included are: (1) a set of guidelines for quality assurance to be imposed on transit authorities, and a management approach to ensure compliance with them; (2) a management approach to be used by the transit authorities (properties) for assuring compliance with the QA guidelines; and (3) quality assurance guidelines to be imposed by properties and umta for procurement of hardware and systems.

Innovative United Kingdom Approaches To Measuring Service Quality.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winkworth, Ian

2001-01-01

Reports on approaches to measuring the service quality of academic libraries in the United Kingdom. Discusses the role of government and the national background of quality measurement; measurement frameworks; better use of statistics; benchmarking; measuring user satisfaction; and possible future development. (Author/LRW)

Coached Peer Review: Developing the Next Generation of Authors.

PubMed

Sidalak, Daniel; Purdy, Eve; Luckett-Gatopoulos, S; Murray, Heather; Thoma, Brent; Chan, Teresa M

2017-02-01

Publishing in academic journals is challenging for learners. Those who pass the initial stages of internal review by an editor often find the anonymous peer review process harsh. Academic blogs offer alternate avenues for publishing medical education material. Many blogs, however, lack a peer review process, which some consumers argue compromises the quality of materials published. CanadiEM (formerly BoringEM) is an academic educational emergency medicine blog dedicated to publishing high-quality materials produced by learners (i.e., residents and medical students). The editorial team has designed and implemented a collaborative "coached peer review" process that comprises an open exchange among the learner-author, editors, and reviewers. The goal of this process is to facilitate the publication of high-quality academic materials by learner-authors while providing focused feedback to help them develop academic writing skills. The authors of this Innovation Report surveyed (February-June 2015) their blog's learner-authors and external expert "staff" reviewers who had participated in coached peer review for their reactions to the process. The survey results revealed that participants viewed the process positively compared with both traditional journal peer review and academic blog publication processes. Participants found the process friendly, easy, efficient, and transparent. Learner-authors also reported increased confidence in their published material. These outcomes met the goals of coached peer review. CanadiEM aims to inspire continued participation in, exposure to, and high-quality production of academic writing by promoting the adoption of coached peer review for online educational resources produced by learners.

The Belgian commitment to pharmaceutical quality: a model policy to improve quality assurance of medicines available through humanitarian and development programs.

PubMed

Ravinetto, Raffaella; Roosen, Tim; Dujardin, Catherine

2018-01-01

Today, a combination of globalization of pharmaceutical production, lack of regulatory harmonization, and weakness of Medicines Regulatory Authorities, creates the "perfect conditions" for poor-quality medicine to circulate in the global market and to penetrate the less-regulated countries. Medicines regulation is the responsibility of the national regulatory authorities in the recipient country, but in the poorer countries, in practice, the responsibility of supply of quality-assured medicines is often taken by Non-Governmental Organizations and other implementers. But with some notable exceptions, many donors lack a pharmaceutical procurement policy with adequate quality requirements; and many implementers lack the skills and expertise needed to orient themselves in the complex web of global pharmaceutical supply. Thus, patients served by humanitarian or development programs may remain exposed to the risk of poor-quality medicines. When public money is used to purchase medicines for medical programs to be carried out overseas, adequate policies should be in place to assure that the same quality requirements are set that would be required for medicines marketed in the "donor" country. We will describe here a policy recently adopted in Belgium, i.e. the "Commitment to Quality Assurance for Pharmaceutical Products", signed in October 2017 by the Vice Prime Minister and Minister for Development Cooperation and 19 Belgian implementing agencies. By signing the new policy, the counterparts committed to ensure quality of medicines in the programs funded by Belgium's Official Development Assistance, and to build quality-assurance capacity in the recipient countries. Implementers are requested to integrate in their financing applications a section for pharmaceutical quality assurance, with a justified budget. They are also invited to consider how costs could be rationalized and mutualized by aligning the strengths of the various implementers. This model policy has the potential to be considered for adoption by other donors, to help to reduce the current multiple standards in pharmaceutical quality, and to contribute to protect vulnerable communities from the plague of poor-quality medicines. The online version of this article (10.1186/s40545-018-0136-z) contains an additional file, which is available to authorized users.

New Pathways for Teachers, New Promises for Students: A Vision for Developing Excellent Teachers. Teacher Quality 2.0. Special Report 3

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knowles, Timothy

2013-01-01

This paper outlines a set of ideas for improving teacher quality in America's schools. In it, the author proposes a combination of incremental steps and ambitious ones, designed to stimulate policymakers, practitioners, and the public to accelerate efforts to develop high-quality teachers. The paper has four main sections. First, the author…

77 FR 20610 - United States Standards for Grades of Cultivated Ginseng

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-05

... ginseng in an evolving global economy. Other changes will include a revised General Section, new... authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture ``to develop and improve standards of quality, condition, quantity... GBW to revise the standards and develop new grades based solely on quality and percentage defects. AMS...

Software quality and process improvement in scientific simulation codes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ambrosiano, J.; Webster, R.

1997-11-01

This report contains viewgraphs on the quest to develope better simulation code quality through process modeling and improvement. This study is based on the experience of the authors and interviews with ten subjects chosen from simulation code development teams at LANL. This study is descriptive rather than scientific.

Supervision: A Sharing Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmidt, Dolores M.

1973-01-01

The social work supervisor's duties related to caseworkers are expediting, educating, and enabling. He uses leadership qualities to develop independence in the caseworker, which calls for a knowledgeable blend of authority and educational guidance. (Author/ST)

Quality and standardization of telecommunication switching system software

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ranko, K.; Hivensaio, J.; Myllykangas, A.

1981-12-01

The purpose of this paper has been to illustrate quality and standardization of switching system software from the authors point of view with the aim of developing standardization in the user environment.

The Definition and Measurement of Evaluation Quality as a Management Tool.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chelimsky, Eleanor

1983-01-01

Evaluation management requires a system for measuring, improving, and accounting for quality. The Institute for Program Evaluation in the United States General Accounting Office is developing such a system. (Author)

Educational Quality in Music Teacher Education: A Modern Project within a Condition of Late Modernity?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johansen, Geir

2008-01-01

Educational quality is a central issue in higher education and music teacher education. In this article, the author discusses problems concerning the development of and research into quality in music teacher education in Western societies' contemporary socio-cultural dynamics. He begins with a presentation of the concept of educational quality,…

Measuring quality in anatomic pathology.

PubMed

Raab, Stephen S; Grzybicki, Dana Marie

2008-06-01

This article focuses mainly on diagnostic accuracy in measuring quality in anatomic pathology, noting that measuring any quality metric is complex and demanding. The authors discuss standardization and its variability within and across areas of care delivery and efforts involving defining and measuring error to achieve pathology quality and patient safety. They propose that data linking error to patient outcome are critical for developing quality improvement initiatives targeting errors that cause patient harm in addition to using methods of root cause analysis, beyond those traditionally used in cytologic-histologic correlation, to assist in the development of error reduction and quality improvement plans.

An Innovative Approach To Teaching High School Students about Indoor Air Quality.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neumann, Catherine M.; Bloomfield, Molly M.; Harding, Anna K.; Sherburne, Holly

1999-01-01

Describes an innovative approach used to help high school students develop critical thinking and real-world problem-solving skills while learning about indoor air quality. (Contains 13 references.) (Author/WRM)

Adaptation of the quality by design concept in early pharmaceutical development of an intranasal nanosized formulation.

PubMed

Pallagi, Edina; Ambrus, Rita; Szabó-Révész, Piroska; Csóka, Ildikó

2015-08-01

Regulatory science based pharmaceutical development and product manufacturing is highly recommended by the authorities nowadays. The aim of this study was to adapt regulatory science even in the nano-pharmaceutical early development. Authors applied the quality by design (QbD) concept in the early development phase of nano-systems, where the illustration material was meloxicam. The meloxicam nanoparticles produced by co-grinding method for nasal administration were studied according to the QbD policy and the QbD based risk assessment (RA) was performed. The steps were implemented according to the relevant regulatory guidelines (quality target product profile (QTPP) determination, selection of critical quality attributes (CQAs) and critical process parameters (CPPs)) and a special software (Lean QbD Software(®)) was used for the RA, which represents a novelty in this field. The RA was able to predict and identify theoretically the factors (e.g. sample composition, production method parameters, etc.) which have the highest impact on the desired meloxicam-product quality. The results of the practical research justified the theoretical prediction. This method can improve pharmaceutical nano-developments by achieving shorter development time, lower cost, saving human resource efforts and more effective target-orientation. It makes possible focusing the resources on the selected parameters and area during the practical product development. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Strategy, structure, and patient quality outcomes in ambulatory surgery centers (1997-2004).

PubMed

Chukmaitov, Askar; Devers, Kelly J; Harless, David W; Menachemi, Nir; Brooks, Robert G

2011-04-01

The purpose of this study was to examine potential associations among ambulatory surgery centers' (ASCs) organizational strategy, structure, and quality performance. The authors obtained several large-scale, all-payer claims data sets for the 1997 to 2004 period. The authors operationalized quality performance as unplanned hospitalizations at 30 days after outpatient arthroscopy and colonoscopy procedures. The authors draw on related organizational theory, behavior, and health services research literatures to develop their conceptual framework and hypotheses and fitted fixed and random effects Poisson regression models with the count of unplanned hospitalizations. Consistent with the key hypotheses formulated, the findings suggest that higher levels of specialization and the volume of procedures may be associated with a decrease in unplanned hospitalizations at ASCs.

Creating a Framework for Holistic Assessment of Aesthetics: A Response to Nilsson and Axelsson (2015) on Attributes of Aesthetic Quality of Textile Quality1.

PubMed

Carbon, Claus-Christian

2016-02-01

Nilsson and Axelsson (2015) made an important contribution by linking recent scientific approaches from the field of empirical aesthetics with everyday demands of museum conservators of deciding which items to be preserved or not. The authors made an important effort in identifying the valuable candidates of variables - but focused on visual properties only and on quite high-expertise aspects of aesthetic quality based on very sophisticated evaluations. The present article responds to the target paper by developing the outline of a more holistic approach for future research as a kind of framework that should assist a multi-modal approach, mainly including tactile sense. © The Author(s) 2016.

Quality assessment of urban areas based on neural network modeling and GIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Popova, Olga; Glebova, Julia; Pustovgar, Andrey

2018-03-01

In this article the authors carry out the research of the urban development areas structure and propose the system of its characteristics on the basis of sector affiliation of the municipal economy. The authors have developed an algorithm for quality assessment of urban development areas. The results of the research are presented on the example of several central quarters of Arkhangelsk city. The city's residential development was formed in the periods from 1900-1950, 1950-1980 and from 2002 to date. It is currently presented by low-rise wooden, homestead type residential houses and barracks-type houses; mid-rise and high-rise brick and panel buildings of typical development, buildings of large-panel housing construction. Structural SOM-analysis compiled separate quarters of Arkhangelsk into 5 groups with a high level of characteristic similarity: "Commercial", "Prospective complex development", "Sustainable development", "Perspective renovation of residential development", "Investment-unattractive". Typical development strategies for each group of quarters are determined. Most developed areas characterized by upward height. The development strategies for depressed areas is in a high-rise building, which show the economic, social and environmental benefits of upward growth of the city. Using GIS allows to visually reflect the state and assess the quality of the urban development area by the aggregate of all parameters, and also to assess the quality of the quarters for each sector.

Quality of Expert Systems: Methods and Techniques (Kwaliteit van Expertsystemen: Methoden en Technieken)

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-12-01

en Elektroniscb Laboratorium TNO (FEL-TNO), de Rijksuniversiteit Limburg (RL) en bet Research Instituut voor Kennis-Systemen (RIKS). In dit rapport...kwaliteitsbeheersing van kennissystemen. TNO rapport Pagina 2 report no : FEL-89-A267 bee Quality of Expert Systems: Methods and Techniques author(s) J.H.J. Lenting MA...Defence Research and Development. Participants in the project are TNO Physics and Electronics Laboratory (FEL-TNO), University of Limburg (RL) and

Using institutional theory to analyse hospital responses to external demands for finance and quality in five European countries.

PubMed

Burnett, Susan; Mendel, Peter; Nunes, Francisco; Wiig, Siri; van den Bovenkamp, Hester; Karltun, Anette; Robert, Glenn; Anderson, Janet; Vincent, Charles; Fulop, Naomi

2016-04-01

Given the impact of the global economic crisis, delivering better health care with limited finance grows more challenging. Through the lens of institutional theory, this paper explores pressures experienced by hospital leaders to improve quality and constrain spending, focusing on how they respond to these often competing demands. An in-depth, multilevel analysis of health care quality policies and practices in five European countries including longitudinal case studies in a purposive sample of ten hospitals. How hospitals responded to the financial and quality challenges was dependent upon three factors: the coherence of demands from external institutions; managerial competence to align external demands with an overall quality improvement strategy, and managerial stability. Hospital leaders used diverse strategies and practices to manage conflicting external pressures. The development of hospital leaders' skills in translating external requirements into implementation plans with internal support is a complex, but crucial, task, if quality is to remain a priority during times of austerity. Increasing quality improvement skills within a hospital, developing a culture where quality improvement becomes embedded and linking cost reduction measures to improving care are all required. © The Author(s) 2015.

Reliability and Utility of the Behaviour Support Plan Quality Evaluation Tool (BSP-QEII) for Auditing and Quality Development in Services for Adults with Intellectual Disability and Challenging Behaviour

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McVilly, K.; Webber, L.; Paris, M.; Sharp, G.

2013-01-01

Background: Having an objective means of evaluating the quality of behaviour support plans (BSPs) could assist service providers and statutory authorities to monitor and improve the quality of support provided to people with intellectual disability (ID) who exhibit challenging behaviour. The Behaviour Support Plan Quality Evaluation Guide II…

Development of Management Methodology for Engineering Production Quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorlenko, O.; Miroshnikov, V.; Borbatc, N.

2016-04-01

The authors of the paper propose four directions of the methodology developing the quality management of engineering products that implement the requirements of new international standard ISO 9001:2015: the analysis of arrangement context taking into account stakeholders, the use of risk management, management of in-house knowledge, assessment of the enterprise activity according to the criteria of effectiveness

Assurance of Medical Device Quality with Quality Management System: An Analysis of Good Manufacturing Practice Implementation in Taiwan

PubMed Central

Tu, Pei-Weng; Wu, Shiow-Ing

2015-01-01

The implementation of an effective quality management system has always been considered a principal method for a manufacturer to maintain and improve its product and service quality. Globally many regulatory authorities incorporate quality management system as one of the mandatory requirements for the regulatory control of high-risk medical devices. The present study aims to analyze the GMP enforcement experience in Taiwan between 1998 and 2013. It describes the regulatory implementation of medical device GMP requirement and initiatives taken to assist small and medium-sized enterprises in compliance with the regulatory requirement. Based on statistical data collected by the competent authority and industry research institutes, the present paper reports the growth of Taiwan local medical device industry after the enforcement of GMP regulation. Transition in the production, technologies, and number of employees of Taiwan medical device industry between 1998 and 2013 provides the competent authorities around the world with an empirical foundation for further policy development. PMID:26075255

Assurance of medical device quality with quality management system: an analysis of good manufacturing practice implementation in Taiwan.

PubMed

Li, Tzu-Wei; Tu, Pei-Weng; Liu, Li-Ling; Wu, Shiow-Ing

2015-01-01

The implementation of an effective quality management system has always been considered a principal method for a manufacturer to maintain and improve its product and service quality. Globally many regulatory authorities incorporate quality management system as one of the mandatory requirements for the regulatory control of high-risk medical devices. The present study aims to analyze the GMP enforcement experience in Taiwan between 1998 and 2013. It describes the regulatory implementation of medical device GMP requirement and initiatives taken to assist small and medium-sized enterprises in compliance with the regulatory requirement. Based on statistical data collected by the competent authority and industry research institutes, the present paper reports the growth of Taiwan local medical device industry after the enforcement of GMP regulation. Transition in the production, technologies, and number of employees of Taiwan medical device industry between 1998 and 2013 provides the competent authorities around the world with an empirical foundation for further policy development.

The Importance and Use of Quality Literature in the Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carus, Marianne

The author argues that children learn best when they are exposed to literature of good quality, such as that chosen for her magazine, "Cricket." With literature as the focus, the good teacher can develop a fully correlated language arts program. Using quality material in a lively and entertaining manner, "Cricket" lays…

Can Quality Improvement System Improve Childcare Site Performance in School Readiness?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ma, Xin; Shen, Jianping; Lu, Xuejin; Brandi, Karen; Goodman, Jeff; Watson, Grace

2013-01-01

The authors evaluated the effectiveness of the Quality Improvement System (QIS) developed and implemented by Children's Services Council of Palm Beach County (Florida) as a voluntary initiative to improve the quality of childcare and education. They adopted a growth model approach to investigate whether childcare sites that participated in QIS…

Real Estate Values, School Quality, and the Pattern of Urban Development in Charlotte, North Carolina.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jud, G. Donald; Watts, James M.

1981-01-01

A model is constructed to test the comparative effects of public schools' racial composition and academic quality on neighborhood housing prices. Empirical results suggest that a school's academic quality (measured by reading levels) is a stronger determinant of local housing costs than its racial composition. (Author/RW)

PSQM--Reflections of a PSQM Hub Leader

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Sue

2011-01-01

Primary Science Quality Mark Scheme is a joint project led by the Association for Science Education, the national network of Science Learning Centres and Barnet Local Authority. The Primary Science Quality Mark is an award scheme to develop and celebrate the quality of science teaching and learning in primary schools. It encourages teachers to let…

Harmonic Frequency Lowering: Effects on the Perception of Music Detail and Sound Quality.

PubMed

Kirchberger, Martin; Russo, Frank A

2016-02-01

A novel algorithm for frequency lowering in music was developed and experimentally tested in hearing-impaired listeners. Harmonic frequency lowering (HFL) combines frequency transposition and frequency compression to preserve the harmonic content of music stimuli. Listeners were asked to make judgments regarding detail and sound quality in music stimuli. Stimuli were presented under different signal processing conditions: original, low-pass filtered, HFL, and nonlinear frequency compressed. Results showed that participants reported perceiving the most detail in the HFL condition. In addition, there was no difference in sound quality across conditions. © The Author(s) 2016.

Quality Improvement Process in a Large Intensive Care Unit: Structure and Outcomes.

PubMed

Reddy, Anita J; Guzman, Jorge A

2016-11-01

Quality improvement in the health care setting is a complex process, and even more so in the critical care environment. The development of intensive care unit process measures and quality improvement strategies are associated with improved outcomes, but should be individualized to each medical center as structure and culture can differ from institution to institution. The purpose of this report is to describe the structure of quality improvement processes within a large medical intensive care unit while using examples of the study institution's successes and challenges in the areas of stat antibiotic administration, reduction in blood product waste, central line-associated bloodstream infections, and medication errors. © The Author(s) 2015.

Staff Preparation, Reward, and Support: Are Quality Rating and Improvement Systems Addressing All of the Key Ingredients Necessary for Change? Policy Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Austin, Lea J. E.; Whitebook, Marcy; Connors, Maia; Darrah, Rory

2011-01-01

Reflecting the growing momentum in support of quality rating and improvement systems (QRISs) as a key strategy to improve early care and education quality, significant amounts of public dollars have been devoted to their development and implementation. In this brief, the authors report on their investigation of both quality rating and improvement…

Image processing system performance prediction and product quality evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stein, E. K.; Hammill, H. B. (Principal Investigator)

1976-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. A new technique for image processing system performance prediction and product quality evaluation was developed. It was entirely objective, quantitative, and general, and should prove useful in system design and quality control. The technique and its application to determination of quality control procedures for the Earth Resources Technology Satellite NASA Data Processing Facility are described.

Pursuing Quality Evidence: Applying Single-Subject Quality Indicators to Non-Experimental Qualitative Educational Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stodden, Robert A.; Yamamoto, Kathryn K.; Folk, Eric; Kong, Eran; Otsuji, Derek N.

2013-01-01

The need for quality evidence in support of strategies used while working with persons with autism and intellectual disability (ID) has been long been recognized by researchers and practitioners. The authors reviewed and applied a number of evidence-based indicators, developed through the "What Works Clearinghouse" (WWC), to the conduct…

Intermittent Control Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Montgomery, Thomas L.; And Others

1975-01-01

The technique of intermittent control systems for air quality control as developed and used by the Tennessee Valley Authority is investigated. Although controversial, all Tennessee Valley Authority sulfur dioxide elimination programs are scheduled to be operational this year. Existing or anticipated intermittent control systems are identified. (BT)

Global environmental change research: empowering developing countries.

PubMed

Nobre, Carlos A; Lahsen, Myanna; Ometto, Jean P H B

2008-09-01

This paper discusses ways to reconcile the United Nations Millennium Development Goals with environmental sustainability at the national and international levels. The authors argue that development and better use of sustainability relevant knowledge is key, and that this requires capacity building globally, and especially in the less developed regions of the world. Also essential is stronger integration of high-quality knowledge creation and technology--and policy--development, including, importantly, the creation of centers of excellence in developing regions which effectively use and produce applications-directed high quality research and bring it to bear on decision making and practices related to environmental change and sustainable management of natural resources. The authors argue that Southern centers of excellence are a necessary first step for bottom-up societal transformation towards sustainability, and that such centers must help design innovative ways to assess and place value on ecosystem services.

Sustainability in Housing: A Curriculum Case Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parrott, Kathleen; Emmel, Joann M.

2001-01-01

Explores the influence of environmental issues on the field of housing, from the perspective of sustainable housing. Presents a case study of the development of a college course to address these issues by integrating energy management, air quality, water quality, and waste management. (Author)

[Quality assurance and total quality management in residential home care].

PubMed

Nübling, R; Schrempp, C; Kress, G; Löschmann, C; Neubart, R; Kuhlmey, A

2004-02-01

Quality, quality assurance, and quality management have been important topics in residential care homes for several years. However, only as a result of reform processes in the German legislation (long-term care insurance, care quality assurance) is a systematic discussion taking place. Furthermore, initiatives and holistic model projects, which deal with the assessment and improvement of service quality, were developed in the field of care for the elderly. The present article gives a critical overview of essential developments. Different comprehensive approaches such as the implementation of quality management systems, nationwide expert-based initiatives, and developments towards professionalizing care are discussed. Empirically based approaches, especially those emphasizing the assessment of outcome quality, are focused on in this work. Overall, the authors conclude that in the past few years comprehensive efforts have been made to improve the quality of care. However, the current situation still requires much work to establish a nationwide launch and implementation of evidence-based quality assurance and quality management.

Undergraduate Medical Education in Substance Abuse: A Review of the Quality of the Literature

PubMed Central

Kothari, Devyani; Gourevitch, Marc N.; Lee, Joshua D.; Grossman, Ellie; Truncali, Andrea; Ark, Tavinder K.; Kalet, Adina L.

2011-01-01

Purpose To prepare to develop a medical school curriculum on substance abuse disorders (SAD), the authors conducted a review of the quality of the sparse published literature. Method The authors searched MEDLINE (1950–December 2008), Web of Science, PsycINFO, and PubMed to identify all studies of SAD interventions targeted toward undergraduate medical students. Of the 1,084 studies identified initially, 31 reported sufficient data to allow the authors to evaluate quality using Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument (MERSQI) scores. The authors also determined the impact of the studies by considering three-year citation rate and journal impact factor. A detailed review of the literature provided data on contact hours and intervention content. Results The three-rater intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) for total MERSQI score was 0.82 (95% confidence interval: 0.70–0.90). The mean MERSQI score was 10.42 of a possible 18 (SD 2.59; range: 6.33–14.83). MERSQI scores were higher for more recently published studies and correlated with three-year citation rate but not impact factor. The mean contact time for 26 studies was 29.25 hours (range: 0.83–200 hours). Conclusions The literature provides a variety of educational methods to train medical students in SAD detection and intervention skills. This literature is of variable quality and provides limited guidance for development of curricula and medical education policy. Better methods of curriculum evaluation and publication guidelines would help ensure this literature has a positive impact on educational practice and public health. PMID:21099395

A reassessment of the indicators of primary education quality in developing countries: Emerging evidence from Tanzania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mosha, Herme Joseph

1988-03-01

This article seeks to identify factors affecting the quality of primary education in five regions of Tanzania by extensively reviewing relevant literature and empirical data. Some of the shortcomings emphasised by the author are: frequent staff turnover, declining financial support for primary education, ineffective curricula, shortage of teachers' guides and textbooks, and unfavourable working conditions for teachers in rural areas. Beyond this, the need for freely available material, efficient school management and regular inspections is stressed by the author.

Defense Manufacturing Management Guide for Program Managers, Third Edition

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-04-01

Crosby (Quality goals of quality, cost, schedule, mission need, College), Genechi Taguchi (Experimental 5-1 Design), Dr. Kaoru Ishikawa (Cause/Effect...the remaining problems were resolved. 5-7 6. Ishikawa Diagram 7. Control Charts This technique was developed by Dr. In the minds of some quality Kaoru ... Ishikawa , one of the foremost professionals and nonprofesslonals alike, the authorities on quality control in Japan. The control chart is synonymous

32 CFR 700.702 - Responsibility and authority of commanders.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... subordinate commands are fully aware of the importance of strong, dynamic leadership and its relationship to the overall efficiency and readiness of naval forces. Commanders shall exercise positive leadership and actively develop the highest qualities of leadership in persons with positions of authority and...

The Contribution of Early Communication Quality to Low-Income Children's Language Success.

PubMed

Hirsh-Pasek, Kathy; Adamson, Lauren B; Bakeman, Roger; Owen, Margaret Tresch; Golinkoff, Roberta Michnick; Pace, Amy; Yust, Paula K S; Suma, Katharine

2015-07-01

The disparity in the amount and quality of language that low-income children hear relative to their more-affluent peers is often referred to as the 30-million-word gap. Here, we expand the literature about this disparity by reporting the relative contributions of the quality of early parent-child communication and the quantity of language input in 60 low-income families. Including both successful and struggling language learners from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development, we noted wide variation in the quality of nonverbal and verbal interactions (symbol-infused joint engagement, routines and rituals, fluent and connected communication) at 24 months, which accounted for 27% of the variance in expressive language 1 year later. These indicators of quality were considerably more potent predictors of later language ability than was the quantity of mothers' words during the interaction or sensitive parenting. Bridging the word gap requires attention to how caregivers and children establish a communication foundation within low-income families. © The Author(s) 2015.

Rural Water Quality Database: Educational Program to Collect Information.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lemley, Ann; Wagenet, Linda

1993-01-01

A New York State project created a water quality database for private drinking water supplies, using the statewide educational program to collect the data. Another goal was to develop this program so rural residents could increase their knowledge of water supply management. (Author)

TESTING, PERFORMANCE VALIDATION AND QUALITY ASSURANCE/QUALITY CONTROL OF FIELD-PORTABLE INSTRUMENTATION

EPA Science Inventory

New technologies for field-portable monitoring instruments often have a long lead time in development and authorization. Some obstacles to the acceptance of these pilot technologies include concern about liabilities, reluctance to take risks on new technologies, and uncertainty a...

Defining and evaluating quality for ambulatory care educational programs.

PubMed

Bowen, J L; Stearns, J A; Dohner, C; Blackman, J; Simpson, D

1997-06-01

As the training of medical students and residents increasingly moves to ambulatory care settings, clerkship and program directors must find a way to use their limited resources to guide the development and evaluation of the quality of these ambulatory-based learning experiences. To evaluate quality, directors must first define, in operational and measurable terms, what is meant by the term "quality" as it is applied to ambulatory-based education. Using educational theories and the definition of quality used by health care systems, the authors propose an operational definition of quality for guiding the planning, implementation, and evaluation of ambulatory care educational programs. They assert that quality is achieved through the interaction of an optimal learning environment, defined educational goals and positive outcomes, participant satisfaction, and cost-effectiveness. By describing the components of quality along with examples of measurable indicators, the authors provide a foundation for the evaluation and improvement of instructional innovations in ambulatory care education for the benefit of teachers, learners, and patients.

Development and Perceptual Evaluation of Amplitude-Based F0 Control in Electrolarynx Speech

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saikachi, Yoko; Stevens, Kenneth N.; Hillman, Robert E.

2009-01-01

Purpose: Current electrolarynx (EL) devices produce a mechanical speech quality that has been largely attributed to the lack of natural fundamental frequency (F0) variation. In order to improve the quality of EL speech, in the present study the authors aimed to develop and evaluate an automatic F0 control scheme, in which F0 was modulated based on…

Quality of College Life (QCL) of Students: Developing and Validating a Measure of Well-Being

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sirgy, M. Joseph; Grzeskowiak, Stephan; Rahtz, Don

2007-01-01

This paper reports a study designed to develop and validate a measure of quality of college life (QCL) of students. Using a theoretical model based on a build-up approach to QCL, the authors provide an empirical examination of various hierarchical components and their properties. The method is executed in two stages. The first stage is used to…

Quality and equity in early childhood care in Peru

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Izu, Regina Moromizato

2007-01-01

The present study examines educational policy documents and programs on early childhood development and education in Peru. The author provides an evaluation of early childhood learning programs and their outcomes in different education centers in Peru. Health, nutrition, development, and participation are identified as key areas of concern. The study concludes with a reference to the importance of monitoring quality and equity in early childhood care.

Combating poor-quality anti-malarial medicines: a call to action.

PubMed

Bassat, Quique; Tanner, Marcel; Guerin, Philippe J; Stricker, Kirstin; Hamed, Kamal

2016-06-01

The circulation of poor-quality medicines continues to undermine the fight against many life-threatening diseases. Anti-malarial medicines appear to have been particularly compromised and present a major public health threat in malaria-endemic countries, negatively affecting individuals and their communities. Concerted collaborative efforts are required from global, regional and national organizations, involving the public and private sectors, to address the problem. While many initiatives are underway, a number of unmet needs deserve urgent and increased multisector attention. At the global level, there is a need for an international public health legal framework or treaty on poor-quality medicines, with statutes suitable for integration into national laws. In addition, increased international efforts are required to strengthen the governance of global supply chains and enhance cooperation between national medicine regulation authorities and law enforcement bodies. Increased investment is needed in innovative technologies that will enable healthcare teams to detect poor-quality medicines at all levels of the supply chain. At the regional level, a number of initiatives would be beneficial-key areas are standardization, simplification, and reciprocal recognition of registration processes and development of quality control capacity in regional centres of excellence that are better aligned with public health needs; improved surveillance methods and creation of a framework for compulsory and transparent reporting of poor-quality medicines; additional support for national medicine regulation authorities and other national partner authorities; and an increase in support for regional laboratories to boost their capabilities in detecting poor-quality medicines. It is vital that all stakeholders involved in efforts against poor-quality anti-malarial medicines extend and strengthen their actions in these critical areas and thus effectively support global health development and malaria elimination programmes.

Inquiry, Evidence, and Excellence: The Promise and Practice of Quality Assurance. A Festschrift in Honor of Frank B. Murray

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LaCelle-Peterson, Mark, Ed.; Rigden, Diana, Ed.

2012-01-01

The overall aim of this volume of essays is to honor Frank B. Murray's commitments to empirically-based quality assurance and to the development of increasingly effective systems of quality control in educator preparation programs. As the editors approached the authors with the invitation to contribute an essay, two characteristic aspects of…

Improving the Quality of School Facilities through Building Performance Assessment: Educational Reform and School Building Quality in Sao Paulo, Brazil

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ornstein, Sheila Walbe; Moreira, Nanci Saraiva; Ono, Rosaria; Limongi Franca, Ana J. G.; Nogueira, Roselene A. M. F.

2009-01-01

Purpose: The paper describes the purpose of and strategies for conducting post-occupancy evaluations (POEs) as a method for assessing school building performance. Set within the larger context of global efforts to develop and apply common indicators of school building quality, the authors describe research conducted within the newest generation of…

Regression equations for estimating concentrations of selected water-quality constituents for selected gaging stations in the Red River of the North Basin, North Dakota, Minnesota, and South Dakota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Williams-Sether, Tara

2004-01-01

The Dakota Water Resources Act, passed by the U.S. Congress on December 15, 2000, authorized the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a comprehensive study of future water-quantity and quality needs of the Red River of the North Basin in North Dakota and possible options to meet those water needs. Previous Red River of the North Basin studies conducted by the Bureau of Reclamation used streamflow and water-quality data bases developed by the U.S. Geological Survey that included data for 1931-84. As a result of the recent congressional authorization and results of previous studies by the Bureau of Reclamation, redevelopment of the streamflow and water-quality data bases with current data through 1999 are needed in order to evaluate and predict the water-quantity and quality effects within the Red River of the North Basin. This report provides updated statistical summaries of selected water-quality constituents and streamflow and the regression relations between them.  Available data for 1931-99 were used to develop regression equations between 5 selected water-quality constituents and streamflow for 38 gaging stations in the Red River of the North Basin. The water-quality constituents that were regressed against streamflow were hardness (as CaCO3), sodium, chloride, sulfate, and dissolved solids. Statistical summaries of the selected water-quality constituents and streamflow for the gaging stations used in the regression equations development and the applications and limitations of the regression equations are presented in this report.

Speaking the right language: the scientific method as a framework for a continuous quality improvement program within academic medical research compliance units.

PubMed

Nolte, Kurt B; Stewart, Douglas M; O'Hair, Kevin C; Gannon, William L; Briggs, Michael S; Barron, A Marie; Pointer, Judy; Larson, Richard S

2008-10-01

The authors developed a novel continuous quality improvement (CQI) process for academic biomedical research compliance administration. A challenge in developing a quality improvement program in a nonbusiness environment is that the terminology and processes are often foreign. Rather than training staff in an existing quality improvement process, the authors opted to develop a novel process based on the scientific method--a paradigm familiar to all team members. The CQI process included our research compliance units. Unit leaders identified problems in compliance administration where a resolution would have a positive impact and which could be resolved or improved with current resources. They then generated testable hypotheses about a change to standard practice expected to improve the problem, and they developed methods and metrics to assess the impact of the change. The CQI process was managed in a "peer review" environment. The program included processes to reduce the incidence of infections in animal colonies, decrease research protocol-approval times, improve compliance and protection of animal and human research subjects, and improve research protocol quality. This novel CQI approach is well suited to the needs and the unique processes of research compliance administration. Using the scientific method as the improvement paradigm fostered acceptance of the project by unit leaders and facilitated the development of specific improvement projects. These quality initiatives will allow us to improve support for investigators while ensuring that compliance standards continue to be met. We believe that our CQI process can readily be used in other academically based offices of research.

Leading with Soul and Spirit.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bolman, Lee G.; Deal, Terrence E.

2002-01-01

Describes five qualities of effective leaders: Focus, passion, wisdom, courage, and integrity. Asserts that these qualities are rooted in faith and soul. Uses Harry Potter and Beowulf stories to illustrate spiritual development. Describes four gifts leaders can bestow on others: Authorship, love or caring, power, and significance. Authors wrote…

Thinking through Quality Questioning: Deepening Student Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walsh, Jackie Acree; Sattes, Beth Dankert

2011-01-01

This groundbreaking book provides teachers with an accessible, research-based blueprint for developing student metacognitive skills and ensuring that students take responsibility for their own learning. The authors use the findings of cognitive scientists to highlight quality questioning behaviors and explain how to apply them for improved student…

Microprocessors, Robotics, and Work.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeVore, Paul W.

1982-01-01

The author explores several recent technological developments which will have an impact on future technical education. These developments include the revolution in information services, robotics, job changes and eliminations, changing role of the worker, and quality of life. (CT)

[Interaction between clinical and research towards venture business].

PubMed

Sumida, Iori

2014-01-01

The author as a medical physicist has supported multiple institutions where the advanced radiation therapies as well as the conventional radiation therapy have been performed. Since the advanced radiation treatment techniques have spread rapidly, the quality assurance (QA) has been more important and complex that results in the increase of QA items. In order to maintain the quality of radiation therapy as accurate as possible, the efficient and objective approach for performing QA should be important. Author has developed some QA software which has solved those approaches based on the experiment. In this paper the background in multiple institutions as a view point of radiation treatment situation is presented and what author contributes to those institutions by a medical physics support is shown, finally it is considered that how the developed software has spread in Japan and used for many institutions via venture business.

[European Union regulatory and quality requirements for botanical drugs and their implications for Chinese herbal medicinal products development].

PubMed

Zhu, You-Ping

2017-06-01

This paper introduces regulatory pathways and characteristic quality requirements for marketing authorization of herbal medicinal products in the European Union（EU）, and the legal status and applications of "European Union list of herbal substances, preparations and combinations" and "European Union herbal monographs". Also introduced are Chinese herbs that have been granted the EU list entry, those with EU herbal monographs, and registered EU traditional herbal medicinal products with Chinese herbs as active ingredients. Special attention is paid to the technical details of three authorized EU herbal medicinal products (Veregen, Sativex and Episalvan) in comparison with Andrographis paniculata extract HMPL-004 that failed the phase Ⅲ clinical trial for ulcerative colitis. The paper further emphasizes the importance of enriching active fractions of herbal extracts and taking regulatory and quality considerations into account in early stage of botanical drug development. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Swimming in Deep Waters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schussler, Deborah; Feiman-Nemser, Sharon; Diez, Mary E.; Murrell, Peter

2012-01-01

The authors respond to a review of their book, "Teaching as a Moral Practice: Defining, Developing, and Assessing Dispositions". The authors emphasize a vision of shared commitments for quality teaching whereby teacher-educators instill and nurture the wisdom and virtue that a moral teacher must possess in order to teach in a variety of…

Research Engagement for School Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilkins, Raphael

2011-01-01

This thought-provoking book examines the new and growing phenomenon of the "research-engaged school"--schools that not only encourage their staff to carry out their own research, but also use published research to inform practice and improve the quality of education. The author draws upon his scholarship and practice in local authorities, schools…

A New Dual-purpose Quality Control Dosimetry Protocol for Diagnostic Reference-level Determination in Computed Tomography.

PubMed

Sohrabi, Mehdi; Parsi, Masoumeh; Sina, Sedigheh

2018-05-17

A diagnostic reference level is an advisory dose level set by a regulatory authority in a country as an efficient criterion for protection of patients from unwanted medical exposure. In computed tomography, the direct dose measurement and data collection methods are commonly applied for determination of diagnostic reference levels. Recently, a new quality-control-based dose survey method was proposed by the authors to simplify the diagnostic reference-level determination using a retrospective quality control database usually available at a regulatory authority in a country. In line with such a development, a prospective dual-purpose quality control dosimetry protocol is proposed for determination of diagnostic reference levels in a country, which can be simply applied by quality control service providers. This new proposed method was applied to five computed tomography scanners in Shiraz, Iran, and diagnostic reference levels for head, abdomen/pelvis, sinus, chest, and lumbar spine examinations were determined. The results were compared to those obtained by the data collection and quality-control-based dose survey methods, carried out in parallel in this study, and were found to agree well within approximately 6%. This is highly acceptable for quality-control-based methods according to International Atomic Energy Agency tolerance levels (±20%).

75 FR 12559 - Statement of Organization, Functions and Delegations of Authority

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-16

... National, State and local professional organizations to promote quality assurance efforts and deter fraud... publishes State Board compliance reports; (3) conducts audits to ensure validity of data in the banks; (4) develops programs of research on trends in data, quality assurance, risk management, medical liability and...

Quality Assurance in Gerontological and Geriatric Training Programs: The European Case

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Politynska, Barbara; van Rijsselt, Rene J. T.; Lewko, Jolanta; Philp, Ian; Figueiredo, Daniella; De Sousa, Lilliana

2012-01-01

Quality assurance (QA) in gerontological and geriatric education programs is regarded as essential to maintain standards, strengthen accountability, improve readability of qualifications, and facilitate professional mobility. In this article the authors present a summary of international developments in QA and elaborate four international trends,…

Expanding Quality for Infants and Toddlers: Colorado Implements Touchpoints

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watson, Wendy; Koehn, Jo; Desrochers, Lisa

2012-01-01

As coordinators of local early childhood coalitions working to improve the quality of early childhood programs, the authors had been looking for ways to support early childhood professionals in their efforts to strengthen partnerships with families, support young children's healthy emotional development, and continue to promote developmentally…

Special Education Teacher Quality and Preparation: Exposing Foundations, Constructing a New Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brownell, Mary T.; Sindelar, Paul T.; Kiely, Mary Theresa; Danielson, Louis C.

2010-01-01

The authors trace changes in conceptions of special education teacher quality and preparation in response to developments in special education research, policy, and practice. This developmental arc is a backdrop for understanding contemporary special education practice and charting future directions for preparing special education teachers.…

Auditing and Evaluating Quality: Questions and Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vostrikov, A.

2004-01-01

For many Russian universities, improving the quality of education has become a central problem. Colleges and universities that have traditionally enjoyed high academic authority are not especially concerned about it; they are more concerned about the problems of financing and their own development. But for relatively young educational institutions…

Quality Assurance in Turkish Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bugday Ince, Sehriban; Gounko, Tatiana

2014-01-01

The implementation of quality assurance (QA) is one of the most challenging reform areas for Turkey due to the unique organization of its higher education system. This paper explores the development of QA systems in Turkish universities. Using a qualitative case study approach, the authors examine how Turkey accomplishes the goal of implementing…

Building Character through Literacy with Children's Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Almerico, Gina M.

2014-01-01

Character education is described as curriculum specifically developed to teach children about the quality and traits of good character. One means in which children can learn about good character is through the pages of high quality children's literature. In this study, the author defines the characteristics of an effective character development…

Developing new emission factors for the Texas cotton ginning industry

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) is the regulatory authority that issues air quality permits in Texas. All cotton gins operating in Texas are required to obtain a permit from the TCEQ. The TCEQ is very experienced at permitting cotton gins, having rules in place requiring these p...

[The interpreter in an intercultural clinical milieu].

PubMed

Vissandjée, B; Ntetu, A L; Courville, F; Breton, E R; Bourdeau, M

1998-05-01

The public's diversified language profile means that nursing practice must adjust to provide the same quality of care to all clients, no matter what language they speak. To improve quality and quantity of information exchanged in the nurse-client-interpreter triangle, the authors have investigated the type of information likely to be filtered and studied the various factors underlying the interpreter's choice to filter information. The authors also analyzed the values interpreters assign to information and the factors that form the background for filtering, including mistrust. The authors suggest adequately preparing interpreters; using interpreters' expertise; and developing an appropriate training program for intercultural interpreters to enable them to better function within health care institutions.

Promoting Quality in NAVFAC (Naval Facilities Engineering Command) Construction.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-01-01

experience. Inspector Checklists To assist their field construction engineers, Owens - Corning Fiberglas Corporation, in conjunction with Texas A&M...that developed by Owens - Corning Fiberglas A I Corporation to assist government inspectors to maintain high - quality standards in their construction...105, No. C03 (September 1979), 187-199. Information in a letter to the author from D.R. Eberts, Quality Assurance Engineer, Owens - Corning Fiberglas

Housing quality and access to material and learning resources within the home environment in developing countries.

PubMed

Bradley, Robert H; Putnick, Diane L

2012-01-01

This study examined home environment conditions (housing quality, material resources, formal and informal learning materials) and their relations with the Human Development Index (HDI) in 28 developing countries. Home environment conditions in these countries varied widely. The quality of housing and availability of material resources at home were consistently tied to HDI; the availability of formal and informal learning materials a little less so. Gross domestic product (GDP) tended to show a stronger independent relation with housing quality and material resources than life expectancy and education. Formal learning resources were independently related to the GDP and education indices, and informal learning resources were not independently related to any constituent indices of the overall HDI. © 2012 The Authors. Child Development © 2012 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Validation of an organizational communication climate assessment toolkit.

PubMed

Wynia, Matthew K; Johnson, Megan; McCoy, Thomas P; Griffin, Leah Passmore; Osborn, Chandra Y

2010-01-01

Effective communication is critical to providing quality health care and can be affected by a number of modifiable organizational factors. The authors performed a prospective multisite validation study of an organizational communication climate assessment tool in 13 geographically and ethnically diverse health care organizations. Communication climate was measured across 9 discrete domains. Patient and staff surveys with matched items in each domain were developed using a national consensus process, which then underwent psychometric field testing and assessment of domain coherence. The authors found meaningful within-site and between-site performance score variability in all domains. In multivariable models, most communication domains were significant predictors of patient-reported quality of care and trust. The authors conclude that these assessment tools provide a valid empirical assessment of organizational communication climate in 9 domains. Assessment results may be useful to track organizational performance, to benchmark, and to inform tailored quality improvement interventions.

Assessing the quality of pharmacoeconomic studies in India: a systematic review.

PubMed

Desai, Pooja R; Chandwani, Hitesh S; Rascati, Karen L

2012-09-01

The aim of the study was to evaluate the quality of pharmacoeconomic studies based in India. A literature search was conducted using PubMed, MEDLINE, EconLit, PsycInfo and Google Scholar to identify published work on pharmacoeconomics studies based in India. Articles were included if they were original studies that evaluated pharmaceuticals, were based in India and were conducted between 1990 and 2010. Two reviewers independently reviewed the articles using a subjective 10-point quality scale in addition to the 100-point Quality of Health Economic Studies (QHES) questionnaire. Twenty-nine articles published between 1998 and May 2010 were included in the review. The included articles were published in 23 different journals. Each article was written by an average of five authors. The mean subjective quality score of the 29 articles was 7.8 (standard deviation [SD] = 1.3) and the mean QHES scores for the complete pharmacoeconomic studies (n = 24) was 86 (SD = 6). The majority of authors resided in India (62%) at the time of publication and had a medical background (90%). The quality score was significantly (p ≤ 0.05) related to the country of residence of the primary author (non-India = higher) and the study design (randomized controlled trials = higher). Although the overall quality scores were comparable to (e.g. Nigeria) or higher than (e.g. Zimbabwe) similar studies in other developing countries, key features such as an explicit study perspective and the use of sensitivity analyses were missing in about 40% of the articles. The need for economic evaluation of pharmaceuticals is imperative, especially in developing countries such as India as this helps decision makers allocate scarce resources in a justifiable manner.

[Quality Manager 2.0 in hospitals: A practical guidance for executive managers, medical directors, senior consultants, nurse managers and practicing quality managers].

PubMed

Pilz, Stefan; Hülsmann, Sylvia; Michallik, Stefan; Rimbach-Schurig, Monika; Schollmeier, Margarita; Sommerhoff, Benedikt; Weßling, Adelheid

2013-01-01

Aiming at the development of perspectives and recommendations for modern quality management in health services the GQMG conducted a study on the role and self-conception of quality managers in hospitals. It seems obvious that the effectiveness of quality management clearly depends on the executive board's skilful installation of quality management, their support of quality managers and, particularly in larger-sized institutions on the coordination of staff units and cross-sectional functions.(As supplied by author). Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Measuring and improving quality in university hospitals in Canada: The Collaborative for Excellence in Healthcare Quality.

PubMed

Backman, Chantal; Vanderloo, Saskia; Forster, Alan John

2016-09-01

Measuring and monitoring overall health system performance is complex and challenging but is crucial to improving quality of care. Today's health care organizations are increasingly being held accountable to develop and implement actions aimed at improving the quality of care, reducing costs, and achieving better patient-centered care. This paper describes the development of the Collaborative for Excellence in Healthcare Quality (CEHQ), a 5-year initiative to achieve higher quality of patient care in university hospitals across Canada. This bottom-up initiative took place between 2010 and 2015, and was successful in engaging health care leaders in the development of a common framework and set of performance measures for reporting and benchmarking, as well as working on initiatives to improve performance. Despite its successes, future efforts are needed to provide clear national leadership on standards for measuring performance. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Algorithm for evaluating the effectiveness of a high-rise development project based on current yield

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soboleva, Elena

2018-03-01

The article is aimed at the issues of operational evaluation of development project efficiency in high-rise construction under the current economic conditions in Russia. The author touches the following issues: problems of implementing development projects, the influence of the operational evaluation quality of high-rise construction projects on general efficiency, assessing the influence of the project's external environment on the effectiveness of project activities under crisis conditions and the quality of project management. The article proposes the algorithm and the methodological approach to the quality management of the developer project efficiency based on operational evaluation of the current yield efficiency. The methodology for calculating the current efficiency of a development project for high-rise construction has been updated.

How do you perceive this author? Understanding and modeling authors' communication quality in social media.

PubMed

Han, Kyungsik

2018-01-01

In this study, we leverage human evaluations, content analysis, and computational modeling to generate a comprehensive analysis of readers' evaluations of authors' communication quality in social media with respect to four factors: author credibility, interpersonal attraction, communication competence, and intent to interact. We review previous research on the human evaluation process and highlight its limitations in providing sufficient information for readers to assess authors' communication quality. From our analysis of the evaluations of 1,000 Twitter authors' communication quality from 300 human evaluators, we provide empirical evidence of the impact of the characteristics of the reader (demographic, social media experience, and personality), author (profile and social media engagement), and content (linguistic, syntactic, similarity, and sentiment) on the evaluation of an author's communication quality. In addition, based on the author and message characteristics, we demonstrate the potential for building accurate models that can indicate an author's communication quality.

The SULSA Assay Development Fund: accelerating translation of new biology from academia to pharma.

PubMed

McElroy, Stuart P; Jones, Philip S; Barrault, Denise V

2017-02-01

With industry increasingly sourcing preclinical drug discovery projects from academia it is important that new academic discoveries are enabled through translation with HTS-ready assays. However, many scientifically interesting, novel molecular targets lack associated high-quality, robust assays suitable for hit finding and development. To bridge this gap, the Scottish Universities Life Sciences Alliance (SULSA) established a fund to develop assays to meet quality criteria such as those of the European Lead Factory. A diverse project portfolio was quickly assembled, and a review of the learnings and successful outcomes showed this fund as a new highly cost-effective model for leveraging significant follow-on resources, training early-career scientists and establishing a culture of translational drug discovery in the academic community. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Quality improvement training for core medical and general practice trainees: a pilot study of project participation, completion and journal publication.

PubMed

McNab, Duncan; McKay, John; Bowie, Paul

2015-11-01

Small-scale quality improvement projects are expected to make a significant contribution towards improving the quality of healthcare. Enabling doctors-in-training to design and lead quality improvement projects is important preparation for independent practice. Participation is mandatory in speciality training curricula. However, provision of training and ongoing support in quality improvement methods and practice is variable. We aimed to design and deliver a quality improvement training package to core medical and general practice specialty trainees and evaluate impact in terms of project participation, completion and publication in a healthcare journal. A quality improvement training package was developed and delivered to core medical trainees and general practice specialty trainees in the west of Scotland encompassing a 1-day workshop and mentoring during completion of a quality improvement project over 3 months. A mixed methods evaluation was undertaken and data collected via questionnaire surveys, knowledge assessment, and formative assessment of project proposals, completed quality improvement projects and publication success. Twenty-three participants attended the training day with 20 submitting a project proposal (87%). Ten completed quality improvement projects (43%), eight were judged as satisfactory (35%), and four were submitted and accepted for journal publication (17%). Knowledge and confidence in aspects of quality improvement improved during the pilot, while early feedback on project proposals was valued (85.7%). This small study reports modest success in training core medical trainees and general practice specialty trainees in quality improvement. Many gained knowledge of, confidence in and experience of quality improvement, while journal publication was shown to be possible. The development of educational resources to aid quality improvement project completion and mentoring support is necessary if expectations for quality improvement are to be realised. © The Author(s) 2015.

[History of the evaluation of medicines aiming for marketing authorization].

PubMed

Caulin, C

2008-01-01

The European Directive on Medicines Evaluation and Marketing Authorization were issued in 1975. For more than 30 years, Marketing Authorization criteria have been defined as pharmaceutical and biological quality, therapeutic efficacy, and safety. The application comes from the pharmaceutical company and must include the full data on drug development. French procedures have always included practical assessment of the drug by health practitioners: clinicians, pharmacists, biologists, and specialists in biostatistics.

Improved Murine Blastocyst Quality and Development in a Single Culture Medium Compared to Sequential Culture Media.

PubMed

Hennings, Justin M; Zimmer, Randall L; Nabli, Henda; Davis, J Wade; Sutovsky, Peter; Sutovsky, Miriam; Sharpe-Timms, Kathy L

2016-03-01

Validate single versus sequential culture media for murine embryo development. Prospective laboratory experiment. Assisted Reproduction Laboratory. Murine embryos. Thawed murine zygotes cultured for 3 or 5 days (d3 or d5) in single or sequential embryo culture media developed for human in vitro fertilization. On d3, zygotes developing to the 8 cell (8C) stage or greater were quantified using 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI), and quality was assessed by morphological analysis. On d5, the number of embryos reaching the blastocyst stage was counted. DAPI was used to quantify total nuclei and inner cell mass nuclei. Localization of ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCHL1) and ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase L3 (UCHL3) was reference points for evaluating cell quality. Comparing outcomes in single versus to sequential media, the odds of embryos developing to the 8C stage on d3 were 2.34 time greater (P = .06). On d5, more embryos reached the blastocyst stage (P = <.0001), hatched, and had significantly more trophoblast cells (P = .005) contributing to the increased total cell number. Also at d5, localization of distinct cytoplasmic UCHL1 and nuclear UCHL3 was found in high-quality hatching blastocysts. Localization of UCHL1 and UCHL3 was diffuse and inappropriately dispersed throughout the cytoplasm in low-quality nonhatching blastocysts. Single medium yields greater cell numbers, an increased growth rate, and more hatching of murine embryos. Cytoplasmic UCHL1 and nuclear UHCL3 localization patterns were indicative of embryo quality. Our conclusions are limited to murine embryos but one might speculate that single medium may also be more beneficial for human embryo culture. Human embryo studies are needed. © The Author(s) 2015.

Coping with the Qualities of Giftedness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Overzier, Peter; Nauta, Noks

2014-01-01

There are many group training sessions to train people in effective behaviour. The authors are experienced in the development and execution of such courses for small groups of gifted adults. As literature on this theme is scarce, the authors will share their experiences. First, the theoretical model used in the training course is explained. Then,…

24 CFR 50.1 - Purpose, authority, and applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Purpose, authority, and..., restoring and enhancing environmental quality. NEPA is implemented by Executive Order 11514 of March 5, 1970, (3 CFR, 1966-1970 Comp., p. 902) as amended by Executive Order 11991 of May 24, 1977, (3 CFR, 1977...

Building Partnerships for Better Communities: Success Stories from Indian Country.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aspen Systems Corp., Rockville, MD.

This report describes 18 American Indian and Alaska Native community programs administered by Indian Housing Authorities (IHAs). The programs were funded first by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Community Relations and Involvement programs aimed at improving quality of life for housing authority residents, but most IHAs have…

Professional Development in the Community College: Pathways to Excellence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sides-Gonzales, Karen; Byrd, Lanier

This paper uses St. Philips College in San Antonio, Texas, as a model for community colleges facing the challenge of meeting expanded academic and leadership expectations with ever-shrinking budgets. The authors offer suggestions for ways to maintain high-quality instruction, management, and support. The authors present the National Institute for…

Traveling beyond Dangerous Private and Universal Discourses: Radioactivity of Radical Hermeneutics and Objectivism in Educational Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eryaman, Mustafa Yunus

2006-01-01

In this article, the author explores several definitions of reading and evaluating educational research texts without finding deep private meanings or developing objective, scientific, and instrumental norms for evaluating quality of educational research studies. Among these descriptions, the author emphasizes Gadamer's weak poststructural model…

Academic Synergy in the Age of Technology--A New Instructional Paradigm

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ma, Yulong; Runyon, L. R.

2004-01-01

In this article, the authors show how effective use of new technology can increase academic productivity and enhance educational quality in higher learning institutions. The authors sought to develop an instructional model that integrates information technology with faculty resources to enhance teaching and learning in the academic environment.…

The role of imperfect surrogate endpoint information in drug approval and reimbursement decisions.

PubMed

Bognar, Katalin; Romley, John A; Bae, Jay P; Murray, James; Chou, Jacquelyn W; Lakdawalla, Darius N

2017-01-01

Approval of new drugs is increasingly reliant on "surrogate endpoints," which correlate with but imperfectly predict clinical benefits. Proponents argue surrogate endpoints allow for faster approval, but critics charge they provide inadequate evidence. We develop an economic framework that addresses the value of improvement in the predictive power, or "quality," of surrogate endpoints, and clarifies how quality can influence decisions by regulators, payers, and manufacturers. For example, the framework shows how lower-quality surrogates lead to greater misalignment of incentives between payers and regulators, resulting in more drugs that are approved for use but not covered by payers. Efficient price-negotiation in the marketplace can help align payer incentives for granting access based on surrogates. Higher-quality surrogates increase manufacturer profits and social surplus from early access to new drugs. Since the return on better quality is shared between manufacturers and payers, private incentives to invest in higher-quality surrogates are inefficiently low. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

75 FR 73090 - Medicare Program; Listening Session on Development of Additional Imaging Efficiency Measures for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-29

... Hospital Outpatient Quality Data Reporting Program AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS... Quality Data Reporting Program (HOP QDRP), which is authorized under section 1833(t)(17) of the Social... participate either in person or via teleconference. The meeting is open to the public, but attendance is...

40 CFR 403.9 - POTW pretreatment programs and/or authorization to revise pretreatment standards: Submission for...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... quality management plans. (1) In order to be approved the POTW Pretreatment Program shall be consistent with any approved water quality management plan developed in accordance with 40 CFR parts 130, 131, as revised, where such 208 plan includes Management Agency designations and addresses pretreatment in a...

Evaluating Inclusive Educational Practices for Students with Severe Disabilities Using the Program Quality Measurement Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cushing, Lisa S.; Carter, Erik W.; Clark, Nitasha; Wallis, Terry; Kennedy, Craig H.

2009-01-01

Recent legislative and school reform efforts require schools to evaluate and improve educational practices for students with severe disabilities. The authors developed the "Program Quality Measurement Tool" (PQMT) to enable administrators and educators to evaluate the educational programming provided to students with severe disabilities against…

The Willingness to Change to Formalized Child Care Arrangements: Parental Considerations of Cost and Quality.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Camasso, Michael J.; Roche, Susan E.

1991-01-01

Data from 1988 sample of 1,058 state employees provided evidence that family structure, price, and quality were important determinants of parent's willingness to change from informal to formal child care arrangements. Measured 43 facets of program structure, curriculum, and child development goals. (Author/NB)

DEVELOPMENT OF QUALITY ASSURANCE AND QUALITY CONTROL GUIDANCE FOR GROUND-BASED REMOTE SENSORS FOR USE IN REGULATORY MONITORING

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) authority for enhanced monitoring activities is provided for in Title I, Section 182 of the Clean Air Act Amendment of 1990. or example, the Photochemical Assessment Monitoring Station (PAMS) network is one such program which requi...

An Education Millennium Development Goal for Quality: Complexity and Democracy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barrett, Angeline M.

2011-01-01

A good quality education is inclusive, relevant and democratic. Of these three characteristics, the author contends that democratic is the most fundamental and underpins the other two. Education can only truly be inclusive and relevant if its goals are continuously the subject of open democratic debate, since education is a value-based,…

Innovative Problems of Improving the Quality of Life of the Welfare State

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Panachev, Valery D.

2016-01-01

Improvement of the population quality of life should be based on promoting healthy lifestyle, active physical exercises and sports activities as one of its main priorities. In order to facilitate the achievement of this priority, the author proposes management technique of complicated coordination movements in space in the development of…

4th National Climate Assessment: Public Webinar for Air Quality Chapter

EPA Science Inventory

On May 8, 2017, the NCA4 Air Quality chapter team held a public engagement webinar. The objectives of the webinar were to gather input from stakeholders, including authors of the regional chapters, to help inform the writing and development of NCA4, and to raise awareness of the ...

[The Innovation Office of the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut. Regulatory support during the scientific development of ATMP].

PubMed

Ziegele, B; Dahl, L; Müller, A T

2011-07-01

In conformity with Regulation (EC) No. 1394/2007, advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMP) are now subject to the centralized marketing authorization procedure. This also applies to most medicinal products in regenerative medicine. ATMP that have been marketed in a member state by the end of 2008 must be centrally authorized by the end of 2012 at the latest. In exceptional cases, a national authorization is acceptable. Developers of these medicinal products are usually academic institutions or small- and medium-sized enterprises (SME). They focus on scientific aspects and usually have little experience with pharmaceutical law. The Innovation Office of the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut (PEI) is designed to support developers of medicinal products in the areas between research and development, on the one hand, and regulatory requirements, on the other. Its main role is supportive advice in the regulatory field with an emphasis on ATMP. For this purpose, the Innovation Office makes use of core competences from various experts at the PEI in order to provide a quality consulting service to those companies who are seeking advice as early as possible and hand in hand with the development process. The aim is to support the developer to identify the appropriate regulatory pathway and to provide advice for each individual medicinal product at its corresponding stage of development in order to develop a high-quality ATMP manufactured on the basis of positive nonclinical results and appropriate clinical studies that meet all the necessary requirements for the application of a marketing authorization.

Quality target negotiation in health care: evidence from the English NHS.

PubMed

Fichera, Eleonora; Gravelle, Hugh; Pezzino, Mario; Sutton, Matt

2016-09-01

We examine how public sector third-party purchasers and hospitals negotiate quality targets when a fixed proportion of hospital revenue is required to be linked to quality. We develop a bargaining model linking the number of quality targets to purchaser and hospital characteristics. Using data extracted from 153 contracts for acute hospital services in England in 2010/2011, we find that the number of quality targets is associated with the purchaser's population health and its budget, the hospital type, whether the purchaser delegated negotiation to an agency, and the quality targets imposed by the supervising regional health authority.

Watershed Education for Sustainable Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stapp, William B.

2000-01-01

Presents information on the Global Rivers Environmental Education Network (GREEN), which is a global communication system for analyzing watershed usage and monitoring the quality and quantity of river water. Describes GREEN's watershed educational model and strategies and international development. (Contains 67 references.) (Author/YDS)

Reliability and utility of the Behaviour Support Plan Quality Evaluation tool (BSP-QEII) for auditing and quality development in services for adults with intellectual disability and challenging behaviour.

PubMed

McVilly, K; Webber, L; Paris, M; Sharp, G

2013-08-01

Having an objective means of evaluating the quality of behaviour support plans (BSPs) could assist service providers and statutory authorities to monitor and improve the quality of support provided to people with intellectual disability (ID) who exhibit challenging behaviour. The Behaviour Support Plan Quality Evaluation Guide II (BSP-QEII) was developed to monitor and assess BSPs prepared by teachers to support children with disability in the school system. This study investigated the application of the BSP-QEII to the assessment of BSPs for adults with ID in community support services. The inter-rater reliability of the BSP-QEII was assessed. The utility of the BPS-QEII was then investigated with reference to a time series study of matched pairs of BSPs, developed for the same clients over a period of approximately 3 years. Differences in plan quality measured across a number of service and systemic variables were also investigated. The BSP-QEII was found to have good inter-rater reliability and good utility for audit purposes. It was able to discriminate changes in plan quality over time. Differences in plan quality were also evident across different service types, where specialist staff had or had not been involved, and in some instances where a statutory format for the plan had or had not been used. There were no differences between plans developed by government and community sector agencies, nor were there any regional differences across the jurisdiction. The BSP-QEII could usefully be adopted as an audit tool for measuring the quality of BSPs for adults with ID. In addition to being used for research and administrative auditing, the principles underpinning the BSP-QEII could also be useful to guide policy and educational activities for staff in community based services for adults with ID. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd, MENCAP & IASSID.

The clinical research triad: how can we ensure quality in out-sourced clinical trials?

PubMed

Strause, L G; Vogel, J R

1999-01-01

The importance of quality within clinical trials cannot be underestimated. Built on the foundation of patient care where quality may simply be understood and expected, the business of conducting clinical trials must evolve to instill quality and ensure that quality is maintained. How that is accomplished within the drug development process is complicated by the relationship between the vendors--the sponsor, the contractor and the investigative site. This article will discuss the dynamics of the drug development triad from the perspective of the authors. Who are the players and what is quality from each of their perspectives? Communication among all parties is essential in order to ensure that quality is maintained. Unfortunately, even with optimal communication, if expectations and goals are not clearly defined, the results may be unsatisfactory. Vision and values of each player contributes to the success of the relationship and the quality of the service.

Missing in the Youth Development Literature: The Organization as Host, Cage, and Promise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roholt, Ross VeLure; Baizerman, Michael; Rana, Sheetal; Korum, Kathy

2013-01-01

Good, high-quality youth development programs require effective youth organizations. While youth organizations are commonly understood as valuable and supportive of healthy youth development, attention and focus on youth organizations in both scholarship and practice are missing within the youth development field. The authors advocate for a more…

Tertiary Educational Institutions for Teaching, Research and Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amoo, Sikiru A.

2014-01-01

This paper examines the quality of teaching and research in developing human resources to facilitate the development of tertiary education in the nation. It discusses the challenges and the roles of research in higher education. The author argues that the combination of content and pedagogical knowledge could help to develop human resources for…

The Impact of a Professional Development Program on Teachers' Understandings about Watersheds, Water Quality, and Stream Monitoring.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shepardson, Daniel P.; Harbor, Jon; Cooper, Barbara; McDonald, Jim

2002-01-01

Professional development programs should provide teachers with experiences that develop their knowledge and skills to integrate environmental field studies into their school curriculum. Reports on a professional development model that engaged teachers in designing and conducting local environmental science research projects. (Author/YDS)

The use of Minilabs to improve the testing capacity of regulatory authorities in resource limited settings: Tanzanian experience.

PubMed

Risha, Peter Gasper; Msuya, Zera; Clark, Malcolm; Johnson, Keith; Ndomondo-Sigonda, Margareth; Layloff, Thomas

2008-08-01

The Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority piloted the use of Minilab kits, a thin-layer-chromatographic based drug quality testing technique, in a two-tier quality assurance program. The program is intended to improve testing capacity with timely screening of the quality of medicines as they enter the market. After 1 week training of inspectors on Minilab screening techniques, they were stationed at key Ports-of-Entry (POE) to screen the quality of imported medicines. In addition, three non-Ports-of-Entry centres were established to screen samples collected during Post-Marketing-Surveillance. Standard operating procedures (SOPs) were developed to structure and standardize the implementation process. Over 1200 samples were tested using the Minilab outside the central quality control laboratory (QCL), almost doubling the previous testing capacity. The program contributed to increased regulatory reach and visibility of the Authority throughout the country, serving as a deterrent against entry of substandard medicines into market. The use of Minilab for quality screening was inexpensive and provided a high sample throughput. However, it suffers from the limitation that it can reliably detect only grossly substandard or wrong drug samples and therefore, it should not be used as an independent testing resource but in conjunction with a full-service quality control laboratory capable of auditing reported substandard results.

A new independent authority is needed to issue National Health Care guidelines.

PubMed

Keyhani, Salomeh; Kim, Azalea; Mann, Micah; Korenstein, Deborah

2011-02-01

Health experts emphasize that getting doctors to follow clinical guidelines can save both lives and money. Less attention has been paid to how the guidelines are developed and the variability in the recommendations they include. We examined the quality and content of screening guidelines as a proxy for guidelines in general and found that the source of the guidelines affects their quality. Guidelines with inconsistent recommendations are unlikely to serve patients or physicians well. The creation of an independent organization that would work with multiple stakeholders to develop guidelines holds the potential to improve their quality.

Weighing the impact (factor) of publishing in veterinary journals.

PubMed

Christopher, Mary M

2015-06-01

The journal in which you publish your research can have a major influence on the perceived value of your work and on your ability to reach certain audiences. The impact factor, a widely used metric of journal quality and prestige, has evolved into a benchmark of quality for institutions and graduate programs and, inappropriately, as a proxy for the quality of individual authors and articles, affecting tenure, promotion, and funding decisions. As a result, despite its many limitations, publishing decisions by authors often are based solely on a journal's impact factor. This can disadvantage journals in small disciplines, such as veterinary medicine, and limit the ability of authors to reach key audiences. In this article, factors that can influence the impact factor of a journal and its applicability, including precision, citation practices, article type, editorial policies, and size of the research community will be reviewed. The value and importance of veterinary journals such as the Journal of Veterinary Cardiology for reaching relevant audiences and for helping shape disciplinary specialties and influence clinical practice will also be discussed. Lastly, the efforts underway to develop alternative measures to assess the scientific quality of individual authors and articles, such as article-level metrics, as well as institutional measures of the economic and social impact of biomedical research will be considered. Judicious use of the impact factor and the implementation of new metrics for assessing the quality and societal relevance of veterinary research articles will benefit both authors and journals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Training Teachers to Think Historically: Applying Recent Research to Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neumann, David

2012-01-01

In this paper, the author argues that sustained, discipline-specific professional development provides the key to transferring research knowledge base to the classroom, where it can lead to significant improvements in the quality of history instruction. To be successful, such professional development must--like good classroom instruction--begin…

[Research advances in water quality monitoring technology based on UV-Vis spectrum analysis].

PubMed

Wei, Kang-Lin; Wen, Zhi-yu; Wu, Xin; Zhang, Zhong-Wei; Zeng, Tian-Ling

2011-04-01

The application of spectral analysis to water quality monitoring is an important developing trend in the field of modern environment monitoring technology. The principle and characteristic of water quality monitoring technology based on UV-Vis spectrum analysis are briefly reviewed. And the research status and advances are introduced from two aspects, on-line monitoring and in-situ monitoring. Moreover, the existent key technical problems are put forward. Finally, the technology trends of multi-parameter water quality monitoring microsystem and microsystem networks based on microspectrometer are prospected, which has certain reference value for the research and development of environmental monitoring technology and modern scientific instrument in the authors' country.

Outsourcing Photocopying in a Library: One Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wittorf, Robert

1998-01-01

Describes the process for outsourcing photocopying including developing a clear request for proposal, monitoring and responding to vendor performance, and ensuring quality controls in academic libraries. (Author/PEN)

Air quality management: evolution of policy and practice in the UK as exemplified by the experience of English local government

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beattie, C. I.; Longhurst, J. W. S.; Woodfield, N. K.

The air quality management (AQM) framework in the UK is designed to be an effects-based solution to air pollutants currently affecting human health. The AQM process has been legislated through The Environment Act 1995, which required the National Air Quality Strategy (NAQS) to be published. AQM practice and capability within local authorities has flourished since the publication of the NAQS in March 1997. This paper outlines the policy framework within which the UK operates, both at a domestic and European level, and reviews the air quality management process relating to current UK policy and EU policy. Data from questionnaire surveys are used to indicate the involvement of various sectors of local government in the air quality management process. These data indicate an increasing use of monitoring, and use of air dispersion modelling by English local authorities. Data relating to the management of air quality, for example, the existence and work of air quality groups, dissemination of information to the public and policy measures in place on a local scale to improve air quality, have also been reported. The UK NAQS has been reviewed in 1999 to reflect developments in European legislation, technological and scientific advances, improved air pollution modelling techniques and an increasingly better understanding of the socio-economic issues involved. The AQM process, as implemented by UK local authorities, provides an effective model for other European member states with regards to the implementation of the Air Quality Framework Directive. The future direction of air quality policy in the UK is also discussed.

Water quality.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Steele, T.D.; Stefan, H.G.

1979-01-01

Significant contributions in the broad area of water quality over the quadrennium 1975-78 are highlighted. This summare is concerned primarily with physical and chemical aspects of water quality. The diversity of subject areas within the topic heading and the large volume of published research results necessitated the selection of representative contributions. Over 400 references are cited which are believed to be indicative of general trends in research and of the more important developments during this period.- from Authors

[Quality criteria in medicine: which limits?].

PubMed

Minvielle, E

2006-06-01

This article aims to develop a critical appraisal of the criteria's development in medicine. The COMPAQH (Coordination for Measuring Performance and Assuring Quality in Hospitals) project (Ministry of Health/ High Authority of Health/ National Institute of Medical Research) helps to support this analysis. This project based on the test of 42 Quality indicators (QI) gives findings not only about the manner to build criteria, but also to interpret and diffuse results among physicians and hospital managers. Criteria must be elaborated in a pragmatic way. They must be in compliance with practice guidelines supported by scientific evidences. The associated risk is to create and develop a normative medicine. Collaboration with professional societies may be useful in preventing this risk.

Study on transport infrastructure as mechanism of long-term urban planning strategies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Popova, Olga; Martynov, Kirill; Khusnutdinov, Rinat

2017-10-01

In this article, the authors carry out the research of the transport infrastructure. The authors have developed an algorithm for quality assessment of transport networks and connectivity of urban development areas. The results of the research are presented on the example of several central city quarters of Arkhangelsk city. The analysis was carried out by clustering objects (separate quarters of the Arkhangelsk city) using of SOM in comparable groups with a high level of similarity of characteristics inside each group. The result of clustering was 5 clusters with different levels of transport infrastructure. The novelty of the study is to justification for advantages of applying structural analysis for qualitative ranking of areas. The advantage of the proposed methodology is that it gives the opportunity both to compare the transport infrastructure quality of different city quarters and to determine the strategy for its development with a list of specific activities.

The Child First Authority After-School Program: A Descriptive Evaluation. Report No. 38.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fashola, Olatokunbo S.

The Child First Authority (CFA) is a Baltimore (Maryland) community-wide after-school program that seeks to improve the quality of life in low socioeconomic status communities. The CFA, which is funded by local government agencies and coordinated by Baltimoreans United in Leadership Development (BUILD), established after-school programs in 10…

Development of a nurse case management service: a proposed business plan for rural hospitals.

PubMed

Adams, Marsha Howell; Crow, Carolyn S

2005-01-01

The nurse case management service (NCMS) for rural hospitals is an entrepreneurial endeavor designed to provide rural patients with quality, cost-effective healthcare. This article describes the development of an NCMS. A detailed marketing and financial plan, a review of industry trends, and the legal structure and risks associated with the development of the venture are presented. The financial plan projects a minimum savings of 223,200 dollars for rural institutions annually. To improve quality and reduce cost for rural hospitals, the authors recommend implementation of an NCMS.

A Whole New World of Interventions: The Performance Technologist as Integrating Generalist.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hutchison, Cathleen Smith; Stein, Faith S.

1997-01-01

The authors update an article on intervention, discussing career development, communications, feedback, financial, human development, information, instructional, labor relations, measurement and evaluation, quality improvement, resource, reward and recognition, and selection systems; documentation and standards; ergonomics and human factors;…

Traversing the many paths of workflow research: developing a conceptual framework of workflow terminology through a systematic literature review

PubMed Central

Novak, Laurie L; Johnson, Kevin B; Lorenzi, Nancy M

2010-01-01

The objective of this review was to describe methods used to study and model workflow. The authors included studies set in a variety of industries using qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods. Of the 6221 matching abstracts, 127 articles were included in the final corpus. The authors collected data from each article on researcher perspective, study type, methods type, specific methods, approaches to evaluating quality of results, definition of workflow and dependent variables. Ethnographic observation and interviews were the most frequently used methods. Long study durations revealed the large time commitment required for descriptive workflow research. The most frequently discussed technique for evaluating quality of study results was triangulation. The definition of the term “workflow” and choice of methods for studying workflow varied widely across research areas and researcher perspectives. The authors developed a conceptual framework of workflow-related terminology for use in future research and present this model for use by other researchers. PMID:20442143

Guidelines for performing systematic reviews in the development of toxicity factors.

PubMed

Schaefer, Heather R; Myers, Jessica L

2017-12-01

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) developed guidance on conducting systematic reviews during the development of chemical-specific toxicity factors. Using elements from publicly available frameworks, the TCEQ systematic review process was developed in order to supplement the existing TCEQ Guidelines for developing toxicity factors (TCEQ Regulatory Guidance 442). The TCEQ systematic review process includes six steps: 1) Problem Formulation; 2) Systematic Literature Review and Study Selection; 3) Data Extraction; 4) Study Quality and Risk of Bias Assessment; 5) Evidence Integration and Endpoint Determination; and 6) Confidence Rating. This document provides guidance on conducting a systematic literature review and integrating evidence from different data streams when developing chemical-specific reference values (ReVs) and unit risk factors (URFs). However, this process can also be modified or expanded to address other questions that would benefit from systematic review practices. The systematic review and evidence integration framework can improve regulatory decision-making processes, increase transparency, minimize bias, improve consistency between different risk assessments, and further improve confidence in toxicity factor development. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Anxiety, depression, and quality of life in Iranian mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Kousha, Maryam; Attar, Hoda Alizadeh; Shoar, Zohreh

2016-09-01

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is being more recognized and diagnosed in developing as well as developed countries. We aimed to investigate the frequency of anxiety, depression, and quality of life in mothers of children with ASD in Iranian families. We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study on demographic data and mental health characteristics of 127 mothers of children with ASD. Mothers of children with ASD had high levels of anxiety (72.4%), depression (49.6%), and low scores of health-related quality of life (HRQOL). There was strong association between the child's age and the severity of mother's depression and QOL. Duration since diagnosis of ASD positively correlated with maternal depression. Anxiety, depression, and low HRQOL are more common in Iranian mothers with autistic children in our study. Our findings have implications for further investigation in mental health status of mothers of children with ASD, and providing educational support and interventional strategies may improve the mental health status of the entire family. © The Author(s) 2015.

The Leadership Roles of Distance Learning Administrators (DLAs) in Increasing Educational Value and Quality Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McFarlane, Donovan A.

2011-01-01

This paper examines the leadership roles of distance learning administrators (DLAs) in light of the demand and need for value and quality in educational distance learning programs and schools. The author explores the development of distance learning using available and emerging technologies in relation to increased demand for education, training,…

Global Standards for Enhancing Quality in Online Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Florence; Polly, Drew; Jokiaho, Annika; May, Birgit

2017-01-01

The quality of online courses offered has been a topic of discussion in the recent years, and efforts have been taken to establish standards for developing online courses. In this study, the authors review 12 online learning standard documents and examine the standards included in each of these documents. The largest number of standards were in…

A Longitudinal, Experiential Quality Improvement Curriculum Meeting ACGME Competencies for Geriatrics Fellows: Lessons Learned

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Callahan, Kathryn E.; Rogers, Matthew T.; Lovato, James F.; Fernandez, Helen M.

2013-01-01

Quality improvement (QI) initiatives are critical in the care of older adults who are more vulnerable to substandard care. QI education meets aspects of core Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education competencies and prepares learners for the rising focus on performance measurement in health care. The authors developed, implemented, and…

Evaluating Quality of Decision-Making Processes in Medicines' Development, Regulatory Review, and Health Technology Assessment: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

PubMed

Bujar, Magdalena; McAuslane, Neil; Walker, Stuart R; Salek, Sam

2017-01-01

Introduction: Although pharmaceutical companies, regulatory authorities, and health technology assessment (HTA) agencies have been increasingly using decision-making frameworks, it is not certain whether these enable better quality decision making. This could be addressed by formally evaluating the quality of decision-making process within those organizations. The aim of this literature review was to identify current techniques (tools, questionnaires, surveys, and studies) for measuring the quality of the decision-making process across the three stakeholders. Methods: Using MEDLINE, Web of Knowledge, and other Internet-based search engines, a literature review was performed to systematically identify techniques for assessing quality of decision making in medicines development, regulatory review, and HTA. A structured search was applied using key words and a secondary review was carried out. In addition, the measurement properties of each technique were assessed and compared. Ten Quality Decision-Making Practices (QDMPs) developed previously were then used as a framework for the evaluation of techniques identified in the review. Due to the variation in studies identified, meta-analysis was inappropriate. Results: This review identified 13 techniques, where 7 were developed specifically to assess decision making in medicines' development, regulatory review, or HTA; 2 examined corporate decision making, and 4 general decision making. Regarding how closely each technique conformed to the 10 QDMPs, the 13 techniques assessed a median of 6 QDMPs, with a mode of 3 QDMPs. Only 2 techniques evaluated all 10 QDMPs, namely the Organizational IQ and the Quality of Decision Making Orientation Scheme (QoDoS), of which only one technique, QoDoS could be applied to assess decision making of both individuals and organizations, and it possessed generalizability to capture issues relevant to companies as well as regulatory authorities. Conclusion: This review confirmed a general paucity of research in this area, particularly regarding the development and systematic application of techniques for evaluating quality decision making, with no consensus around a gold standard. This review has identified QoDoS as the most promising available technique for assessing decision making in the lifecycle of medicines and the next steps would be to further test its validity, sensitivity, and reliability.

Assessing relationship quality in mandated community treatment: blending care with control.

PubMed

Skeem, Jennifer L; Louden, Jennifer Eno; Polaschek, Devon; Camp, Jacqueline

2007-12-01

Traditional measures of the therapeutic alliance do not capture the dual roles inherent in relationships with involuntary clients. Providers not only care for, but also have control over, involuntary clients. In 2 studies of probationers mandated to psychiatric treatment (n=90; n=322), the authors developed and validated the revised Dual-Role Relationships Inventory (DRI-R). The authors found that (a) relationship quality in mandated treatment involves caring and fairness, trust, and an authoritative (not authoritarian) style, (b) the DRI-R assesses these domains of relationship quality, is internally consistent, and relates in a theoretically coherent pattern with ratings of within-session behavior and with measures of the therapeutic alliance, relationship satisfaction, symptoms, and treatment motivation, and (c) the quality of dual-role relationships predicts future compliance with the rules, as assessed by probation violations and revocation. The DRI-R covaries with multiple domains more strongly than a leading measure of the therapeutic alliance, suggesting that it better captures the nature and effect of relationship quality in mandated treatment.

From research to policy and practice: the School of the 21st Century.

PubMed

Zigler, Edward; Finn-Stevenson, Matia

2007-04-01

Current education reform policies focus on raising academic achievement and ensuring that all students have access to high-quality education. Because the achievement gap is apparent even before children enter school, the authors believe that education reform must encompass the early childhood years. The current dialogue about universal preschool presents an opportunity to address the need for a national system for early care and education. The authors believe this system should provide quality child care and preschool experiences for all children and embrace a whole-child approach that nurtures not only cognitive development but physical and mental health and social-emotional behaviors that are also important to successful schooling. The School of the 21st Century provides an example of an effective early care and education system using the public schools. The authors' work with the School of the 21st Century shows that schools can provide high-quality, developmentally appropriate care and that these programs benefit later school performance. 2007 APA, all rights reserved

Demand-Side Job Development and System Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gilbride, Dennis; Stensrud, Robert

1999-01-01

Authors discuss demand-side job development as a model for improving and providing rehabilitation services to consumers and employers. It stresses quality employment outcomes, consumer choice and empowerment, and a productive partnership between consumer and counselor. Delineates systemic challenges this model poses to traditional vocational…

Quality Assurance Through Quality Improvement and Professional Development in the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program

PubMed Central

Siegl, Elvira J.; Miller, Jacqueline W.; Khan, Kris; Harris, Susan E.

2015-01-01

Quality assurance (QA) is the process of providing evidence that the outcome meets the established standards. Quality improvement (QI), by contrast, is the act of methodically developing ways to meet acceptable quality standards and evaluating current processes to improve overall performance. In the case of the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP), the desired outcome is the delivery of quality health care services to program clients. The NBCCEDP provides professional development to ensure that participating providers have current knowledge of evidence-based clinical standards regarding breast and cervical cancer screening and diagnosis and are monitoring women with abnormal screening results for timely follow-up. To assess the quality of clinical care provided to NBCCEDP clients, performance data are collected by NBCCEDP grantees and compared against predetermined Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) benchmarks known as Data Quality Indicator Guides. In this article, the authors describe 1) the development and use of indicators for QI in the NBCCEDP and 2) the professional development activities implemented to improve clinical outcomes. QA identifies problems, whereas QI systematically corrects them. The quality of service delivery and improved patient outcomes among NBCCEDP grantees has enhanced significantly because of continuous monitoring of performance and professional development. By using QA, NBCCEDP grantees can maximize the quality of patient screening, diagnostic services, and follow-up. Examples of grantee activities to maintain quality of care are also described in this report. PMID:25099901

A research agenda for bridging the 'quality chasm.'.

PubMed

Fernandopulle, Rushika; Ferris, Timothy; Epstein, Arnold; McNeil, Barbara; Newhouse, Joseph; Pisano, Gary; Blumenthal, David

2003-01-01

Realizing the vision of the IOM's landmark report, Crossing the Quality Chasm, will require new knowledge to support new policy and management. This paper lays out a research agenda that must be pursued if the health care system is to bridge the quality chasm. Based on a consensus process involving leading health care researchers and authorities, the paper highlights knowledge gaps and research directions in five areas identified by the Quality Chasm report as critical to its goals of building organizational supports for change; applying evidence to health care delivery; developing information technology; aligning payment policies with quality improvement; and preparing the workforce.

Impact of hospital atmosphere on perceived health care outcome.

PubMed

Narang, Ritu; Polsa, Pia; Soneye, Alabi; Fuxiang, Wei

2015-01-01

Healthcare service quality studies primarily examine the relationships between patients' perceived quality and satisfaction with healthcare services, clinical effectiveness, service use, recommendations and value for money. These studies suggest that patient-independent quality dimensions (structure, process and outcome) are antecedents to quality. The purpose of this paper is to propose an alternative by looking at the relationship between hospital atmosphere and healthcare quality with perceived outcome. Data were collected from Finland, India, Nigeria and the People's Republic of China. Regression analysis used perceived outcome as the dependent variable and atmosphere and healthcare service quality as independent variables. Findings - Results showed that atmosphere and healthcare service quality have a statistically significant relationship with patient perceived outcomes. The sample size was small and the sampling units were selected on convenience; thus, caution must be exercised in generalizing the findings. The study determined that service quality and atmosphere are considered significant for developing and developed nations. This result could have significant implications for policy makers and service providers developing healthcare quality and hospital atmosphere. Studies concentrate on healthcare outcome primarily regarding population health status, mortality, morbidity, customer satisfaction, loyalty, quality of life, customer behavior and consumption. However, the study exposes how patients perceive their health after treatment. Furthermore, the authors develop the healthcare service literature by considering atmosphere and perceived outcome.

Publications as an indicator of increased tobacco control research productivity (quantity and quality) in New Zealand.

PubMed

Kira, Anette; Glover, Marewa; Bullen, Chris; Viehbeck, Sarah

2011-06-01

Tobacco control (TC) research capacity and productivity are critical for developing evidence-informed interventions that will reduce the harmful effects of smoking. The aim of this paper was to investigate New Zealand's (NZ) TC research capacity along with the quantity and quality of publications, following two government initiatives aimed, in part, at improving the quantity and quality of NZ TC research. Scopus was searched for articles with at least one NZ author and where the topic was of primary relevance to TC. Publications were organized into two time periods, following the government initiatives, 1993-2003 and 2004-2009. We analyzed the number of publications, publication journals, type of publications, impact (using the impact factor), and authorship. There has been an increase in number and impact of publications and number of authors. The number of publications has increased from an average of 14 (1994-2003) to 38 per year (2004-2009). The number of journals published increased from 64 to 86. The impact during 2004-2009 was almost threefold than in 1993-2003. The number of authors increased from 212 to 345, and the number of authors who had at least one first-authored publication increased from 80 to 124. These results show an encouraging trend in NZ TC research, with an increase in research productivity, quality, and in research capacity. It is possible that government-initiated and -funded infrastructural support contributed to increasing needed TC research, which supports the worth of such initiatives.

Explanation and elaboration of the SQUIRE (Standards for Quality Improvement Reporting Excellence) Guidelines, V.2.0: examples of SQUIRE elements in the healthcare improvement literature

PubMed Central

Goodman, Daisy; Ogrinc, Greg; Davies, Louise; Baker, G Ross; Barnsteiner, Jane; Foster, Tina C; Gali, Kari; Hilden, Joanne; Horwitz, Leora; Kaplan, Heather C; Leis, Jerome; Matulis, John C; Michie, Susan; Miltner, Rebecca; Neily, Julia; Nelson, William A; Niedner, Matthew; Oliver, Brant; Rutman, Lori; Thomson, Richard

2016-01-01

Since its publication in 2008, SQUIRE (Standards for Quality Improvement Reporting Excellence) has contributed to the completeness and transparency of reporting of quality improvement work, providing guidance to authors and reviewers of reports on healthcare improvement work. In the interim, enormous growth has occurred in understanding factors that influence the success, and failure, of healthcare improvement efforts. Progress has been particularly strong in three areas: the understanding of the theoretical basis for improvement work; the impact of contextual factors on outcomes; and the development of methodologies for studying improvement work. Consequently, there is now a need to revise the original publication guidelines. To reflect the breadth of knowledge and experience in the field, we solicited input from a wide variety of authors, editors and improvement professionals during the guideline revision process. This Explanation and Elaboration document (E&E) is a companion to the revised SQUIRE guidelines, SQUIRE 2.0. The product of collaboration by an international and interprofessional group of authors, this document provides examples from the published literature, and an explanation of how each reflects the intent of a specific item in SQUIRE. The purpose of the guidelines is to assist authors in writing clearly, precisely and completely about systematic efforts to improve the quality, safety and value of healthcare services. Authors can explore the SQUIRE statement, this E&E and related documents in detail at http://www.squire-statement.org. PMID:27076505

Advancing the Big Five of user-oriented care and accounting for its variations.

PubMed

Kajonius, Petri; Kazemi, Ali

2016-01-01

Care process quality (i.e. how care is enacted by a care worker toward a client at the interpersonal level) is a strong predictor of satisfaction in a wide range of health care services. The purpose of this paper is to describe the basic elements of care process quality as user-oriented care. Specifically, the questions of how and why quality in user-oriented care varies were investigated in the context of elderly care. Two municipalities were selected for in-depth field studies. First, in each municipality, the authors interviewed and observed care workers' interactions with the older persons in both home care and nursing homes during two weeks (Study 1). Second, in an attempt to gain a deeper understanding of why process quality in terms of user-oriented care varies, the authors conducted interviews with care workers and care unit managers (Study 2). A new taxonomy for categorizing process quality variation, the Big Five of user-oriented care (task-focus, person-focus, affect, cooperation, and time-use), is proposed. In addition, the perceived reasons for process quality variation are reported in our own developed Quality Agents Model, suggesting that variations in care process evaluations may be explained from different perspectives at multiple levels (i.e., older person, care worker-, unit-, department-, and municipality level). The proposed taxonomy and model are useful for describing user-oriented care quality and the reasons for its variations. These findings are of relevance for future quality developments of elderly care services, but also may be adapted to applications in any other enterprise employing a user-oriented approach.

A Review of Surface Water Quality Models

PubMed Central

Li, Shibei; Jia, Peng; Qi, Changjun; Ding, Feng

2013-01-01

Surface water quality models can be useful tools to simulate and predict the levels, distributions, and risks of chemical pollutants in a given water body. The modeling results from these models under different pollution scenarios are very important components of environmental impact assessment and can provide a basis and technique support for environmental management agencies to make right decisions. Whether the model results are right or not can impact the reasonability and scientificity of the authorized construct projects and the availability of pollution control measures. We reviewed the development of surface water quality models at three stages and analyzed the suitability, precisions, and methods among different models. Standardization of water quality models can help environmental management agencies guarantee the consistency in application of water quality models for regulatory purposes. We concluded the status of standardization of these models in developed countries and put forward available measures for the standardization of these surface water quality models, especially in developing countries. PMID:23853533

Short Research Report: Exploring Resilience Development in a Taiwanese Preschooler's Narrative--An Emerging Theoretical Mode

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Kuan-Ling Olivia

2016-01-01

It is important to foster resilience in early childhood as this quality is, according to this author, "an individual's progressing development to adjust to life difficulties." This narrative study provides a cultural perspective by investigating a Taiwanese context and shifts the attention to preschoolers' resilience development in both…

Are Teachers Who Need Sustained, Content-Focused Professional Development Getting It? An Administrator's Dilemma

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Desimone, Laura M.; Smith, Thomas M.; Ueno, Koji

2006-01-01

Purpose: Policymakers and administrators are increasingly focusing on professional development as a means to improve teaching quality. In this study, the authors examine whether professional development in mathematics is primarily performing an educative function by addressing weak teacher preparation, or a catalytic function by serving mainly…

Tracking tumor biology with radiomics: A systematic review utilizing a radiomics quality score.

PubMed

Sanduleanu, Sebastian; Woodruff, Henry C; de Jong, Evelyn E C; van Timmeren, Janna E; Jochems, Arthur; Dubois, Ludwig; Lambin, Philippe

2018-05-18

In this review we describe recent developments in the field of radiomics along with current relevant literature linking it to tumor biology. We furthermore explore the methodologic quality of these studies with our in-house radiomics quality scoring (RQS) tool. Finally, we offer our vision on necessary future steps for the development of stable radiomic features and their links to tumor biology. Two authors (S.S. and H.W.) independently performed a thorough systematic literature search and outcome extraction to identify relevant studies published in MEDLINE/PubMed (National Center for Biotechnology Information, NCBI), EMBASE (Ovid) and Web of Science (WoS). Two authors (S.S, H.W) separately and two authors (J.v.T and E.d.J) concordantly scored the articles for their methodology and analyses according to the previously published radiomics quality score (RQS). In summary, a total of 655 records were identified till 25-09-2017 based on the previously specified search terms, from which n = 236 in MEDLINE/PubMed, n = 215 in EMBASE and n = 204 from Web of Science. After determining full article availability and reading the available articles, a total of n = 41 studies were included in the systematic review. The RQS scoring resulted in some discrepancies between the reviewers, e.g. reviewer H.W scored 4 studies ≥50%, reviewer S.S scored 3 studies ≥50% while reviewers J.v.T and E.d.J scored 1 study ≥50%. Up to nine studies were given a quality score of 0%. The majority of studies were scored below 50%. In this study, we performed a systematic literature search linking radiomics to tumor biology. All but two studies (n = 39) revealed that radiomic features derived from ultrasound, CT, PET and/or MR are significantly associated with one or several specific tumor biologic substrates, from somatic mutation status to tumor histopathologic grading and metabolism. Considerable inter-observer differences were found with regard to RQS scoring, while important questions were raised concerning the interpretability of the outcome of such scores. Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Organization of Physical Activities as a Precondition of Quality Development of Motor Abilities of Pre-School and School Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Markovic, Živorad; Kopas-Vukašinovic, Emina

2015-01-01

In their work authors consider the significance of the organization of physical activities for the development of abilities of pre-school and school children. Led by theoretical basis that physical development of children represents the basis of their whole development, and that "fine motor skills" are determined by the development of…

Performance measurement: integrating quality management and activity-based cost management.

PubMed

McKeon, T

1996-04-01

The development of an activity-based management system provides a framework for developing performance measures integral to quality and cost management. Performance measures that cross operational boundaries and embrace core processes provide a mechanism to evaluate operational results related to strategic intention and internal and external customers. The author discusses this measurement process that allows managers to evaluate where they are and where they want to be, and to set a course of action that closes the gap between the two.

Public accountability for health: new standards for health system performance.

PubMed

Lansky, D; Purdy, S

1995-01-01

This article reviews the failure of contemporary quality oversight organizations to respond to the changing health care environment and suggests an overhaul of quality measurement and assurance functions. The authors examine the factors that have limited public accountability for health care, emphasizing the limited agreement that exists on the purpose of American health care, standards for evaluating care, or the appropriate locus of responsibility for quality of care. A five-part quality oversight system is proposed including development of quality measures, promulgation of national standards, validation and accreditation, use of data for purchasing and provider selection, and use of data for quality improvement.

The impact of database quality on keystroke dynamics authentication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panasiuk, Piotr; Rybnik, Mariusz; Saeed, Khalid; Rogowski, Marcin

2016-06-01

This paper concerns keystroke dynamics, also partially in the context of touchscreen devices. The authors concentrate on the impact of database quality and propose their algorithm to test database quality issues. The algorithm is used on their own as well as the well-known . Following specific problems were researched: classification accuracy, development of user typing proficiency, time precision during sample acquisition, representativeness of training set, sample length.

Development and psychometric evaluation of a psychosocial quality-of-life questionnaire for individuals with autism and related developmental disorders.

PubMed

Markowitz, Leslie A; Reyes, Charina; Embacher, Rebecca A; Speer, Leslie L; Roizen, Nancy; Frazier, Thomas W

2016-10-01

This study investigated the psychometric properties of the Child and Family Quality of Life scale, a measure of psychosocial quality of life in those with autism and related developmental disorders. Parents of 212 children suspected of autism spectrum disorder completed the Child and Family Quality of Life prior to a diagnostic evaluation. Results indicated that the Child and Family Quality of Life measured six unique quality-of-life constructs (child, family/caregiver, financial, external support, partner relationship, and coping), had good reliability across score ranges and exhibited expected patterns of convergent validity. Caregivers of autism spectrum disorder-affected children reported reduced family quality of life prior to the time of diagnosis relative to caregivers of children with other developmental disabilities. The Child and Family Quality of Life is a brief, reliable measure for assessing psychosocial quality of life in families affected by developmental disability. This study is the first to demonstrate impairments in family quality of life early in the developmental course of autism spectrum disorder, prior to formal diagnosis. In addition to traditional child-focused intervention strategies, families with autism spectrum disorder-affected children require early, broad intervention strategies that positively impact the whole family. © The Author(s) 2015.

The Terms of the Deal: A Quality Charter School Contract Defined. Authorizing Matters. Issue Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haft, William

2009-01-01

A contract is about commitment and responsibility. It is about the commitment that two or more parties make and the responsibility to deliver on those commitments. When school developers and authorizers turn a charter application into a contract, the relationship transforms: it shifts from aspiration to expectation and from theory to practice. The…

40 CFR 123.35 - As the NPDES Permitting Authority for regulated small MS4s, what is my role?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... MS4 storm water program.) (b) You must develop a process, as well as criteria, to designate small MS4s... under the NPDES storm water discharge control program. This process must include the authority to... storm water discharge results in or has the potential to result in exceedances of water quality...

40 CFR 123.35 - As the NPDES Permitting Authority for regulated small MS4s, what is my role?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... MS4 storm water program.) (b) You must develop a process, as well as criteria, to designate small MS4s... under the NPDES storm water discharge control program. This process must include the authority to... storm water discharge results in or has the potential to result in exceedances of water quality...

40 CFR 123.35 - As the NPDES Permitting Authority for regulated small MS4s, what is my role?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... MS4 storm water program.) (b) You must develop a process, as well as criteria, to designate small MS4s... under the NPDES storm water discharge control program. This process must include the authority to... storm water discharge results in or has the potential to result in exceedances of water quality...

EIA: A splintering, exploding discipline with a massive new constituency

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnson, Eric P., E-mail: ejohnson@ecosite.co.uk

2015-02-15

After serving 18 years as Editor-in-Chief of Environmental Impact Assessment Review, the author observes that the period 1997–2014, the discipline of EIA: splintered, exploded and saw the rise of the developing-world authors. Publishing has also changed, with shifts from quantity to quality, the rise of open access, and an ever-increasing shortage of reviewers.

Representation of less-developed countries in Pharmacology journals: an online survey of corresponding authors.

PubMed

Rohra, Dileep K

2011-05-05

Scientists from less-developed countries (LDC) perceive that it is difficult to publish in international journals from their countries. This online survey was conducted with the primary aim of determining the opinion of corresponding authors of published papers in international Pharmacology journals regarding the difficulties in publications and their possible solutions. The titles of all Pharmacology journals were retrieved from Pubmed. 131 journals were included in study. The latest issue of all journals was reviewed thoroughly. An online survey was conducted from the corresponding authors of the published papers who belonged to LDC. 584 out 1919 papers (30.4%) originated from the LDC. 332 responses (response rate; 64.5%) were received from the authors. Approximately 50% the papers from LDC were published in journals with impact factor of less than 2. A weak negative correlation (r = -0.236) was observed between journal impact factor and the percentage of publications emanating from LDC. A significant majority of the corresponding authors (n = 254; 76.5%) perceived that it is difficult to publish in good quality journals from their countries. According to their opinion, biased attitude of editors and reviewers (64.8%) is the most important reason followed by the poor writing skills of the scientists from LDC (52.8%). The authors thought that well-written manuscript (76.1%), improvement in the quality of research (69.9%) and multidisciplinary research (42.9%) are important determinants that may improve the chances of publications. The LDC are underrepresented in publications in Pharmacology journals. The corresponding authors of the published articles think that biased attitude of the editors as well as the reviewers of international journals and the poor writing skills of scientists are the major factors underlying the non-acceptance of their results. They also think that the improvement in the writing skills and quality of research will increase the chances of acceptance of their works in international journals.

Representation of less-developed countries in Pharmacology journals: an online survey of corresponding authors

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Scientists from less-developed countries (LDC) perceive that it is difficult to publish in international journals from their countries. This online survey was conducted with the primary aim of determining the opinion of corresponding authors of published papers in international Pharmacology journals regarding the difficulties in publications and their possible solutions. Methods The titles of all Pharmacology journals were retrieved from Pubmed. 131 journals were included in study. The latest issue of all journals was reviewed thoroughly. An online survey was conducted from the corresponding authors of the published papers who belonged to LDC. Results 584 out 1919 papers (30.4%) originated from the LDC. 332 responses (response rate; 64.5%) were received from the authors. Approximately 50% the papers from LDC were published in journals with impact factor of less than 2. A weak negative correlation (r = -0.236) was observed between journal impact factor and the percentage of publications emanating from LDC. A significant majority of the corresponding authors (n = 254; 76.5%) perceived that it is difficult to publish in good quality journals from their countries. According to their opinion, biased attitude of editors and reviewers (64.8%) is the most important reason followed by the poor writing skills of the scientists from LDC (52.8%). The authors thought that well-written manuscript (76.1%), improvement in the quality of research (69.9%) and multidisciplinary research (42.9%) are important determinants that may improve the chances of publications. Conclusions The LDC are underrepresented in publications in Pharmacology journals. The corresponding authors of the published articles think that biased attitude of the editors as well as the reviewers of international journals and the poor writing skills of scientists are the major factors underlying the non-acceptance of their results. They also think that the improvement in the writing skills and quality of research will increase the chances of acceptance of their works in international journals. PMID:21545706

Never Mind the Width, Feel the Quality: The Quality and Impact of VET Research in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Andrew

2004-01-01

This article examines the development of nationally funded vocational education and training (VET) research in Australia since the mid-1990s. The provision of nationally competitive funding through the Australian National Training Authority has led to an explosion of VET research guided by a national strategy that outlines the key priorities for…

How Reuse Influences Productivity in Object-Oriented Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Basili, Victor R.; Briand, Lionel C.; Melo, Walcelio L.

1997-01-01

Although reuse is assumed to be especially valuable in building high quality software as well as in Object Oriented (OO) development, limited empirical evidence connects reuse with productivity and quality gains. The author's eight system study begins to define such benefits in an OO framework, most notably in terms of reduce defect density and rework as well as in increased productivity.

Peer Review Quality and Transparency of the Peer-Review Process in Open Access and Subscription Journals.

PubMed

Wicherts, Jelte M

2016-01-01

Recent controversies highlighting substandard peer review in Open Access (OA) and traditional (subscription) journals have increased the need for authors, funders, publishers, and institutions to assure quality of peer-review in academic journals. I propose that transparency of the peer-review process may be seen as an indicator of the quality of peer-review, and develop and validate a tool enabling different stakeholders to assess transparency of the peer-review process. Based on editorial guidelines and best practices, I developed a 14-item tool to rate transparency of the peer-review process on the basis of journals' websites. In Study 1, a random sample of 231 authors of papers in 92 subscription journals in different fields rated transparency of the journals that published their work. Authors' ratings of the transparency were positively associated with quality of the peer-review process but unrelated to journal's impact factors. In Study 2, 20 experts on OA publishing assessed the transparency of established (non-OA) journals, OA journals categorized as being published by potential predatory publishers, and journals from the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). Results show high reliability across items (α = .91) and sufficient reliability across raters. Ratings differentiated the three types of journals well. In Study 3, academic librarians rated a random sample of 140 DOAJ journals and another 54 journals that had received a hoax paper written by Bohannon to test peer-review quality. Journals with higher transparency ratings were less likely to accept the flawed paper and showed higher impact as measured by the h5 index from Google Scholar. The tool to assess transparency of the peer-review process at academic journals shows promising reliability and validity. The transparency of the peer-review process can be seen as an indicator of peer-review quality allowing the tool to be used to predict academic quality in new journals.

Frontline staff motivation levels and health care quality in rural and urban primary health facilities: a baseline study in the Greater Accra and Western regions of Ghana.

PubMed

Alhassan, Robert Kaba; Nketiah-Amponsah, Edward

2016-12-01

The population of Ghana is increasingly becoming urbanized with about 70 % of the estimated 26.9 million people living in urban and peri-urban areas. Nonetheless, eight out of the ten regions in Ghana remain predominantly rural where only 32.1 % of the national health sector workforce works. Doctor-patient ratio in a predominantly rural region is about 1:18,257 compared to 1:4,099 in an urban region. These rural-urban inequities significantly account for the inability of Ghana to attain the health related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) before the end of 2015. To ascertain whether or not rural-urban differences exist in health worker motivation levels and quality of health care in health facilities accredited by the National Health Insurance Authority in Ghana. This is a baseline quantitative study conducted in 2012 among 324 health workers in 64 accredited clinics located in 9 rural and 7 urban districts in Ghana. Ordered logistic regression was performed to determine the relationship between facility geographic location (rural/urban) and staff motivation levels, and quality health care standards. Quality health care and patient safety standards were averagely low in the sampled health facilities. Even though health workers in rural facilities were more de-motivated by poor availability of resources and drugs than their counterparts in urban facilities (p < 0.05), quality of health care and patient safety standards were relatively better in rural facilities. For Ghana to attain the newly formulated sustainable development goals on health, there is the need for health authorities to address the existing rural-urban imbalances in health worker motivation and quality health care standards in primary healthcare facilities. Future studies should compare staff motivation levels and quality standards in accredited and non-accredited health facilities since the current study was limited to health facilities accredited by the National Health Insurance Authority.

Development and quality of life: a critique of Amartya Sen's Development as freedom.

PubMed

Navarro, V

2000-01-01

Presented here is a critical analysis of some of the major theses of Amartya Sen, as presented in his seminal work Development As Freedom. The author suggests that Sen's work, while representing a major break with the dominant neoliberal position reproduced in most national and international development agencies, is insufficient to explain the key relationship between freedom and development. The absence of an analysis of the power relations that cause and reproduce underdevelopment through national and international political institutions leaves Sen's work wanting. The author shows how Sen's interpretation of events and the conclusions derived from them, such as an explanation of famine in Bangladesh, are insufficient--when not faulty. The author also critically analyzes the United Nations Development Program reports, which, while documenting the nature and consequences of underdevelopment, barely touch on the political context in which underdevelopment occurs.

Are harmful algal blooms becoming the greatest inland water quality threat to public health and aquatic ecosystems?

PubMed

Brooks, Bryan W; Lazorchak, James M; Howard, Meredith D A; Johnson, Mari-Vaughn V; Morton, Steve L; Perkins, Dawn A K; Reavie, Euan D; Scott, Geoffrey I; Smith, Stephanie A; Steevens, Jeffery A

2016-01-01

In this Focus article, the authors ask a seemingly simple question: Are harmful algal blooms (HABs) becoming the greatest inland water quality threat to public health and aquatic ecosystems? When HAB events require restrictions on fisheries, recreation, and drinking water uses of inland water bodies significant economic consequences result. Unfortunately, the magnitude, frequency, and duration of HABs in inland waters are poorly understood across spatiotemporal scales and differentially engaged among states, tribes, and territories. Harmful algal bloom impacts are not as predictable as those from conventional chemical contaminants, for which water quality assessment and management programs were primarily developed, because interactions among multiple natural and anthropogenic factors determine the likelihood and severity to which a HAB will occur in a specific water body. These forcing factors can also affect toxin production. Beyond site-specific water quality degradation caused directly by HABs, the presence of HAB toxins can negatively influence routine surface water quality monitoring, assessment, and management practices. Harmful algal blooms present significant challenges for achieving water quality protection and restoration goals when these toxins confound interpretation of monitoring results and environmental quality standards implementation efforts for other chemicals and stressors. Whether HABs presently represent the greatest threat to inland water quality is debatable, though in inland waters of developed countries they typically cause more severe acute impacts to environmental quality than conventional chemical contamination events. The authors identify several timely research needs. Environmental toxicology, environmental chemistry, and risk-assessment expertise must interface with ecologists, engineers, and public health practitioners to engage the complexities of HAB assessment and management, to address the forcing factors for HAB formation, and to reduce the threats posed to inland surface water quality. © 2015 SETAC.

EU decision-making for marketing authorization of advanced therapy medicinal products: a case study.

PubMed

de Wilde, Sofieke; Coppens, Delphi G M; Hoekman, Jarno; de Bruin, Marie L; Leufkens, Hubert G M; Guchelaar, Henk-Jan; Meij, Pauline

2018-03-21

A comparative analysis of assessment procedures for authorization of all European Union (EU) applications for advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) shows that negative opinions were associated with a lack of clinical efficacy and identified severe safety risks. Unmet medical need was often considered in positive opinions and outweighed scientific uncertainties. Numerous quality issues illustrate the difficulties in this domain for ATMP development. Altogether, it suggests that setting appropriate standards for ATMP authorization in Europe, similar to elsewhere, is a learning experience. The experimental characteristics of authorized ATMPs urge regulators, industry, and clinical practice to pay accurate attention to post-marketing risk management to limit patient risk. Methodologies for ATMP development and regulatory evaluations need to be continuously evaluated for the field to flourish. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Fix These First: How the World's Leading Companies Point the Way Toward High Reliability in the Military Health System.

PubMed

Beauvais, Brad; Richter, Jason; Brezinski, Paul

The 2014 Military Health System Review calls for healthcare system leaders to implement effective strategies used by other high-performing organizations. The authors state, " the [military health system] MHS can create an optimal healthcare environment that focuses on continuous quality improvement where every patient receives safe, high-quality care at all times" (Military Health System, 2014, p. 1). Although aspirational, the document does not specify how a highly reliable health system is developed or what systemic factors are necessary to sustain highly reliable performance. Our work seeks to address this gap and provide guidance to MHS leaders regarding how high-performing organizations develop exceptional levels of performance.The authors' expectation is that military medicine will draw on these lessons to enhance leadership, develop exceptional organizational cultures, onboard and engage employees, build customer loyalty, and improve quality of care. Leaders from other segments of the healthcare field likely will find this study valuable given the size of the military healthcare system (9.6 million beneficiaries), the United States' steady progression toward population-based health, and the increasing need for highly reliable systems and performance.

Automated near-real-time clinical performance feedback for anesthesiology residents: one piece of the milestones puzzle.

PubMed

Ehrenfeld, Jesse M; McEvoy, Matthew D; Furman, William R; Snyder, Dylan; Sandberg, Warren S

2014-01-01

Anesthesiology residencies are developing trainee assessment tools to evaluate 25 milestones that map to the six core competencies. The effort will be facilitated by development of automated methods to capture, assess, and report trainee performance to program directors, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education and the trainees themselves. The authors leveraged a perioperative information management system to develop an automated, near-real-time performance capture and feedback tool that provides objective data on clinical performance and requires minimal administrative effort. Before development, the authors surveyed trainees about satisfaction with clinical performance feedback and about preferences for future feedback. Resident performance on 24,154 completed cases has been incorporated into the authors' automated dashboard, and trainees now have access to their own performance data. Eighty percent (48 of 60) of the residents responded to the feedback survey. Overall, residents "agreed/strongly agreed" that they desire frequent updates on their clinical performance on defined quality metrics and that they desired to see how they compared with the residency as a whole. Before deployment of the new tool, they "disagreed" that they were receiving feedback in a timely manner. Survey results were used to guide the format of the feedback tool that has been implemented. The authors demonstrate the implementation of a system that provides near-real-time feedback concerning resident performance on an extensible series of quality metrics, and which is responsive to requests arising from resident feedback about desired reporting mechanisms.

Interpreting drinking water quality in the distribution system using Dempster-Shafer theory of evidence.

PubMed

Sadiq, Rehan; Rodriguez, Manuel J

2005-04-01

Interpreting water quality data routinely generated for control and monitoring purposes in water distribution systems is a complicated task for utility managers. In fact, data for diverse water quality indicators (physico-chemical and microbiological) are generated at different times and at different locations in the distribution system. To simplify and improve the understanding and the interpretation of water quality, methodologies for aggregation and fusion of data must be developed. In this paper, the Dempster-Shafer theory also called theory of evidence is introduced as a potential methodology for interpreting water quality data. The conceptual basis of this methodology and the process for its implementation are presented by two applications. The first application deals with the interpretation of spatial water quality data fusion, while the second application deals with the development of water quality index based on key monitored indicators. Based on the obtained results, the authors discuss the potential contribution of theory of evidence as a decision-making tool for water quality management.

Life quality and living standards in big cities under conditions of high-rise construction development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avdeeva, Elena; Averina, Tatiana; Kochetova, Larisa

2018-03-01

Modern urbanization processes occurring on a global scale inevitably lead to an increase in population density in large cities. People assess the state of life quality and living standards of megalopolises under conditions of high-rise construction development ambiguously. Using SWOT analysis, the authors distinguished positive and negative aspects of high-rise construction, highlighted threats to its development and its opportunities. The article considers the model of development of the city's industry and infrastructure, which enables determining the optimal volume of production by sectors and branches of city economy in order to increase its innovative, production and economic potential and business activity.

Automatic non-destructive system for quality assurance of welded elements in the aircraft industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chady, Tomasz; Waszczuk, Paweł; Szydłowski, Michał; Szwagiel, Mariusz

2018-04-01

Flaws that might be a result of the welding process have to be detected, in order to assure high quality thus reliability of elements exploited in aircraft industry. Currently the inspection stage is conducted manually by a qualified workforce. There are no commercially available systems that could support or replace humans in the flaw detection process. In this paper authors present a novel non-destructive system developed for quality assurance purposes of welded elements utilized in the aircraft industry.

Improving Data Quality in Mass-Gatherings Health Research.

PubMed

Guy, Andrew; Prager, Ross; Turris, Sheila; Lund, Adam

2017-06-01

Mass gatherings attract large crowds and can strain the planning and health resources of the community, city, or nation hosting an event. Mass-Gatherings Health (MGH) is an evolving niche of prehospital care rooted in emergency medicine, emergency management, public health, and disaster medicine. To explore front-line issues related to data quality in the context of mass gatherings, the authors draw on five years of management experience with an online, mass-gathering event and patient registry, as well as clinical and operational experience amassed over several decades. Here the authors propose underlying human, environmental, and logistical factors that may contribute to poor data quality at mass gatherings, and make specific recommendations for improvement through pre-event planning, on-site actions, and post-event follow-up. The advancement of MGH research will rely on addressing factors that influence data quality and developing strategies to mitigate or enhance those factors. This is an exciting time for MGH research as higher order questions are beginning to be addressed; however, quality research must start from the ground up to ensure optimal primary data capture and quality. Guy A , Prager R , Turris S , Lund A . Improving data quality in mass-gatherings health research. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(3):329-332.

Leadership and the Life Experience.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Francis J.

This paper discusses the experience of living and what that means to the development of leadership. The author feels that although childhood is a critical time for the development of leadership qualities, the developmental process is lifelong and does not end with adolescence. Therefore, to raise the leadership potential in society we must work…

24 CFR 50.3 - Environmental policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Environmental policy. 50.3 Section... Development PROTECTION AND ENHANCEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY General: Federal Laws and Authorities § 50.3 Environmental policy. (a) It is the policy of the Department to reject proposals which have significant adverse...

Quality and Equity in Early Childhood Care in Peru

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Izu, Regina Moromizato

2006-01-01

The present study examines educational policy documents and programs on early childhood development and education in Peru. The author provides an evaluation of early childhood learning programs and their outcomes in different education centers in Peru. Health, nutrition, development, and participation are identified as key areas of concern. The…

75 FR 72705 - Approval and Promulgation of Implementation Plans; Idaho

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-26

... other states, WG relied on an additional study entitled the ``Uinta Basin Air Quality Study (UBAQS... of a modeling analysis to assess ozone impacts prior to authorizing oil and gas development projects... Agencies on assessing impacts of oil and gas development projects.\\18\\ WG questioned why EPA's...

Developing Empirical Benchmarks of Teacher Knowledge Effect Sizes in Studies of Professional Development Effectiveness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phelps, Geoffrey; Jones, Nathan; Kelcey, Ben; Liu, Shuangshuang; Kisa, Zahid

2013-01-01

Growing interest in teaching quality and accountability has focused attention on the need for rigorous studies and evaluations of professional development (PD) programs. However, the study of PD has been hampered by a lack of suitable instruments. The authors present data from the Teacher Knowledge Assessment System (TKAS), which was designed to…

Innovating to enhance clinical data management using non-commercial and open source solutions across a multi-center network supporting inpatient pediatric care and research in Kenya.

PubMed

Tuti, Timothy; Bitok, Michael; Paton, Chris; Makone, Boniface; Malla, Lucas; Muinga, Naomi; Gathara, David; English, Mike

2016-01-01

To share approaches and innovations adopted to deliver a relatively inexpensive clinical data management (CDM) framework within a low-income setting that aims to deliver quality pediatric data useful for supporting research, strengthening the information culture and informing improvement efforts in local clinical practice. The authors implemented a CDM framework to support a Clinical Information Network (CIN) using Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap), a noncommercial software solution designed for rapid development and deployment of electronic data capture tools. It was used for collection of standardized data from case records of multiple hospitals' pediatric wards. R, an open-source statistical language, was used for data quality enhancement, analysis, and report generation for the hospitals. In the first year of CIN, the authors have developed innovative solutions to support the implementation of a secure, rapid pediatric data collection system spanning 14 hospital sites with stringent data quality checks. Data have been collated on over 37 000 admission episodes, with considerable improvement in clinical documentation of admissions observed. Using meta-programming techniques in R, coupled with branching logic, randomization, data lookup, and Application Programming Interface (API) features offered by REDCap, CDM tasks were configured and automated to ensure quality data was delivered for clinical improvement and research use. A low-cost clinically focused but geographically dispersed quality CDM (Clinical Data Management) in a long-term, multi-site, and real world context can be achieved and sustained and challenges can be overcome through thoughtful design and implementation of open-source tools for handling data and supporting research. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association.

Prostate Cancer Biospecimen Cohort Study

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-01

opinions and/or findings contained in this report are those of the author(s) and should not be construed as an official Department of the Army...SPONSOR/MONITOR’S REPORT NUMBER(S) 12. DISTRIBUTION / AVAILABILITY STATEMENT Approved for Public Release; Distribution Unlimited 13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES...14. ABSTRACT The goal of the study is development of a Prostate Cancer Biorepository Network (PCBN) resource site with high quality and well

A Kind of Transformation of Information Service--Science and Technology Novelty Search in Chinese University Libraries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aiguo, Li

2007-01-01

Science and Technology Novelty Search (S&TNS) is a special information consultation service developed as part of the Chinese Sci-Tech system. The author introduces the concept of S&TNS, and explains its role, and the role of the university library in the process. A quality control model to improve the quality of service of the S&TNS at…

Command History for 1988

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-02-01

installs, and provides life cycle support for information management systems. 16. Provides information and reports to higher authority and the scientific com...instruction/policy. 29 November New Employees Margaret Overton Paula Augustine Staffing Clerk Clerk Typist Code OOB Code I I GS-203-4 GS-322-4 Sylvia ...Evaluation and Survey Systems-Develops systems to evaluate the effectiveness of quality of life programs and to improve the quality of personnel

Quality Rating Improvement System "for" Early Care "and" Education: Development, Implementation, Evaluation and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shen, Jianping; Ma, Xin

2013-01-01

Quality Rating Improvement System (QRIS) has gained national momentum. The authors first present a national scene of QRIS and then use Children's Services Council of Palm Beach County as a case study to illustrate a number of things. First, they look at the logic model behind the QRIS. Next, they review the design and implementation of the QRIS in…

SQUIRE 2.0 (Standards for QUality Improvement Reporting Excellence): revised publication guidelines from a detailed consensus process.

PubMed

Ogrinc, Greg; Davies, Louise; Goodman, Daisy; Batalden, Paul; Davidoff, Frank; Stevens, David

2015-01-01

In the past several years, the science of health care improvement has advanced considerably. In this article, we describe the development of SQUIRE 2.0 and its key components. We undertook the revision between 2012 and 2015 using (1) interviews and focus groups to evaluate SQUIRE 1.0 plus feedback from an international steering group, (2) face-to-face consensus meetings to develop interim drafts, and (3) pilot testing with authors and a public comment period. SQUIRE 2.0 emphasizes 3 key components of systematic efforts to improve the quality, value, and safety of health care: formal and informal theory in planning, implementing, and evaluating improvement work; the context in which the work is done; and the study of the intervention(s). SQUIRE 2.0 is intended for reporting the range of methods used to improve health care, recognizing that they can be complex and multidimensional. It provides common ground to share these discoveries in the scholarly literature (www.squire-statement.org). © The Author(s) 2015.

Reducing lead in air and preventing childhood exposure near lead smelters: learning from the U.S. experience.

PubMed

Sullivan, Marianne

2015-05-01

Childhood lead exposure and poisoning near primary lead smelters continues in developed and developing countries. In the United States, the problem of lead poisoning in children caused by smelter emissions was first documented in the early 1970s. In 1978, Environmental Protection Agency set National Ambient Air Quality Standards for lead. Attainment of this lead standard in areas near operating lead smelters took twenty to thirty years. Childhood lead exposure and poisoning continued to occur after the lead National Ambient Air Quality Standards were set and before compliance was achieved. This article analyzes and discusses the factors that led to the eventual achievement of the 1978 lead National Ambient Air Quality Standards near primary smelters and the reduction of children's blood lead levels in surrounding communities. Factors such as federal and state regulation, monitoring of emissions, public health activities such as blood lead surveillance and health education, relocation of children, environmental group and community advocacy, and litigation all played a role. © The Author(s) 2015 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Behavioral intervention in the treatment of obesity in children and adolescents: implications for Mexico.

PubMed

Jelalian, Elissa; Evans, E Whitney

2017-01-01

Pediatric obesity is a worldwide health epidemic affecting both developed and developing countries. Mexico ranks second to the United States in rates of pediatric obesity. Obesity among youth has immediate and long-term consequences on physical and psychosocial development, including cardiovascular, respiratory, and health-related quality of life. Eventual amelioration of this epidemic will require change at the level of the family and community, along with policy initiatives to support healthier eating and activity habits. Evidence-based interventions for overweight/obese youth include family-based lifestyle programs that incorporate attention to diet quantity and quality, physical activity, sedentary behavior, and behavioral strategies to support change. While much of this research has been conducted in the United States, several recent studies suggest the efficacy of similar approaches for youth in Mexico. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Life Sciences Institute. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Post-conflict health reconstruction: search for a policy.

PubMed

Rubenstein, Leonard S

2011-10-01

Despite increasing experience in health reconstruction in societies emerging from conflict, the policy basis for investing in the development of equitable and effective health systems in the wake of war remains unsettled. Consideration of post-conflict health reconstruction is almost entirely absent in donor policies on global health. Practically by default, health programmes are seen increasingly as an element of stabilisation and security interventions in the aftermath of armed conflict. That perspective, however, lacks an evidence base and can skew health programmes towards short-term security and stabilisation goals that have a marginal impact and violate the principles of equity, non-discrimination, and quality, which are central to sound health systems and public acceptance of them. A better approach is to ground policy in legitimacy, viewing health both as a core social institution and one that, if developed according to human rights principles, including equity, non-discrimination, participation and accountability, can advance the effectiveness and the quality of governance in the emerging state. © 2011 The Author(s). Disasters © Overseas Development Institute, 2011.

Some Equalities Are More Equal Than Others: Quality Equality Emerges Later Than Numerical Equality.

PubMed

Sheskin, Mark; Nadal, Amber; Croom, Adam; Mayer, Tanya; Nissel, Jenny; Bloom, Paul

2016-09-01

By age 6, children typically share an equal number of resources between themselves and others. However, fairness involves not merely that each person receive an equal number of resources ("numerical equality") but also that each person receive equal quality resources ("quality equality"). In Study 1, children (N = 87, 3-10 years) typically split four resources "two each" by age 6, but typically monopolized the better two resources until age 10. In Study 2, a new group of 6- to 8-year-olds (N = 32) allocated resources to third parties according to quality equality, indicating that children in this age group understand that fairness requires both types of equality. © 2016 The Authors. Child Development © 2016 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

COMP report: CPQR technical quality control guidelines for low-dose-rate permanent seed brachytherapy.

PubMed

Beaulieu, Luc; Radford, Dee-Ann; Eduardo Villarreal-Barajas, J

2018-03-14

The Canadian Organization of Medical Physicists (COMP), in close partnership with the Canadian Partnership for Quality Radiotherapy (CPQR) has developed a series of Technical Quality Control (TQC) guidelines for radiation treatment equipment. These guidelines outline the performance objectives that equipment should meet in order to ensure an acceptable level of radiation treatment quality. The TQC guidelines have been rigorously reviewed and field tested in a variety of Canadian radiation treatment facilities. The development process enables rapid review and update to keep the guidelines current with changes in technology. This article contains detailed performance objectives and safety criteria for low-dose-rate (LDR) permanent seed brachytherapy. © 2018 The Authors. Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

[Healthy design for sustainable communities].

PubMed

Capolongo, S; Battistella, A; Buffoli, M; Oppio, A

2011-01-01

Health, quality of life and sustainable development are strongly interconnected. The quality of living is a complex concept that includes different meanings. The quality of life issue has been studied for a long time, even if its measurement is a more recent matter. It's possible to distinguish two main approaches: the first one, depending on which the quality of life corresponds to the social wellbeing and it can be measured objectively; the second one, that emphasizes the perceptive dimension of quality of life, such as needs, feelings and aspirations. According to the WHO's wide definition of wellbeing, this paper suggests an approach focused on the effects that urban planning and designing can have on the health of citizens. Actually many of the problems of the cities like pollution, inequity, lack of services and accessibility depends on decisions about the development of land and buildings. To have more attractive cities in the future it is important that professionals involved in planning and local authorities focus on the major determinants of health: the physical and social environment in which people live and the nature of their lifestyles. The experience explained in this paper shows as local authorities can support professionals in designing process, producing quick and effective benchmark in order to improve the quality of urban spaces and architecture. More in deep the tool works by a set of performance indicators developed with the purpose to assess the degree of sustainability of building and urban space proposals at the planning stage (and at later stages), against a range of criteria. This evaluation procedure can be considered as a common platform from which different stakeholders can agree goals and work together contributing to increase the benefits of a well-designed built environment.

Health-related quality of life in children with high-functioning autism.

PubMed

Potvin, Marie-Christine; Snider, Laurie; Prelock, Patricia A; Wood-Dauphinee, Sharon; Kehayia, Eva

2015-01-01

The health-related quality of life of school-aged children with high-functioning autism is poorly understood. The objectives of this study were to compare the health-related quality of life of children with high-functioning autism to that of typically developing peers and to compare child-self and parent-proxy reports of health-related quality of life of children. A cross-sectional study of children with high-functioning autism (n = 30) and peers (n = 31) was conducted using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory 4.0 Generic Core Scales. Children with high-functioning autism had significantly poorer health-related quality of life than peers whether reported by themselves (p < .001) or their parents (p < .001), although disagreement (intra-class coefficient = -.075) between children and parental scores suggested variance in points of view. This study specifically investigated health-related quality of life in children with high-functioning autism as compared to a sample of peers, from the child's perspective. It strengthens earlier findings that children with high-functioning autism experience poorer health-related quality of life than those without this disorder and points to the importance of clinicians working with families to identify areas in a child's life that promote or hinder their sense of well-being. © The Author(s) 2013.

Bridging the Gap: A Framework and Strategies for Integrating the Quality and Safety Mission of Teaching Hospitals and Graduate Medical Education.

PubMed

Tess, Anjala; Vidyarthi, Arpana; Yang, Julius; Myers, Jennifer S

2015-09-01

Integrating the quality and safety mission of teaching hospitals and graduate medical education (GME) is a necessary step to provide the next generation of physicians with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes they need to participate in health system improvement. Although many teaching hospital and health system leaders have made substantial efforts to improve the quality of patient care, few have fully included residents and fellows, who deliver a large portion of that care, in their efforts. Despite expectations related to the engagement of these trainees in health care quality improvement and patient safety outlined by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education in the Clinical Learning Environment Review program, a structure for approaching this integration has not been described.In this article, the authors present a framework that they hope will assist teaching hospitals in integrating residents and fellows into their quality and safety efforts and in fostering a positive clinical learning environment for education and patient care. The authors define the six essential elements of this framework-organizational culture, teaching hospital-GME alignment, infrastructure, curricular resources, faculty development, and interprofessional collaboration. They then describe the organizational characteristics required for each element and offer concrete strategies to achieve integration. This framework is meant to be a starting point for the development of robust national models of infrastructure, alignment, and collaboration between GME and health care quality and safety leaders at teaching hospitals.

Pharmaceutical product development: A quality by design approach

PubMed Central

Pramod, Kannissery; Tahir, M. Abu; Charoo, Naseem A.; Ansari, Shahid H.; Ali, Javed

2016-01-01

The application of quality by design (QbD) in pharmaceutical product development is now a thrust area for the regulatory authorities and the pharmaceutical industry. International Conference on Harmonization and United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) emphasized the principles and applications of QbD in pharmaceutical development in their guidance for the industry. QbD attributes are addressed in question-based review, developed by USFDA for chemistry, manufacturing, and controls section of abbreviated new drug applications. QbD principles, when implemented, lead to a successful product development, subsequent prompt regulatory approval, reduce exhaustive validation burden, and significantly reduce post-approval changes. The key elements of QbD viz., target product quality profile, critical quality attributes, risk assessments, design space, control strategy, product lifecycle management, and continual improvement are discussed to understand the performance of dosage forms within design space. Design of experiments, risk assessment tools, and process analytical technology are also discussed for their role in QbD. This review underlines the importance of QbD in inculcating science-based approach in pharmaceutical product development. PMID:27606256

Pharmaceutical product development: A quality by design approach.

PubMed

Pramod, Kannissery; Tahir, M Abu; Charoo, Naseem A; Ansari, Shahid H; Ali, Javed

2016-01-01

The application of quality by design (QbD) in pharmaceutical product development is now a thrust area for the regulatory authorities and the pharmaceutical industry. International Conference on Harmonization and United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) emphasized the principles and applications of QbD in pharmaceutical development in their guidance for the industry. QbD attributes are addressed in question-based review, developed by USFDA for chemistry, manufacturing, and controls section of abbreviated new drug applications. QbD principles, when implemented, lead to a successful product development, subsequent prompt regulatory approval, reduce exhaustive validation burden, and significantly reduce post-approval changes. The key elements of QbD viz., target product quality profile, critical quality attributes, risk assessments, design space, control strategy, product lifecycle management, and continual improvement are discussed to understand the performance of dosage forms within design space. Design of experiments, risk assessment tools, and process analytical technology are also discussed for their role in QbD. This review underlines the importance of QbD in inculcating science-based approach in pharmaceutical product development.

Evaluating Quality of Decision-Making Processes in Medicines' Development, Regulatory Review, and Health Technology Assessment: A Systematic Review of the Literature

PubMed Central

Bujar, Magdalena; McAuslane, Neil; Walker, Stuart R.; Salek, Sam

2017-01-01

Introduction: Although pharmaceutical companies, regulatory authorities, and health technology assessment (HTA) agencies have been increasingly using decision-making frameworks, it is not certain whether these enable better quality decision making. This could be addressed by formally evaluating the quality of decision-making process within those organizations. The aim of this literature review was to identify current techniques (tools, questionnaires, surveys, and studies) for measuring the quality of the decision-making process across the three stakeholders. Methods: Using MEDLINE, Web of Knowledge, and other Internet-based search engines, a literature review was performed to systematically identify techniques for assessing quality of decision making in medicines development, regulatory review, and HTA. A structured search was applied using key words and a secondary review was carried out. In addition, the measurement properties of each technique were assessed and compared. Ten Quality Decision-Making Practices (QDMPs) developed previously were then used as a framework for the evaluation of techniques identified in the review. Due to the variation in studies identified, meta-analysis was inappropriate. Results: This review identified 13 techniques, where 7 were developed specifically to assess decision making in medicines' development, regulatory review, or HTA; 2 examined corporate decision making, and 4 general decision making. Regarding how closely each technique conformed to the 10 QDMPs, the 13 techniques assessed a median of 6 QDMPs, with a mode of 3 QDMPs. Only 2 techniques evaluated all 10 QDMPs, namely the Organizational IQ and the Quality of Decision Making Orientation Scheme (QoDoS), of which only one technique, QoDoS could be applied to assess decision making of both individuals and organizations, and it possessed generalizability to capture issues relevant to companies as well as regulatory authorities. Conclusion: This review confirmed a general paucity of research in this area, particularly regarding the development and systematic application of techniques for evaluating quality decision making, with no consensus around a gold standard. This review has identified QoDoS as the most promising available technique for assessing decision making in the lifecycle of medicines and the next steps would be to further test its validity, sensitivity, and reliability. PMID:28443022

33 CFR 236.4 - Background.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... RESOURCE POLICIES AND AUTHORITIES: CORPS OF ENGINEERS PARTICIPATION IN IMPROVEMENTS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL... land resources has gradually broadened over the past century. Starting with the development of..., water quality, fish and wildlife and low-flow augmentation. Laws, executive orders, and national...

33 CFR 236.4 - Background.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... RESOURCE POLICIES AND AUTHORITIES: CORPS OF ENGINEERS PARTICIPATION IN IMPROVEMENTS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL... land resources has gradually broadened over the past century. Starting with the development of..., water quality, fish and wildlife and low-flow augmentation. Laws, executive orders, and national...

33 CFR 236.4 - Background.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... RESOURCE POLICIES AND AUTHORITIES: CORPS OF ENGINEERS PARTICIPATION IN IMPROVEMENTS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL... land resources has gradually broadened over the past century. Starting with the development of..., water quality, fish and wildlife and low-flow augmentation. Laws, executive orders, and national...

Dallas's Nonprofit Foundation Founders.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levin, Dan

1979-01-01

Describes the scandals that have destroyed the Foundation for Quality Education, the foundation the Dallas (Texas) school district created to raise money for the schools through real estate management and the marketing of school-system-developed curriculum materials. (Author/IRT)

WLN's Database: New Directions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ziegman, Bruce N.

1988-01-01

Describes features of the Western Library Network's database, including the database structure, authority control, contents, quality control, and distribution methods. The discussion covers changes in distribution necessitated by increasing telecommunications costs and the development of optical data disk products. (CLB)

Erasing Deficits

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toldson, Ivory A.; Johns, David J.

2016-01-01

This is the epilogue to the special issue. The authors, two White House officials and policy experts, describe how negative narratives surrounding Black men and the misuse of data can manifest as barriers to high quality learning environments or workforce development opportunities.

Development of a Clinical Data Warehouse for Hospital Infection Control

PubMed Central

Wisniewski, Mary F.; Kieszkowski, Piotr; Zagorski, Brandon M.; Trick, William E.; Sommers, Michael; Weinstein, Robert A.

2003-01-01

Existing data stored in a hospital's transactional servers have enormous potential to improve performance measurement and health care quality. Accessing, organizing, and using these data to support research and quality improvement projects are evolving challenges for hospital systems. The authors report development of a clinical data warehouse that they created by importing data from the information systems of three affiliated public hospitals. They describe their methodology; difficulties encountered; responses from administrators, computer specialists, and clinicians; and the steps taken to capture and store patient-level data. The authors provide examples of their use of the clinical data warehouse to monitor antimicrobial resistance, to measure antimicrobial use, to detect hospital-acquired bloodstream infections, to measure the cost of infections, and to detect antimicrobial prescribing errors. In addition, they estimate the amount of time and money saved and the increased precision achieved through the practical application of the data warehouse. PMID:12807807

Design and numerical evaluation of full-authority flight control systems for conventional and thruster-augmented helicopters employed in NOE operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perri, Todd A.; Mckillip, R. M., Jr.; Curtiss, H. C., Jr.

1987-01-01

The development and methodology is presented for development of full-authority implicit model-following and explicit model-following optimal controllers for use on helicopters operating in the Nap-of-the Earth (NOE) environment. Pole placement, input-output frequency response, and step input response were used to evaluate handling qualities performance. The pilot was equipped with velocity-command inputs. A mathematical/computational trajectory optimization method was employed to evaluate the ability of each controller to fly NOE maneuvers. The method determines the optimal swashplate and thruster input histories from the helicopter's dynamics and the prescribed geometry and desired flying qualities of the maneuver. Three maneuvers were investigated for both the implicit and explicit controllers with and without auxiliary propulsion installed: pop-up/dash/descent, bob-up at 40 knots, and glideslope. The explicit controller proved to be superior to the implicit controller in performance and ease of design.

Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the System for Evaluation of Teaching Qualities (SETQ) in Graduate Medical Training.

PubMed

Boerebach, Benjamin C M; Lombarts, Kiki M J M H; Arah, Onyebuchi A

2016-03-01

The System for Evaluation of Teaching Qualities (SETQ) was developed as a formative system for the continuous evaluation and development of physicians' teaching performance in graduate medical training. It has been seven years since the introduction and initial exploratory psychometric analysis of the SETQ questionnaires. This study investigates the validity and reliability of the SETQ questionnaires across hospitals and medical specialties using confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs), reliability analysis, and generalizability analysis. The SETQ questionnaires were tested in a sample of 3,025 physicians and 2,848 trainees in 46 hospitals. The CFA revealed acceptable fit of the data to the previously identified five-factor model. The high internal consistency estimates suggest satisfactory reliability of the subscales. These results provide robust evidence for the validity and reliability of the SETQ questionnaires for evaluating physicians' teaching performance. © The Author(s) 2014.

The use of indicators to improve the quality of intensive care: theoretical aspects and experiences from the Dutch intensive care registry.

PubMed

van der Voort, P H J; van der Veer, S N; de Vos, M L G

2012-10-01

In the concept of total quality management that was originally developed in industry, the use of quality indicators is essential. The implementation of quality indicators in the intensive care unit to improve the quality of care is a complex process. This process can be described in seven subsequent steps of an indicator-based quality improvement (IBQI) cycle. With this IBQI cycle, a continuous quality improvement can be achieved with the use of indicator data in a benchmark setting. After the development of evidence-based indicators, a sense of urgency has to be created, registration should start, raw data must be analysed, feedback must be given, and interpretation and conclusions must be made, followed by a quality improvement plan. The last step is the implementation of changes that needs a sense of urgency, and this completes the IBQI cycle. Barriers and facilitators are found in each step. They should be identified and addressed in a multifaceted quality improvement strategy. © 2012 The Authors. Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica © 2012 The Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica Foundation.

Prospects of supervising service development as the tool of input quality control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sizov, A.; Tretyakov, K.; Boyarko, G.; Shenderova, I.; Ostranitsyn, I.

2016-09-01

Supervising provides a foothold in the Russian Federation domestic market of oilfield services. Despite the rapid growth of supervising services market, there is still a definite demand in developing this domain. The authors consider the implementation of supervising in Russian oil and gas industry sector, as well as the possible execution paths of its improvement and development.

Young Adolescents' Metacognition and Domain Knowledge as Predictors of Hypothesis-Development Performance in a Computer-Supported Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Hye Jeong; Pedersen, Susan

2010-01-01

Recently, the importance of ill-structured problem-solving in real-world contexts has become a focus of educational research. Particularly, the hypothesis-development process has been examined as one of the keys to developing a high-quality solution in a problem context. The authors of this study examined predictive relations between young…

Enhancement of Students' Independent Learning through Their Critical Thinking Skills Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kopzhassarova, Umit; Akbayeva, Gulden; Eskazinova, Zhanar; Belgibayeva, Gulbarshyn; Tazhikeyeva, Akerke

2016-01-01

The article focuses on the problem of developing students' critical thinking skills, which help them become independent learners. Analysis of research works of educators and scholars enable the authors to reveal qualities, necessary for students to enhance their critical thinking skills and become independent learners. Different points of view on…

Using Contextual Data for Education Quality Assessment: Developing and Testing Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yastrebov, Gordey; Pinskaya, Marina; Kosaretsky, Sergey

2015-01-01

The article describes an approach to assessment of the performance of educational institutions with regard to their social context. To develop this approach, the authors were guided by (1) the results of numerous studies corroborating correlations between student performance and contextual factors (both in Russia and abroad); (2) the experience of…

Creating Opportunities for Organizational Leadership (COOL): Creating a culture and curriculum that fosters psychiatric leadership development and quality improvement.

PubMed

Dickey, Chandlee; Dismukes, Rodney; Topor, David

2014-06-01

The authors describe the Harvard South Shore Psychiatry Residency Training Program curriculum "Creating Opportunities for Organizational Leadership," an innovative, multitiered, resident-driven, outcome-focused set of experiences designed to develop residents' leadership skills in personal leadership, organizational leadership, negotiation, strategic thinking, and systems redesign.

Multiple Aperture Radiation Therapy (MART) for Breast Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-11-01

ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER Tianfang Li, Ph.D. 5e. TASK NUMBER Email: tfli@reyes.stanford.edu 5f. WORK UNIT...Radiation Therapy, XIVth International Conference on the Use of Computers in Radiation Therapy (ICCR), Soul , Korea, 2004. CONCLUSIONS Compared with...reconstruction artifacts due to in- sufficient angular sampling and dramatically degrades the image quality.24 Crucial issues in developing 4D CBCT are indeed how

Leading with Lean: Getting the Outcomes we Need with the Funding we Have.

PubMed

Merlino, Joseph P; Petit, Jorge; Weisser, Lydia; Bowen, Jill

2015-09-01

Lean and other quality management methodologies have been used by industry and manufacturing for many years. More recently they have been adopted by health care. The authors describe their experience with the lean way of continuous quality improvement, first developed by Toyota, at one of New York's largest behavioral health departments. The relevance and application of these methodologies to the mental health sector is presented.

Double Jeopardy: Poorer Social-Emotional Outcomes for Children in the NICHD SECCYD Experiencing Home and Child-Care Environments that Confer Risk

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watamura, Sarah Enos; Phillips, Deborah A.; Morrissey, Taryn W.; McCartney, Kathleen; Bub, Kristen

2011-01-01

Using data from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Early Child Care Research Network (NICHD SECCYD), the authors examined whether interactions between home and child-care quality affect children's social-emotional adjustment at 24, 36, and 54 months (N = 771). Triadic splits on quality of home and child care were used to…

Retrospective analysis of the quality of reports by author-suggested and non-author-suggested reviewers in journals operating on open or single-blind peer review models

PubMed Central

Kowalczuk, Maria K; Dudbridge, Frank; Nanda, Shreeya; Harriman, Stephanie L; Patel, Jigisha; Moylan, Elizabeth C

2015-01-01

Objectives To assess whether reports from reviewers recommended by authors show a bias in quality and recommendation for editorial decision, compared with reviewers suggested by other parties, and whether reviewer reports for journals operating on open or single-blind peer review models differ with regard to report quality and reviewer recommendations. Design Retrospective analysis of the quality of reviewer reports using an established Review Quality Instrument, and analysis of reviewer recommendations and author satisfaction surveys. Setting BioMed Central biology and medical journals. BMC Infectious Diseases and BMC Microbiology are similar in size, rejection rates, impact factors and editorial processes, but the former uses open peer review while the latter uses single-blind peer review. The Journal of Inflammation has operated under both peer review models. Sample Two hundred reviewer reports submitted to BMC Infectious Diseases, 200 reviewer reports submitted to BMC Microbiology and 400 reviewer reports submitted to the Journal of Inflammation. Results For each journal, author-suggested reviewers provided reports of comparable quality to non-author-suggested reviewers, but were significantly more likely to recommend acceptance, irrespective of the peer review model (p<0.0001 for BMC Infectious Diseases, BMC Microbiology and the Journal of Inflammation). For BMC Infectious Diseases, the overall quality of reviewer reports measured by the Review Quality Instrument was 5% higher than for BMC Microbiology (p=0.042). For the Journal of Inflammation, the quality of reports was the same irrespective of the peer review model used. Conclusions Reviewers suggested by authors provide reports of comparable quality to non-author-suggested reviewers, but are significantly more likely to recommend acceptance. Open peer review reports for BMC Infectious Diseases were of higher quality than single-blind reports for BMC Microbiology. There was no difference in quality of peer review in the Journal of Inflammation under open peer review compared with single blind. PMID:26423855

Organisational readiness and Lean Thinking implementation: findings from three emergency department case studies in New Zealand.

PubMed

Rees, Gareth H

2014-01-01

This paper describes and contrasts the implementation of Lean Thinking – a quality methodology that emphasises waste reduction and performing at higher levels of productivity with the same or less resources – into New Zealand's healthcare system. As the field is relatively new, three literature-based exemplar cases were developed to provide an analysis framework to analyse the three New Zealand research sites, which had activities, teamwork, leadership and sustainability as its core themes. Each research site's case was developed from primary data gathered through interviews, augmented by secondary data from project reports, District Health Board websites and media stories. The results highlight the benefits of a supportive quality-focussed organisational culture, executive management involvement and cross-functional teams as enablers. Further, work intensification and workplace resistance were also evident in varying levels within the sites. The study, while reiterating the problems of introducing quality methods from other domains into healthcare, presents the New Zealand context and reinforces that organisational preparedness as a significant factor which contributes to implementation success. This study goes beyond investigations of the use of Lean tools, changing improvement metrics and descriptive statistics to identify the contexts and variables which surround quality and process improvement implementations. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Application of the suggestion system in the improvement of the production process and product quality control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gołaś, H.; Mazur, A.; Gruszka, J.; Szafer, P.

2016-08-01

The elaboration is a case study and the research was carried out in the company Alco-Mot Ltd., which employs 120 people. The company specializes in the production of lead poles for industrial and traction batteries using gravity casting. The elements embedded in the cast are manufactured on a machining centre, which provides the stability of the process and of the dimensions of the product as well as a very short production time. As a result of observation and analysis the authors have developed a concept for the implementation of a dynamic suggestion system in ALCO-MOT, including, among others, a standard for actions in the implementation of the suggestion system, as well as clear guidelines for the processing and presentation of the activities undertaken in the time between the establishment of the concept (suggestions) and the benefits analysis after the proposed solutions have been implemented. The authors also present how suggestions proposed by ALCO-MOT staff contributed to the improvement of the processes of production and quality control. Employees offered more than 30 suggestions, of which more than a half are being implemented now and further actions are being prepared for implementation. The authors will present the results of improvements in, for example, tool replacement time, scrap reduction. The authors will present how kaizen can improve the production and quality control processes. They will present how the production and quality control processes looked before and after the implementation of employee suggestions.

Providing Quality Therapeutics in Switzerland: Role of the Stakeholders and Recent Incentives for Further Improvements.

PubMed

Besson, Marie; Samer, Caroline; Rollason, Victoria; Dayer, Pierre; Desmeules, Jules

2015-07-01

Quality therapeutics play an important role in Switzerland's health care and economy. Switzerland holds a key position in the world of research and development, as well as in drug production. Recently, new emphasis has been placed on promoting clinical research and maintaining Switzerland's position as a center of excellence in the field. Recent revisions to the law regarding medical trials in human research allow for better allocation of regulatory resources and simplified procedures for drugs already authorized in Switzerland. The country has its own regulatory agency, the Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products (Swissmedic), which is a public institution of the Swiss government. Swissmedic is responsible for ensuring safety in medicines, particularly regarding authorizations and market surveillance in the sector of medicinal products and medical devices. Although the centralized authorization procedure of the European Union for medicines does not apply to Switzerland, there are mutual recognition mechanisms between the Swiss medicine regulatory authority and the European Medicines Agency. Swissmedic is also in charge of postmarketing safety and oversees the national pharmacovigilance center, which collaborates closely with the World Health Organization center in Uppsala. In addition, university hospital-based clinical pharmacologists, who are involved in basic science and clinical research, regulatory affairs, ethics committees, and pharmacovigilance, promote quality therapeutics. This article discusses the role of the various stakeholders and the recent efforts made to provide a better allocation of resources aimed at further improving quality therapeutics in Switzerland. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier HS Journals, Inc. All rights reserved.

Leveraging the Continuum: A Novel Approach to Meeting Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Competency Requirements Across a Large Department of Medicine.

PubMed

Myers, Jennifer S; Bellini, Lisa M

2018-05-22

Quality improvement (QI) and patient safety (PS) are now core competencies across the medical education continuum. A major challenge to developing and implementing these new curricular requirements is the lack of faculty expertise. In 2015, the authors developed a centralized, vertically integrated, competency-based approach to meet the educational requirements in QI/PS across the continuum of graduate medical education in the Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. By leveraging the QI/PS expertise of one individual, the authors identified and trained core QI/PS faculty members and sequentially deployed QI/PS activities that were tailored to the learner level and specialty. The curriculum includes PS event reporting, systems thinking and root cause analysis skills, adverse event disclosure, and a QI workshop series and project. PS event reporting, an indication of engagement in PS culture, increased by 186% among interns, 384% among PGY 2 and 3 residents, and 613% among fellows between AYs 2013-2014 and 2016-2017. In AY 2017-2018, 9 faculty members and 40 fellows from 9 fellowships participated in the QI workshop series, and 53 fellows from 7 fellowships participated in the adverse event disclosure simulation activity. All educational activities were rated highly. The authors are expanding the adverse event disclosure activity to include residents and the remaining fellowship programs, identifying fellowships to pilot curricular efforts related to clinical quality metrics, developing introductory activities in basic QI/PS concepts for medical students, and evaluating the impact of efforts on the participating faculty members.

Physical Dating Violence in Spain and the United Kingdom and the Importance of Relationship Quality.

PubMed

Viejo, C; Monks, C P; Sánchez, V; Ortega-Ruiz, R

2016-05-01

Mixed-gender friendships, romantic relationships, and sexual behaviors increase during adolescence as a normal part of development. However, some studies have revealed potential risks to these types of social relationships. Different authors have indicated that dating violence among adolescents is an issue for concern. To date, there has been little research on this topic cross-nationally. This study examined and compared the prevalence and characteristics of physical dating violence among young people aged between 15 and 18 years in England and Spain (N = 200 in Spain, N = 199 in England), and how being involved (or not) in this violence relates to romantic relationship quality. Results indicated that approximately 23% of young people reported victimization and 30% reported perpetrating physical dating violence. In both countries, most of those involved in physical dating violence reported involvement in reciprocal violence (displaying both aggression and victimization). Those young people involved in dating violence reported higher levels on scales assessing negative aspects of relationship quality compared with those not involved, but there were no significant differences in positive aspects of relationship quality. Furthermore, different patterns appeared relating to the severity of violence and country. The findings are discussed in terms of their implications for theory and practice. © The Author(s) 2015.

Dietary self-efficacy predicts AHEI diet quality in women with previous gestational diabetes.

PubMed

Ferranti, Erin Poe; Narayan, K M Venkat; Reilly, Carolyn M; Foster, Jennifer; McCullough, Marjorie; Ziegler, Thomas R; Guo, Ying; Dunbar, Sandra B

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the association of intrapersonal influences of diet quality as defined by the Health Belief Model constructs in women with recent histories of gestational diabetes. A descriptive, correlational, cross-sectional design was used to analyze relationships between diet quality and intrapersonal variables, including perceptions of threat of type 2 diabetes mellitus development, benefits and barriers of healthy eating, and dietary self-efficacy, in a convenience sample of 75 community-dwelling women (55% minority; mean age, 35.5 years; SD, 5.5 years) with previous gestational diabetes mellitus. Diet quality was defined by the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI). Multiple regression was used to identify predictors of AHEI diet quality. Women had moderate AHEI diet quality (mean score, 47.6; SD, 14.3). Only higher levels of education and self-efficacy significantly predicted better AHEI diet quality, controlling for other contributing variables. There is a significant opportunity to improve diet quality in women with previous gestational diabetes mellitus. Improving self-efficacy may be an important component to include in nutrition interventions. In addition to identifying other important individual components, future studies of diet quality in women with previous gestational diabetes mellitus are needed to investigate the scope of influence beyond the individual to potential family, social, and environmental factors. © 2014 The Author(s).

Incorporating quality and safety education for nurses competencies in simulation scenario design.

PubMed

Jarzemsky, Paula; McCarthy, Jane; Ellis, Nadege

2010-01-01

When planning a simulation scenario, even if adopting prepackaged simulation scenarios, faculty should first conduct a task analysis to guide development of learning objectives and cue critical events. The authors describe a strategy for systematic planning of simulation-based training that incorporates knowledge, skills, and attitudes as defined by the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) initiative. The strategy cues faculty to incorporate activities that target QSEN competencies (patient-centered care, teamwork and collaboration, evidence-based practice, quality improvement, informatics, and safety) before, during, and after simulation scenarios.

Maximum likelihood positioning algorithm for high-resolution PET scanners

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gross-Weege, Nicolas, E-mail: nicolas.gross-weege@pmi.rwth-aachen.de, E-mail: schulz@pmi.rwth-aachen.de; Schug, David; Hallen, Patrick

2016-06-15

Purpose: In high-resolution positron emission tomography (PET), lightsharing elements are incorporated into typical detector stacks to read out scintillator arrays in which one scintillator element (crystal) is smaller than the size of the readout channel. In order to identify the hit crystal by means of the measured light distribution, a positioning algorithm is required. One commonly applied positioning algorithm uses the center of gravity (COG) of the measured light distribution. The COG algorithm is limited in spatial resolution by noise and intercrystal Compton scatter. The purpose of this work is to develop a positioning algorithm which overcomes this limitation. Methods:more » The authors present a maximum likelihood (ML) algorithm which compares a set of expected light distributions given by probability density functions (PDFs) with the measured light distribution. Instead of modeling the PDFs by using an analytical model, the PDFs of the proposed ML algorithm are generated assuming a single-gamma-interaction model from measured data. The algorithm was evaluated with a hot-rod phantom measurement acquired with the preclinical HYPERION II {sup D} PET scanner. In order to assess the performance with respect to sensitivity, energy resolution, and image quality, the ML algorithm was compared to a COG algorithm which calculates the COG from a restricted set of channels. The authors studied the energy resolution of the ML and the COG algorithm regarding incomplete light distributions (missing channel information caused by detector dead time). Furthermore, the authors investigated the effects of using a filter based on the likelihood values on sensitivity, energy resolution, and image quality. Results: A sensitivity gain of up to 19% was demonstrated in comparison to the COG algorithm for the selected operation parameters. Energy resolution and image quality were on a similar level for both algorithms. Additionally, the authors demonstrated that the performance of the ML algorithm is less prone to missing channel information. A likelihood filter visually improved the image quality, i.e., the peak-to-valley increased up to a factor of 3 for 2-mm-diameter phantom rods by rejecting 87% of the coincidences. A relative improvement of the energy resolution of up to 12.8% was also measured rejecting 91% of the coincidences. Conclusions: The developed ML algorithm increases the sensitivity by correctly handling missing channel information without influencing energy resolution or image quality. Furthermore, the authors showed that energy resolution and image quality can be improved substantially by rejecting events that do not comply well with the single-gamma-interaction model, such as Compton-scattered events.« less

A Mathematical Model of the Color Preference Scale Construction in Quality Management at the Machine-Building Enterprise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Averchenkov, V. I.; Kondratenko, S. V.; Potapov, L. A.; Spasennikov, V. V.

2017-01-01

In this article, the author consider the basic features of color preferences. The famous scientists’ works confirm their identity and independence of subjective factors. The article examines the method of constructing the respondent’s color preference individual scale on the basis of L Thurstone’s pair election method. The practical example of applying this technique for constructing the respondent’s color preference individual scale is given. The result of this method application is the color preference individual scale with the weight value of each color. The authors also developed and presented the algorithm of applying this method within the program complex to determine the respondents’ attitude to the issues under investigation based on their color preferences. Also, the article considers the possibility of using the software at the industrial enterprises to improve the quality of the consumer quality products.

Integrating Personal and Professional Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lippitt, Gordon L.

1980-01-01

The author outlines ways to integrate work identity and social identity in order to improve the quality of life. He presents a model for maintaining balance between personal and professional growth, which can stimulate achievement in six areas of human potential. (SK)

Missing in the youth development literature: the organization as host, cage, and promise.

PubMed

Roholt, Ross VeLure; Baizerman, Michael; Rana, Sheetal; Korum, Kathy

2013-01-01

Good, high-quality youth development programs require effective youth organizations. While youth organizations are commonly understood as valuable and supportive of healthy youth development, attention and focus on youth organizations in both scholarship and practice are missing within the youth development field. The authors advocate for a more distinct and clearer focus on youth organizations to foster positive youth development. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., A Wiley Company.

Prediction of ground water quality index to assess suitability for drinking purposes using fuzzy rule-based approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorai, A. K.; Hasni, S. A.; Iqbal, Jawed

2016-11-01

Groundwater is the most important natural resource for drinking water to many people around the world, especially in rural areas where the supply of treated water is not available. Drinking water resources cannot be optimally used and sustained unless the quality of water is properly assessed. To this end, an attempt has been made to develop a suitable methodology for the assessment of drinking water quality on the basis of 11 physico-chemical parameters. The present study aims to select the fuzzy aggregation approach for estimation of the water quality index of a sample to check the suitability for drinking purposes. Based on expert's opinion and author's judgement, 11 water quality (pollutant) variables (Alkalinity, Dissolved Solids (DS), Hardness, pH, Ca, Mg, Fe, Fluoride, As, Sulphate, Nitrates) are selected for the quality assessment. The output results of proposed methodology are compared with the output obtained from widely used deterministic method (weighted arithmetic mean aggregation) for the suitability of the developed methodology.

Restructuring within an academic health center to support quality and safety: the development of the Center for Quality and Safety at the Massachusetts General Hospital.

PubMed

Bohmer, Richard M J; Bloom, Jonathan D; Mort, Elizabeth A; Demehin, Akinluwa A; Meyer, Gregg S

2009-12-01

Recent focus on the need to improve the quality and safety of health care has created new challenges for academic health centers (AHCs). Whereas previously quality was largely assumed, today it is increasingly quantifiable and requires organized systems for improvement. Traditional structures and cultures within AHCs, although well suited to the tripartite missions of teaching, research, and clinical care, are not easily adaptable to the tasks of measuring, reporting, and improving quality. Here, the authors use a case study of Massachusetts General Hospital's efforts to restructure quality and safety to illustrate the value of beginning with a focus on organizational culture, using a systematic process of engaging clinical leadership, developing an organizational framework dependent on proven business principles, leveraging focus events, and maintaining executive dedication to execution of the initiative. The case provides a generalizable example for AHCs of how applying explicit management design can foster robust organizational change with relatively modest incremental financial resources.

Effectiveness of a computerised system of patient education in clinical practice: a longitudinal nested cohort study.

PubMed

Su, Chia-Hsien; Li, Tsai-Chung; Cho, Der-Yang; Ma, Wei-Fen; Chang, Yu-Shan; Lee, Tsung-Han; Huang, Li-Chi

2018-05-03

Developing electronic health record information systems is an international trend for promoting the integration of health information and enhancing the quality of medical services. Patient education is a frequent intervention in nursing care, and recording the amount and quality of patient education have become essential in the nursing record. The aims of this study are (1): to develop a high-quality Patient Education Assessment and Description Record System (PEADRS) in the electronic medical record (2); to examine the effectiveness of the PEADRS on documentation and nurses' satisfaction (3); to facilitate communication and cooperation between professionals. A quasi-experimental design and random sampling will be used. The participants are nurses who are involved in patient education by using traditional record or the PEADRS at a medical centre. A prospective longitudinal nested cohort study will be conducted to compare the effectiveness of the PEADRS, including (1): the length of nursing documentation (2); satisfaction with using the PEADRS; and (3) the benefit to professional cooperation. Patient privacy will be protected according to Electronic Medical Record Management Practices of the hospital. This study develops a patient education digital record system, which would profit the quality of clinical practice in health education. The results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and will be presented at scientific conferences. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Explanation and elaboration of the SQUIRE (Standards for Quality Improvement Reporting Excellence) Guidelines, V.2.0: examples of SQUIRE elements in the healthcare improvement literature.

PubMed

Goodman, Daisy; Ogrinc, Greg; Davies, Louise; Baker, G Ross; Barnsteiner, Jane; Foster, Tina C; Gali, Kari; Hilden, Joanne; Horwitz, Leora; Kaplan, Heather C; Leis, Jerome; Matulis, John C; Michie, Susan; Miltner, Rebecca; Neily, Julia; Nelson, William A; Niedner, Matthew; Oliver, Brant; Rutman, Lori; Thomson, Richard; Thor, Johan

2016-12-01

Since its publication in 2008, SQUIRE (Standards for Quality Improvement Reporting Excellence) has contributed to the completeness and transparency of reporting of quality improvement work, providing guidance to authors and reviewers of reports on healthcare improvement work. In the interim, enormous growth has occurred in understanding factors that influence the success, and failure, of healthcare improvement efforts. Progress has been particularly strong in three areas: the understanding of the theoretical basis for improvement work; the impact of contextual factors on outcomes; and the development of methodologies for studying improvement work. Consequently, there is now a need to revise the original publication guidelines. To reflect the breadth of knowledge and experience in the field, we solicited input from a wide variety of authors, editors and improvement professionals during the guideline revision process. This Explanation and Elaboration document (E&E) is a companion to the revised SQUIRE guidelines, SQUIRE 2.0. The product of collaboration by an international and interprofessional group of authors, this document provides examples from the published literature, and an explanation of how each reflects the intent of a specific item in SQUIRE. The purpose of the guidelines is to assist authors in writing clearly, precisely and completely about systematic efforts to improve the quality, safety and value of healthcare services. Authors can explore the SQUIRE statement, this E&E and related documents in detail at http://www.squire-statement.org. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Quality of Impressions and Work Authorizations Submitted by Dental Students Supervised by Prosthodontists and General Dentists.

PubMed

Imbery, Terence A; Diaz, Nicholas; Greenfield, Kristy; Janus, Charles; Best, Al M

2016-10-01

Preclinical fixed prosthodontics is taught by Department of Prosthodontics faculty members at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry; however, 86% of all clinical cases in academic year 2012 were staffed by faculty members from the Department of General Practice. The aims of this retrospective study were to quantify the quality of impressions, accuracy of laboratory work authorizations, and most common errors and to determine if there were differences between the rate of errors in cases supervised by the prosthodontists and the general dentists. A total of 346 Fixed Prosthodontic Laboratory Tracking Sheets for the 2012 academic year were reviewed. The results showed that, overall, 73% of submitted impressions were acceptable at initial evaluation, 16% had to be poured first and re-evaluated for quality prior to pindexing, 7% had multiple impressions submitted for transfer dies, and 4% were rejected for poor quality. There were higher acceptance rates for impressions and work authorizations for cases staffed by prosthodontists than by general dentists, but the differences were not statistically significant (p=0.0584 and p=0.0666, respectively). Regarding the work authorizations, 43% overall did not provide sufficient information or had technical errors that delayed prosthesis fabrication. The most common errors were incorrect mountings, absence of solid casts, inadequate description of margins for porcelain fused to metal crowns, inaccurate die trimming, and margin marking. The percentages of errors in cases supervised by general dentists and prosthodontists were similar for 17 of the 18 types of errors identified; only for margin description was the percentage of errors statistically significantly higher for general dentist-supervised than prosthodontist-supervised cases. These results highlighted the ongoing need for faculty development and calibration to ensure students receive the highest quality education from all faculty members teaching fixed prosthodontics.

eEurope 2002: Quality Criteria for Health related Websites

PubMed Central

2002-01-01

Background A number of organisations have begun to provide specific tools for searching, rating, and grading this information, while others have set up codes of conduct by which site providers can attest to their high quality services. The aim of such tools is to assist individuals to sift through the mountains of information available so as to be better able to discern valid and reliable messages from those which are misleading or inaccurate. Objective Recognising that European citizens are avid consumers of health related information on the internet and recognising that they are already using the types of rating system described above, the European Council at Feira on June 19-20 2000 supported an initiative within eEurope 2002 to develop a core set of Quality Criteria for Health Related Websites. The specific aim was to draw up a commonly agreed set of simple quality criteria on which Member States, as well as public and private bodies, may draw in the development of quality initiatives for health related websites. These criteria should be applied in addition to relevant Community law. Methods A meeting was held during 2001 which drew together key players from Government departments, International Organisations, non-governmental organisations and industry, to explore current practices and experiments in this field. Some sixty invited participants from all the Member States, Norway, Switzerland, and the United States of America took part in the meeting of June 7-8, 2001: they included delegates from industrial, medical, and patient interest groups, delegates from Member States' governments, and key invited speakers from the field of health information ethics. These individuals, and many others, also took part in the web-based consultation which was open from august to November 2001. Results The broad headings for quality criteria identified include Transparency and Honesty, Authority, Privacy and data protection, Updating of information, Accountability, Responsible partnering, Editorial policy, Accessibility, the latter includes attention to guidelines on physical accessibility as well as general findability, searchability, readability, usability, etc. A metadata labelling system may be used to make health data more findable. Such a system may also be used in conjunction with quality criteria to give higher ranking by search engines to those sites or pages labelled as complying with defined quality criteria. Conclusions The set of quality criteria is based upon a broad consensus among specialists in this field, health authorities, and prospective users. It is now to be expected that national and regional health authorities, relevant professional associations, and private medical website owners will 1) implement the Quality Criteria for Health Related Websites in a manner appropriate to their website and consumers; 2) develop information campaigns to educate site developers and citizens about minimum quality standards for health related websites; 3) draw on the wide range of health information offered across the European Union and localise such information for the benefit of citizens (translation and cultural adaptation); 4) exchange information and experience at European level about how quality standards are being implemented. PMID:12554546

Quality, management, and the interplay of self-assessment, process assessments, and performance-based observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Willett, D. J.

1993-04-01

In this document, the author presents his observations on the topic of quality assurance (QA). Traditionally the focus of quality management has been on QA organizations, manuals, procedures, audits, and assessments; quality was measured by the degree of conformance to specifications or standards. Today quality is defined as satisfying user needs and is measured by user satisfaction. The author proposes that quality is the responsibility of line organizations and staff and not the responsibility of the QA group. This work outlines an effective Conduct of Operations program. The author concludes his observations with a discussion of how quality is analogous to leadership.

EAC and the Development of National and European Gateways to Archives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ottosson, Per-Gunnar

2005-01-01

In the development of gateways to archives there are two different approaches, one focusing on the descriptions of the material and the other on the creators. Search and retrieval with precision and quality require controlled access points and name authority control. National registries of private archives have a long tradition in implementing the…

Specific Features of Social Competence Development in the Future Music Teachers Working at Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dzheksembekova, Menslu I.; Ibrayeva, Kamarsulu E.; Akhmetova, Aimkul K.; Urazalieva, Moldir A.; Sultangaliyeva, Elmira S.; Issametova, Klavdiya I.

2016-01-01

This paper aims at analyzing specific features of social competence of future music teachers and the development of specialized techniques in order to improve the quality of motivational and cognitive components of student social competence. The sample involved 660 undergraduate students. The authors used a number of research methods, such as…

Designing for Quality: An Analysis of Design and Pedagogical Issues in Online Course Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanga, Mapopa William

2017-01-01

This study investigated the process through which 100 online courses were developed in compliance with a purpose-made rubric designed to bring the courses to a level that would meet requirements of membership in a state authorization reciprocity agreement. The study identified and analyzed common design and pedagogical issues instructors…

"Working Lives": The Use of Auto/Biography in the Development of a Sociological Imagination

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stephenson, Carol; Stirling, John; Wray, David

2015-01-01

This article critically evaluates the attempt of the authors to develop a sociological imagination within first-year undergraduate students studying the discipline of sociology at a British university. Through a sociological analysis of biography and autobiography (of both teachers and students), we attempted to create a quality of mind that would…

Solar Energy in China: Development Trends for Solar Water Heaters and Photovoltaics in the Urban Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wallace, William; Wang, Zhongying

2006-01-01

China is the world's largest market for solar water heating systems, installing 13 million square meters of new systems in 2004, mostly in large cities. Municipal authorities, however, are sensitive to quality and visual impact issues created by this technology deployment. Therefore, there is currently a trend toward developing building integrated…

Variability in Preschool Teachers' Interactions with Children as a Predictor of Children's Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curby, Timothy W.; Brock, Laura L.; Hamre, Bridget K.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this proposal is to examine whether variability in the quality of teachers' interactions (Emotional Support, Classroom Organization, Instructional Support) with students is systematically related to the children's development. In other words, the authors examine whether the amount that teachers vary over the course of a day is a…

The State of Wiki Usage in U.S. K-12 Schools: Leveraging Web 2.0 Data Warehouses to Assess Quality and Equity in Online Learning Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reich, Justin; Murnane, Richard; Willett, John

2012-01-01

To document wiki usage in U.S. K-12 settings, this study examined a representative sample drawn from a population of nearly 180,000 wikis. The authors measured the opportunities wikis provide for students to develop 21st-century skills such as expert thinking, complex communication, and new media literacy. The authors found four types of wiki…

The Clinical Nurse Leader--new nursing role with global implications.

PubMed

Baernholdt, M; Cottingham, S

2011-03-01

This paper describes the development of the Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL ©) role and education, the CNL's impact and potential to improve quality globally. The need for clinical nurse leadership to improve the quality of health care systems while controlling costs is recognized in reports internationally. In the USA, a new nursing role, the CNL, was developed in response to such reports. CNLs are master's level nurse graduates (although not necessarily recruited from a nursing background) with the skills and knowledge to create change within complex systems and improve outcomes while they remain direct care providers. This innovative role can be adapted worldwide to improve the quality of health care systems. © 2010 The Authors. International Nursing Review © 2010 International Council of Nurses.

Interim guidance for implementing SAFETEA-LU provisions on planning, environment, and air quality for FHWA authorities

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2007-02-14

This final rule revises the regulations governing the development of metropolitan transportation plans and programs for urbanized areas, State transportation plans and programs and the regulations for Congestion Management Systems. The revision resul...

Water quality modeling in the systems impact assessment model for the Klamath River basin - Keno, Oregon to Seiad Valley, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hanna, R. Blair; Campbell, Sharon G.

2000-01-01

This report describes the water quality model developed for the Klamath River System Impact Assessment Model (SIAM). The Klamath River SIAM is a decision support system developed by the authors and other US Geological Survey (USGS), Midcontinent Ecological Science Center staff to study the effects of basin-wide water management decisions on anadromous fish in the Klamath River. The Army Corps of Engineersa?? HEC5Q water quality modeling software was used to simulate water temperature, dissolved oxygen and conductivity in 100 miles of the Klamath River Basin in Oregon and California. The water quality model simulated three reservoirs and the mainstem Klamath River influenced by the Shasta and Scott River tributaries. Model development, calibration and two validation exercises are described as well as the integration of the water quality model into the SIAM decision support system software. Within SIAM, data are exchanged between the water quantity model (MODSIM), the water quality model (HEC5Q), the salmon population model (SALMOD) and methods for evaluating ecosystem health. The overall predictive ability of the water quality model is described in the context of calibration and validation error statistics. Applications of SIAM and the water quality model are described.

Ten-Year Publication Trajectories of Health Services Research Career Development Award Recipients: Collaboration, Awardee Characteristics, and Productivity Correlates.

PubMed

Halvorson, Max A; Finlay, Andrea K; Cronkite, Ruth C; Bi, Xiaoyu; Hayashi, Ko; Maisel, Natalya C; Amundson, Erin O'Rourke; Weitlauf, Julie C; Litt, Iris F; Owens, Douglas K; Timko, Christine; Cucciare, Michael A; Finney, John W

2016-03-01

This study's purpose was to identify distinct publishing trajectories among 442 participants in three prominent mentored health services research career development programs (Veterans Affairs, National Institutes of Health, and Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality) in the 10 years after award receipt and to examine awardee characteristics associated with different trajectories. Curricula vitae (CVs) of researchers receiving awards between 1991 and 2010 were coded for publications, grants, and awardee characteristics. We found that awardees published at constant or increasing rates despite flat or decreasing rates of first-author publications. Senior-author publications rose concurrently with rates of overall publications. Higher overall publication trajectories were associated with receiving more grants, more citations as measured by the h-index, and more authors per article. Lower trajectory groups were older and had a greater proportion of female awardees. Career development awards supported researchers who generally published successfully, but trajectories varied across individual researchers. Researchers' collaborative efforts produced an increasing number of articles, whereas first author articles were written at a more consistent rate. Career development awards in health services research supported the careers of researchers who published at a high rate; future research should further examine reasons for variation in publishing among early career researchers. © The Author(s) 2014.

Systematic Review of Quality of Patient Information on Phalloplasty in the Internet.

PubMed

Karamitros, Georgios A; Kitsos, Nikolaos A; Sapountzis, Stamatis

2017-12-01

An increasing number of patients, considering aesthetic surgery, use Internet health information as their first source of information. However, the quality of information available in the Internet on phalloplasty is currently unknown. This study aimed to assess the quality of patient information on phalloplasty available in the Internet. The assessment of the Web sites was based on the modified Ensuring Quality Information for Patients (EQIP) instrument (36 items). Three hundred Web sites were identified by the most popular Web search engines. Ninety Web sites were assessed after, duplicates, irrelevant sources and Web sites in other languages rather than English were excluded. Only 16 (18%) Web sites addressed >21 items, and scores tended to be higher for Web sites developed by academic centers and the industry than for Web sites developed by private practicing surgeons. The EQIP score achieved by Web sites ranged between 4 and 29 of the total 36 points, with a median value of 17.5 points (interquartile range, 13-21). The top 5 Web sites with the highest scores were identified. The quality of patient information on phalloplasty in the Internet is substandard, and the existing Web sites present inadequate information. There is a dire need to improve the quality of Internet phalloplasty resources for potential patients who might consider this procedure. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

The initial development of the WebMedQual scale: domain assessment of the construct of quality of health web sites.

PubMed

Provost, Mélanie; Koompalum, Dayin; Dong, Diane; Martin, Bradley C

2006-01-01

To develop a comprehensive instrument assessing quality of health-related web sites. Phase I consisted of a literature review to identify constructs thought to indicate web site quality and to identify items. During content analysis, duplicate items were eliminated and items that were not clear, meaningful, or measurable were reworded or removed. Some items were generated by the authors. Phase II: a panel consisting of six healthcare and MIS reviewers was convened to assess each item for its relevance and importance to the construct and to assess item clarity and measurement feasibility. Three hundred and eighty-four items were generated from 26 sources. The initial content analysis reduced the scale to 104 items. Four of the six expert reviewers responded; high concordance on the relevance, importance and measurement feasibility of each item was observed: 3 out of 4, or all raters agreed on 76-85% of items. Based on the panel ratings, 9 items were removed, 3 added, and 10 revised. The WebMedQual consists of 8 categories, 8 sub-categories, 95 items and 3 supplemental items to assess web site quality. The constructs are: content (19 items), authority of source (18 items), design (19 items), accessibility and availability (6 items), links (4 items), user support (9 items), confidentiality and privacy (17 items), e-commerce (6 items). The "WebMedQual" represents a first step toward a comprehensive and standard quality assessment of health web sites. This scale will allow relatively easy assessment of quality with possible numeric scoring.

Measuring quality of life in cleft lip and palate patients: currently available patient-reported outcomes measures.

PubMed

Eckstein, Donna A; Wu, Rebecca L; Akinbiyi, Takintope; Silver, Lester; Taub, Peter J

2011-11-01

Patient-reported outcomes in cleft lip and palate treatment are critical for patient care. Traditional surgical outcomes focused on objective measures, such as photographs, anatomic measurements, morbidity, and mortality. Although these remain important, they leave many questions unanswered. Surveys that include aesthetics, speech, functionality, self-image, and quality of life provide more thorough outcomes assessment. It is vital that reliable, valid, and comprehensive questionnaires are available to craniofacial surgeons. The authors performed a literature review to identify questionnaires validated in cleft lip and palate patients. Qualifying instruments were assessed for adherence to guidelines for development and validation by the scientific advisory committee and for content. The authors identified 44 measures used in cleft lip and palate studies. After 15 ad hoc questionnaires, eight generic instruments, 11 psychiatric instruments, and one non-English language questionnaire were excluded, nine measures remained. Of these, four were never validated in the cleft population. Analysis revealed one craniofacial-specific measure (Youth Quality of Life-Facial Differences), two voice-related measures (Patient Voice-Related Quality of Life and Cleft Audit Protocol for Speech-Augmented), and two oral health-related measures (Child Oral Health Impact Profile and Child Oral Health Quality of Life). The Youth Quality of Life-Facial Differences, Child Oral Health Impact Profile, and Child Oral Health Quality of Life questionnaires were sufficiently validated. None was created specifically for clefts, resulting in content limitations. There is a lack of comprehensive, valid, and reliable questionnaires for cleft lip and palate surgery. For thorough assessment of satisfaction, further research to develop and validate cleft lip and palate surgery-specific instruments is needed.

Governance and Regional Variation of Homicide Rates: Evidence From Cross-National Data.

PubMed

Cao, Liqun; Zhang, Yan

2017-01-01

Criminological theories of cross-national studies of homicide have underestimated the effects of quality governance of liberal democracy and region. Data sets from several sources are combined and a comprehensive model of homicide is proposed. Results of the spatial regression model, which controls for the effect of spatial autocorrelation, show that quality governance, human development, economic inequality, and ethnic heterogeneity are statistically significant in predicting homicide. In addition, regions of Latin America and non-Muslim Sub-Saharan Africa have significantly higher rates of homicides ceteris paribus while the effects of East Asian countries and Islamic societies are not statistically significant. These findings are consistent with the expectation of the new modernization and regional theories. © The Author(s) 2015.

Academic-correctional health partnerships: preparing the correctional health workforce for the changing landscape-focus group research results.

PubMed

Hale, Janet Fraser; Haley, Heather-Lyn; Jones, Judy L; Brennan, Allyson; Brewer, Arthur

2015-01-01

Providing health care in corrections is challenging. Attracting clinicians can be equally challenging. The future holds a shortage of nurses and primary care physicians. We have a unique opportunity, now, to develop and stabilize our workforce, create a positive image, and enhance quality before the health care landscape changes even more dramatically. Focus groups were conducted with 22 correctional health care professionals divided into three groups: physicians (6), nurses (4), and nurse practitioners/physician assistants (12). Content focused on curricular themes, but additional themes emerged related to recruitment and retention. This article describes recruitment challenges, strategic themes identified, and the proposed initiatives to support a stable, high-quality correctional health workforce. © The Author(s) 2014.

Quality improvement "201": context-relevant quality improvement leadership training for the busy clinician-educator.

PubMed

Stille, Christopher J; Savageau, Judith A; McBride, Jeanne; Alper, Eric J

2012-01-01

Development of quality improvement (QI) skills and leadership for busy clinician-educators in academic medical centers is increasingly necessary, although it is challenging given limited resources. In response, the authors developed the Quality Scholars program for primary care teaching faculty. They conducted a needs assessment, evaluated existing internal and national resources, and developed a 9-month, 20-session project-based curriculum that combines didactic and hands-on techniques with facilitated project discussion. They also conducted pre-post tests of knowledge and attitudes, and evaluations of each session, scholars' projects, and program sustainability and costs. In all, 10 scholars from all 3 generalist disciplines comprised the first class. A wide spectrum of previous experiences enhanced collaboration. QI knowledge increased slightly, and reported self-readiness to lead QI projects increased markedly. Protected time for project work and group discussion of QI topics was seen as essential. All 10 scholars completed projects and presented results. Institutional leadership agreed to sustain the program using institutional funds.

Optimization of a micro-scale, high throughput process development tool and the demonstration of comparable process performance and product quality with biopharmaceutical manufacturing processes.

PubMed

Evans, Steven T; Stewart, Kevin D; Afdahl, Chris; Patel, Rohan; Newell, Kelcy J

2017-07-14

In this paper, we discuss the optimization and implementation of a high throughput process development (HTPD) tool that utilizes commercially available micro-liter sized column technology for the purification of multiple clinically significant monoclonal antibodies. Chromatographic profiles generated using this optimized tool are shown to overlay with comparable profiles from the conventional bench-scale and clinical manufacturing scale. Further, all product quality attributes measured are comparable across scales for the mAb purifications. In addition to supporting chromatography process development efforts (e.g., optimization screening), comparable product quality results at all scales makes this tool is an appropriate scale model to enable purification and product quality comparisons of HTPD bioreactors conditions. The ability to perform up to 8 chromatography purifications in parallel with reduced material requirements per run creates opportunities for gathering more process knowledge in less time. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Service Quality Assessment of Hospitals in Asian Context: An Empirical Evidence From Pakistan

PubMed Central

Shafiq, Muhammad; Naeem, Muhammad Azhar; Munawar, Zartasha; Fatima, Iram

2017-01-01

Hospitals vary from one another in terms of their specialty, services offered, and resource availability. Their services are widely measured with scales that gauge patients’ perspective. Therefore, there is a need for research to develop a scale that measures hospital service quality in Asian hospitals, regardless of their nature or ownership. To address this research need, this study adapted the SERVQUAL instrument to develop a service quality measurement scale. Data were collected from inpatients and outpatients at 9 different hospitals, and the scale was developed using structural equation modeling. The developed scale was then validated by identifying service quality gaps and ranking the areas that require managerial effort. The findings indicated that all 5 dimensions of SERVQUAL are valid in Asian countries such as Pakistan, with 13 items retained. Reliability, tangibility, responsiveness, empathy, and assurance were ranked first, second, third, fourth, and fifth, respectively, in terms of the size of the quality gap. The gaps were statistically significant, with values ≤.05; therefore, hospital administrators must focus on each of these areas. By focusing on the identified areas of improvement, health care authorities, managers, practitioners, and decision makers can bring substantial change within hospitals. PMID:28660771

Service Quality Assessment of Hospitals in Asian Context: An Empirical Evidence From Pakistan.

PubMed

Shafiq, Muhammad; Naeem, Muhammad Azhar; Munawar, Zartasha; Fatima, Iram

2017-01-01

Hospitals vary from one another in terms of their specialty, services offered, and resource availability. Their services are widely measured with scales that gauge patients' perspective. Therefore, there is a need for research to develop a scale that measures hospital service quality in Asian hospitals, regardless of their nature or ownership. To address this research need, this study adapted the SERVQUAL instrument to develop a service quality measurement scale. Data were collected from inpatients and outpatients at 9 different hospitals, and the scale was developed using structural equation modeling. The developed scale was then validated by identifying service quality gaps and ranking the areas that require managerial effort. The findings indicated that all 5 dimensions of SERVQUAL are valid in Asian countries such as Pakistan, with 13 items retained. Reliability, tangibility, responsiveness, empathy, and assurance were ranked first, second, third, fourth, and fifth, respectively, in terms of the size of the quality gap. The gaps were statistically significant, with values ≤.05; therefore, hospital administrators must focus on each of these areas. By focusing on the identified areas of improvement, health care authorities, managers, practitioners, and decision makers can bring substantial change within hospitals.

Bridging the Gap Between Validation and Implementation of Non-Animal Veterinary Vaccine Potency Testing Methods

PubMed Central

Dozier, Samantha; Brown, Jeffrey; Currie, Alistair

2011-01-01

Simple Summary Many vaccines are tested for quality in experiments that require the use of large numbers of animals in procedures that often cause significant pain and distress. Newer technologies have fostered the development of vaccine quality control tests that reduce or eliminate the use of animals, but the availability of these newer methods has not guaranteed their acceptance by regulators or use by manufacturers. We discuss a strategic approach that has been used to assess and ultimately increase the use of non-animal vaccine quality tests in the U.S. and U.K. Abstract In recent years, technologically advanced high-throughput techniques have been developed that replace, reduce or refine animal use in vaccine quality control tests. Following validation, these tests are slowly being accepted for use by international regulatory authorities. Because regulatory acceptance itself has not guaranteed that approved humane methods are adopted by manufacturers, various organizations have sought to foster the preferential use of validated non-animal methods by interfacing with industry and regulatory authorities. After noticing this gap between regulation and uptake by industry, we began developing a paradigm that seeks to narrow the gap and quicken implementation of new replacement, refinement or reduction guidance. A systematic analysis of our experience in promoting the transparent implementation of validated non-animal vaccine potency assays has led to the refinement of our paradigmatic process, presented here, by which interested parties can assess the local regulatory acceptance of methods that reduce animal use and integrate them into quality control testing protocols, or ensure the elimination of peripheral barriers to their use, particularly for potency and other tests carried out on production batches. PMID:26486625

48 CFR 246.704 - Authority for use of warranties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... SYSTEM, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CONTRACT MANAGEMENT QUALITY ASSURANCE Warranties 246.704 Authority for use... quality assurance provisions that reference higher-level contract quality requirements (see 246.202-4); or...

Preparing and presenting effective abstracts and posters in psychiatry.

PubMed

Singh, Manpreet K

2014-12-01

Presenting an abstract and a poster gives scientists from all fields, including psychiatry, an important opportunity to introduce their research to others. Researchers and mental health professionals at all levels of career development can use several media resources to assist them with the technical aspects of preparing an abstract or a poster. This article will focus on major principles associated with preparing and presenting an abstract and a poster at a scientific meeting. A literature search using NIH PubMed was conducted to identify peer and nonpeer-reviewed articles that provide methods for effective abstract and poster presentation for the period of 1966 to June 2014. First, the author reviews the purpose and relative importance of abstracts and posters in academic settings. Next, the author describes the qualities of an effective abstract and poster and common pitfalls that may occur. Finally, the author presents a systematic approach to preparing and presenting an abstract and a poster in a scientific setting. Several sources consistently suggest that readability, organization, and succinctness are qualities that make an effective and successful abstract and poster. Mental health professionals in all stages of their career development may benefit from following these guidelines in presenting their scientific work.

Retrospective analysis of the quality of reports by author-suggested and non-author-suggested reviewers in journals operating on open or single-blind peer review models.

PubMed

Kowalczuk, Maria K; Dudbridge, Frank; Nanda, Shreeya; Harriman, Stephanie L; Patel, Jigisha; Moylan, Elizabeth C

2015-09-29

To assess whether reports from reviewers recommended by authors show a bias in quality and recommendation for editorial decision, compared with reviewers suggested by other parties, and whether reviewer reports for journals operating on open or single-blind peer review models differ with regard to report quality and reviewer recommendations. Retrospective analysis of the quality of reviewer reports using an established Review Quality Instrument, and analysis of reviewer recommendations and author satisfaction surveys. BioMed Central biology and medical journals. BMC Infectious Diseases and BMC Microbiology are similar in size, rejection rates, impact factors and editorial processes, but the former uses open peer review while the latter uses single-blind peer review. The Journal of Inflammation has operated under both peer review models. Two hundred reviewer reports submitted to BMC Infectious Diseases, 200 reviewer reports submitted to BMC Microbiology and 400 reviewer reports submitted to the Journal of Inflammation. For each journal, author-suggested reviewers provided reports of comparable quality to non-author-suggested reviewers, but were significantly more likely to recommend acceptance, irrespective of the peer review model (p<0.0001 for BMC Infectious Diseases, BMC Microbiology and the Journal of Inflammation). For BMC Infectious Diseases, the overall quality of reviewer reports measured by the Review Quality Instrument was 5% higher than for BMC Microbiology (p=0.042). For the Journal of Inflammation, the quality of reports was the same irrespective of the peer review model used. Reviewers suggested by authors provide reports of comparable quality to non-author-suggested reviewers, but are significantly more likely to recommend acceptance. Open peer review reports for BMC Infectious Diseases were of higher quality than single-blind reports for BMC Microbiology. There was no difference in quality of peer review in the Journal of Inflammation under open peer review compared with single blind. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

The newest miracle drug: quality circles in hospitals.

PubMed

McKinney, M M

1984-01-01

In recent years, a number of hospitals throughout the United States have been exploring the use of Japanese-style quality circles to reduce their operating expenses, improve productivity, and enhance the quality of work life for hospital employees. This article examines the organizational climate necessary for quality circles, methods used to implement quality circles, and management's role in guiding and responding to circle activities. Ideas for building and maintaining staff support are presented along with a cost/benefit analysis of quality circle programs. The author concludes that quality circles are most successful in hospitals where they are part of a larger organizational development effort. When administrators believe in their employees' ability to contribute to the institution and are willing to invest necessary time and resources in employee education and the measurement of quality circle achievements, quality circles can produce creative solutions to perplexing institutional problems.

Regulatory challenges to global harmonization and expanded access to concentrates: how will regulators balance the increasing cost of new safety requirements with the desire to increase the availability of affordable product?

PubMed

Farrugia, A

2004-10-01

The provision of concentrates of the deficient coagulation factors is an essential component of the provision of comprehensive haemophilia care. Their safety, quality and efficacy need to be assured independently of the measures dictated by the market and the individual manufacturers. Over the past 20 years, this assurance has become the role of regulatory authorities, which in the developed world have generated a framework that assesses haemophilia products as medicines in the highest category of risk relative to other therapeutic agents. Systems of official regulation mandating standards and other measures are now coupled with voluntary standards adopted by industry bodies as additional features of a comprehensive nexus of arrangements contributing to product quality and risk minimization. Currently, the regulation of products for haemophilia in less developed economies relies on reference to decisions in the first-world authorities. This may not always result in optimal outcomes as most of the haemophilia care in the developing world is through local plasma and cryoprecipitate, which are not subject to the oversight of mainstream regulators. Furthermore, the emergence of companies based outside the developed world and seeking to supply the emerging economies of the developing world with haemophilia concentrates has necessitated new strategies for regulation that are independent of the established frameworks. Overall, the principles used by mainstream agencies may be applied in all environments seeking to assure the quality of haemophilia care. Applied properly, they can contribute to maintaining the delivery of a form of therapy that is nowadays amongst the safest in therapeutic practice. A rigid interpretation can seriously impede access to treatment, and therefore the development of independent expertise and appropriate strategies in assuring product safety and quality in the developing world is essential if patient safety and access to products can be assured.

Development and refinement of new statistical methods for enhanced syndromic surveillance during the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

PubMed

Morbey, Roger A; Elliot, Alex J; Charlett, Andre; Andrews, Nick; Verlander, Neville Q; Ibbotson, Sue; Smith, Gillian E

2015-06-01

Prior to the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games, new statistical methods had to be developed for the enhanced syndromic surveillance during the Games. Different methods were developed depending on whether or not historical data were available. Practical solutions were needed to cope with the required daily reporting and data quality issues. During the Games, nearly 4800 signals were tested on average each day, generating statistical alarms that were assessed to provide information on areas of potential public health concern and reassurance that no major adverse incident had occurred. spjhi;21/2/159/FIG41460458213517577 F1 fig4-1460458213517577. © The Author(s) 2013.

The broad autism phenotype predicts relationship outcomes in newly formed college roommates.

PubMed

Faso, Daniel J; Corretti, Conrad A; Ackerman, Robert A; Sasson, Noah J

2016-05-01

Although previous studies have reported that the broad autism phenotype is associated with reduced relationship quality within established relationships, understanding how this association emerges requires assessment prior to relationship development. In the present longitudinal study, college roommates with minimal familiarity prior to cohabitation (N = 162) completed the broad autism phenotype questionnaire and intermittently reported on their relationship quality and interpersonal behaviors toward their roommate over their first 10 weeks of living together. Actor-Partner Interdependence Models demonstrated that roommates mismatched on aloofness (one high and one low) had lower relationship satisfaction than those matched on it, with the interpersonal behavior of warmth mediating this association. Because relationship satisfaction remained high when both roommates were aloof, satisfaction does not appear predicated upon the presence of aloofness generally but rather reflects a product of dissimilarity in aloof profiles between roommates. In contrast, although participants reported less relationship satisfaction and commitment with roommates higher on pragmatic language abnormalities, mismatches on this broad autism phenotype trait, and on rigid personality, were less consequential. In sum, these findings suggest that complementary profiles of social motivation may facilitate relationship quality during the early course of relationship development. © The Author(s) 2015.

Standards for QUality Improvement Reporting Excellence 2.0: revised publication guidelines from a detailed consensus process.

PubMed

Ogrinc, Greg; Davies, Louise; Goodman, Daisy; Batalden, Paul; Davidoff, Frank; Stevens, David

2016-02-01

Since the publication of Standards for QUality Improvement Reporting Excellence (SQUIRE 1.0) guidelines in 2008, the science of the field has advanced considerably. In this article, we describe the development of SQUIRE 2.0 and its key components. We undertook the revision between 2012 and 2015 using (1) semistructured interviews and focus groups to evaluate SQUIRE 1.0 plus feedback from an international steering group, (2) two face-to-face consensus meetings to develop interim drafts, and (3) pilot testing with authors and a public comment period. SQUIRE 2.0 emphasizes the reporting of three key components of systematic efforts to improve the quality, value, and safety of health care: the use of formal and informal theory in planning, implementing, and evaluating improvement work; the context in which the work is done; and the study of the intervention(s). SQUIRE 2.0 is intended for reporting the range of methods used to improve health care, recognizing that they can be complex and multidimensional. It provides common ground to share these discoveries in the scholarly literature (www.squire-statement.org). Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Directions of management for the development of fuel-and-energy complex as the key driver of the social-and-economic development of regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mottaeva, Asiiat

2017-10-01

The article is dedicated to the problems of the participation of the energy enterprises in the social-and-economic development of the regions and municipalities. The complex of mechanisms of the implementation of the Energy strategy in the form of strategic initiatives of the development of the energy industry representing the complex inter-industry state-private long-term projects is presented in the article. The author considers the development of the energy industry to be the key driver of the social-and-economic development of regions. The author proves, that the increase in competitiveness of Russian energy, geographical and grocery diversification of export and improvement of quality of export products might allow to solve some problems of the development of national economy.

Deriving Chesapeake Bay Water Quality Standards

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tango, Peter J.; Batiuk, Richard A.

2013-01-01

Achieving and maintaining the water quality conditions necessary to protect the aquatic living resources of the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries has required a foundation of quantifiable water quality criteria. Quantitative criteria serve as a critical basis for assessing the attainment of designated uses and measuring progress toward meeting water quality goals of the Chesapeake Bay Program partnership. In 1987, the Chesapeake Bay Program partnership committed to defining the water quality conditions necessary to protect aquatic living resources. Under section 303(c) of the Clean Water Act, States and authorized tribes have the primary responsibility for adopting water quality standards into law or regulation. The Chesapeake Bay Program partnership worked with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to develop and publish a guidance framework of ambient water quality criteria with designated uses and assessment procedures for dissolved oxygen, water clarity, and chlorophyll a for Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries in 2003. This article reviews the derivation of the water quality criteria, criteria assessment protocols, designated use boundaries, and their refinements published in six addendum documents since 2003 and successfully adopted into each jurisdiction's water quality standards used in developing the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load.

The trust-commitment challenge in service quality-loyalty relationships.

PubMed

Moreira, Antonio Carrizo; Silva, Pedro Miguel

2015-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to develop and empirically test a model to examine service quality, satisfaction, trust and commitment as loyalty antecedents in a private healthcare service. The approach was tested using structural equation modelling, involving 175 patients from a private Portuguese healthcare unit, using a revised Service Quality Assessment Scale (SQAS) scale for service quality evaluation. The scale used to evaluate service quality is valid and meaningful. Service quality proved to be a multidimensional construct and relevant to build satisfaction. The path satisfaction→trust→loyalty was validated, whereas the path satisfaction→commitment→loyalty was not statistically supported. The revised SQAS scale showed good internal consistency in healthcare context. Further trust-commitment antecedents must be examined in a private healthcare landscape to generalise the findings. Healthcare quality managers must explore the service quality dimensions to generate satisfaction among their patients. Developing trust generates positive patient attitudes and loyalty. This study explores using the SQAS scale in a private healthcare context. The authors provide further evidence that service quality is an antecedent and different from satisfaction. All the measures used proved to be valid and reliable. Trust and commitment play different roles in their relationship with loyalty.

Evolution of helping and harming in heterogeneous groups.

PubMed

Rodrigues, António M M; Gardner, Andy

2013-08-01

Social groups are often composed of individuals who differ in many respects. Theoretical studies on the evolution of helping and harming behaviors have largely focused upon genetic differences between individuals. However, nongenetic variation between group members is widespread in natural populations, and may mediate differences in individuals' social behavior. Here, we develop a framework to study how variation in individual quality mediates the evolution of unconditional and conditional social traits. We investigate the scope for the evolution of social traits that are conditional on the quality of the actor and/or recipients. We find that asymmetries in individual quality can lead to the evolution of plastic traits with different individuals expressing helping and harming traits within the same group. In this context, population viscosity can mediate the evolution of social traits, and local competition can promote both helping and harming behaviors. Furthermore, asymmetries in individual quality can lead to the evolution of competition-like traits between clonal individuals. Overall, we highlight the importance of asymmetries in individual quality, including differences in reproductive value and the ability to engage in successful social interactions, in mediating the evolution of helping and harming behaviors. © 2013 The Author(s). Evolution © 2013 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

[Global patent overview of Ginkgo biloba preparation].

PubMed

Cheng, Xin-Min; Lei, Hai-Min; Liu, Wei

2013-09-01

With related global patent data as analysis samples, worldwide patent overview of Ginkgo biloba preparation is analyzed in application, applicant, technical distribution and so on. This research shows that the most important areas of G. biloba preparation are Europe and China. The European applicants start earliest along with developing smoothly, moreover, their patents have best quality. The Chinese applicants start late along with the fastest growing, and have already certain research capabilities, moreover, their patents' quality needs to be improved. This research result provides reference for development of G. biloba preparation. The author suggest that Chinese applicants learn techniques and layout experiences of other's patents fully to enhance the level of new drug development and patent protection.

[Some worries about Dendrobium officinale industry].

PubMed

Li, Guang; Lu, Juan; Chen, Xi

2013-02-01

In recent years, with the continuous development of the industry of Dendrobium officinale, the technological alliance on CEEUSRO has been established. However, many problems also exposed with the rapid expansion of the industry, such as weak basic research, single species of the product, lack of in-depth studies and difficult to guarantee the quality. Industrial foam was gradually formed. To guard against the D. officinale becoming another "Puer Tea" , the authors believe that the key to sustainable development of the industry is enterprises and research institutes should strengthen basic research, speed up development of application of integrated innovations, government should strengthen guidance, regulate the operation of the market, then protect the quality of D. officinale in the market.

Microphotocomposition--A New Publishing Resource

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Butler, Brett; Van Pelt, John

1972-01-01

This article describes strategies, variables, and techniques employed in developing a production facility used to date for publication of some 300,000 frames of microcomposed library catalog cards, and which is now available for other graphic arts quality computer output microfilm (COM) applications. (0 references) (Author)

36 CFR 1010.1 - Policy.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... an impact on the human environment; (d) Develop and utilize ecological, cultural, and other..., available resources, and national policy, to protect and enhance the quality of the human environment; (b... the participation, where appropriate, of Federal, State, and local authorities and the public in Trust...

The silent customers: measuring customer satisfaction in nursing homes.

PubMed

Kleinsorge, I K; Koenig, H F

1991-12-01

Nursing home administrators concerned with customer satisfaction and quality of care need a tool to assess and monitor ongoing satisfaction of nursing home residents and family members. The authors report a preliminary effort to develop such a survey using focus groups.

Preserve America News

Science.gov Websites

and Humanities; and the President's Council on Environmental Quality. The seal of the President of the Development logo Mrs. Laura Bush Announces Bipartisan Historic Preservation Legislation October 31, 2007 America and Save America's Treasures, announced introduction of bipartisan legislation authorizing two

48 CFR 2901.603-72 - Administrative procurement management reviews.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Authority, and Responsibilities 2901.603-72 Administrative procurement management reviews. (a) The Senior..., policies, procedures and applicable directives. The reviews are to emphasize the development and... quality reviews and assessment techniques. This system is required to: (1) Evaluate the effectiveness and...

What Top Management Expects from the Communicator.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fegley, Robert L.

Top corporate management requires communications departments that maintain credibility with the public by developing the following qualities: integrity established through consistent and honest messages; accuracy based on solid research; authority derived from an understanding of the subject and from drawing on appropriate expertise; a…

Reflections on Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DiRanna, Kathy; Osmundson, Ellen; Topps, Jo; Gearhart, Maryl

2008-01-01

In this article, the authors describe an assessment-centered teaching (ACT) framework they developed to communicate the integration of assessment and instruction. The framework is a visual representation of the relationships among the fundamental elements of assessment knowledge: the characteristics of quality goals for student learning and…

Curriculum Development and Evaluation in the Arts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Day, Michael D.

1980-01-01

In this paper some of the distinctive qualities of the arts are reviewed and implications for curriculum and evaluation are discussed. For this discussion the visual arts serve as the exemplar from the several arts for discussion of subject content, learning, and assessment. (Author)

Analyzing Trends in Conference Design.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Draves, William A.

1985-01-01

Four major forces will provide the major influences on all adult learning in the next decade, and they affect conferences and meetings as well. The author discusses these four forces: friendly competition, appeals to the emotions, demands for quality, and increased research and development. (CT)

A Primer for Developing Measures of Science Content Knowledge for Small-Scale Research and Instructional Use.

PubMed

Bass, Kristin M; Drits-Esser, Dina; Stark, Louisa A

2016-01-01

The credibility of conclusions made about the effectiveness of educational interventions depends greatly on the quality of the assessments used to measure learning gains. This essay, intended for faculty involved in small-scale projects, courses, or educational research, provides a step-by-step guide to the process of developing, scoring, and validating high-quality content knowledge assessments. We illustrate our discussion with examples from our assessments of high school students' understanding of concepts in cell biology and epigenetics. Throughout, we emphasize the iterative nature of the development process, the importance of creating instruments aligned to the learning goals of an intervention or curricula, and the importance of collaborating with other content and measurement specialists along the way. © 2016 K. M. Bass et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2016 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Quality evaluation of official accident reports conducted by Labour Authorities in Andalusia (Spain).

PubMed

Salguero-Caparros, Francisco; Suarez-Cebador, Manuel; Carrillo-Castrillo, Jesús A; Rubio-Romero, Juan Carlos

2018-01-01

A public accident investigation is carried out when the consequences of the incident are significant or the accident has occurred in unusual circumstances. We evaluated the quality of the official accident investigations being conducted by Safety Specialists of the Labour Authorities in Andalusia. To achieve this objective, we analysed 98 occupational accident investigations conducted by the Labour Authorities in Andalusia in the last quarter of 2014. Various phases in the accident investigation process were examined, such as the use of the Eurostat variables within European Statistics on Accidents at Work (ESAW), detection of causes, determination of preventive measures, cost analysis of the accidents, identification of noncompliance with legal requirements or the investigation method used. The results of this study show that 77% of the official occupational accident investigation reports analysed were conducted in accordance with all the quality criteria recommended in the literature. To enhance glogal learning, and optimize allocation of resources, we propose the development of a harmonized European model for the public investigation of occupational accidents. Further it would be advisable to create a common classification and coding system for the causes of accidents for all European Union Member States.

The importance of infrastructure development to high-quality literacy instruction.

PubMed

Cohen, David K; Bhatt, Monica P

2012-01-01

Although the education community has identified numerous effective interventions for improving the literacy of U.S. schoolchildren, little headway has been made in raising literacy capabilities. David K. Cohen and Monica P. Bhatt, of the University of Michigan, contend that a major obstacle is the organizational structure of the U.S. education system. Three features in particular--the lack of educational infrastructure, a decentralized governance system, and the organization of teaching as an occupation--stymie efforts to improve literacy instruction. The authors emphasize that the education system in the United States has always been a patchwork of local school systems that share no common curricula, student examinations, teacher education, or means of observing and improving instruction. Although localities have broad powers over education, few have built the capability to judge or support quality in educational programs. The quality criteria that have developed chiefly concern teachers, not teaching. The decentralization and weak governance of U.S. schooling also deprives teachers of opportunities to build the occupational knowledge and skill that can inform standards for the quality of work, in this case instruction. And, unlike practitioners in other professions teachers have little opportunity to try to strengthen teaching quality by setting standards for entry to the occupation. Cohen and Bhatt review six types of organizational reforms undertaken over the past several decades to improve literacy and other academic outcomes for U.S. students. After briefly describing accountability, comprehensive school reforms, knowledge diffusion, improvement of human capital, and market-based reforms, the authors turn to the Common Core State Standards, an effort initiated by state governors and school leaders to raise student achievement. The authors conclude that the fundamental question about the Common Core, as with the other reforms they discuss, is whether educators and policy makers can mobilize the capability to help states and localities invent, adapt, and implement reliable ways to improve instruction.

[The development of the nongovernmental public health sector in a transitional economy].

PubMed

Golukhov, G N; Shilenko, A Iu; Shilenko, Iu V

1996-01-01

The authors compare the development of state and non-state public health. They analyze the potentialities of non-state noncommercial medicine and the peculiarities of its development. With this aim in view, they consider the forms of property and numerous organizational and legal forms of institutions and organizations in public health, as well as the mechanisms of quality control within the framework of non-state public health.

Quality characteristics of gluten-free cookies made of buckwheat, corn, and rice flour with/without transglutaminase.

PubMed

Altındağ, Gülçin; Certel, Muharrem; Erem, Fundagül; İlknur Konak, Ülgen

2015-04-01

Buckwheat is one of the most valuable pseudo-cereals in terms of its nutritional composition, and it is suitable for celiac patients because of its gluten-free characteristic. However, gluten is the main structure-forming protein responsible for the development of structure in baked products. Therefore, it is a challenge to produce high-quality gluten-free products. Transglutaminase addition is a relatively common application used in the production of gluten-free baked goods. The objective of this study was to investigate the combination of buckwheat flour with rice and corn flour at different levels in gluten-free cookie formulations and the impact of transglutaminase on the quality of cookies. Quality parameters evaluated were proximal chemical composition, spread ratio, color, and textural parameters (hardness and fracturability). Spread ratio, protein, crude fiber, ash content, and also b* and hardness values were significantly (p < 0.05) affected by flour combinations. Further, addition of transglutaminase resulted in increased moisture content, spread ratio, and fracturability but decreased hardness values. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

[Analysis on quality of articles published in Chinese Acupuncture and Moxibustion from 2000 to 2006].

PubMed

Chen, Wen; Huang, Juan; Huang, Ai-ming

2008-01-01

To understand the quality of the papers issued in Chinese Acupuncture and Moxibustion in past 7 years, so as to provide reference for its development. Analyze information quality of the papers based on the treatises issued in Chinese Acupuncture and Moxibustion between 2000-2006. (1) Most of the authors come from medical schools and their affiliated hospitals (including scientific research units), accounting for 61. 0%; (2) Authors of each paper mainly range between 2-3 persons, accounting for 40.0%; (3) There are 405 papers with support of funds (mainly from provincial and ministerial funds) in the 7 years, accounting for 26. 2% of the total number of the papers; (4) Publication delay shortens annually, averaging 255. 3 days in the past 7 years and 210.5 days in 2006; (5) RCT papers of clinical researches account for 30.4% and show a raising tendency year by year. Chinese Acupuncture and Moxibustion has considerable advantages in the above-mentioned four aspects, showing the high quality of "key periodical", but the proportion of RCT papers still needs to be further increased.

Quality in translation: case management in the international marketplace.

PubMed

Beichl, Lisa; Craig, Kathy

2009-01-01

This article identifies three categories of case management (CM), in-country, international, and micro, that are poised to serve as the quality proxy for the international medical patient in the rapidly emerging globalized healthcare marketplace. The content concentrates on describing in-country CM and international CM (ICM). Because CM professionals are the providers of patient-centered quality and safety improvements, they are capable of filling the chasm between the travel industry and the regulators who specialize in accrediting hospital systems. In-country and ICM case managers are equipped to perform surveillance and intervention at the level of the international patient's bedside, activate network connections, and use culture-sensitive communication skills to safeguard patients in their individual sojourns abroad. The article discusses useful concepts and sources, including an algorithmic tool under development that is geared to identify and quantify risks for lay and business individuals who seek to engage the global medical market. The article's information is provided for front-line and front-office healthcare practitioners to understand or enter the worldwide medical marketplace. Content is targeted to CM generalists, specialists, and business developers interested in learning about safeguarding the patients who travel internationally to receive medical care. It can also be applied by those within and outside the healthcare practice arena, particularly those interested in the development of quality initiatives. All research and syntheses were executed by the authors. Sources included scholarly treatises, business correspondence, medical tourism literature, corporate Internet profiles, news releases, and healthcare industry investigative and monitoring agencies. International health insurance, economics, and financing expertise stems from one author (L.B.). Clinical competencies stem from the international practice experiences of one author (K.C.). This article identifies Web sites and sources that constitute high-quality resources for ongoing reference by ICM practitioners. Two strategic tools are introduced: one for assessing the readiness of the regional marketplace for CM and the Beichl-Craig Medical Travel Risk Evaluator for international medical consumer risk identification. The emerging global healthcare marketplace is certain to change the way case managers anticipate and respond to care delivery concerns in different regional systems. A systematic structure for analyzing specific country and CM "readiness" is introduced. For case managers who assist clients to receive care internationally, the application of these concepts will help them know where a range of potential obstacles lie and how to calibrate risks and set realistic expectations. For healthcare product developers and quality analysts, the information will help stimulate discourse regarding innovative strategies, tools, and metrics geared to identify, measure, and mitigate risks for patients in the global medical marketplace.

Development of Quality Indicators to Address Abuse and Neglect in Home-Based Primary Care and Palliative Care.

PubMed

Sheehan, Orla C; Ritchie, Christine S; Fathi, Roya; Garrigues, Sarah K; Saliba, Debra; Leff, Bruce

2016-12-01

To develop candidate quality indicators (QIs) for the quality standard of "addressing abuse and neglect" in the setting of home-based medical care. Systematic literature review of both the peer-reviewed and gray literature. Home-based primary and palliative care practices. Homebound community-dwelling older adults. Articles were identified to inform the development of candidate indicators of the quality by which home-based primary and palliative care practices addressed abuse and neglect. The literature guided the development of patient-level QIs and practice-level quality standards. A technical expert panel (TEP) representing exemplary home-based primary care and palliative care providers then participated in a modified Delphi process to assess the validity and feasibility of each measure and identify candidate QIs suitable for testing in the field. The literature review yielded 4,371 titles and abstracts that were reviewed; 25 publications met final inclusion criteria and informed development of nine candidate QIs. The TEP rated all but one of the nine candidate indicators as having high validity and feasibility. Translating the complex problem of addressing abuse and neglect into QIs may ultimately serve to improve care delivered to vulnerable home-limited adults who receive home-based medical care. © 2016, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2016, The American Geriatrics Society.

An Analysis of the Quality of English Testing for Aviation Purposes in Finland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huhta, Ari

2009-01-01

This article describes and analyses the development of a new test of aviation English by the Finnish Civil Aviation Authority (FCAA), as well as the overall situation in Finland as regards the testing of aviation English. The article describes the FCAA development project and evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of the new test and the whole…

Family Day Care: Guidelines Designed to Enhance Cognitive Learning within the Home Environment Based on Piagetian Theory.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parr, Carolyn M.

The purpose of this guidebook is to help persons interested in establishing a family day care program in their homes set up a quality learning environment that enhances children's cognitive development through play. Following a literature review showing the importance of play in Piaget's theory of child development, the author describes a…

Tracking Perceived and Observed Growth of Inquiry Practice: A Formative Plan to Improve Professional Development Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marshall, Jeff C.; Smart, Julie; Horton, Robert M.

2011-01-01

The authors worked with 22 middle school math and science teachers for one year with the goal of improving the quantity and quality of inquiry-based instruction implemented in the classroom. The professional development experience was framed by the 4E x 2 Instruction Model, which combines key components of inquiry instruction (Engage, Explore,…

The Development of a Situational Judgement Test of Personal Attributes for Quality Teaching in Rural and Remote Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Durksen, Tracy L.; Klassen, Robert M.

2018-01-01

Education authorities in Australia are calling for valid tools to help assess prospective teachers' non-academic attributes, with a particular need for identifying those attributes necessary for effective teaching in specific contexts. With the New South Wales (NSW) Department of Education, we aimed to develop a scenario-based tool to help assess…

Lilead Fellows Program: An Innovative Approach to Professional Development for School Library Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kodama, Christie; DiScala, Jeffrey; Weeks, Ann Carlson; Barlow, Diane L.; Jacobs, Leah; Hall, Rosemary

2016-01-01

In this article, the authors discuss the Lilead Fellows Program, funded by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). This innovative approach to professional development (PD) is for school district library supervisors. It is based upon widely accepted principles of quality PD, and is in its second year of operation with an…

Research and development of the device for diagnostics of arrhythmia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lezhnina, I. A.; Boyakhchyan, A. A.; Overchuk, K. V.; Uvarov, A. A.

2017-08-01

The article describes the results of the research for sensors optimal arrangement during one limb ECG detection. The found placement provides the registration of the enough quality signal sufficient for the diagnosis of arrhythmia, the QRS complex is clearly recognized. Authors also show the test results of the device developed for the diagnosis of arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death.

Rural Productivity Zones (RPZs) for microenterprises

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hansen, R.D.

1997-12-01

In this paper the authors discuss the concept of rural productivity zones (RPZs) which are defined as a business incubator to foster income-producing opportunities for the rural poor. The essential ingredients of such a program include: electric power; business development assistance; office services; and quality work space. The electric power source must be a good quality system, consisting of a diesel/wind/photovoltaic hybrid type system, providing reliable service, with a local maintenance program and a functional load management program.

Quality assessment of urban environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ovsiannikova, T. Y.; Nikolaenko, M. N.

2015-01-01

This paper is dedicated to the research applicability of quality management problems of construction products. It is offered to expand quality management borders in construction, transferring its principles to urban systems as economic systems of higher level, which qualitative characteristics are substantially defined by quality of construction product. Buildings and structures form spatial-material basis of cities and the most important component of life sphere - urban environment. Authors justify the need for the assessment of urban environment quality as an important factor of social welfare and life quality in urban areas. The authors suggest definition of a term "urban environment". The methodology of quality assessment of urban environment is based on integrated approach which includes the system analysis of all factors and application of both quantitative methods of assessment (calculation of particular and integrated indicators) and qualitative methods (expert estimates and surveys). The authors propose the system of indicators, characterizing quality of the urban environment. This indicators fall into four classes. The authors show the methodology of their definition. The paper presents results of quality assessment of urban environment for several Siberian regions and comparative analysis of these results.

[Quality indicators for National Disease Management Guidelines using the example of the National Disease Management Guideline for "Chronic Heart Failure"].

PubMed

Nothacker, Monika Judith; Langer, Thomas; Weinbrenner, Susanne

2011-01-01

Together with an expert committee a structured approach to determining quality indicators for National Disease Management Guidelines has been developed. The key steps of this approach include: introducing guideline authors to the methodology at an early stage of the process of guideline development, pre-selecting recommendations of the guideline which are potentially measurable by means of quality indicators, assessing the potentially measurable quality indicators in written form using five criteria (including their importance for the health care system and clarity of definitions) and approving them in a formal consensus process. For lack of a database these quality indicators must be regarded as preliminary. For the National Disease Management Guideline "Chronic Heart Failure" nine rate-based indicators have been chosen. The indicators correspond to important strong recommendations (grade of recommendation: A) from the fields of diagnosis (two), general therapeutic strategy (two), specific treatment (three), clinical monitoring (one) and co-ordination of care (one). In a second step, the quality indicators have to be validated within a pilot project. The determination and assessment of the potential quality indicators have revealed room for improvement of guideline development. In particular, there is a need for more health care data and for specification of recommendations.

Integrating the environment in local strategic planning : Guidelines (Case of Morocco)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benbrahim, Hafsa

2018-05-01

Since 2010, an advanced regionalization project has been initiated by Morocco, which plans to consolidate the processes of decentralization and deconcentration by extending the powers of the regions and other local authorities. This project, institutionalized in the 2011 Constitution, defines the territorial organization of the Kingdom and reinforces decentralization according to a model of advanced regionalization. Through advanced regionalization, Morocco aims at integrated and sustainable development in economic, social, cultural and environmental terms, through the development of the potential and resources of each region. However, in order to honor this commitment of advanced regionalization, local authorities must be assisted in adopting a local strategic planning approach, allowing them to develop territorial plans for sustainable development in accordance with the national legal framework, specifically the Framework law 99-12, and international commitments in terms of environmental protection. This research deals with the issue of environmental governance in relation to the role and duties of local authorities. Thus, the main goal of our study is to present the guidelines to be followed by the local authorities to improve the quality of the environment integration process in the local strategic planning with the aim of putting it in a perspective of sustainable development.

Reflections on CME Congress 2012

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knox, Alan B.

2013-01-01

This commentary reflects the author's impressions of Continuing Medical Education (CME) Congress 2012, a provocative international conference on professional development and quality improvement in the health professions that took place in Toronto, Ontario, last spring. The sessions he attended and conversations he had with other attendees were…

Ecosystem Services Approaches to Restoring a Sustainable Chesapeake Bay and its Tributary Watersheds

EPA Science Inventory

Within this set of reports and papers, the authors developed an optimization framework to examine how incorporating selected co-benefits (carbon sequestration, recreation/hunting, air quality) of nutrient reductions alters their optimal distribution in the watershed. They used th...

Too Much or Too Little

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Obeng, Letitia E.

1975-01-01

All countries require an ample supply of water for agricultural and industrial uses. Most have sufficient water supplies, but availability and accessibility vary. With the development of water irrigation systems, health conditions often deteriorate. The author recommends a water management program to control quality and quantity of available…

Change and Innovative Response

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steele, John E.

1971-01-01

The most important quality that placement and the employment community can develop in the coming decade is the ability to respond with innovation, using intelligent and flexible methods to assimilate new technology, fulfill emerging social attitudes, and utilize college graduates in a larger spectrum of satisfying work. (Author)

Requiring Writing, Ensuring Distance-Learning Outcomes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mulligan, Roark; Geary, Susan

1999-01-01

Discussion of the quality of distance learning programs focuses on a study of Christopher Newport University (CPU ONLINE) that showed learning outcomes in online courses were as good as outcomes in traditional courses. Describes online writing requirements that helped students develop critical thinking skills. (Author/LRW)

Texture, ride quality, and the uniformity of hot-mix asphalt pavements.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2005-01-01

Two years ago, the author completed a study with researchers at Virginia Tech that was designed to develop a tool to measure and control segregation of hot-mix asphalt pavements. This earlier work focused on the application of high-speed texture meas...

Collection Evaluation in Research Libraries: The Search for Quality, Consistency, and System in Collection Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mosher, Paul H.

1979-01-01

Reviews the history, literature, and methodology of collection evaluation or assessment in American research libraries; discusses current problems, tools, and methodology of evaluation; and describes an ongoing collection evaluation program at the Stanford University Libraries. (Author/MBR)

A dynamic model for costing disaster mitigation policies.

PubMed

Altay, Nezih; Prasad, Sameer; Tata, Jasmine

2013-07-01

The optimal level of investment in mitigation strategies is usually difficult to ascertain in the context of disaster planning. This research develops a model to provide such direction by relying on cost of quality literature. This paper begins by introducing a static approach inspired by Joseph M. Juran's cost of quality management model (Juran, 1951) to demonstrate the non-linear trade-offs in disaster management expenditure. Next it presents a dynamic model that includes the impact of dynamic interactions of the changing level of risk, the cost of living, and the learning/investments that may alter over time. It illustrates that there is an optimal point that minimises the total cost of disaster management, and that this optimal point moves as governments learn from experience or as states get richer. It is hoped that the propositions contained herein will help policymakers to plan, evaluate, and justify voluntary disaster mitigation expenditures. © 2013 The Author(s). Journal compilation © Overseas Development Institute, 2013.

Enhancing behavioral science education at the Ohio State University College of Medicine.

PubMed

Post, Douglas M; Stone, Linda C; Knutson, Douglas J; Gutierrez, Tamara L; Sari, Firuzan; Hudson, William A

2008-01-01

The social and behavioral sciences play key roles in patient health outcomes. Given this reality, successful development of social and behavioral science curricula in medical education is critically important to the quality of patients' lives and the effectiveness of health care delivery systems. The Institute of Medicine, in a recent report, recommended that medical schools enhance their curricula in these areas and identified four institutions as "exemplars" of social and behavioral science education. The authors describe an ongoing curriculum development and improvement process that produced one such exemplary program at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. The authors provide a historical perspective on behavioral science education, discuss issues that led to curricular change, and describe the principles and processes used to implement reform. Critical factors underlying positive change are addressed: increase active learning, recruit a core group of small-group facilitators who are primary care physicians, diversify teaching methods, support student-directed educational initiatives, enhance student-teacher relationships, centralize course administration, obtain funding, implement a faculty development program, and apply curriculum quality improvement methods. Outcome data from evaluations completed by both students and small-group physician faculty are presented, and future directions regarding further revision are outlined. The authors believe that the strategies they describe can be applied at other institutions and assist behavioral science educators who may experience the challenges typically encountered in this important field of medical education.

Health authority commissioning for quality in contraception services

PubMed Central

Newman, M.; Bardsley, M.; Morgan, D.; Jacobson, B.

1998-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To compare the commissioning of contraception services by London health authorities with accepted models of good practice. DESIGN: Combined interview and postal surveys of all health authorities and National Health Service (NHS) trusts responsible for running family planning clinics in the Greater London area. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Health authority commissioning was assessed on the presence of four key elements of good practice--strategies, coordination, service specifications, and quality standards in contracts--by monitoring activity and quality. RESULTS: Less than half the health authorities surveyed had written strategies or service specifications for contraception services. Arrangements for coordination of services were limited and monitoring was underdeveloped. CONCLUSION: The process of commissioning services for contraception seems to be relatively underdeveloped despite the importance of health problems associated with unplanned pregnancy in London. These findings raise questions about the capacity of health authorities to improve the quality of these services through the commissioning process. PMID:10185140

How healthcare systems evaluate their advance care planning initiatives: Results from a systematic review.

PubMed

Biondo, Patricia D; Lee, Lydia D; Davison, Sara N; Simon, Jessica E

2016-09-01

Advance care planning initiatives are being implemented across healthcare systems around the world, but how best to evaluate their implementation is unknown. To identify gaps and/or redundancies in current evaluative strategies to help healthcare systems develop future evaluative frameworks for ACP. Systematic review. Peer-reviewed and gray literature searches were conducted till February 2015 to answer: "What methods have healthcare systems used to evaluate implementation of advance care planning initiatives?" A PICOS framework was developed to identify articles describing the implementation and evaluation of a health system-level advance care planning initiative. Outcome measures were mapped onto a conceptual quality indicator framework based on the Institute of Medicine and Donabedian models of healthcare quality. A total of 46 studies met inclusion criteria for analysis. Most articles reported on single parts of a healthcare system (e.g. continuing care). The most common outcome measures pertained to document completion, followed by healthcare resource use. Patient-, family-, or healthcare provider-reported outcomes were less commonly measured. Concordance measures (e.g. dying in place of choice) were reported by only 26% of studies. The conceptual quality indicator framework identified gaps and redundancies in measurement and is presented as a potential foundation from which to develop a comprehensive advance care planning evaluation framework. Document completion is frequently used to evaluate advance care planning program implementation; capturing the quality of care appears to be more difficult. This systematic review provides health system administrators with a comprehensive summary of measures used to evaluate advance care planning and may identify gaps in evaluation within their local context. © The Author(s) 2016.

Total Quality Management Implementation Plan.

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-06-01

Quality Management Implementation Plan 6. AUTHOR(S) 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION Defense General...E 14. SUBJECT TERMS 15. NUMBER OF PAGES TOM (Total Quality Management ), Continuous Process Improvement,_________ Depot Operations, Supply Support 16

Development of quality control procedures for mass produced and released Bactrocera Philippinensis (Diptera: Tephritidae) for sterile insect technique programs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Resilva, S.; Obra, G.; Zamora, N.

Quality control procedures for Bactrocera philippinensis Drew and Hancock 1994 (Diptera: Tephritidae) used in sterile insect technique (SIT) programs were established in the mass rearing facility at the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute. Basic studies on pupal irradiation, holding/packaging systems, shipping procedures, longevity, sterility studies, and pupal eye color determination in relation to physiological development at different temperature regimes were investigated. These studies will provide baseline data for the development of quality control protocols for an expansion of B. philippinensis field programs with an SIT component in the future. (author) [Spanish] Los procedimientos de control de calidad para Bactrocera philippinensis Drewmore » y Hancock 1994 (Diptera: Tephritidae) usados en programas de la tecnica de insecto esteril (TIE) fueron establecidos en la facilidad de cria en masa del Instituto Filipino de Investigacion Nuclear. Estudios basicos sobre la irradiacion de las pupas, sistemas de almacenaje/empaque, procedimientos del envio, longevidad, estudios de esterilidad y la determinacion del color de ojo de la pupa en relacion con el desarrollo fisiologico en regimenes diferentes de temperatura fueron investigados. Estos estudios proveeran una linea de informacion basica para el desarrollo de protocolos de control de calidad para una expansion de los programas de campo para B. philippinensis con un componente de TIS en el futuro. (author)« less

The science behind One Health: at the interface of humans, animals, and the environment.

PubMed

Murtaugh, Michael P; Steer, Clifford J; Sreevatsan, Srinand; Patterson, Ned; Kennedy, Shaun; Sriramarao, P

2017-05-01

Humans face a grand quality-of-life challenge as growing demands for resources for an ever-expanding population threaten the existence of wildlife populations, degrade land, and pollute air and water. Public investment and policy decisions that will shape future interactions of humans, animals, and the environment need scientific input to help find common ground for durable and sustainable success. The Second International Conference on One Medicine One Science brought together a broad range of scientists, trainees, regulatory authorities, and health experts from 34 countries to inform and discuss the human impacts of air quality; the complexities of water quality, access, and conflicts; the opportunities and uncertainties in precision medicine; and the role of science communication in health policy formulation. Workshops focused on the roles and development of physician-scientists and multidisciplinary teams in complex problem solving, Big Data tools for analysis and visualization, international policy development processes, and health models that benefit animals and humans. Key realizations were that local and regional health challenges at the interface of humans, animals, and the environment are variations of the same overarching conflicts and that international gatherings provide new opportunities for investigation and policy development that are broadly applicable. © 2017 The Authors. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of New York Academy of Sciences.

How do you perceive this author? Understanding and modeling authors’ communication quality in social media

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

In this study, we leverage human evaluations, content analysis, and computational modeling to generate a comprehensive analysis of readers’ evaluations of authors’ communication quality in social media with respect to four factors: author credibility, interpersonal attraction, communication competence, and intent to interact. We review previous research on the human evaluation process and highlight its limitations in providing sufficient information for readers to assess authors’ communication quality. From our analysis of the evaluations of 1,000 Twitter authors’ communication quality from 300 human evaluators, we provide empirical evidence of the impact of the characteristics of the reader (demographic, social media experience, and personality), author (profile and social media engagement), and content (linguistic, syntactic, similarity, and sentiment) on the evaluation of an author’s communication quality. In addition, based on the author and message characteristics, we demonstrate the potential for building accurate models that can indicate an author’s communication quality. PMID:29389979

Multi-GPU implementation of a VMAT treatment plan optimization algorithm.

PubMed

Tian, Zhen; Peng, Fei; Folkerts, Michael; Tan, Jun; Jia, Xun; Jiang, Steve B

2015-06-01

Volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) optimization is a computationally challenging problem due to its large data size, high degrees of freedom, and many hardware constraints. High-performance graphics processing units (GPUs) have been used to speed up the computations. However, GPU's relatively small memory size cannot handle cases with a large dose-deposition coefficient (DDC) matrix in cases of, e.g., those with a large target size, multiple targets, multiple arcs, and/or small beamlet size. The main purpose of this paper is to report an implementation of a column-generation-based VMAT algorithm, previously developed in the authors' group, on a multi-GPU platform to solve the memory limitation problem. While the column-generation-based VMAT algorithm has been previously developed, the GPU implementation details have not been reported. Hence, another purpose is to present detailed techniques employed for GPU implementation. The authors also would like to utilize this particular problem as an example problem to study the feasibility of using a multi-GPU platform to solve large-scale problems in medical physics. The column-generation approach generates VMAT apertures sequentially by solving a pricing problem (PP) and a master problem (MP) iteratively. In the authors' method, the sparse DDC matrix is first stored on a CPU in coordinate list format (COO). On the GPU side, this matrix is split into four submatrices according to beam angles, which are stored on four GPUs in compressed sparse row format. Computation of beamlet price, the first step in PP, is accomplished using multi-GPUs. A fast inter-GPU data transfer scheme is accomplished using peer-to-peer access. The remaining steps of PP and MP problems are implemented on CPU or a single GPU due to their modest problem scale and computational loads. Barzilai and Borwein algorithm with a subspace step scheme is adopted here to solve the MP problem. A head and neck (H&N) cancer case is then used to validate the authors' method. The authors also compare their multi-GPU implementation with three different single GPU implementation strategies, i.e., truncating DDC matrix (S1), repeatedly transferring DDC matrix between CPU and GPU (S2), and porting computations involving DDC matrix to CPU (S3), in terms of both plan quality and computational efficiency. Two more H&N patient cases and three prostate cases are used to demonstrate the advantages of the authors' method. The authors' multi-GPU implementation can finish the optimization process within ∼ 1 min for the H&N patient case. S1 leads to an inferior plan quality although its total time was 10 s shorter than the multi-GPU implementation due to the reduced matrix size. S2 and S3 yield the same plan quality as the multi-GPU implementation but take ∼4 and ∼6 min, respectively. High computational efficiency was consistently achieved for the other five patient cases tested, with VMAT plans of clinically acceptable quality obtained within 23-46 s. Conversely, to obtain clinically comparable or acceptable plans for all six of these VMAT cases that the authors have tested in this paper, the optimization time needed in a commercial TPS system on CPU was found to be in an order of several minutes. The results demonstrate that the multi-GPU implementation of the authors' column-generation-based VMAT optimization can handle the large-scale VMAT optimization problem efficiently without sacrificing plan quality. The authors' study may serve as an example to shed some light on other large-scale medical physics problems that require multi-GPU techniques.

Environmental impact assessment in Sri Lanka: A progress report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Butler, J.W.

1995-12-01

The paper reports on progress by the Government of Sri Lanka in the implementation of a formal environmental impact assessment (EIA) requirement. The authors have recently conducted several activities in Sri Lanka intended to improve the analytical quality of EIA documents and the utility of the EIA process in government decisionmaking, with particular attention to the use of programmatic or sectoral EIAs. The U.S. Agency for International Development established a 5-year project, the Natural Resources and Environmental Policy Project (NAREPP), to provide training and technical assistance in EIA and related disiplines for the Central Environmental Authority (CEA), several other Srimore » Lanka government agencies, and the private sector. This activity has involved efforts to expand the technical expertise within Sri Lanka for conducting EIA, which include developing EIA courses and materials in cooperation with several universities and conducting intensive training programs for both government and private-sector environmental professionals. This EIA will focus on the selection of government-approved industrial estates throughout the country, on which most new industrial development projects are to be located. Further training programs in the use of current analytical methodologies for EIA were also developed and conducted. The effectiveness of these activities can be assessed by evaluating changes in the content and quality of subsequent EIA documents and in the extent to which such documents affect environmental decisionmaking in Sri Lanka. The authors discuss the role of the programmatic EIA in the industrial development program of Sri Lanka, remaining constraints on the EIA process, and recommendations for further improvement.« less

Risk alignment in health care quality and financing: optimizing value.

PubMed

Granata, A V

1998-01-01

How should health care best consolidate rational cost control while preserving and enhancing quality? That is, how can a system best optimize value? A limitation of many current health management modalities may be that the power to control health spending has been expropriated from physician providers, while they are still fully responsible for quality. Assigning responsibility without authority is a significant predicament. There are growing indications that well-organized, well-managed groups of high quality physicians may be able to directly manage both types of risk-quality and financial. The best way to optimize responsibility and authority, and to control financial and quality risks, is to place such responsibility and authority within the same entity.

[New idea of traditional Chinese medicine quality control based on "composition structure" theory].

PubMed

Liu, Dan; Jia, Xiaobin; Yu, Danhong

2012-03-01

On the road of the modern Chinese medicine developing internationally, there is a key issues that setting up a reasonable, accurate and be quantified quality evaluation system which is comply with the basic theory of Chinese medicine. Based on the overall understanding of the role of traditional Chinese medicine components, author suggested that the idea of "structural components" theory should be embedded into the system and thought the Chinese medicine play a multi-target, multi-channel pharmacodynamic effects founded on the specific microcosmic structural relationship between the components and the components within the group. At present, the way of Chinese pharmacopoeia checking the quality of Chinese medicine is mainly depends on controlling the single or multiple targets of ingredients. In fact, this way is out of the overall effectiveness of the Chinese medicine, so we can not thoroughly controlling the quality of Chinese medicine from the essence of the Chinese medicine. Secondly, it's only macro-structural quantity that the Chinese pharmacopoeia just controlling the less effective ingredients, this is not enough to reflect the internal microstructure of the integrity and systematic. In other words, this cannot reflect the structural components of the Chinese medicine (the essence of traditional Chinese medicine). In view of above mentioned reasons, the author propose the new idea on the quality control in the medicine that quantify the ratio structural relationship in component and the ingredients of the components, set the optimal controlling proportion between the components and ingredients. At the same time, author thought we should conduct the depth study in the micro-quantified the multi-component and multi-ingredient, in the process of studying the material basis of Chinese medicine. Therefore, it could establish a more rational basis for the Chinese medicine quality controlling system.

Current status of postnatal depression smartphone applications available on application stores: an information quality analysis.

PubMed

Zhang, Melvyn Wb; Ho, Roger Cm; Loh, Alvona; Wing, Tracey; Wynne, Olivia; Chan, Sally Wai Chi; Car, Josip; Fung, Daniel Shuen Sheng

2017-11-14

It is the aim of the current research to identify some common functionalities of postnatal application, and to determine the quality of the information content of postnatal depression application using validated scales that have been applied for applications in other specialties. To determine the information quality of the postnatal depression smartphone applications, the two most widely used smartphone application stores, namely Apple iTunes as well as Google Android Play store, were searched between 20May and 31 May. No participants were involved. The inclusion criteria for the application were that it must have been searchable using the keywords 'postnatal', 'pregnancy', 'perinatal', 'postpartum' and 'depression', and must be in English language. The Silberg Scale was used in the assessment of the information quality of the smartphone applications. The information quality score was the primary outcome measure. Our current results highlighted that while there is currently a myriad of applications, only 14 applications are specifically focused on postnatal depression. In addition, the majority of the currently available applications on the store have only disclosed their last date of modification as well as ownership. There remain very limited disclosures about the information of the authors, as well as the references for the information included in the application itself. The average score for the Silberg Scale for the postnatal applications we have analysed is 3.0. There remains a need for healthcare professionals and developers to jointly conceptualise new applications with better information quality and evidence base. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

48 CFR 846.471 - Determination authority.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... MANAGEMENT QUALITY ASSURANCE Government Contract Quality Assurance 846.471 Determination authority. The... Construction and Facilities Management, for those items and services for which purchase authority has been assigned to the Office of Construction and Facilities Management. (b) The Director, Veterans Canteen...

Associations between health-related quality of life and financial barriers to care among women veterans and women non-veterans.

PubMed

Shen, Chan; Sambamoorthi, Usha

2012-01-01

The authors of this study examined the association between health-related quality of life and financial barriers to care, defined as not getting the needed care due to cost considerations. To better understand health-related quality of life among women veterans, the authors compared women veterans to women non-veterans. The authors conducted cross-sectional analyses using data from the 2009 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey. The authors assessed four health-related quality of life measures: (1) general health; (2) physical health; (3) mental health; and (4) functional status. The authors performed multinomial logistic regressions to examine the relationship between financial barriers to receiving healthcare and health-related quality of life measures after controlling for other independent variables. The authors included women veterans not in active military duty (N = 3,747) and a matched sample of women non-veterans (N = 3,747), selected using a propensity score method so that they would have distributions of demographic and socioeconomic characteristics similar to those of the veterans. Overall, 14% of women reported financial barriers. Women who reported financial barriers to receiving healthcare were more likely to have poor health-related quality of life in all four dimensions than those who did not report such barriers. Compared to women non-veterans, women veterans did not differ in reported financial barriers but were more likely to report poor health-related quality of life. Reporting financial barriers to receiving needed healthcare was significantly associated with poor health-related quality of life among women. Veteran status was also significantly associated with poor health-related quality of life. These findings suggest the need for healthcare policy makers and practitioners to align emerging new models of healthcare delivery to improve health-related quality of life for women veterans.

Together We Learn: Analyzing the Interprofessional Internal Medicine Residents' and Master of Public Health Students' Quality Improvement Education Experience.

PubMed

Gupte, Gouri; Noronha, Craig; Horný, Michal; Sloan, Karin; Suen, Winnie

2016-11-01

Although the value of interprofessional collaborative education has been promoted, it is unclear how teams of clinical and nonclinical learners perceive this experience. The authors studied an interprofessional quality improvement (QI) curriculum implemented in 2013 integrating internal medicine residents (n = 90) and Master of Public Health (MPH) students (n = 33) at an urban safety net academic medical center. Pre and post curriculum surveys assessed attitudes toward QI and interprofessional education and team performance. Resident attitudes toward learning and engaging in QI work improved at the end of the curriculum. Overall, MPH students demonstrated significantly more positive attitudes about interprofessional learning and work than residents. They also agreed more strongly than residents that patients would benefit if residents and public health students worked together. As health care organizations evolve to become more integrated, it is crucial that interprofessional educational opportunities be developed and evaluated to help encourage a culture of collaboration among health care providers. © The Author(s) 2015.

Managed behavioral healthcare in the private sector.

PubMed

Jeffrey, M; Riley, J

2000-09-01

Employers, in their search for cost containment and quality improvement, have driven the development of the behavioral health managed care vendor. More specifically, the behavioral health carve-out is an innovation that was developed to respond to employer and, more recently, health plan needs. Now that the product has matured, it is increasingly being asked to justify its existence. Costs have certainly been maintained, but improvements in quality have not always been evident. The issues the authors address include, as cost pressures continue, can the industry deliver on its promise to improve care? Will it need to evolve to yet another level, with new or different features?

Recommended advanced techniques for waterborne pathogen detection in developing countries.

PubMed

Alhamlan, Fatimah S; Al-Qahtani, Ahmed A; Al-Ahdal, Mohammed N

2015-02-19

The effect of human activities on water resources has expanded dramatically during the past few decades, leading to the spread of waterborne microbial pathogens. The total global health impact of human infectious diseases associated with pathogenic microorganisms from land-based wastewater pollution was estimated to be approximately three million disability-adjusted life years (DALY), with an estimated economic loss of nearly 12 billion US dollars per year. Although clean water is essential for healthy living, it is not equally granted to all humans. Indeed, people who live in developing countries are challenged every day by an inadequate supply of clean water. Polluted water can lead to health crises that in turn spread waterborne pathogens. Taking measures to assess the water quality can prevent these potential risks. Thus, a pressing need has emerged in developing countries for comprehensive and accurate assessments of water quality. This review presents current and emerging advanced techniques for assessing water quality that can be adopted by authorities in developing countries.

National quality indicators and policies from 15 countries leading in adult end-of-life care: a systematic environmental scan.

PubMed

Virdun, Claudia; Luckett, Tim; Lorenz, Karl A; Phillips, Jane

2018-06-01

The importance of measuring the quality of end-of-life care provision is undisputed, but determining how best to achieve this is yet to be confirmed. This study sought to identify and describe national end-of-life care quality indicators and supporting policies used by countries leading in their end-of-life care provision. A systematic environmental scan that included a web search to identify relevant national policies and indicators; hand searching for additional materials; information from experts listed for the top 10 (n=15) countries ranked in the 'quality of care' category of the 2015 Quality of Death Index study; and snowballing from Index experts. Ten countries (66%) have national policy support for end-of-life care measurement, five have national indicator sets, with two indicator sets suitable for all service providers. No countries mandate indicator use, and there is limited evidence of consumer engagement in development of indicators. Two thirds of the 128 identified indicators are outcomes measures (62%), and 38% are process measures. Most indicators pertain to symptom management (38%), social care (32%) or care delivery (27%). Measurement of end-of-life care quality varies globally and rarely covers all care domains or service providers. There is a need to reduce duplication of indicator development, involve consumers, consider all care providers and ensure measurable and relevant indicators to improve end-of-life care experiences for patients and families. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

The Effects of Organization Design and Patient Perceptions of Care on Switching Behavior and Reliance on a Health Care System Across Time.

PubMed

Labonte, Alan J; Benzer, Justin K; Burgess, James F; Cramer, Irene E; Meterko, Mark; Pogoda, Terri K; Charns, Martin P

2016-04-01

Sustaining ongoing relationships with patients is a strategic, clinically relevant goal of health care systems. This study develops and tests a conceptual model that aims to account for the influence of organization design, perceptions of quality of patient care, and other patient-level factors on the extent to which patients sustain reliance on a health care system. We use a longitudinal survey design and structural equation modeling to predict increases or decreases in patient reliance on the Department of Veterans Affairs health care system across a 4-year period for Veterans with Parkinson's Disease. Our findings show that specialized and integrated clinical practices have a positive association with the quality of patient care. Health care systems may be able to foster long-term relations with patients and improve service quality by allocating resources to form integrated, specialized, disease-specific centers of care designed for patients with chronic illnesses. © The Author(s) 2016.

Building a strategy for soil protection at local and regional scale--the case of agricultural wastes landspreading.

PubMed

Doula, M K; Sarris, A; Hliaoutakis, A; Kydonakis, A; Papadopoulos, N S; Argyriou, L

2016-03-01

Agricultural wastes (AW) are produced in huge quantities worldwide and may cause detrimental effects on environmental quality, affecting soil, water, and air quality. Given the growing soil degradation worldwide, the need for more food of good quality and therefore the intensified agriculture, it is important to develop recycling plans even for those types of treated AW (e.g., composts) that are not considered hazardous. Two strategic approaches for safe and sustainable landspreading of organic wastes are proposed, depending on wastes properties and hazard potential, i.e., an approach appropriate for traditionally used wastes (manures and composts) and another approach for wastes that are potentially hazardous or hazardous and should only be reused under specific restrictions. Both approaches foresee concrete steps, require close cooperation between farmers and local/regional authorities, and are appropriate to ensure environmental sustainability at AW recycling or disposal areas. Desktop and web application tools are also presented that are anticipated to assist authorities in implementing their monitoring strategies.

The Evaluative Advantage of Novel Alternatives: An Information-Sampling Account.

PubMed

Le Mens, Gaël; Kareev, Yaakov; Avrahami, Judith

2016-02-01

New products, services, and ideas are often evaluated more favorably than similar but older ones. Although several explanations of this phenomenon have been proposed, we identify an overlooked asymmetry in information about new and old items that emerges when people seek positive experiences and learn about the qualities of (noisy) alternatives by experiencing them. The reason for the asymmetry is that people avoid rechoosing alternatives that previously led to poor outcomes; hence, additional feedback on their qualities is precluded. Negative quality estimates, even when caused by noise, thus tend to persist. This negative bias takes time to develop, and affects old alternatives more strongly than similar but newer alternatives. We analyze a simple learning model and demonstrate the process by which people would tend to evaluate a new alternative more positively than an older alternative with the same payoff distribution. The results from two experimental studies (Ns = 769 and 805) support the predictions of our model. © The Author(s) 2015.

Quality Improvement in Skilled Nursing Facilities for Residents With Alzheimer's Disease.

PubMed

Farlow, Martin R; Borson, Soo; Connor, Stephen R; Grossberg, George T; Mittelman, Mary S

2016-03-01

This report describes a quality improvement continuing medical education activity designed to enhance the recognition and treatment of residents with Alzheimer's disease (AD) or other dementias in skilled-nursing facilities (SNFs). Charts were compared in 6 areas prior to and following (stages A and C) a live, faculty-led workshop (stage B). Four SNFs completed stages A (n = 67 residents) and B, and 3 SNFs completed stage C (n = 52 residents). All charts came from residents with AD or a diagnosis of dementia or dementia-like symptoms. The SNFs had >95% baseline performance in both the frequency of cognitive assessments and documented medication reviews. The percentage of residents who received a quality-of-life assessment and those who had a mental health care plan in place represent areas for improvement. As part of this activity, a toolkit was developed to help guide facilities and clinicians in instituting care improvements for residents with AD/dementia. © The Author(s) 2015.

Confronting, Representing, and Believing Counterintuitive Concepts: Navigating the Natural and the Supernatural.

PubMed

Lane, Jonathan D; Harris, Paul L

2014-03-01

Recent research shows that even preschoolers are skeptical; they frequently reject claims from other people when the claims conflict with their own perceptions and concepts. Yet, despite their skepticism, both children and adults come to believe in a variety of phenomena that defy their first-hand perceptions and intuitive conceptions of the world. In this review, we explore how children and adults acquire such concepts. We describe how a similar developmental process underlies mental representation of both the natural and the supernatural world, and we detail this process for two prominent supernatural counterintuitive ideas-God and the afterlife. In doing so, we highlight the fact that conceptual development does not always move in the direction of greater empirical truth, as described within naturalistic domains. We consider factors that likely help overcome skepticism and, in doing so, promote belief in counterintuitive phenomena. These factors include qualities of the learners, aspects of the context, qualities of the informants, and qualities of the information. © The Author(s) 2014.

CHALLENGES IN SETTING UP QUALITY CONTROL IN DIAGNOSTIC RADIOLOGY FACILITIES IN NIGERIA.

PubMed

Inyang, S O; Egbe, N O; Ekpo, E

2015-01-01

The Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA) was established to regulate and control the use of radioactive and radiation emitting sources in Nigeria. Quality control (QC) on diagnostic radiology equipment form part of the fundamental requirements for the authorization of diagnostic radiology facilities in the Country. Some quality control tests (output, exposure linearity and reproducibility) were measured on the x-ray machines in the facilities that took part in the study. Questionnaire was developed to evaluate the frequencies at which QC tests were conducted in the facilities and the challenges in setting up QC. Results show great variation in the values of the QC parameters measured. Inadequate cooperation by facilities management, lack of QC equipment and insufficient staff form the major challenges in setting up QC in the facilities under study. The responses on the frequencies at which QC tests should be conducted did not correspond to the recommended standards; indicating that personnel were not familiar with QC implementation and may require further training on QC.

Brief alcohol intervention trials conducted by higher prestige authors and published in higher impact factor journals are cited more frequently.

PubMed

Tanner-Smith, Emily E; Polanin, Joshua R

2016-07-01

To examine the relationships between study quality, author prestige, journal impact factors, and citation rates of trials and to examine whether journal impact factors mediated the relationships between study quality and author prestige on citation rates. We used bibliometric data from 128 controlled trials included in a recent meta-analysis on brief alcohol interventions for adolescents and young adults. We obtained the number of citations from ISI Web of Knowledge and Google Scholar; journal impact factors were obtained from ISI Web of Knowledge. Linear regression models were used to examine the direct and indirect effects of interest. The results indicated that studies were published in journals with higher impact factors when first authors had higher h-indices and studies were funded, but this was largely because those studies were of higher quality. Studies were cited more frequently when first authors had higher h-indices and studies were funded, even after adjusting for study quality proxies. The observed associations between study quality and author prestige on citation rates were also partly mediated through journal impact factors. We conclude that studies conducted by more established authors and reported in more prestigious journal outlets are more likely to be cited by other scholars, even after controlling for various proxies of study quality. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Brief Alcohol Intervention Trials Conducted by Higher Prestige Authors and Published in Higher Impact Factor Journals are Cited More Frequently

PubMed Central

Tanner-Smith, Emily E.; Polanin, Joshua R.

2016-01-01

Objective To examine the relationships between study quality, author prestige, journal impact factors, and citation rates of trials; and to examine whether journal impact factors mediated the relationships between study quality and author prestige on citation rates. Study Design and Setting We used bibliometric data from 128 controlled trials included in a recent meta-analysis on brief alcohol interventions (BAIs) for adolescents and young adults. We obtained the number of citations from ISI Web of Knowledge and Google Scholar; journal impact factors were obtained from ISI Web of Knowledge. Linear regression models were used to examine the direct and indirect effects of interest. Results The results indicated that studies were published in journals with higher impact factors when first authors had higher h-indices and studies were funded, but this was largely because those studies were of higher quality. Studies were cited more frequently when first authors had higher h-indices and studies were funded, even after adjusting for study quality proxies. The observed associations between study quality and author prestige on citation rates were also partly mediated through journal impact factors. Conclusion We conclude that studies conducted by more established authors and reported in more prestigious journal outlets are more likely to be cited by other scholars, even after controlling for various proxies of study quality. PMID:26854420

Open source molecular modeling.

PubMed

Pirhadi, Somayeh; Sunseri, Jocelyn; Koes, David Ryan

2016-09-01

The success of molecular modeling and computational chemistry efforts are, by definition, dependent on quality software applications. Open source software development provides many advantages to users of modeling applications, not the least of which is that the software is free and completely extendable. In this review we categorize, enumerate, and describe available open source software packages for molecular modeling and computational chemistry. An updated online version of this catalog can be found at https://opensourcemolecularmodeling.github.io. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Time management: a realistic approach.

PubMed

Jackson, Valerie P

2009-06-01

Realistic time management and organization plans can improve productivity and the quality of life. However, these skills can be difficult to develop and maintain. The key elements of time management are goals, organization, delegation, and relaxation. The author addresses each of these components and provides suggestions for successful time management.

Learning in the Digital Era.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Basto, Jorge

1999-01-01

Describes a training system designed and developed by the Portuguese Welding and Quality Institute of Macau for all aspects of open learning. Highlights include the technical training of teachers, using the Internet; the Asian version; and new challenges resulting from new training technologies such as shared multimedia networks. (Author/LRW)

40 CFR 1502.19 - Circulation of the environmental impact statement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Circulation of the environmental impact statement. 1502.19 Section 1502.19 Protection of Environment COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY... environmental impact involved and any appropriate Federal, State or local agency authorized to develop and...

40 CFR 1502.19 - Circulation of the environmental impact statement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 33 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Circulation of the environmental impact statement. 1502.19 Section 1502.19 Protection of Environment COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY... environmental impact involved and any appropriate Federal, State or local agency authorized to develop and...

School Self-Evaluation and Student Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hofman, Roelande H.; Dijkstra, Nynke J.; Hofman, W. H. Adriaan

2009-01-01

In the last 2 decades, educational systems have developed accountability policies in which schools maintain autonomy for their pedagogical, instructional, and organizational practices (internal control). At the same time, they are held accountable to public authorities (external control) for the quality of their education. It is not clear whether…

77 FR 27070 - Statement of Organization, Functions, and Delegations of Authority

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-08

...) provides the scientific leadership and management to ensure the quality of science within OSTLTS. Office of... activities related to STLT health agencies; (4) provides leadership in the development and implementation of evidence-based approaches for agency and system management, evolution, and transformation; (5) identifies...

24 CFR 50.4 - Related Federal laws and authorities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... of Wetlands), (3 CFR, 1977 Comp., p. 121). (c) Coastal areas protection and management. (1) The... and Urban Development PROTECTION AND ENHANCEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY General: Federal Laws and... U.S.C. 470 et seq.), as amended. (2) Executive Order 11593, Protection and Enhancement of the...

24 CFR 50.4 - Related Federal laws and authorities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... of Wetlands), (3 CFR, 1977 Comp., p. 121). (c) Coastal areas protection and management. (1) The... and Urban Development PROTECTION AND ENHANCEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY General: Federal Laws and... U.S.C. 470 et seq.), as amended. (2) Executive Order 11593, Protection and Enhancement of the...

24 CFR 50.4 - Related Federal laws and authorities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... of Wetlands), (3 CFR, 1977 Comp., p. 121). (c) Coastal areas protection and management. (1) The... and Urban Development PROTECTION AND ENHANCEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY General: Federal Laws and... U.S.C. 470 et seq.), as amended. (2) Executive Order 11593, Protection and Enhancement of the...

24 CFR 50.4 - Related Federal laws and authorities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... CFR, 1977 Comp., p. 121)—24 CFR part 55, Floodplain Management and Protection of Wetlands. (c) Coastal areas protection and management. (1) The Coastal Barrier Resources Act, as amended by the Coastal... and Urban Development PROTECTION AND ENHANCEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY General: Federal Laws and...

24 CFR 50.4 - Related Federal laws and authorities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... of Wetlands), (3 CFR, 1977 Comp., p. 121). (c) Coastal areas protection and management. (1) The... and Urban Development PROTECTION AND ENHANCEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY General: Federal Laws and... U.S.C. 470 et seq.), as amended. (2) Executive Order 11593, Protection and Enhancement of the...

The imprecise science of evaluating scholarly performance: utilizing broad quality categories for an assessment of business and management journals.

PubMed

Lange, Thomas

2006-08-01

In a growing number of countries, government-appointed assessment panels develop ranks on the basis of the quality of scholarly outputs to apportion budgets in recognition of evaluated performance and to justify public funds for future R&D activities. When business and management journals are being grouped in broad quality categories, a recent study has noted that this procedure was placing the same journals in essentially the same categories. Drawing on journal quality categorizations by several German- and English-speaking business departments and academic associations, the author performs nonparametric tests and correlations to analyze whether this claim can be substantiated. In particular, he examines the ability of broad quality categorizations to add value to governmental, administrative, and academic decision making by withstanding the criticism traditionally levied at research quality assessments.

Developing a research and development strategy for primary care.

PubMed Central

Harris, A

1993-01-01

General practice research has been a minority activity and underfunded in the past. The creation of the purchaser and provider split, the introduction of medical audit, and the new research and development strategy for the NHS provide an opportunity to focus research on the health needs of the population. FHSAs, with the regional health authority, should develop a local strategy for research and development and appoint a lead officer, who may be the medical adviser. When negotiating contracts FHSAs need to back up their arguments with research evidence. NHS development research should cover quality, distribution, accessibility, outcome, and effectiveness. FHSAs should play a part in disseminating knowledge in the interests of achieving an effective and high quality service. GPs should be encouraged to participate in research by relaxing the regulations of compulsory hours of patient service and by creating a practice development allowance. Images p191-a PMID:8443486

Continuous Improvement and Employee Engagement, Part 2: Design, Implementation, and Outcomes of a Daily Management System.

PubMed

Maurer, Marsha; Browall, Pamela; Phelan, Cynthia; Sanchez, Sandra; Sulmonte, Kimberlyann; Wandel, Jane; Wang, Allison

2018-04-01

A daily management system (DMS) can be used to implement continuous quality improvement and advance employee engagement. It can empower staff to identify problems in the care environment that impact quality or work flow and to address them on a daily basis. Through a DMS, improvement becomes the work of everyone, every day. The authors of this 2-part series describe their work to develop a DMS. Part 2 describes the implementation and outcomes of the program.

Building a Culture of Continuous Improvement and Employee Engagement Using a Daily Management System Part 1: Overview.

PubMed

Maurer, Marsha; Canacari, Elena; Eng, Kimberly; Foley, Jane; Phelan, Cynthia; Sulmonte, Kimberlyann; Wandel, Jane

2018-03-01

A daily management system (DMS) can be used to implement continuous quality improvement and advance employee engagement. It can empower staff to identify problems in the care environment that impact quality or workflow and to address them on a daily basis. Through DMS, improvement becomes the work of everyone, every day. The authors of this 2-part series describe their work to develop a DMS. Part 1 describes the background and organizing framework of the program.

Total Quality Management Implementation Plan: Defense Depot, Ogden

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-07-01

NUMBERS Total Quality Management Implementation Plan Defense Depot Ogden 6. AUTHOR(S) 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING...PAGES TQM (Total Quality Management ), Continuous Process Improvement, Depot Operations, Process Action Teams 16. PRICE CODE 17. SECURITY...034 A Message From The Commander On Total Quality Management i fully support the DLA aoproacii to Total Quality Management . As stated by General

AAC and community partnerships: the participation path to community inclusion.

PubMed

Batorowicz, Beata; McDougall, Stacy; Shepherd, Tracy A

2006-09-01

The Life Needs Model (LNM) of service delivery emphasizes the importance of community participation in children's development and quality of life. This article is a case illustration of two community partnership programs based on the LNM. StoryTime and Dress Up and Drama provide participation opportunities in the community for children who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). The authors describe the development and implementation of both programs. Regardless of level of functioning, each child who participated in the programs did so by communicating, interacting socially, and controlling the environment. Multiple benefits for children, parents/caregivers, community partners, and AAC clinicians are highlighted. The authors hope that this article will assist others in developing partnerships and implementing inclusive practices within their communities.

Towards high-quality, useful practice guidelines for child and youth mental health disorders: protocol for a systematic review and consensus exercise.

PubMed

Bennett, Kathryn; Duda, Stephanie; Brouwers, Melissa; Szatmari, Peter; Newton, Amanda; McLennan, John; Sundar, Purnima; Cleverley, Kristin; Charach, Alice; Henderson, Joanna; Courtney, Darren; Rice, Maureen

2018-02-06

The quality of clinical practice guidelines (PGs) has not been evaluated in child and youth mental health (CYMH). To address this gap, we will: (1) conduct a systematic review (SR) to answer the question 'among eligible PGs relevant to the prevention or treatment of CYMH conditions, which PGs meet criteria for minimum and high quality?'; (2) apply nominal group methods to create recommendations for how CYMH PG quality, completeness and usefulness can be strengthened. SR: Potentially eligible PGs will be identified in 12 databases using a reproducible search strategy developed by a research librarian. Trained raters will: (1) apply prespecified criteria to identify eligible PGs relevant to depression, anxiety, suicidality, bipolar disorder, behaviour disorder (attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder) and substance use disorder; (2) extract descriptive data and (3) assess PG quality using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE II) tool. Scores on three AGREE II domains (rigour of development, stakeholder involvement, editorial independence) will designate PGs as minimum (≥50%) or high quality (≥70%). Nominal group: Four CYMH PG knowledge user groups (clinicians, mental health service planners, youth and adult family members) will participate in structured exercises derived using nominal group methods to generate recommendations to improve PG quality, completeness and usefulness. Ethics approval is not required. Study products will be disseminated as follows. A cross-platform website will house eligible CYMH PGs and their quality ratings. Twitter and Facebook tools will promote it to a wide variety of PG users. Data from Google Analytics, Twitonomy and Altmetrics will inform usage evaluation. Complementary educational workshops will be conducted for CYMH professionals. Print materials and journal articles will be produced. CRD42017060738. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

The new meaning of quality in the information age.

PubMed

Prahalad, C K; Krishnan, M S

1999-01-01

Software applications are now a mission-critical source of competitive advantage for most companies. They are also a source of great risk, as the Y2K bug has made clear. Yet many line managers still haven't confronted software issues--partly because they aren't sure how best to define the quality of the applications in their IT infrastructures. Some companies such as Wal-Mart and the Gap have successfully integrated the software in their networks, but most have accumulated an unwidely number of incompatible applications--all designed to perform the same tasks. The authors provide a framework for measuring the performance of software in a company's IT portfolio. Quality traditionally has been measured according to a product's ability to meet certain specifications; other views of quality have emerged that measure a product's adaptability to customers' needs and a product's ability to encourage innovation. To judge software quality properly, argue the authors, managers must measure applications against all three approaches. Understanding the domain of a software application is an important part of that process. The domain is the body of knowledge about a user's needs and expectations for a product. Software domains change frequently based on how a consumer chooses to use, for example, Microsoft Word or a spreadsheet application. The domain can also be influenced by general changes in technology, such as the development of a new software platform. Thus, applications can't be judged only according to whether they conform to specifications. The authors discuss how to identify domain characteristics and software risks and suggest ways to reduce the variability of software domains.

Friendship and Thomas More: Using Erasmus's Letter to Ulrich von Hutten as a Tool in Developing a Classroom Management Plan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Joshua W.; Rud, A. G.

2006-01-01

The development of course management plans and student behavioral guidelines are a necessary component for the foundation of any school or learning community. In this article the authors explore a few of the principal foundations of creating these plans based on the qualities Erasmus described in his great friend Thomas More. Teachers and…

[Quality in the healthcare sector: new strategic measures for new challenges].

PubMed

Larroca, Norberto

2002-01-01

This article reviews the experience of the organizations representing the private healthcare industry in Argentina in their request to improve the quality of care. In it, the author highlights how their collaboration with the PAHO/WHO in the nineties led to the drafting of a Quality Accreditation Handbook, as well as its circulation in most of the countries in the area. Ten years on, the new challenges are analyzed in order to achieve better quality fro all, without limits. With these challenges in mind, the study presents the five programmes being developed at present, by the private health sector as a way of collaborating with society and the government in its progress towards the nationalization of resources and achieving a fairer system and better quality in healthcare.

A Quality Model to Select Patients in Cupping Therapy Clinics: A New Tool for Ensuring Safety in Clinical Practice.

PubMed

Aboushanab, Tamer; AlSanad, Saud

2018-06-08

Cupping therapy is a popular treatment in various countries and regions, including Saudi Arabia. Cupping therapy is regulated in Saudi Arabia by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), Ministry of Health. The authors recommend that this quality model for selecting patients in cupping clinics - first version (QMSPCC-1) - be used routinely as part of clinical practice and quality management in cupping clinics. The aim of the quality model is to ensure the safety of patients and to introduce and facilitate quality and auditing processes in cupping therapy clinics. Clinical evaluation of this tool is recommended. Continued development, re-evaluation and reassessment of this tool are important. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Developing a dementia-specific preference--based quality of life measure (AD-5D) in Australia: a valuation study protocol.

PubMed

Comans, Tracy A; Nguyen, Kim-Huong; Mulhern, Brendan; Corlis, Megan; Li, Li; Welch, Alyssa; Kurrle, Susan E; Rowen, Donna; Moyle, Wendy; Kularatna, Sanjeewa; Ratcliffe, Julie

2018-01-21

Generic instruments for assessing health-related quality of life may lack the sensitivity to detect changes in health specific to certain conditions, such as dementia. The Quality of Life in Alzheimer's Disease (QOL-AD) is a widely used and well-validated condition-specific instrument for assessing health-related quality of life for people living with dementia, but it does not enable the calculation of quality-adjusted life years, the basis of cost utility analysis. This study will generate a preference-based scoring algorithm for a health state classification system -the Alzheimer's Disease Five Dimensions (AD-5D) derived from the QOL-AD. Discrete choice experiments with duration (DCE TTO ) and best-worst scaling health state valuation tasks will be administered to a representative sample of 2000 members of the Australian general population via an online survey and to 250 dementia dyads (250 people with dementia and their carers) via face-to-face interview. A multinomial (conditional) logistic framework will be used to analyse responses and produce the utility algorithm for the AD-5D. The algorithms developed will enable prospective and retrospective economic evaluation of any treatment or intervention targeting people with dementia where the QOL-AD has been administered and will be available online. Results will be disseminated through journals that publish health economics articles and through professional conferences. This study has ethical approval. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

TQM - Total Quality Management (Bibliography)

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-05-01

ISBN: 0-941893-00-6 Price: $27.00 NAVSWC Library Call No: TS156 S358 GUIDE TO OUALITY CONTROL Author: Ishikawa , Kaoru Publisher: Asian Productivity...teachings of Juran, Deming, Feigenbaum, Crosby, Taguchi, Shewhart, Ishikawa , and others. 19 OUT OF BEDLAM: MANAGEMENT BY QUALITY LEADERSHIP Author...Price: $60.00 WHAT IS TOTAL QUALITY CONTROL? THE JAPANESE WAY Author. Ishikawa , K oru Publisher: Prentice Hall Date: 1985 Pagination: 215pp ISBN: 0-13

Quality evaluation in health care services based on customer-provider relationships.

PubMed

Eiriz, Vasco; Figueiredo, José António

2005-01-01

To develop a framework for evaluating the quality of Portuguese health care organisations based on the relationship between customers and providers, to define key variables related to the quality of health care services based on a review of the available literature, and to establish a conceptual framework in order to test the framework and variables empirically. Systematic review of the literature. Health care services quality should not be evaluated exclusively by customers. Given the complexity, ambiguity and heterogeneity of health care services, the authors develop a framework for health care evaluation based on the relationship between customers (patients, their relatives and citizens) and providers (managers, doctors, other technical staff and non-technical staff), and considering four quality items (customer service orientation, financial performance, logistical functionality and level of staff competence). This article identifies important changes in the Portuguese health care industry, such as the ownership of health care providers. At the same time, customers are changing their attitudes towards health care, becoming much more concerned and demanding of health services. These changes are forcing Portuguese private and public health care organisations to develop more marketing-oriented services. This article recognises the importance of quality evaluation of health care services as a means of increasing customer satisfaction and organisational efficiency, and develops a framework for health care evaluation based on the relationship between customers and providers.

Urban Water and Riverine Quality: Participatory Science in Singapore

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Higgitt, D. L.

2011-12-01

Singapore is a highly urbanised environment experiencing tropical monsoon hydrological regimes. A heavily engineered fluvial system has been developed over time to provide efficient drainage and reduce the area subject to flood risk. However, recent interest in ecosystem-based approaches to river management and the enhancement of the aesthetic and ecological 'quality' of riverine landscape, coupled with concerns about climate change, has challenged the prevailing engineering view. This is reflected in the Public Utility Board (PUB) ABC Waters Programme, which also seeks to develop community interest in riverine environments and engagement with water-related concerns. As part of a programme developing participatory GIS (PGIS) with school and university students, we have undertaken applications involving participant observation, reporting and analysis of water quality data and habitat quality based on a simplified version of the UK Environment Agency's River Habitat Survey. From an educational perspective, there is evidence that these PGIS initiatives raise environmental awareness and enhance geospatial thinking, particularly in relation to catchment management concepts. The extent to which participant-derived data can contribute to a citizen science of urban water quality and hence deliver some aspects of the community engagement sought after by the authorities, is a topic of debate.

Articles by latin american authors in prestigious journals have fewer citations.

PubMed

Meneghini, Rogerio; Packer, Abel L; Nassi-Calò, Lilian

2008-01-01

The journal Impact factor (IF) is generally accepted to be a good measurement of the relevance/quality of articles that a journal publishes. In spite of an, apparently, homogenous peer-review process for a given journal, we hypothesize that the country affiliation of authors from developing Latin American (LA) countries affects the IF of a journal detrimentally. Seven prestigious international journals, one multidisciplinary journal and six serving specific branches of science, were examined in terms of their IF in the Web of Science. Two subsets of each journal were then selected to evaluate the influence of author's affiliation on the IF. They comprised contributions (i) with authorship from four Latin American (LA) countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Mexico) and (ii) with authorship from five developed countries (England, France, Germany, Japan and USA). Both subsets were further subdivided into two groups: articles with authorship from one country only and collaborative articles with authorship from other countries. Articles from the five developed countries had IF close to the overall IF of the journals and the influence of collaboration on this value was minor. In the case of LA articles the effect of collaboration (virtually all with developed countries) was significant. The IFs for non-collaborative articles averaged 66% of the overall IF of the journals whereas the articles in collaboration raised the IFs to values close to the overall IF. The study shows a significantly lower IF in the group of the subsets of non-collaborative LA articles and thus that country affiliation of authors from non-developed LA countries does affect the IF of a journal detrimentally. There are no data to indicate whether the lower IFs of LA articles were due to their inherent inferior quality/relevance or psycho-social trend towards under-citation of articles from these countries. However, further study is required since there are foreseeable consequences of this trend as it may stimulate strategies by editors to turn down articles that tend to be under-cited.

Engineering and management experience at Texas A&M Transportation Institute

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chowdhury, Arif Tahjibul

This manuscript presents the author's engineering and management experience during his internship in the Materials and Pavements (M&P) Division at the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI), and is a record of study for the Doctor of Engineering at Texas A&M University. Through this internship, he met his established internship objectives of gaining technical knowledge as well as knowledge and skills in project management, organizational communication, and quality management of pavement condition data, and of attaining professional development. In meeting these objectives, the author describes the history, mission, and organizational structure of his workplace. He also presents his experience of developing and delivering a two-week training course on pavement design and construction in Kosovo. Participating in a number of professional development training courses and other activities prepared him for working as an engineering manager. These activities include Delta-T leadership training, an instructor development course, a time management and organizational skills course, and the M&P Division lecture series. Leadership and skills learned through the Delta-T program were beneficial for the employee as well as the employer. For the class project, the author and his teammates performed a study dealing with improving TTI's deliverables. The Delta-T team composed a report summarizing their efforts of examining the current state of TTI's project deliverables, the deliverables' shortcomings, and potential enhancements to expand the deliverables' appeal to additional types of potential users outside the traditional research community. The team also developed a prototype web-based model of deliverables and presented some implementation recommendations. Participating in the Texas Department of Transportation's (TxDOT's) pavement surface distress data collection program enabled the author to become familiar with pavement distress data quality management and thus attain the technical and nontechnical skills required for project management. He noticed some areas for improvement in TxDOT's rater's manual, rater's training class, and acceptance criteria for visual distress data.

How do performance-based financing programmes measure quality of care? A descriptive analysis of 68 quality checklists from 28 low- and middle-income countries

PubMed Central

Josephson, Erik; Gergen, Jessica; Coe, Martha; Ski, Samantha; Madhavan, Supriya; Bauhoff, Sebastian

2017-01-01

Abstract This paper seeks to systematically describe the length and content of quality checklists used in performance-based financing programmes, their similarities and differences, and how checklists have evolved over time. We compiled a list of supply-side, health facility-based performance-based financing (PBF) programmes in low- and lower middle-income countries based on a document review. We then solicited PBF manuals and quality checklists from implementers and donors of these PBF mechanisms. We entered each indicator from each quality checklist into a database verbatim in English, and translated into English from French where appropriate, and categorized each indicator according to the Donabedian framework and an author-derived categorization. We extracted 8,490 quality indicators from 68 quality checklists across 32 PBF implementations in 28 countries. On average, checklists contained 125 indicators; within the same program, checklists tend to grow as they are updated. Using the Donabedian framework, 80% of indicators were structure-type, 19% process-type, and less than 1% outcome-type. The author-derived categorization showed that 57% of indicators relate to availability of resources, 24% to managing the facility and 17% assess knowledge and effort. There is a high degree of similarity in a narrow set of indicators used in checklists for common service types such as maternal, neonatal and child health. We conclude that performance-based financing offers an appealing approach to targeting specific quality shortfalls and advancing toward the Sustainable Development Goals of high quality coverage. Currently most indicators focus on structural issues and resource availability. There is scope to rationalize and evolve the quality checklists of these programs to help achieve national and global goals to improve quality of care. PMID:28549142

Development of Course Material in a Multi-Author Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schlotter, Michael

2009-01-01

Software for text processing and presentation design is becoming increasingly sophisticated. Nevertheless, it is difficult to find a good solution for collaborative writing of technical course material, allowing the creation of high quality lecture notes and presentation slides from a single source. This article presents a new editing framework…

Standards for Library Services to Disabled Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trezza, Alphonse F.

The paper addresses the quality and extent of services provided by academic libraries to students with disabilities. The issue of establishing standards for such services is considered, and while the author notes the formidable difficulties involved in establishing such standards, he asserts that standards must be developed and implemented. He…

34 CFR 535.21 - What selection criteria does the Secretary use?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... competence and experience in programs and activities such as those authorized under the Act; (5) The IHE's... another language to develop the Fellows' competencies as trainers of bilingual educational personnel. (c) Quality of key faculty members. (20 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the...

34 CFR 535.21 - What selection criteria does the Secretary use?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... competence and experience in programs and activities such as those authorized under the Act; (5) The IHE's... another language to develop the Fellows' competencies as trainers of bilingual educational personnel. (c) Quality of key faculty members. (20 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the...

34 CFR 535.21 - What selection criteria does the Secretary use?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... competence and experience in programs and activities such as those authorized under the Act; (5) The IHE's... another language to develop the Fellows' competencies as trainers of bilingual educational personnel. (c) Quality of key faculty members. (20 points) The Secretary reviews each application to determine the...

Inclusive Approach to the Psycho-Pedagogical Assistance of Distance Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akhmetova, Daniya Z.

2014-01-01

Author focuses on three groups of problems: quality of distance learning and e-learning; necessity to develop the facilitation skills for teachers who work using distance learning technologies; realization of inclusive approach for the organization of distance learning in inclusive groups where people with disabilities study with people without…

Training for a Transformed Labor Market.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olson, Lawrence

1983-01-01

The author argues that the American labor market is in the midst of historic transition that will challenge human resource development professionals. Sweeping demographic changes will soon combine with a "Second Industrial Revolution" in technology and a quantum leap in the level and quality of foreign competition to raise sharply the importance…

Promoting Effective Program Leadership in Psychology: A Benchmarking Strategy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Halonen, Jane S.

2013-01-01

Although scholars have scrutinized many aspects of academic life in psychology, the topic of leadership for psychology programs has remained elusive. This article describes the importance of high-quality leadership in the development of thriving psychology programs. The author offers a strategy for evaluating leaders to help provide developmental…

A Learning Combination: Coaching with CLASS and the Project Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vartuli, Sue; Bolz, Carol; Wilson, Catherine

2014-01-01

The focus of this ongoing research is the effectiveness of coaching in improving the quality of teacher-child instructional interactions in Head Start classrooms. This study examines the relationship between two measures: Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) and a Project Approach Fidelity form developed by the authors. Linear regressions…

Will E-Business Shape the Future of Open and Distance Learning?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oblinger, Diana

2001-01-01

Explores the impact that electronic business is likely to have on the growth of open and distance learning. Discusses global consortia and global virtual universities; technological developments, including Web qualities; value chains; pricing models; the importance of scale; operating efficiencies; and increasing competition. (Author/LRW)

Linking Children's Literature with Social Studies in the Elementary Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Almerico, Gina M.

2013-01-01

The author shares information related to integrating quality literature written for children into the teaching of social studies at the elementary school level. Research within the past decade informs educators of the strong impact of curriculum standards for the social studies as developed by professional organizations. Teachers today are…

45 CFR 205.190 - Standard-setting authority for institutions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

...(ies) in the development of standards directed toward assuring adequate quality of care; in upgrading... are hazardous to the safety of the patients; and in planning so that institutions may be...(AABD) of the Social Security Act includes aid or assistance to individuals in institutions as defined...

7 CFR 1468.4 - Establishing Conservation Farm Option (CFO) pilot project areas.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

...) Conservation of soil, water, and related natural resources, (ii) Water quality protection or improvement, (iii) Wetland restoration and protection, and (iv) Wildlife habitat development and protection, (v) Or other... production flexibility contract, which is authorized by the Agricultural Marketing and Transition Act of 1996...

7 CFR 1468.4 - Establishing Conservation Farm Option (CFO) pilot project areas.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

...) Conservation of soil, water, and related natural resources, (ii) Water quality protection or improvement, (iii) Wetland restoration and protection, and (iv) Wildlife habitat development and protection, (v) Or other... production flexibility contract, which is authorized by the Agricultural Marketing and Transition Act of 1996...

7 CFR 1468.4 - Establishing Conservation Farm Option (CFO) pilot project areas.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

...) Conservation of soil, water, and related natural resources, (ii) Water quality protection or improvement, (iii) Wetland restoration and protection, and (iv) Wildlife habitat development and protection, (v) Or other... production flexibility contract, which is authorized by the Agricultural Marketing and Transition Act of 1996...

Learning How to Lead: A Lifetime Journey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baugher, Shirley L.

2005-01-01

Much has been written about theories of leadership, leadership qualities, and the development of leadership. In this article, the author focuses on the work of Kevin Cashman, who proposed the following "Five Touchstones" that are crucial to authentic leadership: (1) Know Yourself Authentically; (2) Listen Authentically; (3) Express Authentically;…

Developing a Culture of Readers: Complementary Materials That Engage

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sailors, Misty; Kaambankadzanja, Davie

2017-01-01

Many professionals, including members of the International Literacy Association, are concerned with the lack of reading materials in classrooms across the world. In this paper, the authors present the creation of high-quality, locally produced, complementary reading materials in Malawi, where there are very few children's books and few…

A CASE STUDY OF THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY PALOS VERDES LANDFILL GAS DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

EPA Science Inventory

This report documents the first-ever-attempt to capture sanitary landfill gases and beneficiate them to natural gas pipeline quality--or very nearly so. For this reason the authors must credit the entrepreneurs for a successful first full-scale demonstration of a technology that ...

24 CFR 200.1525 - Settlement agreements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Settlement agreements. 200.1525... Lender Quality Assurance Enforcement § 200.1525 Settlement agreements. (a) HUD staff, as authorized, may negotiate a settlement agreement with a MAP lender before or after the issuance of a warning letter or...

24 CFR 200.1525 - Settlement agreements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Settlement agreements. 200.1525... Lender Quality Assurance Enforcement § 200.1525 Settlement agreements. (a) HUD staff, as authorized, may negotiate a settlement agreement with a MAP lender before or after the issuance of a warning letter or...

24 CFR 200.1525 - Settlement agreements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Settlement agreements. 200.1525... Lender Quality Assurance Enforcement § 200.1525 Settlement agreements. (a) HUD staff, as authorized, may negotiate a settlement agreement with a MAP lender before or after the issuance of a warning letter or...

24 CFR 200.1525 - Settlement agreements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Settlement agreements. 200.1525... Lender Quality Assurance Enforcement § 200.1525 Settlement agreements. (a) HUD staff, as authorized, may negotiate a settlement agreement with a MAP lender before or after the issuance of a warning letter or...

The Role of the Academic Medical Center in the PSRO Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jessee, William F.; Goran, Michael J.

1976-01-01

The author contends that the professional standards review organization (PSRO), a national effort to assure high quality medical care, offers a challenge and an opportunity to the academic medical center. He discusses potential impact on role definition, criteria development, continuing medical education, curriculum evaluation, and attitudinal and…

Designing Journalism Capstone Units That Demonstrate Student Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cullen, Trevor

2016-01-01

There are considerable differences in the structure, content, and delivery of tertiary journalism degrees in Australia as identified in a 2014 Office for Learning and Teaching (OLT) Innovation and Development Project report on graduate qualities and journalism curriculum renewal. To address this situation, the author argues for journalism capstone…

Domain 3: Physical Preparation and Conditioning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Jin; McJunkin, Dirk

2005-01-01

In this article, the authors discuss the important role that coaches play in the overall development of athletes' ability, physical well being, mental maturity, discipline and sportsmanship. It is crucial for coaches to provide quality coaching to younger athletes so they can obtain a positive experience through athletic activities. This article…

Visual Enhancements: Improving Deaf Students' Transition Skills Using Multimedia Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Cheryl D.

1999-01-01

Discusses developments in technology that provide high-quality visual access to transition information and multimedia instruction for learners with deafness. Identifies a variety of considerations in using multimedia products and describes the pros and cons of different media in the context of several multimedia projects. (Author/CR)

Expanding Teacher Understanding of Wisconsin's Prairie Chickens

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Melinda S.; Sivek, Daniel J.; Thomas, Christine L.

2008-01-01

The principal author developed a workshop through the Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) program, based on central Wisconsin's prairie chicken population, to present teachers with the knowledge and skills needed to provide quality environmental education. Seventeen high school teachers attended the 2003 workshop. Pre-and post-workshop surveys were…

Designing Educative Curriculum Materials: A Theoretically and Empirically Driven Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Elizabeth A.; Palincsar, Annemarie Sullivan; Arias, Anna Maria; Bismack, Amber Schultz; Marulis, Loren M.; Iwashyna, Stefanie K.

2014-01-01

In this article, the authors argue for a design process in the development of educative curriculum materials that is theoretically and empirically driven. Using a design-based research approach, they describe their design process for incorporating educative features intended to promote teacher learning into existing, high-quality curriculum…

75 FR 22810 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-30

... System (EHRDS)--practice application and profile update system; Use: In 2008, the Secretary of the... new demonstration initiative using Medicare waiver authority to reward the delivery of high-quality... system was first developed with the intention of having practices applying to participate in Phase 2 of...

Read Them Now

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tour, Rachel

2008-01-01

University presses have largely abdicated the job of substantive editing to outside readers, who write reports evaluating the quality of the work and offering both major and minor editing suggestions. Editors develop a cadre of readers they know they can trust, who will be fair, rigorous, and prompt with their reports. The author particularly…

Data Credibility: A Perspective from Systematic Reviews in Environmental Management

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pullin, Andrew S.; Knight, Teri M.

2009-01-01

To use environmental program evaluation to increase effectiveness, predictive power, and resource allocation efficiency, evaluators need good data. Data require sufficient credibility in terms of fitness for purpose and quality to develop the necessary evidence base. The authors examine elements of data credibility using experience from critical…

Leininger's Ethnonursing Research Methodology and Studies of Cancer Survivors: A Review.

PubMed

Farren, Arlene T

2015-09-01

The purpose of this article is to present the findings of a literature review regarding the use of Leininger's ethnonursing research methodology (ENRM) in studies addressing adult cancer survivors. It is important to learn about differences and similarities among cancer survivors' experiences so that patient-centered, culturally congruent care can be provided. A review of the literature was conducted using databases such as CINAHL and MEDLINE. Search terms included variations on ENRM and cancer survivors. The results were a small number of published studies that used the ENRM examining breast cancer survivors' perceptions and experiences. A review instrument was developed to estimate study quality based on established criteria. The studies are critiqued in relation to the theory-based methodology, evaluation criteria for qualitative research, and study findings are summarized. The author concludes that although there is a paucity of research using ENRM with adult cancer survivors, the preliminary findings of the included studies contribute to what is known about breast cancer survivors. Implications for research include recommendations to increase the use of ENRM to discover the universal and diverse experiences of care practices in adult cancer survivors and use the evidence to develop patient-centered, culturally congruent, quality care for cancer survivors. © The Author(s) 2014.

Health systems engineering fellowship: curriculum and program development.

PubMed

Watts, Bradley V; Shiner, Brian; Cully, Jeffrey A; Gilman, Stuart C; Benneyan, James C; Eisenhauer, William

2015-01-01

Industrial engineering and related disciplines have been used widely in improvement efforts in many industries. These approaches have been less commonly attempted in health care. One factor limiting application is the limited workforce resulting from a lack of specific education and professional development in health systems engineering (HSE). The authors describe the development of an HSE fellowship within the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration (VA). This fellowship includes a novel curriculum based on specifically established competencies for HSE. A 1-year HSE curriculum was developed and delivered to fellows at several VA engineering resource centers over several years. On graduation, a majority of the fellows accepted positions in the health care field. Challenges faced in developing the fellowship are discussed. Advanced educational opportunities in applied HSE have the potential to develop the workforce capacity needed to improve the quality of health care. © 2014 by the American College of Medical Quality.

Quality Managment Program (QMP) report: A review of quality management programs developed in response to Title 10, Section 35.32 of the Code of Federal Regulations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Witte, M.C.

1994-10-01

In July of 1991, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission published a Final Rule in the Federal Register amending regulations governing medical therapeutic administrations of byproduct material and certain uses of radioactive sodium iodide. These amendments required implementation of a Quality Management Program (QMP) to provide high confidence that the byproduct material -- or radiation from byproduct material -- will be administered as directed by an authorized user physician. Herein, this rule is referred to as the QM rule. The Final Rule was published after two proposed rules had been published in the Federal Register.

Addendum to Air Quality: Decision Support Tools, Partner Plans, Working Groups, Committees

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holekamp, Kara; Frisbie, Troy; Estep, Lee

2005-01-01

In the original report dated February 11, 2005, the utility of NASA Earth science data in the air quality activities of other agencies and organizations was assessed by reviewing strategic and mission plans and by conducting personal interviews with agency experts to identify and investigate agencies with the potential for partnership with NASA. The overarching agency strategic plans were reviewed and commonalities such as the desire for partnerships and technology development were noted. This addendum to the original report contains such information about the Tennessee Valley Authority and will be inserted as Section 2.6 of "Air Quality: Decision Support Tools, Partner Plans, Working Groups, Committees."

Addendum to Air Quality: Decision Support Tools, Partner Plans, Working Groups, Committees

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holekamp, Kara; Frisbie, Troy; Estep, Lee

2005-01-01

In the original report dated February 11, 2005, the utility of the NASA Earth science data in the air quality activities of other agencies and organizations was assessed by reviewing strategic and mission plans and by conducting personal interviews with agency experts to identify and investigate agencies with the potential for partnership with NASA. The overarching agency strategic plans were reviewed and commonalities such as the desire for partnerships and technology development were noted. The addendum to the original report contains such information about the Tennessee Valley Authority and will be inserted in Section 2.6 of "Air Quality Decision Support Tools, Partner Plans, Working Groups, Committees".

European Psychiatric Association (EPA) guidance on quality assurance in mental healthcare.

PubMed

Gaebel, W; Großimlinghaus, I; Heun, R; Janssen, B; Johnson, B; Kurimay, T; Montellano, P; Muijen, M; Munk-Jorgensen, P; Rössler, W; Ruggeri, M; Thornicroft, G; Zielasek, J

2015-03-01

To advance the quality of mental healthcare in Europe by developing guidance on implementing quality assurance. We performed a systematic literature search on quality assurance in mental healthcare and the 522 retrieved documents were evaluated by two independent reviewers (B.J. and J.Z.). Based on these evaluations, evidence tables were generated. As it was found that these did not cover all areas of mental healthcare, supplementary hand searches were performed for selected additional areas. Based on these findings, fifteen graded recommendations were developed and consented by the authors. Review by the EPA Guidance Committee and EPA Board led to two additional recommendations (on immigrant mental healthcare and parity of mental and physical healthcare funding). Although quality assurance (measures to keep a certain degree of quality), quality control and monitoring (applying quality indicators to the current degree of quality), and quality management (coordinated measures and activities with regard to quality) are conceptually distinct, in practice they are frequently used as if identical and hardly separable. There is a dearth of controlled trials addressing ways to optimize quality assurance in mental healthcare. Altogether, seventeen recommendations were developed addressing a range of aspects of quality assurance in mental healthcare, which appear usable across Europe. These were divided into recommendations about structures, processes and outcomes. Each recommendation was assigned to a hierarchical level of analysis (macro-, meso- and micro-level). There was a lack of evidence retrievable by a systematic literature search about quality assurance of mental healthcare. Therefore, only after further topics and search had been added it was possible to develop recommendations with mostly medium evidence levels. Evidence-based graded recommendations for quality assurance in mental healthcare were developed which should next be implemented and evaluated for feasibility and validity in some European countries. Due to the small evidence base identified corresponding to the practical obscurity of the concept and methods, a European research initiative is called for by the stakeholders represented in this Guidance to improve the educational, methodological and empirical basis for a future broad implementation of measures for quality assurance in European mental healthcare. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Audit, guidelines and standards: clinical governance for hip fracture care in Scotland.

PubMed

Currie, Colin T; Hutchison, James D

To report on experience of national-level audit, guidelines and standards for hip fracture care in Scotland. Scottish Hip Fracture Audit (from 1993) documents case-mix, process and outcomes of hip fracture care in Scotland. Evidence-based national guidelines on hip fracture care are available (1997, updated 2002). Hip fracture serves as a tracer condition by the health quality assurance authority for its work on older people, which reported in 2004. Audit data are used locally to document care and support and monitor service developments. Synergy between the guidelines and the audit provides a means of improving care locally and monitoring care nationally. External review by the quality assurance body shows to what extent guideline-based standards relating to A&E care, pre-operative delay, multidisciplinary care and audit participation are met. Three national-level initiatives on hip fracture care have delivered: Reliable and large-scale comparative information on case-mix, care and outcomes; evidence-based recommendations on care; and nationally accountable standards inspected and reported by the national health quality assurance authority. These developments are linked and synergistic, and enjoy both clinical and managerial support. They provide an evolving framework for clinical governance, with casemix-adjusted outcome assessment for hip fracture care as a next step.

Image reconstructions from super-sampled data sets with resolution modeling in PET imaging.

PubMed

Li, Yusheng; Matej, Samuel; Metzler, Scott D

2014-12-01

Spatial resolution in positron emission tomography (PET) is still a limiting factor in many imaging applications. To improve the spatial resolution for an existing scanner with fixed crystal sizes, mechanical movements such as scanner wobbling and object shifting have been considered for PET systems. Multiple acquisitions from different positions can provide complementary information and increased spatial sampling. The objective of this paper is to explore an efficient and useful reconstruction framework to reconstruct super-resolution images from super-sampled low-resolution data sets. The authors introduce a super-sampling data acquisition model based on the physical processes with tomographic, downsampling, and shifting matrices as its building blocks. Based on the model, we extend the MLEM and Landweber algorithms to reconstruct images from super-sampled data sets. The authors also derive a backprojection-filtration-like (BPF-like) method for the super-sampling reconstruction. Furthermore, they explore variant methods for super-sampling reconstructions: the separate super-sampling resolution-modeling reconstruction and the reconstruction without downsampling to further improve image quality at the cost of more computation. The authors use simulated reconstruction of a resolution phantom to evaluate the three types of algorithms with different super-samplings at different count levels. Contrast recovery coefficient (CRC) versus background variability, as an image-quality metric, is calculated at each iteration for all reconstructions. The authors observe that all three algorithms can significantly and consistently achieve increased CRCs at fixed background variability and reduce background artifacts with super-sampled data sets at the same count levels. For the same super-sampled data sets, the MLEM method achieves better image quality than the Landweber method, which in turn achieves better image quality than the BPF-like method. The authors also demonstrate that the reconstructions from super-sampled data sets using a fine system matrix yield improved image quality compared to the reconstructions using a coarse system matrix. Super-sampling reconstructions with different count levels showed that the more spatial-resolution improvement can be obtained with higher count at a larger iteration number. The authors developed a super-sampling reconstruction framework that can reconstruct super-resolution images using the super-sampling data sets simultaneously with known acquisition motion. The super-sampling PET acquisition using the proposed algorithms provides an effective and economic way to improve image quality for PET imaging, which has an important implication in preclinical and clinical region-of-interest PET imaging applications.

[Predatory journals: how their publishers operate and how to avoid them].

PubMed

Kratochvíl, Jiří; Plch, Lukáš

Authors who publish in scientific or scholarly journals today face the risk of publishing in so-called predatory journals. These journals exploit the noble idea of the Open Access movement, whose goal is to make the latest scientific findings available for free. Predatory journals, unlike the reputable ones working on an Open Access basis, neglect the review process and publish low-quality submissions. The basic attributes of predatory journals are a very quick review process or even none at all, failure to be transparent about author fees for publishing an article, misleading potential authors by imitating the names of well-established journals, and false information on indexing in renowned databases or assigned impact factor. Some preventive measures against publishing in predatory journals or drawing information from them are: a thorough credibility check of the journals webpages, verification of the journals indexing on Bealls List and in the following databases: Web of Science Core Collection, Scopus, ERIH PLUS and DOAJ. Asking other scientists or scholars about their experience with a given journal can also be helpful. Without these necessary steps authors face an increased risk of publishing in a journal of poor quality, which will prevent them from obtaining Research and Development Council points (awarded based on the Information Register of Research & Development results); even more importantly, it may damage their reputation as well as the good name of their home institution in the professional community.Key words: academic writing - medical journals - Open Access - predatory journals - predatory publishers - scientific publications.

A systematic review highlights a knowledge gap regarding the effectiveness of health-related training programs in journalology.

PubMed

Galipeau, James; Moher, David; Campbell, Craig; Hendry, Paul; Cameron, D William; Palepu, Anita; Hébert, Paul C

2015-03-01

To investigate whether training in writing for scholarly publication, journal editing, or manuscript peer review effectively improves educational outcomes related to the quality of health research reporting. We searched MEDLINE, Embase, ERIC, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Library for comparative studies of formalized, a priori-developed training programs in writing for scholarly publication, journal editing, or manuscript peer review. Comparators included the following: (1) before and after administration of a training program, (2) between two or more training programs, or (3) between a training program and any other (or no) intervention(s). Outcomes included any measure of effectiveness of training. Eighteen reports of 17 studies were included. Twelve studies focused on writing for publication, five on peer review, and none fit our criteria for journal editing. Included studies were generally small and inconclusive regarding the effects of training of authors, peer reviewers, and editors on educational outcomes related to improving the quality of health research. Studies were also of questionable validity and susceptible to misinterpretation because of their risk of bias. This review highlights the gaps in our knowledge of how to enhance and ensure the scientific quality of research output for authors, peer reviewers, and journal editors. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Indices for the assessment of nutritional quality of meals: a systematic review.

PubMed

Gorgulho, B M; Pot, G K; Sarti, F M; Marchioni, D M

2016-06-01

This systematic review aimed to synthesise information on indices developed to evaluate nutritional quality of meals. A strategy for systematic search of the literature was developed using keywords related to assessment of meal quality. Databases searched included ScienceDirect, PubMed, Lilacs, SciELO, Scopus, Cochrane, Embase and Google Scholar. The literature search resulted in seven different meal quality indices. Each article was analysed in order to identify the following items: authors, country, year, study design, population characteristics, type of meal evaluated, dietary assessment method, characteristics evaluated (nutrients or food items), score range, index components, nutritional references, correlations performed, validation and relationship with an outcome (if existing). Two studies developed instruments to assess the quality of breakfast, three analysed lunch, one evaluated dinner and one was applied to all types of meals and snacks. All meal quality indices reviewed were based on the evaluation of presence or absence of food groups and relative contributions of nutrients, according to food-based guidelines or nutrient references, adapting the daily dietary recommendations to one specific meal. Most of the indices included three items as components for meal quality assessment: (I) total fat or some specific type of fat, (II) fruits and vegetables and (III) cereals or whole grains. This systematic review indicates aspects that need further research, particularly the numerous approaches to assessing meals considering different foods and nutrients, and the need for validation studies of meal indices.

Organizational climate in primary care settings: implications for nurse practitioner practice.

PubMed

Poghosyan, Lusine; Nannini, Angela; Clarke, Sean

2013-03-01

The purpose of this review is to investigate literature related to organizational climate, define organizational climate, and identify its domains for nurse practitioner (NP) practice in primary care settings. A search was conducted using MEDLINE, PubMed, HealthSTAR/Ovid, ISI Web of Science, and several other health policy and nursingy databases. In primary care settings, organizational climate for NPs is a set of organizational attributes, which are perceived by NPs about their practice setting, emerge from the way the organization interacts with NPs, and affect NP behaviors and outcomes. Autonomy, NP-physician relations, and professional visibility were identified as organizational climate domains. NPs should be encouraged to assess organizational climate in their workplace and choose organizations that promote autonomy, collegiality between NPs and physicians, and encourage professional visibility. Organizational and NP awareness of qualities that foster NP practice will be a first step for developing strategies to creating an optimal organizational climate for NPs to deliver high-quality care. More research is needed to develop a comprehensive conceptual framework for organizational climate and develop new instruments to accurately measure organizational climate and link it to NP and patient outcomes. ©2012 The Author(s) Journal compilation ©2012 American Association of Nurse Practitioners.

Developing effective feedback on quality of anaesthetic care: what are its most valuable characteristics from a clinical perspective?

PubMed

D'Lima, Danielle M; Moore, Joanna; Bottle, Alex; Brett, Stephen J; Arnold, Glenn M; Benn, Jonathan

2015-01-01

Research suggests that better feedback from quality and safety indicators leads to enhanced capability of clinicians and departments to improve care and change behaviour. The aim of the current study was to investigate the characteristics of feedback perceived by clinicians to be of most value. Data were collected using a survey designed as part of a wider evaluation of a data feedback initiative in anaesthesia. Eighty-nine consultant anaesthetists from two English NHS acute Trusts completed the survey. Multiple linear regression with hierarchical variable entry was used to investigate which characteristics of feedback predict its perceived usefulness for monitoring variation and improving care. The final model demonstrated that the relevance of the quality indicators to the specific service area (β=0.64, p=0.01) and the credibility of the data as coming from a trustworthy, unbiased source (β=0.55, p=0.01) were the significant predictors, having controlled for all other covariates. For clinicians to engage with effective quality monitoring and feedback, the perceived local relevance of indicators and trust in the credibility of the resulting data are paramount. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

A Model for the Departmental Quality Management Infrastructure Within an Academic Health System.

PubMed

Mathews, Simon C; Demski, Renee; Hooper, Jody E; Biddison, Lee Daugherty; Berry, Stephen A; Petty, Brent G; Chen, Allen R; Hill, Peter M; Miller, Marlene R; Witter, Frank R; Allen, Lisa; Wick, Elizabeth C; Stierer, Tracey S; Paine, Lori; Puttgen, Hans A; Tamargo, Rafael J; Pronovost, Peter J

2017-05-01

As quality improvement and patient safety come to play a larger role in health care, academic medical centers and health systems are poised to take a leadership role in addressing these issues. Academic medical centers can leverage their large integrated footprint and have the ability to innovate in this field. However, a robust quality management infrastructure is needed to support these efforts. In this context, quality and safety are often described at the executive level and at the unit level. Yet, the role of individual departments, which are often the dominant functional unit within a hospital, in realizing health system quality and safety goals has not been addressed. Developing a departmental quality management infrastructure is challenging because departments are diverse in composition, size, resources, and needs.In this article, the authors describe the model of departmental quality management infrastructure that has been implemented at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. This model leverages the fractal approach, linking departments horizontally to support peer and organizational learning and connecting departments vertically to support accountability to the hospital, health system, and board of trustees. This model also provides both structure and flexibility to meet individual departmental needs, recognizing that independence and interdependence are needed for large academic medical centers. The authors describe the structure, function, and support system for this model as well as the practical and essential steps for its implementation. They also provide examples of its early success.

Principles & Standards for Quality Charter School Authorizing, 2015 Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Association of Charter School Authorizers, 2015

2015-01-01

Charter school authorizing is a powerful strategy for making excellent public schools and educational opportunities available to all students. Done well, charter authorizing increases student achievement by expanding the supply of quality public schools to satisfy unmet needs--particularly by providing life-changing opportunities for students…

Charter School Authorizer Funding. Policy Guide

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cass, Rebecca

2009-01-01

As representatives of the public's interests in public charter schools, authorizers lie at the foundation of a quality charter school sector. The core functions of authorizing--charter school approval, oversight and evaluation--are essential in promoting and upholding charter school quality. To carry out these functions professionally and…

DPSC (Defense Personnel Support Center) Total Quality Management Master Plan

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-07-01

SUBTITLE 5. FUNDING NUMBERS DPSC Total Quality Management Master Plan 6. AUTHOR(S) 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) B. PERFORMING...quality supported solider, sailor, airman and marine. % j cl 1 14. SUBJECT TERMS I 1S. NUMBER OF PAGES TQM (Total Quality Management ), Continuous...THE COMMANDER ON TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT i SECTION I INTRODUCTION 1 II CONCEPTS 6 TQM Basics 7 Continuous Process Improvement 7 DoD TQM Philosophy 9

Dementia beyond 2025: Knowledge and uncertainties.

PubMed

Kenigsberg, Paul-Ariel; Aquino, Jean-Pierre; Bérard, Alain; Gzil, Fabrice; Andrieu, Sandrine; Banerjee, Sube; Brémond, François; Buée, Luc; Cohen-Mansfield, Jiska; Mangialasche, Francesca; Platel, Hervé; Salmon, Eric; Robert, Philippe

2016-01-01

Given that there may well be no significant advances in drug development before 2025, prevention of dementia-Alzheimer's disease through the management of vascular and lifestyle-related risk factors may be a more realistic goal than treatment. Level of education and cognitive reserve assessment in neuropsychological testing deserve attention, as well as cultural, social, and economic aspects of caregiving. Assistive technologies for dementia care remain complex. Serious games are emerging as virtual educational and pleasurable tools, designed for individual and cooperative skill building. Public policies are likely to pursue improving awareness and understanding of dementia; providing good quality early diagnosis and intervention for all; improving quality of care from diagnosis to the end of life, using clinical and economic end points; delivering dementia strategies quicker, with an impact on more people. Dementia should remain presented as a stand-alone concept, distinct from frailty or loss of autonomy. The basic science of sensory impairment and social engagement in people with dementia needs to be developed. E-learning and serious games programs may enhance public and professional education. Faced with funding shortage, new professional dynamics and economic models may emerge through coordinated, flexible research networks. Psychosocial research could be viewed as an investment in quality of care, rather than an academic achievement in a few centers of excellence. This would help provide a competitive advantage to the best operators. Stemming from care needs, a logical, systems approach to dementia care environment through organizational, architectural, and psychosocial interventions may be developed, to help reduce symptoms in people with dementia and enhance quality of life. Dementia-friendly environments, culture, and domesticity are key factors for such interventions. © The Author(s) 2015.

Defining and Leveraging Game Qualities for Serious Games

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martin, Michael W.; Shen, Yuzhong

2011-01-01

Serious games can and should leverage the unique qualities of video games to effectively deliver educational experiences for the learners. However, leveraging these qualities is incumbent upon understanding what these unique 'game' qualities are , and how they can facilitate the learning process. This paper presents an examination of the meaning of the term 'game' . as it applies to both serious games and digital entertainment games. Through the examination of counter examples, we derive three game characteristics; games are self contained, provide a variety of meaningful choices, and are intrinsically compelling. We also discuss the theoretical educational foundations which support the application of these 'game qualities' to educational endeavors. This paper concludes with a presentation of results achieved through the application of these qualities and the applicable educational theories to teach learners about the periodic table of elements via a serious game developed by the authors.

Teachers and Teaching in the Developing World. Reference Books in International Education, Volume 8. Garland Reference Library of Social Science, Volume 617.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rust, Val D., Ed.; Dalin, Per, Ed.

This book is an outgrowth of an international seminar held in Bali, Indonesia in 1986 entitled "Improving the Quality of Teaching in the Developing World: Alternative Models." The book contains essays written by 20 authors and coauthors from 12 different countries and is divided into five sections, plus a preface. The focus of section 1,…

Hr Quality Improvement Strategy of Education in Indonesia-Based Systems and Broad Based Education High Based Education: Perspective of 21st Century Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Subandi

2017-01-01

Although the educational programme had been on going process since 68 years ago in Indonesia, but this state did not has provided qualified human resources. Since 32 years ago of the New Order Government authority, educational sector development has never been placed as a prime priority of development. The effect of Indonesian educational quality…

Return on investment in healthcare leadership development programs.

PubMed

Jeyaraman, Maya M; Qadar, Sheikh Muhammad Zeeshan; Wierzbowski, Aleksandra; Farshidfar, Farnaz; Lys, Justin; Dickson, Graham; Grimes, Kelly; Phillips, Leah A; Mitchell, Jonathan I; Van Aerde, John; Johnson, Dave; Krupka, Frank; Zarychanski, Ryan; Abou-Setta, Ahmed M

2018-02-05

Purpose Strong leadership has been shown to foster change, including loyalty, improved performance and decreased error rates, but there is a dearth of evidence on effectiveness of leadership development programs. To ensure a return on the huge investments made, evidence-based approaches are needed to assess the impact of leadership on health-care establishments. As a part of a pan-Canadian initiative to design an effective evaluative instrument, the purpose of this paper was to identify and summarize evidence on health-care outcomes/return on investment (ROI) indicators and metrics associated with leadership quality, leadership development programs and existing evaluative instruments. Design/methodology/approach The authors performed a scoping review using the Arksey and O'Malley framework, searching eight databases from 2006 through June 2016. Findings Of 11,868 citations screened, the authors included 223 studies reporting on health-care outcomes/ROI indicators and metrics associated with leadership quality (73 studies), leadership development programs (138 studies) and existing evaluative instruments (12 studies). The extracted ROI indicators and metrics have been summarized in detail. Originality/value This review provides a snapshot in time of the current evidence on ROI indicators and metrics associated with leadership. Summarized ROI indicators and metrics can be used to design an effective evaluative instrument to assess the impact of leadership on health-care organizations.

Drug development and nonclinical to clinical translational databases: past and current efforts.

PubMed

Monticello, Thomas M

2015-01-01

The International Consortium for Innovation and Quality (IQ) in Pharmaceutical Development is a science-focused organization of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. The mission of the Preclinical Safety Leadership Group (DruSafe) of the IQ is to advance science-based standards for nonclinical development of pharmaceutical products and to promote high-quality and effective nonclinical safety testing that can enable human risk assessment. DruSafe is creating an industry-wide database to determine the accuracy with which the interpretation of nonclinical safety assessments in animal models correctly predicts human risk in the early clinical development of biopharmaceuticals. This initiative aligns with the 2011 Food and Drug Administration strategic plan to advance regulatory science and modernize toxicology to enhance product safety. Although similar in concept to the initial industry-wide concordance data set conducted by International Life Sciences Institute's Health and Environmental Sciences Institute (HESI/ILSI), the DruSafe database will proactively track concordance, include exposure data and large and small molecules, and will continue to expand with longer duration nonclinical and clinical study comparisons. The output from this work will help identify actual human and animal adverse event data to define both the reliability and the potential limitations of nonclinical data and testing paradigms in predicting human safety in phase 1 clinical trials. © 2014 by The Author(s).

[The value of glucose-positive coliform bacteria and potentially pathogenic bacteria as indicators of epidemiological safety of tap water].

PubMed

Zhuravlev, P V; Aleshnia, V V; Panasovets, O P; Morozova, A A; Artemova, T Z; Talaeva, Iu G; Zagaĭnova, A V; Gipp, E K

2012-01-01

Due to intensive anthropogenic pollution of water environment generally accepted indicators of epidemic security of water bodies - common bacteria and thermotolerant coliform bacteria do not always permit to obtain an objective characterization of bacterial contamination of tap water. From the point of view of authors the integral index - glucose positive coliform bacteria most adequately reflect the sanitary-hygienic and epidemiological situation of water bodies. In monitoring for bacterial quality of tap water it is advisable to determine glucose positive coliform bacteria, that will provide the relevance of estimation of the epidemiological safety of water use. According to the method developed by the authors the calculation of the index of population risk of acute intestinal infections occurrence in dependence on the quality of tap water in Azov and Tsimlyansk towns.

A novel, fuzzy-based air quality index (FAQI) for air quality assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sowlat, Mohammad Hossein; Gharibi, Hamed; Yunesian, Masud; Tayefeh Mahmoudi, Maryam; Lotfi, Saeedeh

2011-04-01

The ever increasing level of air pollution in most areas of the world has led to development of a variety of air quality indices for estimation of health effects of air pollution, though the indices have their own limitations such as high levels of subjectivity. Present study, therefore, aimed at developing a novel, fuzzy-based air quality index (FAQI ) to handle such limitations. The index developed by present study is based on fuzzy logic that is considered as one of the most common computational methods of artificial intelligence. In addition to criteria air pollutants (i.e. CO, SO 2, PM 10, O 3, NO 2), benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, and 1,3-butadiene were also taken into account in the index proposed, because of their considerable health effects. Different weighting factors were then assigned to each pollutant according to its priority. Trapezoidal membership functions were employed for classifications and the final index consisted of 72 inference rules. To assess the performance of the index, a case study was carried out employing air quality data at five different sampling stations in Tehran, Iran, from January 2008 to December 2009, results of which were then compared to the results obtained from USEPA air quality index (AQI). According to the results from present study, fuzzy-based air quality index is a comprehensive tool for classification of air quality and tends to produce accurate results. Therefore, it can be considered useful, reliable, and suitable for consideration by local authorities in air quality assessment and management schemes. Fuzzy-based air quality index (FAQI).

A comprehensive study on regulatory requirements for development and filing of generic drugs globally

PubMed Central

Handoo, Shweta; Arora, Vandana; Khera, Deepak; Nandi, Prafulla Kumar; Sahu, Susanta Kumar

2012-01-01

The regulatory requirements of various countries of the world vary from each other. Therefore, it is challenging for the companies to develop a single drug which can be simultaneously submitted in all the countries for approval. The regulatory strategy for product development is essentially to be established before commencement of developmental work in order to avoid major surprises after submission of the application. The role of the regulatory authorities is to ensure the quality, safety, and efficacy of all medicines in circulation in their country. It not only includes the process of regulating and monitoring the drugs but also the process of manufacturing, distribution, and promotion of it. One of the primary challenges for regulatory authority is to ensure that the pharmaceutical products are developed as per the regulatory requirement of that country. This process involves the assessment of critical parameters during product development. PMID:23373001

Peer Review Quality and Transparency of the Peer-Review Process in Open Access and Subscription Journals

PubMed Central

Wicherts, Jelte M.

2016-01-01

Background Recent controversies highlighting substandard peer review in Open Access (OA) and traditional (subscription) journals have increased the need for authors, funders, publishers, and institutions to assure quality of peer-review in academic journals. I propose that transparency of the peer-review process may be seen as an indicator of the quality of peer-review, and develop and validate a tool enabling different stakeholders to assess transparency of the peer-review process. Methods and Findings Based on editorial guidelines and best practices, I developed a 14-item tool to rate transparency of the peer-review process on the basis of journals’ websites. In Study 1, a random sample of 231 authors of papers in 92 subscription journals in different fields rated transparency of the journals that published their work. Authors’ ratings of the transparency were positively associated with quality of the peer-review process but unrelated to journal’s impact factors. In Study 2, 20 experts on OA publishing assessed the transparency of established (non-OA) journals, OA journals categorized as being published by potential predatory publishers, and journals from the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). Results show high reliability across items (α = .91) and sufficient reliability across raters. Ratings differentiated the three types of journals well. In Study 3, academic librarians rated a random sample of 140 DOAJ journals and another 54 journals that had received a hoax paper written by Bohannon to test peer-review quality. Journals with higher transparency ratings were less likely to accept the flawed paper and showed higher impact as measured by the h5 index from Google Scholar. Conclusions The tool to assess transparency of the peer-review process at academic journals shows promising reliability and validity. The transparency of the peer-review process can be seen as an indicator of peer-review quality allowing the tool to be used to predict academic quality in new journals. PMID:26824759

Improving The Quality of Education Through School-Based Management: Learning From International Experiences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grauwe, Anton De

2005-07-01

School-based management is being increasingly advocated as a shortcut to more efficient management and quality improvement in education. Research, however, has been unable to prove conclusively such a linkage. Especially in developing countries, concerns remain about the possible detrimental impact of school-based management on school quality; equity among different schools in the same system; the motivation of and relationships between principals and teachers; and financial as well as administrative transparency. The present study defines school-based management and, in view of its implementation in different world regions, examines some of its advantages and disadvantages. In particular, the author explores the strategies which must accompany school-based management in order to ensure a positive impact on quality. These are found to include (1) guaranteeing that all schools have certain basic resources; (2) developing an effective school-support system; (3) providing schools with regular information on their performance and advice on how they might improve; and (4) emphasizing the motivational element in the management work of the school principal.

Evidence-based health care: its place within clinical governance.

PubMed

McSherry, R; Haddock, J

This article explores the principles of evidence-based practice and its role in achieving quality improvements within the clinical governance framework advocated by the recent White Papers 'The New NHS: Modern, Dependable' (Department of Health (DoH), 1997) and 'A First Class Service: Quality in the New NHS' (DoH, 1998a). Within these White Papers there is an emphasis on improving quality of care, treatment and services through employing the principles of clinical governance. A major feature of clinical governance is guaranteeing quality to the public and the NHS, and ensuring that clinical, managerial and educational practice is based on scientific evidence. This article also examines what evidence-based practice is and what processes are required to promote effective healthcare interventions. The authors also look at how clinical governance relates to other methods/systems involved in clinical effectiveness. Finally, the importance for nurses and other healthcare professionals of familiarizing themselves with the development of critical appraisal skills, and their implications for developing evidence-based practice, is emphasized.

What the stories children tell can tell about their memory: narrative skill and young children's suggestibility.

PubMed

Kulkofsky, Sarah; Klemfuss, J Zoe

2008-09-01

The authors examined the relation between children's narrative ability, which has been identified as an important contributor to memory development, and suggestibility. Across 2 studies, a total of 112 preschool-aged children witnessed a staged event and were subsequently questioned suggestively. Results from Study 1 indicated that children's ability to provide a high-quality narrative of the event was related to resistance to suggestive questions, and narrative ability appeared to supersede age as a predictor of such resistance. In Study 2, children's general language and narrative abilities were measured in addition to their ability to produce a high-quality narrative about the target event. These results replicated Study 1's findings that children's ability to produce a high-quality narrative of a previously experienced event predicted resistance to suggestion. However, the quality of children's autobiographical memory narratives predicted shifting from denial to assent. Findings are considered in light of narrative's role in memory development and underlying mechanisms that may explain children's suggestibility.

Socio-Demographic Factors, Social Support, Quality of Life, and HIV/AIDS in Ghana.

PubMed

Abrefa-Gyan, Tina; Cornelius, Llewellyn J; Okundaye, Joshua

2016-01-01

The increase in the access to biomedical interventions for people living with HIV/AIDS in the developing world has not been adequately matched with the requisite psychosocial treatments to help improve the effectiveness of biomedical interventions. Therefore, in this study the author seeks to determine whether socio-demographic characteristics and social support are associated with quality of life in individuals diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in Ghana. A convenience sample of 300 HIV/AIDS support group members was obtained via cross-sectional design survey. The Medical Outcome Studies (MOS) HIV Health Survey, the MOS Social Support Survey (MOS-SSS), and demographic questionnaire instruments were used to assess quality of life, social support, and demographic information respectively. Multiple regression analysis showed that there was a positive association between overall social support and overall quality of life (r = .51). It also showed that being younger, male, attending support group meetings for over a year, and having ≥ 13 years of schooling related to higher quality of life. Implications of the findings for practice, policy, and research in Ghana and the rest of the developing world are discussed.

Delivering Improved Nutrition: Dairy Ingredients in Food Aid Products.

PubMed

Schlossman, Nina

2016-03-01

The United States has a long history of food assistance for humanitarian need. The Food for Peace Act of 1954 established the United States' permanent food assistance program which has fed over 3 billion people in 150 countries worldwide through thousands of partner organizations. In 60 years, the program has evolved and will continue to do so. Recently, the program has gone from a focus on quantity of food shipped to quality food assistance from improved products, programs, and processes to effectively meet the needs of different vulnerable groups. The current debate focuses on the appropriateness of using fortified blended foods to prevent and treat malnutrition during the first 1000 days of life. Dairy ingredients have been at the center of this debate; they were included initially in fortified blended, removed in the 1980s, and now reincorporated into fortified therapeutic and supplemental foods. Improved quality food baskets and effective nutrition programming to prevent and treat malnutrition were developed through multisectoral collaboration between government and nongovernment organizations. The US Agency for International Development has focused on improving nutrition through development programs often tied to health, education, and agriculture. The years since 2008 have been a particularly intense period for improvement. The Food Aid Quality Review was established to update current food aid programming products, program implementation, cost-effectiveness, and interagency processes. Trials are underway to harmonize the areas of multisectoral nutrition programming and gather more evidence on the effects of dairy ingredients in food aid products. © The Author(s) 2016.

[The certification of advanced therapy medicinal products. A quality label for product development in small and medium-sized enterprises].

PubMed

Berger, A; Schüle, S; Flory, E

2011-07-01

Advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) are gene therapy, cell therapy, and tissue engineered products. To gain access to the market within the European Union, ATMPs must be authorized by the European Commission (EC). Especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the European centralized procedure of marketing authorization that is conducted by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) constitutes a major challenge, because SMEs often have little experience with regulatory procedures and many have limited financial possibilities. To tackle these challenges, a certification procedure exclusively for SMEs and their ATMP development was introduced by the EC. Independently from a marketing authorization application, development and/or production processes can be certified. An issued certificate demonstrates that the respective process meets the current regulatory and scientific requirements of the EMA, representing a valuable milestone for putative investors and licensees. This article highlights the background, the detailed procedure, the minimum requirements, as well as the costs of certification, while giving further noteworthy guidance for interested parties.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bodnarczuk, M.

How does one assure that both quality and creativity are obtained in basic research environments QA theoreticians have attempted to develop workable definitions of quality, but in more reflective moments, these definitions often fail to capture the deeper essence of the idea of quality.'' This paper asserts that creativity (as a product of the human mind) is a concrete interface between perfunctory definitions of quality (conformance to specifications) and more philosophical speculations about the nature of quality- related ultimates'' like elegance or beauty. In addition, we describe the distinction between creative ideas and creative acts and highlight one of themore » major inhibitors of creativity, fear. Finally we show that highly creative people often have an irreverent attitude toward boundaries and established authority, and discuss how one can allow for this when designing a QA program in a basic research environment.« less

Development of ecotoxicology procedures for use in assessing health of coral reefs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Davies, P.S.; Marubini, F.

1995-12-31

There is widespread concern over the apparent worldwide decline in the health of coral reefs. However, assessment methods, other than long-term monitoring, have not yet been attempted. To remedy this the authors are developing ecotoxicology procedures to assess the effects of water quality factors on the corals themselves. Because of the problems of working with large, attached organisms, the authors have concentrated on developing small clonal preparations from corals with both a branching and a massive growth-form. For branching corals, tips (`nubbins`) are removed, and the cut surface ground smooth before cementing to 30mm x 30mm acrylic squares. Cores, ormore » `explants`, 25mm in diameter are removed from massive corals and cemented into injection-moulded plastic cups, to protect the cut surfaces of the skeleton. Trays of up to 18 nubbins and explants may then be transferred to the reef, where they are affixed to previously installed concrete breeze blocks. They may then be retrieved as required to assess the effects of water quality upon them. For laboratory ecotoxicology experiments, the authors have devised a system of artificial lighting, using halide lamps, to grow coral nubbins and explants under controlled conditions. To test the effects of pollutants, the authors use measurements of respiration, photosynthesis and skeletal growth rate. Growth is measured by a very simple buoyant weighing procedure, which requires only an analytical laboratory balance, and an easily-constructed plastic box-shaped chamber. The method is sufficiently sensitive to measure growth over a 24 hour period in some fast-growing corals. The authors will describe the results of initial experiments, carried out at the Bellairs Research Institute, Barbados, on the effects of different levels of phosphate and nitrate in the seawater. For the first time, they are able to demonstrate the concentration-related decrease in growth rate associated with nitrate eutrophication.« less

Quantitative comparisons of urgent care service providers.

PubMed

Qin, Hong; Prybutok, Gayle L; Prybutok, Victor R; Wang, Bin

2015-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to develop, validate, and use a survey instrument to measure and compare the perceived quality of three types of US urgent care (UC) service providers: hospital emergency rooms, urgent care centres (UCC), and primary care physician offices. This study develops, validates, and uses a survey instrument to measure/compare differences in perceived service quality among three types of UC service providers. Six dimensions measured the components of service quality: tangibles, professionalism, interaction, accessibility, efficiency, and technical quality. Primary care physicians' offices scored higher for service quality and perceived value, followed by UCC. Hospital emergency rooms scored lower in both quality and perceived value. No significant difference was identified between UCC and primary care physicians across all the perspectives, except for interactions. The homogenous nature of the sample population (college students), and the fact that the respondents were recruited from a single university limits the generalizability of the findings. The patient's choice of a health care provider influences not only the continuity of the care that he or she receives, but compliance with a medical regime, and the evolution of the health care landscape. This work contributes to the understanding of how to provide cost effective and efficient UC services. This study developed and validated a survey instrument to measure/compare six dimensions of service quality for three types of UC service providers. The authors provide valuable data for UC service providers seeking to improve patient perceptions of service quality.

Total Quality Management (TQM) Bibliography

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-04-01

GTE FIE COPY DTIC c" ECTE 8JUL 25 1990u TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT (TQM) BIBLIOGRAPHY APRIL-1990 Jointly supported by __’__________-_________ Jointly...Arsenal, AL 35898-5241 1I. TITLE (Include Security Classification) TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT (TQM) BIBL IRAPHY APRIL-1990 12. PERSONAL AUTHOR(S) Knott...implementation of the concept of total quality management (TQM). The selected coverage includes books, periodical articles, conference papers and reports. Coded

Quality of life and uncertainty in Crohn's disease.

PubMed

Niv, Galia; Bar Josef, Simona; Ben Bassat, Ofer; Avni, Irit; Lictenstein, Lev; Niv, Yaron; Barnoy, Sivia

2017-06-01

Crohn's disease impairs patients' perception of health and has a negative impact on health-related quality of life. Although it is apparent that uncertainty is a significant factor that decreases quality of life, it has never been studied in patients with Crohn's disease. The objective of the present study was to examine the association between level of certainty, self-epistemic authority, Internet information gathering habits, and health-related quality of life. A cross-sectional study of 105 Crohn's disease patients was conducted. Data were collected using a questionnaire composed of five parts: (1) demographic and clinical information; (2) health-related quality of life; (3) level of certainty; (4) self-epistemic authority; and (5) Internet information gathering habits regarding Crohn's disease. A significant positive correlation was demonstrated between levels of certainty and health-related quality of life. Self-epistemic authority correlated positively with certainty, while information gathering via the Internet was related to decreased certainty. Multiple regression analysis for factors associated with health-related quality of life showed a positive association with the level of certainty, while negative associations were found between Internet information seeking and disease activity with the quality of life. Level of certainty proved an important variable associated with health-related quality of life in Crohn's disease patients. Improving patients' self-epistemic authority can increase certainty and, thus, improve health-related quality of life.

Employee-oriented leadership and quality of working life: mediating roles of idiosyncratic deals.

PubMed

Hornung, Severin; Glaser, Jürgen; Rousseau, Denise M; Angerer, Peter; Weigl, Matthias

2011-02-01

Leader consideration has long been suggested to be conducive to quality of working life experienced by employees. The present study links this classic leadership dimension with more recent research on idiosyncratic deals, referring to personalized conditions workers negotiate in their employment relationships. A two-wave survey study (N = 159/142) among German hospital physicians suggests that authorizing idiosyncratic deals is a manifestation of employee-oriented leader behavior. Consideration had consistent positive effects on idiosyncratic deals regarding both professional development and working time flexibility. These two types had differential effects on two indicators of the quality of working life. Development related positively to work engagement, flexibility related negatively to work-family conflict. Cross-lagged correlations supported the proposed direction of influence between consideration and idiosyncratic deals in a subsample of repeating responders (n=91). The relation between development and engagement appeared to be reciprocal. Longitudinal results for the association between flexibility and work-family conflict were inconclusive.

Determination of water environment standards based on water quality criteria in China: Limitations and feasibilities.

PubMed

Wang, Tieyu; Zhou, Yunqiao; Bi, Cencen; Lu, Yonglong; He, Guizhen; Giesy, John P

2017-07-01

There is a need to formulate water environment standards (WESs) from the current water quality criteria (WQC) in China. To this end, we briefly summarize typical mechanisms applied in several countries with longer histories of developing WESs, and three limitations to formulating WESs in China were identified. After analyzing the feasibility factors including economic development, scientific support capability and environmental policies, we realized that China is still not ready for a complete change from its current nation-wide unified WES system to a local-standard-based system. Thus, we proposed a framework for transformation from WQC to WESs in China. The framework consists of three parts, including responsibilities, processes and policies. The responsibilities include research authorization, development of guidelines, and collection of information, at both national and local levels; the processes include four steps and an impact factor system to establish water quality standards; and the policies include seven specific proposals. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The Introduction of Standard Operating Procedures to Improve Burn Care in the United Kingdom.

PubMed

Lymperopoulos, Nikolaos Spyros; Jeevan, Ranjeet; Godwin, Lindsey; Wilkinson, Donnas; Shokrollahi, Kayvan; James, Malcolm Ian

2015-01-01

United Kingdom (UK) burn units face substantial new obstacles in delivering high quality care because of the advent of full-shift working patterns, cross-specialty cover arrangements, and increased trainee turnover. Junior trainees rely heavily on senior colleagues, who may not be readily accessible. The authors therefore proposed the introduction of standard operating procedures (SOPs), detailed written instructions used to achieve uniformity in performance and to improve outcomes. After undertaking a preliminary strength, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis of their use locally and nationally, the authors set out to systematically develop burn-specific SOPs. The authors first mapped our existing local SOPs to the newly introduced UK national burn care pathway to specify gaps in coverage. The authors then administered a questionnaire to other UK burn units to identify SOPs already used elsewhere. Finally, the authors developed and piloted a robust pathway for the development, introduction, and auditing of new SOPs. The strength, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis identified significant benefits and minimal risks. The mapping exercise identified specific deficiencies in our coverage of the national pathway. All 26 UK burn units responded to our questionnaire; only 12 had one or more SOPs (mean, 2.1). These covered initial assessment, inhalational injuries, drug prescribing, wound care, and gastric protection; none were audited. Locally, the authors have begun to develop the additional SOPs required. SOPs have not been instituted widely in the UK, despite the shift toward a standardized national care pathway and their association with improved outcomes. The authors hope that the systematic approach to their development and implementation demonstrates the feasibility of their wider use within UK regional burn centers and beyond.

Pulmonary imaging using respiratory motion compensated simultaneous PET/MR.

PubMed

Dutta, Joyita; Huang, Chuan; Li, Quanzheng; El Fakhri, Georges

2015-07-01

Pulmonary positron emission tomography (PET) imaging is confounded by blurring artifacts caused by respiratory motion. These artifacts degrade both image quality and quantitative accuracy. In this paper, the authors present a complete data acquisition and processing framework for respiratory motion compensated image reconstruction (MCIR) using simultaneous whole body PET/magnetic resonance (MR) and validate it through simulation and clinical patient studies. The authors have developed an MCIR framework based on maximum a posteriori or MAP estimation. For fast acquisition of high quality 4D MR images, the authors developed a novel Golden-angle RAdial Navigated Gradient Echo (GRANGE) pulse sequence and used it in conjunction with sparsity-enforcing k-t FOCUSS reconstruction. The authors use a 1D slice-projection navigator signal encapsulated within this pulse sequence along with a histogram-based gate assignment technique to retrospectively sort the MR and PET data into individual gates. The authors compute deformation fields for each gate via nonrigid registration. The deformation fields are incorporated into the PET data model as well as utilized for generating dynamic attenuation maps. The framework was validated using simulation studies on the 4D XCAT phantom and three clinical patient studies that were performed on the Biograph mMR, a simultaneous whole body PET/MR scanner. The authors compared MCIR (MC) results with ungated (UG) and one-gate (OG) reconstruction results. The XCAT study revealed contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) improvements for MC relative to UG in the range of 21%-107% for 14 mm diameter lung lesions and 39%-120% for 10 mm diameter lung lesions. A strategy for regularization parameter selection was proposed, validated using XCAT simulations, and applied to the clinical studies. The authors' results show that the MC image yields 19%-190% increase in the CNR of high-intensity features of interest affected by respiratory motion relative to UG and a 6%-51% increase relative to OG. Standalone MR is not the traditional choice for lung scans due to the low proton density, high magnetic susceptibility, and low T2 (∗) relaxation time in the lungs. By developing and validating this PET/MR pulmonary imaging framework, the authors show that simultaneous PET/MR, unique in its capability of combining structural information from MR with functional information from PET, shows promise in pulmonary imaging.

Considerations for using data envelopment analysis for the assessment of radiotherapy treatment plan quality.

PubMed

Simpson, John; Raith, Andrea; Rouse, Paul; Ehrgott, Matthias

2017-10-09

Purpose The operations research method of data envelopment analysis (DEA) shows promise for assessing radiotherapy treatment plan quality. The purpose of this paper is to consider the technical requirements for using DEA for plan assessment. Design/methodology/approach In total, 41 prostate treatment plans were retrospectively analysed using the DEA method. The authors investigate the impact of DEA weight restrictions with reference to the ability to differentiate plan performance at a level of clinical significance. Patient geometry influences plan quality and the authors compare differing approaches for managing patient geometry within the DEA method. Findings The input-oriented DEA method is the method of choice when performing plan analysis using the key undesirable plan metrics as the DEA inputs. When considering multiple inputs, it is necessary to constrain the DEA input weights in order to identify potential plan improvements at a level of clinical significance. All tested approaches for the consideration of patient geometry yielded consistent results. Research limitations/implications This work is based on prostate plans and individual recommendations would therefore need to be validated for other treatment sites. Notwithstanding, the method that requires both optimised DEA weights according to clinical significance and appropriate accounting for patient geometric factors is universally applicable. Practical implications DEA can potentially be used during treatment plan development to guide the planning process or alternatively used retrospectively for treatment plan quality audit. Social implications DEA is independent of the planning system platform and therefore has the potential to be used for multi-institutional quality audit. Originality/value To the authors' knowledge, this is the first published examination of the optimal approach in the use of DEA for radiotherapy treatment plan assessment.

Developing Medicare Competitive Bidding: A Study of Clinical Laboratories

PubMed Central

Hoerger, Thomas J.; Meadow, Ann

1997-01-01

Competitive bidding to derive Medicare fees promises several advantages over administered fee systems. The authors show how incentives for cost savings, quality, and access can be incorporated into bidding schemes, and they report on a study of the clinical laboratory industry conducted in preparation for a bidding demonstration. The laboratory industry is marked by variable concentration across geographic markets and, among firms themselves, by social and economic heterogeneity. The authors conclude that these conditions can be accommodated by available bidding design options and by careful selection of bidding markets. PMID:10180003

The Affordable Care Act: overview and implications for county and city behavioral health and intellectual/developmental disability programs.

PubMed

Manderscheid, Ron

2014-01-01

The author begins by reviewing the 5 key intended actions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA)-insurance reform, coverage reform, quality reform, performance reform, and information technology reform. This framework provides a basis for examining how populations served and service programs will change at the county and city levels as a result of the ACA, and how provider staff also will change over time as a result of these developments. The author concludes by outlining immediate next steps for county and city programs.

Development of Hot Isostatically Pressed Rene 95 Turbine Parts

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-05-01

Jull 17 ,. " 1ENE’ 95 TURBINE PARTS~ 7. AUTHOR(e) CO(A RRNNME P.)Mathur aWJ. Bartos AJ-3C0V hae1 9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS 10. PROGRAM...200 mesh coff .,acts prepared in the autoclave at 20500F and the -60 mesh compact prepared by *1650 0F14 hours, 2000°1/1 hour/OQ, + 1400°F/16 hours/AC...Product Acceptance plans (Appendix- Ill); the Quality Control of General Elctric Company was-extended to establish procedures and- organization , to

Effects of packaging and storage conditions on the quality of amoxicillin-clavulanic acid – an analysis of Cambodian samples

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The use of substandard and degraded medicines is a major public health problem in developing countries such as Cambodia. A collaborative study was conducted to evaluate the quality of amoxicillin–clavulanic acid preparations under tropical conditions in a developing country. Methods Amoxicillin-clavulanic acid tablets were obtained from outlets in Cambodia. Packaging condition, printed information, and other sources of information were examined. The samples were tested for quantity, content uniformity, and dissolution. Authenticity was verified with manufacturers and regulatory authorities. Results A total of 59 samples were collected from 48 medicine outlets. Most (93.2%) of the samples were of foreign origin. Using predetermined acceptance criteria, 12 samples (20.3%) were non-compliant. Eight (13.6%), 10 (16.9%), and 20 (33.9%) samples failed quantity, content uniformity, and dissolution tests, respectively. Samples that violated our observational acceptance criteria were significantly more likely to fail the quality tests (Fisher’s exact test, p < 0.05). Conclusions Improper packaging and storage conditions may reduce the quality of amoxicillin–clavulanic acid preparations at community pharmacies. Strict quality control measures are urgently needed to maintain the quality of amoxicillin–clavulanic acid in tropical countries. PMID:23773420

A combined geostatistical-optimization model for the optimal design of a groundwater quality monitoring network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolosionis, Konstantinos; Papadopoulou, Maria P.

2017-04-01

Monitoring networks provide essential information for water resources management especially in areas with significant groundwater exploitation due to extensive agricultural activities. In this work, a simulation-optimization framework is developed based on heuristic optimization methodologies and geostatistical modeling approaches to obtain an optimal design for a groundwater quality monitoring network. Groundwater quantity and quality data obtained from 43 existing observation locations at 3 different hydrological periods in Mires basin in Crete, Greece will be used in the proposed framework in terms of Regression Kriging to develop the spatial distribution of nitrates concentration in the aquifer of interest. Based on the existing groundwater quality mapping, the proposed optimization tool will determine a cost-effective observation wells network that contributes significant information to water managers and authorities. The elimination of observation wells that add little or no beneficial information to groundwater level and quality mapping of the area can be obtain using estimations uncertainty and statistical error metrics without effecting the assessment of the groundwater quality. Given the high maintenance cost of groundwater monitoring networks, the proposed tool could used by water regulators in the decision-making process to obtain a efficient network design that is essential.

Inexpensive Strobe-Like Photographs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Medeiros, Emil L.; Tavares, Odilon A. P.; Duarte, Sergio B.

2009-01-01

This paper reports on a technique the authors have developed to produce and analyze, at very low cost, good quality strobe-like photographs. While the concept is similar to the one described by Graney and DiNoto, the strategy described here benefits from recent advances in the fields of digital photography and related software to significantly…

The Value of Collaborative Rounds for Teacher Professional Learning in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mansfield, Caroline; Thompson, Greg

2017-01-01

Teacher professional learning (PL) is viewed by governments, bureaucracies and school systems as important for improving teaching quality and effectiveness. This new enthusiasm, however, is set against a history of professional development in schools of marginal benefit. In response to this history, education authorities are interested in PL that…

Helping English Learners Rise to the Challenge of Complex Texts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walqui, Aida

2014-01-01

The idea that secondary English language learner (ELL) students can master rigorous academic content quickly and deeply goes against much accepted wisdom in the field, but Aída Walqui--the author and Director of WestEd's Teacher Professional Development Program, which houses the Quality Teaching for English Learners (QTEL) initiative--and her…

Flexible as a Dancer, More Resilient because of It

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Martin; Jacob, Dana

2010-01-01

When asked once during an interview what her best quality is, Victoria Rowell simply responded with one word: Resilience. This article profiles Victoria Rowell, actress, author, dancer, and foster care advocate, who helps enrich the lives of foster youth through her charitable work and the development of the Rowell Foster Children Positive Plan.…

Information Competencies and Their Implementation in the Educational Process of Polish Universities Exploratory Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tonakiewicz-Kolosowska, Anna; Socik, Iwona; Gajewska, Monika

2016-01-01

The authors present the development and perspectives of improving the quality of Information Literacy programmes in Polish technical universities, considering the Bologna Process and the general conditions of the Polish higher education system. The survey conducted in selected technical and medical universities provided an overview of changes…

A Quality Instrument for Effective Honors Program Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Patricia Joanne

2015-01-01

Although the number of honors programs and colleges has grown dramatically over the last twenty years to over a thousand programs nationally, little has been done to develop consistency of standards in honors. In the interest of seeking consistency, the author designed a research study to provide initial insights into assessable measures that a…

A Critical Review of Air Pollution Index Systems in the United States and Canada

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ott, Wayne R.; Thom, Gary C.

1976-01-01

An extensive survey of air pollution indices reveals great diversity in calculation and descriptor categories. This lack of uniformity creates confusion, suggests questionable technical validity, and discourages a national picture. The authors recombined indices currently in use to develop a Standardized Urban Air Quality Index for national use.…

78 FR 10598 - Information Collection Activity; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-14

... assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be collected; and... . Title: 7 CFR 1779, Water and Waste Disposal Programs Guaranteed Loans. OMB Number: 0572-0122. Type of... is authorized by Section 306 of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926) to...

Identity Crisis: Multiple Measures and the Identification of Schools under ESSA. Summary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Policy Analysis for California Education, PACE, 2016

2016-01-01

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires states to develop an accountability system that includes multiple measures of student academic performance and at least one additional indicator of "School Quality or Student Success" (SQSS). To support policymaking at both the state and federal level, the authors of "Identity Crisis:…

Cautionary Tales on Interrupting Children's Play: A Study from Sweden

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weldemariam, Kassahun Tigistu

2014-01-01

Play is a natural and significant aspect of children's learning and development. Adults can be important to children's play, as they act as "play agents." Their involvement significantly influences the quality of the play activities in which children engage. The author briefly reviews the theoretical assumptions about adults' role in…

The mock trial: a collaborative interdisciplinary approach to understanding legal and ethical issues.

PubMed

March, Alice L; Ford, Cassandra D; Adams, Marsha Howell; Cheshire, Michelle; Collins, Angela S

2011-01-01

To provide high-quality, safe, patient-centered care, RNs must exhibit a strong understanding of legal and ethical issues. The authors describe an interdisciplinary teaching learning strategy, the premock, actual, and postmock trial, to augment student retention of legal and ethical concepts and enhance the development of their personal accountability.

Motherhood, Apple Pie, and Differentiated Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

VanSciver, James H.

2005-01-01

A good Little League baseball coach will analyze a pitcher's performance and develop an individual prescription based on that analysis. Just as all pitchers do not receive the same remedies from high-quality coaches, the author believes, neither should all students. No Child Left Behind (NCLB) stands as the imposing batter to many teachers and…

Electronic Documentation Support Tools and Text Duplication in the Electronic Medical Record

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wrenn, Jesse

2010-01-01

In order to ease the burden of electronic note entry on physicians, electronic documentation support tools have been developed to assist in note authoring. There is little evidence of the effects of these tools on attributes of clinical documentation, including document quality. Furthermore, the resultant abundance of duplicated text and…

Portfolio Preparation Tips for Teachers, Part 2

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunter-Lombardi, Brooke

2009-01-01

In the August/September 2008 issue of "SchoolArts," the author talked about strategies for helping students develop content and good working habits to support making portfolio-quality pieces. In this article, she offers some tips which focus on the importance of critique, presentation, and selection of images to end up with a polished,…

Developing School Counseling Students' Social Justice Orientation through Service Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ockerman, Melissa S.; Mason, Erin C. M.

2012-01-01

Counselor educators must examine the quality and intentionality of coursework and field experiences offered to their students as the role of school counselors continues to transform. The emphasis in the field on school counselors as social justice agents and advocates should be reflected in school counselor training programs. The authors present a…

Transition Services for Youths Who Are Deaf-Blind: A "Best Practices" Guide for Educators.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Everson, Jane M., Ed.

This collection of 10 papers addresses "best practices" in the development of transition services for youths who are deaf-blind. The papers include quality indicators checklists, transition planning checklists, and other assessment tools. The papers have the following titles and authors: "Overview of Transition Services for Youths Who Are…

Criteria for Accreditation in Vietnam's Higher Education: Focus on Input or Outcome?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nguyen, Kim D.; Oliver, Diane E.; Priddy, Lynn E.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this article is to analyse the development of accreditation standards and processes in Vietnam and to offer recommendations for the further progress of Vietnam's accreditation model. The authors first provide contextual details of the higher education system and then present the conceptual framework of quality assurance in relation…

Assessing Relationship Quality in Mandated Community Treatment: Blending Care with Control

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skeem, Jennifer L.; Louden, Jennifer Eno; Polaschek, Devon; Camp, Jacqueline

2007-01-01

Traditional measures of the therapeutic alliance do not capture the dual roles inherent in relationships with involuntary clients. Providers not only care for, but also have control over, involuntary clients. In 2 studies of probationers mandated to psychiatric treatment (n = 90; n = 322), the authors developed and validated the revised Dual-Role…

The Recognition of Prior Learning. Quality Assurance in Education and Training.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New Zealand Qualifications Authority, Wellington.

As this booklet describes, New Zealand's Education Amendment Act of 1990 made the country's Qualifications Authority (QA) responsible for developing and implementing a process for recognition of prior learning (RPL) that would enable individuals to receive formal recognition for skills and knowledge they already possess. As of 1993, the QA had…

Preschool and Economic Development. Employment Research. Volume 13, Number 4

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bartik, Timothy J.

2006-01-01

"Employment Research" is published quarterly by the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment and Research. Issues appear in January, April, July, and October. This issue of "Employment Research" presents an article that summarizes the author's study of the effects of high-quality universal preschool education when it is treated as an economic…

Development of Research-Based Protocol Aligned to Predict High Levels of Teaching Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schumacher, Gary; Grigsby, Bettye; Vesey, Winona

2011-01-01

This study proposes a research-based teacher selection protocol. The protocol is intended to offer school district hiring authorities a tool to identify teacher candidates with the behaviors expected to predict effective teaching. It is hypothesized that a particular series of research-based interview questions focusing on teaching behaviors in…

Bridging the Gap between the Data Base and User in a Distributed Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howard, Richard D.; And Others

1989-01-01

The distribution of databases physically separates users from those who administer the database and the administrators who perform database administration. By drawing on the work of social scientists in reliability and validity, a set of concepts and a list of questions to ensure data quality were developed. (Author/MLW)

Educators Must Rally for Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kastle, Kenneth D.

2008-01-01

The author of this article states that, for more than 20 years, public educators have developed a professional inferiority complex and a strong sense of hopelessness. After all, he claims, the dominant message over those years, including from some within the profession, has been that educators have caused the declining quality in public schools.…

Current Trends in Computer-Based Language Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hart, Robert S.

1987-01-01

A discussion of computer-based language instruction examines the quality of materials currently in use and looks at developments in the field. It is found that language courseware is generally weak in the areas of error analysis and feedback, communicative realism, and convenience of lesson authoring. A review of research under way to improve…

Bridging the Gap Between Validation and Implementation of Non-Animal Veterinary Vaccine Potency Testing Methods.

PubMed

Dozier, Samantha; Brown, Jeffrey; Currie, Alistair

2011-11-29

In recent years, technologically advanced high-throughput techniques have been developed that replace, reduce or refine animal use in vaccine quality control tests. Following validation, these tests are slowly being accepted for use by international regulatory authorities. Because regulatory acceptance itself has not guaranteed that approved humane methods are adopted by manufacturers, various organizations have sought to foster the preferential use of validated non-animal methods by interfacing with industry and regulatory authorities. After noticing this gap between regulation and uptake by industry, we began developing a paradigm that seeks to narrow the gap and quicken implementation of new replacement, refinement or reduction guidance. A systematic analysis of our experience in promoting the transparent implementation of validated non-animal vaccine potency assays has led to the refinement of our paradigmatic process, presented here, by which interested parties can assess the local regulatory acceptance of methods that reduce animal use and integrate them into quality control testing protocols, or ensure the elimination of peripheral barriers to their use, particularly for potency and other tests carried out on production batches.

Is It Time for Entrustable Professional Activities for Residency Program Directors?

PubMed

Bing-You, Robert G; Holmboe, Eric; Varaklis, Kalli; Linder, Jo

2017-06-01

Residency program directors (PDs) play an important role in establishing and leading high-quality graduate medical education programs. However, medical educators have failed to codify the position on a national level, and PDs are often not recognized for the significant role they play. The authors of this Commentary argue that the core entrustable professional activities (EPAs) framework may be a mechanism to further this work and define the roles and responsibilities of the PD position. Based on personal observations as PDs and communications with others in the academic medicine community, the authors used work in competency-based medical education to define a list of potential EPAs for PDs. The benefits of developing these EPAs include being able to define competencies for PDs using a deconstructive process, highlighting the increasingly important role PDs play in leading high-quality graduate medical education programs, using EPAs as a framework to assess PD performance and provide feedback, allowing PDs to focus their professional development efforts on the most important areas for their work, and helping guide the PD recruitment and selection processes.

Innovating to enhance clinical data management using non-commercial and open source solutions across a multi-center network supporting inpatient pediatric care and research in Kenya

PubMed Central

Tuti, Timothy; Bitok, Michael; Paton, Chris; Makone, Boniface; Malla, Lucas; Muinga, Naomi; Gathara, David; English, Mike

2016-01-01

Objective To share approaches and innovations adopted to deliver a relatively inexpensive clinical data management (CDM) framework within a low-income setting that aims to deliver quality pediatric data useful for supporting research, strengthening the information culture and informing improvement efforts in local clinical practice. Materials and methods The authors implemented a CDM framework to support a Clinical Information Network (CIN) using Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap), a noncommercial software solution designed for rapid development and deployment of electronic data capture tools. It was used for collection of standardized data from case records of multiple hospitals’ pediatric wards. R, an open-source statistical language, was used for data quality enhancement, analysis, and report generation for the hospitals. Results In the first year of CIN, the authors have developed innovative solutions to support the implementation of a secure, rapid pediatric data collection system spanning 14 hospital sites with stringent data quality checks. Data have been collated on over 37 000 admission episodes, with considerable improvement in clinical documentation of admissions observed. Using meta-programming techniques in R, coupled with branching logic, randomization, data lookup, and Application Programming Interface (API) features offered by REDCap, CDM tasks were configured and automated to ensure quality data was delivered for clinical improvement and research use. Conclusion A low-cost clinically focused but geographically dispersed quality CDM (Clinical Data Management) in a long-term, multi-site, and real world context can be achieved and sustained and challenges can be overcome through thoughtful design and implementation of open-source tools for handling data and supporting research. PMID:26063746

Inexpensive Strobe-like Photographs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Medeiros, Emil L.; Tavares, Odilon A. P.; Duarte, Sérgio B.

2009-11-01

This paper reports on a technique the authors have developed to produce and analyze, at very low cost, good quality strobe-like photographs like the one shown in Figs. 1(a) and 1(b). While the concept is similar to the one described by Graney and DiNoto, the strategy described here benefits from recent advances in the fields of digital photography and related software to significantly reduce the costs, simplify the production process, and enhance the final quality of photographs of this type, as well as to obtain greater accuracy in measurements made with them.

[Use of health care quality indicators in the study of the therapeutic-diagnostic process].

PubMed

Mikhaĭlov, S M; Chavpetsov, V P; Karachevtseva, M A

1999-01-01

Definition of the notions "medical care quality" (MCQ) and "medical error" (ME) and their range depending on the negative effect of ME on the status of essential signs of MCQ, obligatory registration and possibility of universal description of all detected ME and their negative consequences by means of automated expert methods helped the authors develop quantitative parameters of the state of 3 components of MCQ. Based on these data, integral value of MCQ state and the structure of facultative MCQ were estimated.

EMEA and Gene Therapy Medicinal Products Development in the European Union

PubMed Central

2003-01-01

The evaluation of quality, safety, and efficacy of medicinal products by the European Medicines Evaluation Agency (EMEA) via the centralized procedure is the only available regulatory procedure for obtaining marketing authorization for gene therapy (GT) medicinal products in the European Union. The responsibility for the authorization of clinical trials remains with the national competent authorities (NCA) acting in a harmonized framework from the scientific viewpoint. With the entry into force of a new directive on good clinical practice implementation in clinical trials as of 1 May 2004, procedural aspects will also be harmonized at EU level. Scientifically sound development of medicinal products is the key for the successful registration of dossiers and for contributing to the promotion and protection of public health. The objective of this paper is to introduce the EMEA regulatory processes and scientific activities relevant to GT medicinal products. PMID:12686717

[Use of tissue engineering in the reconstruction of flexor tendon injuries of the hand].

PubMed

Bíró, Vilmos

2015-02-08

In his literary analysis, the author describes a novel method applied in the reconstruction of flexor tendon injuries of the hand. This procedure is named tissue engineering, and it is examined mainly under experimental circumstances. After definition of the method and descriptions of literary preliminaries the author discusses the healing process of the normal tendon tissue, then development of the scaffold, an important step of tissue engineering is described. After these topics the introduction of the pluripotent mesenchymal stem cells into the scaffold, and proliferation of these cells and development of the sliding systems are presented. The mechanical resisting ability of the formed tendon tissue is also discussed. Finally, the author concludes that as long as results of experimental research cannot be successfully applied into clinical practice, well-tried tendon reconstruction operations and high quality postoperative rehabilitation are needed.

Development and implementation of an audit tool for quality control of parenteral nutrition.

PubMed

García-Rodicio, Sonsoles; Abajo, Celia; Godoy, Mercedes; Catalá, Miguel Angel

2009-01-01

The aim of this article is to describe the development of a quality control methodology applied to patients receiving parenteral nutrition (PN) and to present the results obtained over the past 10 years. Development of the audit tool: In 1995, a total of 13 PN quality criteria and their standards were defined based on literature and past experiences. They were applied during 5 different 6-month audits carried out in subsequent years. According to the results of each audit, the criteria with lower validity were eliminated, while others were optimized and new criteria were introduced to complete the monitoring of other areas not previously examined. Currently, the quality control process includes 22 quality criteria and their standards that examine the following 4 different areas: (1) indication and duration of PN; (2) nutrition assessment, adequacy of the nutrition support, and monitoring; (3) metabolic and infectious complications; and (4) global efficacy of the nutrition support regimen. The authors describe the current definition of each criterion and present the results obtained in the 5 audits performed. In the past year, 9 of the 22 criteria reached the predefined standards. The areas detected for further improvements were: indication for PN, nutrition assessment, and management of catheter infections. The definition of quality criteria and their standards is an efficient method of providing a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the clinical care of patients receiving PN. It detects areas for improvement and assists in developing a methodology to work efficiently.

Using Quality Tools and Methodologies to Improve a Hospital's Quality Position.

PubMed

Branco, Daniel; Wicks, Angela M; Visich, John K

2017-01-01

The authors identify the quality tools and methodologies most frequently used by quality-positioned hospitals versus nonquality hospitals. Northeastern U.S. hospitals in both groups received a brief, 12-question survey. The authors found that 93.75% of the quality hospitals and 81.25% of the nonquality hospitals used some form of process improvement methodologies. However, there were significant differences between the groups regarding the impact of quality improvement initiatives on patients. The findings indicate that in quality hospitals the use of quality improvement initiatives had a significantly greater positive impact on patient satisfaction and patient outcomes when compared to nonquality hospitals.

Author Affiliation Index: A New Approach to Marketing Journal Ranking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pan, Yue; Chen, Carl R.

2011-01-01

Previous research has adopted various methods to assess the relative quality of academic marketing journals. This study, as a replication and extension of Chen and Huang (2007), introduces the Author Affiliation Index (AAI) as an alternative approach to assessing marketing journal quality. The AAI is defined as the ratio of articles authored by…

Charter School Appeals. Policy Guide

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Neill, Paul T.

2009-01-01

Authorizers must decide whether a proposed school should be allowed to open and whether it should be required to close. To enable authorizers to serve as quality gatekeepers for the sector, state policy must give authorizers clear power to deny low-quality charter school applications and to close charter schools that fail to meet expectations. At…

Aberrant use and poor quality of trypanocides: a risk for drug resistance in south western Ethiopia.

PubMed

Tekle, T; Terefe, G; Cherenet, T; Ashenafi, H; Akoda, K G; Teko-Agbo, A; Van Den Abbeele, J; Gari, G; Clausen, P-H; Hoppenheit, A; Mattioli, R C; Peter, R; Marcotty, T; Cecchi, G; Delespaux, V

2018-01-05

Trypanocidal drugs have been used to control African animal trypanosomosis for several decades. In Ethiopia, these drugs are available from both authorized (legal) and unauthorized (illegal) sources but documentation on utilization practices and quality of circulating products is scanty. This study looked at the practices of trypanocidal drug utilization by farmers and the integrity of active ingredient in trypanocides sold in Gurage zone, south western Ethiopia. The surveys were based on a structured questionnaire and drug quality determination of commonly used brands originating from European and Asian companies and sold at both authorized and unauthorized markets. One hundred farmers were interviewed and 50 drug samples were collected in 2013 (Diminazene aceturate = 33 and Isometamidium chloride = 17; 25 from authorized and 25 from unauthorized sources). Samples were tested at the OIE-certified Veterinary Drug Control Laboratory (LACOMEV) in Dakar, Senegal, by using galenic standards and high performance liquid chromatography. Trypanosomosis was found to be a major threat according to all interviewed livestock keepers in the study area. Diminazene aceturate and isometamidium chloride were preferred by 79% and 21% of the respondents respectively, and 85% of them indicated that an animal receives more than six treatments per year. About 60% of these treatments were reported to be administered by untrained farmers. Trypanocidal drug sources included both unauthorized outlets (56%) and authorized government and private sources (44%). A wide availability and usage of substandard quality drugs was revealed. Twenty eight percent of trypanocidal drugs tested failed to comply with quality requirements. There was no significant difference in the frequency of non-compliance between diminazene-based and isometamidium chloride products (P = 0.87) irrespective of the marketing channel (official and unofficial). However, higher rates of non-compliant trypanocides were detected for drugs originating from Asia than from Europe (P = 0.029). The findings revealed the presence of risk factors for the development of drug resistance, i.e. wide distribution of poor quality drugs as well as substandard administration practices. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to enforce regulatory measures for quality control of veterinary drugs, to expand and strengthen veterinary services and to undertake trypanocidal drug efficacy studies of wider coverage.

Energy Use and Quality of Foods Cooked by Different Appliances.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Odland, Dianne; And Others

1987-01-01

The authors compared energy consumption, cooking time, and quality of five foods cooked using electric range surface units and oven, induction cooktop, electric frypan, microwave oven, and toaster oven. The induction cooktop was among the most energy conserving. For most products, cooking treatment had little impact on quality. (Author/CH)

Quality in Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gould, Ronald

In a wide-ranging speech on the question of educational quality in Great Britain, the author observes that the achievement of higher quality "demands the will to act in a hundred ways, even to the point of sacrifice, on the part of teachers, managers, governors, local authorities, the government, parents, newspapers, radio and T.V., and the…

Development and implementation of a comprehensive quality assurance program at a community endoscopy facility.

PubMed

Hilsden, Robert Jay; Rostom, Alaa; Dubé, Catherine; Pontifex, Darlene; McGregor, S Elizabeth; Bridges, Ronald J

2011-10-01

Quality assurance (QA) is a process that includes the systematic evaluation of a service, institution of improvements and ongoing evaluation to ensure that effective changes were made. QA is a fundamental component of any organized colorectal cancer screening program. However, it should play an equally important role in opportunistic screening. Establishing the processes and procedures for a comprehensive QA program can be a daunting proposition for an endoscopy unit. The present article describes the steps taken to establish a QA program at the Forzani & MacPhail Colon Cancer Screening Centre (Calgary, Alberta) - a colorectal cancer screening centre and nonhospital endoscopy unit that is dedicated to providing colorectal cancer screening-related colonoscopies. Lessons drawn from the authors' experience may help others develop their own initiatives. The Global Rating Scale, a quality assessment and improvement tool developed for the gastrointestinal endoscopy services of the United Kingdom's National Health Service, was used as the framework to develop the QA program. QA activities include monitoring the patient experience through surveys, creating endoscopist report cards on colonoscopy performance, tracking and evaluating adverse events and monitoring wait times.

Validation of national land-cover characteristics data for regional water-quality assessment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zelt, Ronald B.; Brown, Jesslyn F.; Kelley, M.S.

1995-01-01

Land-cover information is used routinely to support the interpretation of water-quality data. The Prototype 1990 Conterminous US Land Cover Characteristics Data Set, developed primarily from Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) data, was made available to the US Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program. The study described in this paper explored the utility of the 1990 national data set for developing quantitative estimates of the areal extent of principal land-cover types within large areal units. Land-cover data were collected in 1993 at 210 sites in the Central Nebraska Basins, one of the NAWQA study units. Median percentage-corn estimates for each sampling stratum wre used to produce areally weighted estimates of the percentage-corn cover for hydrologic units. Comparison of those areal estimates with an independent source of 1992 land-cover data showed good agreement. -Authors

Philosophy of Healthcare Ethics Practice Statements: Quality Attestation and Beyond.

PubMed

Notini, Lauren

2018-06-13

One element of the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities' recently-piloted quality attestation portfolio for clinical ethics consultants is a "philosophy of clinical ethics consultation statement" describing the candidate's approach to clinical ethics consultation. To date, these statements have been under-explored in the literature, in contrast to philosophy statements in other fields such as academic teaching. In this article, I argue there is merit in expanding the content of these statements beyond clinical ethics consultation alone to describe the author's approach to other important "domains" of healthcare ethics practice (e.g., organizational policy development/review and ethics teaching). I also claim such statements have at least three additional uses outside quality attestation: (1) as a reflective practice learning tool to increase role clarity among practicing healthcare ethicists and bioethics fellows; (2) assisting practicing healthcare ethicists in clarifying role expectations with those they work with; and (3) helping inform developing professional practice standards.

Mothers' work-family conflict and enrichment: associations with parenting quality and couple relationship.

PubMed

Cooklin, A R; Westrupp, E; Strazdins, L; Giallo, R; Martin, A; Nicholson, J M

2015-03-01

Employment participation of mothers of young children has steadily increased in developed nations. Combining work and family roles can create conflicts with family life, but can also bring enrichment. Work-family conflict and enrichment experienced by mothers may also impact children's home environments via parenting behaviour and the couple relationship, particularly in the early years of parenting when the care demands for young children is high. In order to examine these associations, while adjusting for a wide range of known covariates of parenting and relationship quality, regression models using survey data from 2151 working mothers of 4- to 5-year-old children are reported. Results provided partial support for the predicted independent relationships between work-family conflict, enrichment and indicators of the quality of parenting and the couple relationship. © 2014 The Authors. Child: Care, Health and Development published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Analytic image reconstruction from partial data for a single-scan cone-beam CT with scatter correction

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Min, Jonghwan; Pua, Rizza; Cho, Seungryong, E-mail: scho@kaist.ac.kr

Purpose: A beam-blocker composed of multiple strips is a useful gadget for scatter correction and/or for dose reduction in cone-beam CT (CBCT). However, the use of such a beam-blocker would yield cone-beam data that can be challenging for accurate image reconstruction from a single scan in the filtered-backprojection framework. The focus of the work was to develop an analytic image reconstruction method for CBCT that can be directly applied to partially blocked cone-beam data in conjunction with the scatter correction. Methods: The authors developed a rebinned backprojection-filteration (BPF) algorithm for reconstructing images from the partially blocked cone-beam data in amore » circular scan. The authors also proposed a beam-blocking geometry considering data redundancy such that an efficient scatter estimate can be acquired and sufficient data for BPF image reconstruction can be secured at the same time from a single scan without using any blocker motion. Additionally, scatter correction method and noise reduction scheme have been developed. The authors have performed both simulation and experimental studies to validate the rebinned BPF algorithm for image reconstruction from partially blocked cone-beam data. Quantitative evaluations of the reconstructed image quality were performed in the experimental studies. Results: The simulation study revealed that the developed reconstruction algorithm successfully reconstructs the images from the partial cone-beam data. In the experimental study, the proposed method effectively corrected for the scatter in each projection and reconstructed scatter-corrected images from a single scan. Reduction of cupping artifacts and an enhancement of the image contrast have been demonstrated. The image contrast has increased by a factor of about 2, and the image accuracy in terms of root-mean-square-error with respect to the fan-beam CT image has increased by more than 30%. Conclusions: The authors have successfully demonstrated that the proposed scanning method and image reconstruction algorithm can effectively estimate the scatter in cone-beam projections and produce tomographic images of nearly scatter-free quality. The authors believe that the proposed method would provide a fast and efficient CBCT scanning option to various applications particularly including head-and-neck scan.« less

Outcome-centered antiepileptic therapy: Rate, rhythm and relief.: Implementing AAN Epilepsy Quality Measures in clinical practice.

PubMed

D'Cruz, O'Neill

2015-12-01

Clinicians who manage patients with epilepsy are expected to assess the relevance of clinical trial results to their practice, integrate new treatments into the care algorithm, and implement epilepsy quality measures, with the overall goal of improving patient outcomes. A disease-based clinical framework that helps with choice and combinations of interventions facilitates provision of efficient, cost-effective, and high-quality care. This article addresses the current conceptual framework that informs clinical evaluation of epilepsy, explores gaps between development of treatment options, quality measures and clinical goals, and proposes an outcome-centered approach that bridges these gaps with the aim of improving patient and population-level clinical outcomes in epilepsy. Copyright © 2015 The Author. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Marketing to Develop the Premier Medical Brand in the Huaihai Economic Zone.

PubMed

Zhang, Peiying; Meng, Qingchao

2015-06-01

Based on the practices at Xuzhou Central Hospital, the authors analyzed the improvements in the healthcare quality and economic efficiency after implementing a brand marketing strategy. Using methods including questionnaires and business controlling means, we summarized that the improvements to the healthcare quality and economic efficiency after strategies were implemented in the areas of network, reputation, academic research, and public welfare. After the implementation of a brand marketing campaign, the medical service quality and brand reputation have been greatly improved. Meanwhile, a central hospital group was formed and gradually became the central healthcare provider in the Huaihai Economic Zone. The new marketing facilitated the drastic increase of medical service and brand reputation.

Development, evaluation, and utility of a peer evaluation form for online teaching.

PubMed

Gaskamp, Carol D; Kintner, Eileen

2014-01-01

Formative assessment of teaching by peers is an important component of quality improvement for educators. Teaching portfolios submitted for promotion and tenure are expected to include peer evaluations. Faculty resources designed for peer evaluation of classroom teaching are often inadequate for evaluating online teaching. The authors describe development, evaluation, and utility of a new peer evaluation form for formative assessment of online teaching deemed relevant, sound, feasible, and beneficial.

Effects of sonication and ultraviolet-C treatment as a hurdle concept on quality attributes of Chokanan mango (Mangifera indica L.) juice.

PubMed

Santhirasegaram, Vicknesha; Razali, Zuliana; Somasundram, Chandran

2015-04-01

The growing demand for fresh-like food products has encouraged the development of hurdle technology of non-thermal processing. In this study, freshly squeezed Chokanan mango juice was treated by paired combinations of sonication (for 15 and 30 min at 25 ℃, 40 kHz frequency) and UV-C treatment (for 15 and 30 min at 25 ℃). Selected physicochemical properties, antioxidant activities, microbial inactivation and other quality parameters of combined treated juice were compared to conventional thermal treatment (at 90 ℃ for 60 s). After thermal and combined treatment, no significant changes occurred in physicochemical properties. A significant increase in extractability of carotenoids (15%), polyphenols (37%), flavonoids (35%) and enhancement in antioxidant capacity was observed after combined treatment. Thermal and combined treatment exhibited significant reduction in microbial load. Results obtained support the use of sonication and UV-C in a hurdle technology to improve the quality of Chokanan mango juice along with safety standards. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Parenting stress and autism: the role of age, autism severity, quality of life and problem behaviour of children and adolescents with autism.

PubMed

McStay, Rebecca L; Dissanayake, Cheryl; Scheeren, Anke; Koot, Hans M; Begeer, Sander

2014-07-01

While stress is a common experience for parents caring for a child with a developmental disability, current measures fail to distinguish between general stress in parents and the demands of parenting and perceptions of parenting skills (parenting stress). This study examined differences in 'parenting stress' reported by parents of children with autism and typically developing children. This study examined the role of child characteristics (age, autism severity, child quality of life and problem behaviour) on parenting stress in 150 parents of cognitively able children and adolescents with autism. The results revealed that child hyperactivity was the only factor significantly related to parenting stress in parents of children with autism, overruling measures of autism severity and child quality of life. This finding indicates the significant influence of problematic behaviours on parenting demands and perceptions of parenting skills in parents of children with autism, over other child characteristics conceived as within the parent's control. Study implications for future research are discussed. © The Author(s) 2013.

``Quality's `others'?'' The politics of bordering and re-bordering our educational standards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soudien, Crain

2011-08-01

The 14th World Congress of the World Council of Comparative Education Societies (WCCES), held in Istanbul in June 2010, was entitled "Bordering, re-bordering and new possibilities for change in education and society". It opened with this address, in which the author explores how the idea of a norm works for education using key benchmarking mechanisms such as the Global Monitoring Report (GMR). Aside from the issues of equality and access to education, the question of quality is at the heart of debates almost everywhere. From the very beginning of comparative education as a field right up to where we find ourselves today, an abiding concern has been how we might learn from the education systems of others to improve our own. Critical, for the purposes of this discussion, is the assumption that we have reached a point in educational development in these mechanisms, in what we value and for which we will hold each other accountable, where we give no status to hierarchy. The author is essentially interested in the question of whether we have a sufficiently robust universal understanding of "value" and quality.