Health Care Reform Recommendations Essay Example for Free

Health Care Reform Recommendations Essay The topic of heath care reform is a highly debatable one. Many different organizations have diverse ideas on what is essential to ensure a successful healthcare system is developed in the United Sates. After reading recommendations to advance health care reform from the Mayo Clinic’s (2008), The Wall Street Journal’s Health Care CEO Council (2008), consisting of CEO’s from multiple different medical organizations, and America’s Health Insurance Plan (AHIP)(2007), the following is a list of three recommendations considered by all to be valid ideas for healthcare reform: 1. Access: Universal Health Insurance A. A comprehensive health care reform recommendation of providing universal access to affordable, guaranteed, quality insurance plans for those not covered by employer-based programs. This plan would require individuals to buy insurance, giving them choice, accessibility, control, and peace of mind. B. This reform would require adults to purchase private health insurance for themselves and their families. Employers could continue to participate by buying insurance for their employees or giving them stipends to purchase it. However, the individual would own the insurance. C. Appointing and independent agency to provide coordination, oversight and education for individuals choosing insurance options. 2. Quality: Reform the Payment System A. Change the reimbursement system to reward preventive care and evidence-based care, and extend government efforts to no longer reimburse inappropriate, unsafe or wasted care. Define and measure desirable outcomes for most common diseases. B. Payment to providers should be changed in order to improve health and minimize waste. Create payment systems that provide incentives for various providers to coordinate care, improve care, and support informed patient decision-making. Models of payment should be developed based on the success of chronic care coordination, care coordination teams, shared decision-making and episode-based payment. C. Change Medicare to a pay-for-value model. Redistribute Medicare payments to favor physicians who perform well, as opposed to the current system that rewards volume not value. Paying providers based on value can help produce desired results such as: great outcomes, safety, and service at an affordable cost over time. 3. Affordability: A. Poorly coordinated care also drives up costs when individuals seeing several health care practitioners receive the same diagnostic tests and procedures multiple times because one physician did not know that the other already had conducted them. Access to information that compares the effectiveness and cost of treatments: give providers, patients and purchasers access to a trusted source where they can find up-to-date and objective information on which health care services are most effective and provide the best value. B. Provide positive personal health habit incentives. Lifestyles characterized by smoking, poor diet, and lack of exercise leading to obesity are key contributors to high health care costs in the United States. Childhood obesity significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular disease in adulthood (CDC, 2006) and according to a study done by the Office of the US Surgeon General (2007), the complications from obesity: cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer are estimated to cost $92 billion (Finkelstein, 2003) in lost productivity per year whereas estimates suggest that the health consequences of smoking may lead to more than $75 billion per year in medical expenditures. C. Provide tax credits to individuals, families for the purchase of insurance, and to small business owners that provide medical coverage to employees. On January 24, 2007, while speaking about healthcare at Families USA, a healthcare advocacy group, then Senator Obama said â€Å" The time has come for universal health care in America [ ] I am absolutely determined that by the end of the first term of the next president, we should have universal health care in this country. (Wikipedia, n. d). Senator McCain however, proposed tax credits and open-market competition as opposed to government funding control (Wikipedia, n. d. ) In comparison, President Obama and Senator McCain, had similar plans in regards to cost and quality improvement. Both parties suggested the adoption of medical malpractice reforms, allowing drug re-importation, focusing on healthcare costs as a reflection of quality service, prevention and care of chronic conditions, and development/deployment of HIT. In addition to similarities in cost and quality improvement, both also believed that prevention is the key to creating a healthier population. Senator McCain focused more on individual responsibility in maintaining and healthy lifestyle whereas President Obama supported increased funding to community based preventive interventions. Overall, a comparison of both parties preliminarily health reform plans reflect multiple similarities in general ideas of needed reforms to the United Sate’s current healthcare system. Whether by adopting a universal healthcare system or implementing changes to the current system; extending coverage, lowering costs, and improving quality of care are all issues agreed upon by both parties as needing attention. References America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP)(2007). Guaranteeing Access to Coverage for all Americans. Retrieved 26 January 2009, from http://www. ahipbelieves. com/media/AHIP%20Guarantee%20Access%20Plan. pdf Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2006). National Center for Health Statistics. Retrieved 26 January 2009, from http://www. cdc. gov/nchs/data/hesate/preliminarydesths05_tables. pdf. Finkelstein E. , et al. (2003). National medical spending attributable to obesity: How much and who’s paying? Health Affairs. W3: 219-226. The Mayo Clinic Health Policy Center (2008). Building Upon the Cornerstones: Recommendations, action steps and strategies to advance health care reform. Retrieved 26 January 2009, from http://www. mayoclinic. org/healthpolicycenter/recommendations. html The Wall Street Journal (2008) CEO Council: Shaping The New Agenda, Health Care. Retrieved 24 January 2009, from http://blogs. wsj. com/ceo-council/2008/11/23/health-care/ U. S. Surgeon General (2007). Overweight and Obesity: Health Consequences. Retrieved 26 January 2009, from http://www. surgeongeneral. gov/topics/obesity/calltoaction/fact_consequences. htm. Wikipedia (n. d. ). HealthCare Reform in the United States. Retrieved 26 January 2009, from http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Health_care_reform_in_the_United_States#cite_note-152

Foreign Investment In Brazil :: essays research papers

INTRODUCTION   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"For those who believed that Brazil would forever be the country of the future, I have a piece of bad news. The future has finally arrived.† For years, the largest and most industrialized nation in Latin America has been known as the country of tomorrow. That slogan may soon be out of date. Under the guidance of former finance minister and current president, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, this tenth largest economy in the world, once known for its high tariffs and even higher inflation, has entered a period of steady growth, the fruit of a newly-stable political and commercial environment. In combination with the upturn in its economy, Brazil’s demonstrated preference for foreign products and strong direct investment presence bode well for expanded sales of equipment and services in future years. EMERGING SECTORS   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Access to Brazilian markets in most sectors is generally favorable, and competition and participation characterize most markets by foreign firms through imports, local production and joint ventures. Many sectors such as healthcare, the environment, transportation, telecommunications and financial services, have been growing at a phenomenal rate and opportunities to further expand trade and investment are highly encouraged. Healthcare Technology   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Brazil is an excellent market for U.S. manufacturers of health technology products and services. In the medical device sector, the products that should have the best long-term prospects in Brazil are medical imagining equipment, electro-diagnostic apparatus and technologically advanced disposable medical products. In the pharmaceutical sector, long-term prospects for over-the-counter drugs and vitamins are excellent because of the high cost of private medical assistance and a growing trend towards home treatment. In the healthcare services sector, the best market opportunities include the following areas:  hospital management and consulting services  training for allied health-care personnel  hospital renovation  health maintenance organizations In order to provide more efficient health care, the Brazilian government has begun to reform the country’s entire medical care delivery system. It has decentralized the system, giving more autonomy to the states and cities in the planning and controlling of local health care programs. Overall, improvements in Brazils public healthcare sector, coupled with its trade liberalization measures, should improve the prospects for U.S. technology firms in the Brazilian market. Environmental Technology   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Brazilian market for environmental technology had an estimated value of over $1 billion in 1994. However, the National Department of Sanitation and Environmental Equipment estimates that the total investments needed to equip Brazil with necessary pollution control supplies and services amounts to over $19 billion.

Organizational Theory and Behavorial Problems/Ikea

Organizational Theory and Behavioral Problems/IKEA Ingvar Kamprad, founder of IKEA, has built a monumental business from the ground up. Through innovation and creativity, he gained valuable market share in an untapped market. By providing a great product at a great price, through exceptional customer service, IKEA has distinguished itself among some of the top international organizations. The common thread throughout the case is a patriarchal style of leadership. Although Kamprad’s style of leadership has led to the success of his business, I will assume that problems are beginning to surface and that future issues are being questioned. Through his leadership, Kamprad has taken a hands-on approach to running his organization and is involved at great lengths in the day-to-day operations of his business. Simply defined, a patriarch is â€Å"a man who rules a family, clan, or tribe†. (www. websters. com) In this case, IKEA is treated and run much like a family, clan, or tribe. Everyone is expected to have the same outlook on their position, the organization’s goals first in mind, and perform their job to benefit the organization, not the individual. The most immediate threat to IKEA is the difficulty in finding employees who will accept and adapt to IKEA’s philosophy. Job security is a tremendous issue with modern-day employees. Often, employees are more concerned with doing a mediocre job to secure their position than to take risks and be creative due to a fear of losing their job. Current economics has instilled a fear in employees that hinders creativity and the offering of suggestions and ideas. Another threat perceived by some employees as well as by some consumers is that IKEA is expanding at a rate that is difficult for them to keep up with. Stores are being established at multiple locations internationally at a rapid rate. This leads to the issue of whether or not IKEA is capable of handling this level of expansion and whether or not they have ample qualified employees to fill all vacant positions within the organization. Also, it is a growing concern that IKEA’s well-established reputation of impeccable customer service will deteriorate due to an overwhelming amount of new clients, new demand, etc. There is also the issue that employees find it difficult to follow the frugal spending procedures of IKEA when the company is making such a large profit. Kamprad personally follows the spending guidelines and expects all employees to do so as well. Employees find it difficult to â€Å"bargain shop† for supplies, travel accommodations, etc. , when the organization is making more and more money every given year. If the money is there, why not splurge a little? A final threat perceived by individuals within the IKEA organization is an inclination to believe that the organization will deteriorate when Ingvar Kamprad retires or otherwise leaves the organization. Due to the patriarchal style of leadership that Kamprad has taken, who will carry on this philosophy? Who will take over the position of motivator and promote enthusiasm and innovation once he is gone? Can anyone really take his place? Related Literature In theory, the patriarchal style of leadership that Ingvar Kamprad has taken towards running IKEA and its operations is done so in a very positive light. It is pertinent to the success of the organization to make employees aware of all the positive aspects of his leadership style. For example, Kamprad has a very humane and compassionate relationship with his employees. He views them as individuals, not as numbers, and makes every effort to personally meet each and every one of them. This type of interaction is vital if he is going to defend his leadership position. By gaining the respect, trust, and adoration of his employees, Kamprad can show those within the IKEA organization that he is truly looking out for everyone’s interests, not just his own, or just those of the IKEA organization. Finding employees who will accept and adapt to IKEA’s philosophy is probably one of the most difficult tasks faced by the organization. IKEA’s reputation and future rely on it. Considering his years in business and his standards of what a valuable employee is to Kamprad, he should target his job vacancy marketing to individuals who may fit this profile of an â€Å"ideal† employee. For example, simply placing an advertisement in the â€Å"Want Ads† of a local newspaper may draw dozens of applicants, none of which may be qualified and/or right for the job. Young, motivated, easily-trainable individuals should be targeted directly. This may be college students who are currently taking sales and marketing courses who are looking for part-time work that may eventually be promoted into leadership positions. A target may also be stay-at-home moms who are reentering the workforce, with prior sales experience. First, a target market must be determined and a more focused approach to hiring should be taken. Once employees are hired, continuous training and reinforcement of the organization’s goals and principles need to be instilled. Mandatory training is pertinent and should be in a laid-back, relaxed, and friendly atmosphere, to mimic the IKEA persona. To dispel fears of losing their jobs due to risk-taking and creative thinking, employees need to be constantly reassured and encouraged that such behaviors are not only acceptable but expected. The best way to present this point is to provide employees with examples of other employees who have taken such risks, offered their opinions, and shared their ideas. If individual employees will not consent to being â€Å"used† as an example, names can be left anonymous. However, specific details should be given. It is especially important to point out the individuals who gave their thoughts, ideas, concerns, etc. , that may have proved to be wrong or disadvantageous to the organization. The most advantageous examples would be such employees who have since been promoted, rewarded, etc. By showing current employees that ideas and suggestions that don’t succeed with flying colors are not reciprocated with negative repercussion, employees may feel more confident about speaking up. Stress should be placed on the fact that the employees who have showed the most creativity and offered the most suggestions, creative criticisms, etc. , are the ones who hold the top management positions within IKEA. Expansion is necessary for any organization to succeed. IKEA’s global market is enormous and the rapid growth may not always be easy to keep up with. However, Kamprad had the right idea when appointing the head of Canadian IKEA to oversee US operations. This strategy ensures that a successful, well-trained, experienced individual is responsible for the groundbreaking of new markets. This, of course, should only be temporary until a proper replacement is found and/or thoroughly trained as to not overwhelm the individual with too many responsibilities. This will also allow Kamprad to be confident that a proven leader is paying attention to all the crucial details of starting up the business in a new market. New products and new services is also an important part, as well as a possible detriment, to IKEA’s expansion. Different markets demand different products and services. First and foremost, IKEA needs to decide where they stand, what their core values are, and how much or how little they are willing to change to adapt to various markets. For example, one market may rely heavily on furniture delivery options. IKEA, however, is known for the no-shipping policy. Should they change this policy to meet their consumer’s needs? In my professional opinion, IKEA should stay true to their policies and procedures. I say this based on the idea that if you change the way you operate for one market, it leaves other markets to question, â€Å"you did it for them, why can’t you do it for me? †. It is important, however, to consider the negative consequences of this type of approach. Market studies should be done to determine just how dependent consumers are on this type of service. Comparisons should be made with local furniture companies that may compete with IKEA to see if they are a threat to business. Overall, the market itself should be thoroughly analyzed to weigh the risks versus the benefits. If IKEA’s whole philosophy needs to be jeopardized to adapt to the target market, perhaps it is not in the organization’s best interest to bring their business to that location. It is important to remember that every change made to one market can either positively or negatively impact the organization as a whole. As for spending procedures, IKEA may not being doing a thorough enough job of presenting employees with the benefits of their cost-saving efforts. Again, communicating this type of information to employees is crucial. It needs to be reiterated over and over again that the company is doing so well artially because of IKEA’s frugal spending policies. Although it is important to show these benefits as they relate to the organization, it still may leave many employees asking, â€Å"what’s in it for me? †. Incentives should be given to help motivate employees to continue their money-saving practices. This may include a bonus, time off with pay, a luncheon for the store that saves the most in a given period of time, etc. In concept, the money employees save the organization will far exceed any bonuses or perks that are rewarded. However, employees will feel more appreciated and more motivated to cut back where they can. It is necessary though to ensure employees are not sacrificing quality or service in order to save money. Combating the perception that IKEA will deteriorate when Ingvar Kamprad retires or otherwise leaves the organization is a rather difficult task. In order to find an individual who will carry on this philosophy, succession planning is a must. An individual hand-picked and personally trained and mentored by Kamprad would be the best choice. Also, an individual who has worked their way up through the ranks and has a thorough and genuine understanding of the organization, its goals, and its policies will best suit this position. Because Kamprad is so â€Å"hands-on† and personally meets all his staff, he should be able to make an educated and well-informed decision as to who would best suit the position and best represent the employees of IKEA. Although no one may ever take his place, Kamprad can certainly find an individual who will carry on the IKEA philosophy in their own unique, creative, and prosperous way. Overall, I see IKEA as a very strong, very well-structured organization. They have a clear set of goals and objectives and have built a framework of the path to success. Problems they face are mostly due to the changing economy, the need for expansion, and the doubts of individuals within the organization. Although they face some serious problems, they can be solved through logical and rational decision-making. Research, planning and execution of these plans can address the issues discussed before they become problems. Using the innovative and creative ideas that the organization encourages of its employees, IKEA will continue to prosper.

Negative Impact of Media Violence on Children - 1704 Words

Violence in entertainment is as old as civilization itself. In the earlier centuries Romans would delight themselves by cheering on gladiators fought themselves to death. Dramatic theater was also full of jealousy, retribution, and violence. Although entertainment violence is not new it wasn’t until the twentieth century that heavy doses of violence were made available to vastly everyone. Over the past one hundred years, as mass media has become more prevalent, it has also become more violent. In the earlier part of the twentieth century media such as motion pictures and radio provided entertainment for those who could afford them. Although these commodities were present few people considered them necessary for living. With the†¦show more content†¦Obviously, if a child is typical, television plays a huge role in their lives. Literally thousands of studies since the 1950s have asked whether there is a link between exposure to violence and behavior. It is now understo od by researchers that children learn new behaviors by direct experience or by imitating others in their social environment. Programs outfitted for children often contain more violence more violence than adult television. Most of the violent acts presented on television often go unpunished and are often accompanied by humor. The consequences of human suffering and loss are rarely depicted. This can lead young people to commit unknowingly and comically. Many shows glamorize violence and this is because television often promotes violent acts as a fun and effective way to get fulfill desired actions without receiving any form of punishment. It is even common for animated movies, digital video discs, and basic television labeled G- rated to contain violence. Even superheroes beating up villains exhibits a message that violence is normal and encourages. Many children will try to be like their favorite superhero and obtain the â€Å"good guy’ role in their play unknowingly partici pating in violent behaviors. Watching television also has the ability to make children less sensitive toward its effects on victims and the amount human suffering it causes. This is the act of desensitization. Desensitization refers to the idea that repeated exposure to aShow MoreRelated The Negative Impact of Exposing Children to Media Violence Essay1448 Words   |  6 PagesThe Negative Impact of Exposing Children to Media Violence On April 20, 1999 at Columbine High School, 13 people were killed and another 23 were wounded in one of the worst school killing incidents ever (Skeesis). Since the 1980s, overall homicide rates in the U.S. have declined. However, homicide rates for ages 14-17 have increased quite dramatically during this time period (Fox). 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