Effect of Physician IT Use on Practice Performance.

The role of information technology (IT) remains important within the medical community. However, little is known about the extent to which practicing physicians improve practice performance by having and utilizing IT at the national level. The present study, analyzing a national physician survey (n = 4,720), seeks to explore associations of IT availability and utilization with practice performance at the national level. The multivariate regression analysis results suggest that patient information IT functionality upholds physician advantages in annual income but prescription drug IT functionality was reversely linked to annual income. We also found a negative association of patient information IT functionality with patient visit volume. Our study results revealed mixed findings. Not all IT functionalities would offer benefits to practicing physicians. Our data suggest that patient information IT functionality can moderate cost concerns related to IT investment among providers.

Transformational leadership and workplace injury and absenteeism: analysis of a National Nursing Assistant Survey.

BACKGROUND: Transformational leadership (TL) has long been popular among management scholars and health services researchers, but no research studies have empirically tested the association of TL with workplace injuries and absenteeism among nursing assistants (NAs). PURPOSE: This cross-sectional study seeks to explore whether TL is associated with workplace injuries and absenteeism among NAs. METHODOLOGY: We analyzed the 2004 National Nursing Assistant Survey data (n = 2,882). A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to test the role of TL in the context of workplace performances. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Results reveal that the TL model was positively linked to workplace injury in the level of NAs. Injury-related absenteeism was also associated with the TL style, indicating that TL behaviors may help address workplace absence among NAs. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Findings suggest that introducing TL practices may benefit NAs in improving workplace performances.

Ethical considerations of genetic presymptomatic testing for Huntington's disease.

The aim of this literature review was to determine if there is adequate ethical justification for presymptomatic genetic testing on potential Huntington's disease patients. Huntington's disease is a neurological genetic disorder characterized by midlife onset which consists of cognitive, physical, and emotional deterioration. Although genetic testing has traditionally been guided by the principle of autonomy, severe psychological consequences such as depression, anxiety, survival guilt, and suicide have complicated the ethical issue of providing a presymptomatic yet definitive diagnosis for an incurable disease. An analysis of available articles yielded inconclusive findings, namely due to insufficient evidence, self-selection bias of test participants, or lack of a longitudinal design. Additional results indicated psychological distress is not solely associated with test result, but rather with individual characteristics including, but not limited to, psychological history, test motivation, level of preparation, social support, and age. In the interest of upholding the principles of autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice, it is recommended that medical professionals follow strict protocol, provide extensive counseling, and employ vigilance when assessing at-risk individuals for HD presymptomatic test eligibility to ensure psychological well-being.

Administración de recursos humanos en empresas / Personnel administration resources management

Este libro abarca desde las relaciones entre motivación y comunicación, hasta la importancia de las formas de liderazgo. Por una parte, se tienen referencias de muchos autores reconocidos que han tratado el tema, por otra parte, la organización propia de su excelente documentación y las experiencias prácticas, dan a la obra una gran importancia para quienes tienen relación directa o indirecta con las empresas