The need for business in reproductive medicine.

The business of medicine continues to be an area of growing importance, particularly in reproductive medicine. We provide a synthesis of salient concepts within the spectrum of business in medicine. The topics we review include finances and accounting; business operations as related to human resources, information technology (telemedicine), organizational governance, and practice models; insurance billing and contract negotiations; and the impact of health care policy on reproductive medicine.

The evolution of private equity in dermatology.

The first known entry of private equity (PE) in the clinical dermatology space was over a decade ago. There are now in excess of 30 PE-backed dermatology groups (PEGs) with a vision for dermatology. Many use the management services organization, which allows PE firms to circumvent corporate practice of medicine laws, align cooperative physicians, and set the foundation for PEG evolution. PEGs may have different characteristics depending on their stage of evolution; however, as they mature through the stages, they become increasingly similar to each other. This contribution will discuss the stages of PEG evolution in detail. Dermatologists should be aware of these stages so that they can understand a PEG's past and anticipate a PEG's future.

The evolving maintenance of certification process: update on the financial status of the medical boards.

Medical board organizations have accumulated large asset balances, in part due to the monetization of physician board recertification, as well as capital gains in positive investment conditions. Physicians across the country have raised concerns regarding the effectiveness and efficiency of existing recertification processes, to which the American Board of Medical Specialties and independent accreditation boards have responded with newly instituted changes. The present article analyzes the publicly available F990 tax forms of the medical boards in an effort to provide data to the ongoing debate. Although some boards have begun to mobilize assets in recent years, many continue to accumulate wealth. It remains to be seen whether the new recertification programs will bring about change or perpetuate organizational wealth.

Financial-patrimonial elder abuse: an integrative review.

OBJECTIVE: to analyze the available evidence in the nursing literature about financial-patrimonial elder abuse. METHOD: integrative review of articles indexed in the databases CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, LILACS and MEDLINE, from 2007 to 2017. The combination of controlled and uncontrolled descriptors was used in Portuguese, English and Spanish. RESULTS: 15 studies developed in seven countries were included. In the thematic analysis, three categories emerged: epidemiological data, risk factors and institutions providing services to the elderly. The occurrence of this type of violence concomitantly to the other subtypes was highlighted among the most frequent. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS: the literature points to important epidemiological data, risk factors and characteristics of this type of violence, including within institutions providing services to the elderly, in different countries, essential aspects for structuring and rethinking public policies for protection and appreciation of the elderly.

Financial-patrimonial elder abuse: an integrative review / Violencia financiera-patrimonial contra la persona mayor: revisión integrativa / Violência financeiro-patrimonial contra idosos: revisão integrativa

ABSTRACT Objective: to analyze the available evidence in the nursing literature about financial-patrimonial elder abuse. Method: integrative review of articles indexed in the databases CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, LILACS and MEDLINE, from 2007 to 2017. The combination of controlled and uncontrolled descriptors was used in Portuguese, English and Spanish. Results: 15 studies developed in seven countries were included. In the thematic analysis, three categories emerged: epidemiological data, risk factors and institutions providing services to the elderly. The occurrence of this type of violence concomitantly to the other subtypes was highlighted among the most frequent. Final considerations: the literature points to important epidemiological data, risk factors and characteristics of this type of violence, including within institutions providing services to the elderly, in different countries, essential aspects for structuring and rethinking public policies for protection and appreciation of the elderly.

RESUMEN Objetivo: analizar las evidencias disponibles en la literatura de enfermería acerca de la violencia financiero-patrimonial contra ancianos. Método: revisión integradora de los artículos indexados en las bases de datos CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, LILACS y MEDLINE desde 2007 a 2017. Se utilizó una combinación de descriptores controlados y no controlados, en portugués, Inglés y Español. Resultados: se incluyeron 15 estudios, desarrollados en siete países. En el análisis temático, surgieron tres categorías: datos epidemiológicos, factores de riesgo e instituciones proveedoras de servicios a los ancianos. Se verificó la ocurrencia de este tipo de violencia de forma concomitante a los otros subtipos, que se destacó entre las más frecuentes. Consideraciones finales: la literatura apunta importantes datos epidemiológicos, factores de riesgo y características de ese tipo de violencia, incluso dentro de las instituciones prestadoras de servicio a ancianos, en diferentes países, aspectos esenciales para estructurar y repensar políticas públicas de protección y valorización de la persona anciana.

RESUMO Objetivo: analisar as evidências disponíveis na literatura de enfermagem acerca da violência financeiro-patrimonial contra idosos. Método: revisão integrativa de artigos indexados nas bases de dados CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, LILACS e MEDLINE, no período de 2007 a 2017. Utilizou-se a combinação de descritores controlados e não controlados, nos idiomas português, inglês e espanhol. Resultados: foram incluídos 15 estudos, desenvolvidos em sete países. Na análise temática, emergiram três categorias: dados epidemiológicos, fatores de risco e instituições provedoras de serviços aos idosos. Verificou-se a ocorrência deste tipo de violência de forma concomitante aos outros subtipos, que se destacou entre as mais frequentes. Considerações finais: a literatura aponta importantes dados epidemiológicos, fatores de risco e características desse tipo de violência, inclusive dentro das instituições prestadoras de serviço a idosos, em diferentes países, aspectos essenciais para estruturar e repensar políticas públicas de proteção e valorização da pessoa idosa.

Retirement: A concept for nurses to consider.

PROBLEM: The large number of aging retirees is changing the landscape of US healthcare and economic systems. Many nurses will be among these retirees. While retirement has been studied in many fields, it has been explored considerably less in nursing science. Retirement as a concept is complex, not well-defined across disciplines, and the impact of this important transition on health and well-being is not well-understood. PURPOSE: The purpose of this article is to explore the concept of retirement as a transition that may be related to health and well-being in aging individuals. FINDINGS: Conceptual exploration supports that retirement is defined by two identified attributes: (a) It is a transitional period surrounding stopping or changing full or part-time, paid or unpaid employment status, and (b) it occurs at a time when a person self-identifies as being retired. Identified antecedents and consequences of retirement are closely related to health. CONCLUSION: Many life changes often occur during the transition of retirement. As a concept, retirement is linked to healthy, transitional aging. Nursing's holistic perspective of addressing client needs can be better understood when caring for individuals who have retired or are planning to retire.

Financial and Health Barriers and Caregiving-Related Difficulties Among Rural and Urban Caregivers.

PURPOSE: To assess whether financial or health-related barriers were more common among rural caregivers and whether rural caregivers experienced more caregiving-related difficulties than their urban peers. METHODS: We used data from 7,436 respondents to the Caregiver Module in 10 states from the 2011-2013 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Respondents were classified as caregivers if they reported providing care to a family member or friend because of a long-term illness or disability. We classified respondents as living in a rural area if they lived outside of a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). We defined a financial barrier as having an annual household income <$25,000 or not being able see a doctor when needed in the past year because of cost. We defined a health barrier as having multiple chronic health conditions, a disability, or fair or poor self-rated health. FINDINGS: Rural caregivers more frequently had financial barriers than urban caregivers (38.1% vs 31.0%, P = .0001), but the prevalence of health barriers was similar (43.3% vs 40.6%, P = .18). After adjusting for demographic differences, financial barriers remained more common among rural caregivers. Rural caregivers were less likely than their urban peers to report that caregiving created any difficulty in both unadjusted and adjusted models (adjusted prevalence ratio = 0.90; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Informal caregivers, particularly in rural areas, face financial barriers. Rural caregivers were less likely than urban caregivers to report caregiving-related difficulties. Rural caregivers' coping strategies or skills in identifying informal supports may explain this difference, but additional research is needed to explore this hypothesis.

"You have to keep fighting": maintaining healthcare services and professionalism on the frontline of austerity in Greece.

BACKGROUND: Greece has been severely affected by the 2008 global economic crisis and its health system was, and still is, among the national institutions most shaped by its effects. METHODS: In 2014, this qualitative study examined these changes through in-depth interviews with 22 frontline healthcare professionals in five different locations in mainland Greece. These interviews with nurses, doctors and pharmacists explored perceptions of austerity and how ideas of professionalism were challenged and revised by these measures. RESULTS: Participants reported working conditions characterised by dramatic increases in public hospital admissions alongside decreases in personnel, consumables, materials, and also many hospital closures. Many drew on analogies of war and fighting to describe the effects of healthcare reforms on their working lives and professional conduct. Despite accounts of deteriorating conditions and numerous challenges, healthcare professionals presented themselves as making every effort to meet patients' needs, while battling to resist guidelines which they perceived diminished their roles to production-line operatives. CONCLUSIONS: Participants considered it their duty to defend their professional ethos and serve patients without compromising standards, even if this meant liberal interpretation and implementation of regulations. These professionals regarded themselves on the frontline of healthcare provision but also the frontline defence in a war on their professional standards from austerity.

Predicting the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fifth Edition): The Mystery of How to Constrain Unchecked Growth.

Twenty years ago, slightly after the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition was published, we predicted the characteristics of the future Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (fifth edition) (). Included in our predictions were how many diagnoses it would contain, the physical size of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (fifth edition), who its leader would be, how many professionals would be involved in creating it, the revenue generated, and the color of its cover. This article reports on the accuracy of our predictions. Our largest prediction error concerned financial revenue. The earnings growth of the DSM's has been remarkable. Drug company investments, insurance benefits, the financial need of the American Psychiatric Association, and the research grant process are factors that have stimulated the growth of the DSM's. Restoring order and simplicity to the classification of mental disorders will not be a trivial task.