The health care manager
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Emergency physicians are under growing fiscal pressures on multiple fronts. Federal and state laws require that emergency care be provided to all those presenting at an emergency department, yet in nearly all cases there is no comparable mandate for reimbursement. The growing number of uninsured and underinsured, as well as downward pressure on reimbursement from managed care organizations and social assistance programs such as Medicaid and Medicare, also contributes to the difficulty of emergency physicians to be compensated. It may be time for the public to address more fundamental questions about the right to care and who pays for that care.
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The health care manager · Oct 2004
ReviewWorkplace deviance: strategies for modifying employee behavior.
More than ever, today's health care employees must perform their jobs as efficiently and effectively as possible. Job performance must integrate both technical and necessary soft skills. ⋯ Various deviant behaviors are examined. Areas and strategies of managerial intervention are reviewed which will enable the prevention or modification of undesired employee behaviors.
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As the population continues to age and Medicare continues to reduce inpatient reimbursement levels, the hospitalist practice model may enhance hospital performance and improve the allocation of inpatient resources. Data for this study were obtained from the 2001 AHA annual survey, the Area Resource File and the CMS Minimum Data Set. Descriptive statistics were evaluated and a logistic regression model was used to examine those organizations using the hospitalist model in contrast to those without. ⋯ From a managerial perspective, this study clearly demonstrates the hospitalist model will improve efficiency and profitability. From a policy perspective, the hospitalist model will increase efficiency, reduce length of stay, and improve the allocation of resources within the inpatient hospital industry. The link between hospital profitability and the use of the hospitalist model suggests that this is a viable clinical approach to managing acute care in hospitals as a mechanism to improve financial performance and potentially quality of care.
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Today's workforce is more diverse in age than ever before. This study examined the generational profiles of two groups (the Silent Generation, and Baby Boomers vs. Generation X and Generation Y) in terms of the following variables: characteristics, communication styles, and significance of tasks. ⋯ There were no significant differences in communication style and significance of tasks between the two groups (P > .05). However, there were differences in expectations regarding commitment to the manager versus the organization and the type and timing of rewards for performance. All four generational groups had vastly different employment demands and different needs for orientation, training, advancement, benefits, perks, and retirement options.
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Recently, there has been much written about professional ethics in health care, but the literature has tended to focus on the ethical care and treatment of patients and protection of their privacy and confidential information. This article focuses on the ethical behavior of health care professionals and how they treat each other in the workplace. Examples of unethical behavior are described ranging from subtle favoritism by managers and bullying to crossing the legal line. Two specific cases demonstrate serious situations where it was necessary for colleagues to "blow the whistle" even at the risk of their own careers.