A Physician S Holiday

"First edition of this delightful travel guide written for travelers interested in restoring and preserving their health. Forbes commences with 'hints to all travelers' (including invalids); suggestions on preparing the proper clothing; and the best diet for a traveler (food and drink). The balance is a daily diary recounting his holiday."--Antiquarian bookseller's description.

The introductory chapter consists of four sections. In Sect. 1. 1 we reveal the c- rent situation in hospitals that is faced by the management. We address the general issue of personnel scheduling in the service industry in Sect. 1. 2. Then we motivate our research by considering physicians as the scheduling object. In particular, we show the complex nature of physician scheduling in a hospital environment. The focus of the research is presented in Sect. 1. 3. Finally, we conclude the chapter by illustrating the outline of the thesis. 1. 1 General Economic Situation in Hospitals The mounting pressure in the health care industry to reduce costs is forcing hos- tals and related facilities to take a closer look at their staf?ng policies (see [111]). A primary dif?culty in reducing personnel costs, the major component of the budget, is the variability in demand and the need to assign staff to ?xed shifts. Furthermore, government run facilities, especially those in the European Union, are seeing their budgets cut in terms of real dollars despite an aging and more acutely ill patient population (e. g. , see [96]). It has been reported that up to a third of the hospitals in Germanyplan a reductionin staff (see [91]). The schedulingprocess is furtherc- plicated by the generally recognized importance of taking individual preferences intoaccount. Moreattractiveschedulespromotejobsatisfaction,increaseproduct- ity,and reduceturnover(cf. [2]). However,withoutimprovedschedulingprocedures that better match supplyto demand,the level of care that theynow providewill soon become unsustainable. 1.

Now more than ever, the design of systems and devices for effective and safe healthcare delivery has taken center stage. And the importance of human factors and ergonomics in achieving this goal can’t be ignored. Underlining the utility of research in achieving effective design, Advances in Human Aspects of Healthcare discusses how human factors and ergonomics principles can be applied to improve quality, safety, efficiency, and effectiveness in patient care. Topics include the design of work environments to improve satisfaction and well-being of patients, healthcare providers, and professionals. The book explores new approaches for improving healthcare devices such as portable ultrasound systems, better work design, and effective communications and systems support. It also examines healthcare informatics for the public and usability for patient users, building on results from usability studies for medical personnel. Several chapters explore quality and safety while others examine medical error for risk factors and information transfer in error reduction. The book provides an integrated review of physical, cognitive, and organizational aspects that facilitates a systems approach to implementation. These features and more allow practitioners to gain a deeper understanding of the issues in healthcare delivery and the role ergonomics and human factors can play in solving them.

Health Care Finance: Basic Tools for Nonfinancial Managers, Fifth Edition is the most practical financial management text for those who need basic financial management knowledge and a better understanding of healthcare finance in particular. Using actual examples from hospitals, long-term care facilities, and home health agencies, this user-friendly text includes practical information for the nonfinancial manager charged with budgeting.