Erp Solutions in Healthcare Essay Example

Erp Solutions in Healthcare Paper Enterprise resource planning (ERP) software applications are designed to facilitate the systemic integration of complex processes and functions across a large enterprise consisting of many internal and external constituents. Although most currently available ERP applications generally are tailored to the needs of the manufacturing industry, many large healthcare systems are investigating these applications. Due to the significant differences between manufacturing and patient care, ERP- based systems do not easily translate to the healthcare setting. In particular, he lack of clinical standardization impedes the use of ERP systems for clinical integration. Nonetheless, an ERP-based system can help a healthcare organization integrate many functions, including patient scheduling, human resources management, workload forecasting, and management of workflow, that are not directly dependent on clinical decision making. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems are a new type of software that enables companies to integrate business functionsincluding finance, human resources, operations, sales and distribution, and marketingacross their organizations. Companies throughout the world are increasingly converting to these systems. Major corporations that have implemented ERP systems in recent years include MUM, Microsoft, Eastman Kodak, and Hershey. Purchases of ERR systems reached SIC billion in 1997, a 40 percent increase from 1 996, and industry analysts suggest that rapid growth is likely to continue through 2001 . [a] To date, the growth of ERP systems has been concentrated in the manufacturing sector, but large healthcare systems hue begun to take an interest in these applications. We will write a custom essay sample on Erp Solutions in Healthcare specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Erp Solutions in Healthcare specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Erp Solutions in Healthcare specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer As a result, vendors are developing ERP applications that offer administrative and logistical solutions for large healthcare systems. The key question for a healthcare provider is Whether an application originally designed with the manufacturing industry in mind, focusing as that industry does on management of production lines and logistics, translates well to the healthcare industry, which focuses primarily on managing staff costs and clinical processes. Indeed, it is reasonable to assume that because healthcare providers have inherently different cost concerns and behaviors than manufacturers, successful implementation of an ERP system in a healthcare organization would quire a quite different approach than that used by manufacturers, Production Lines versus Patient Care A comparison of the chief characteristics of the manufacturing and patient care processes discloses several important differences between these processes that shed light on how an ERR system needs to be adapted for use in health care, The basic focus of the manufacturing process is to transform raw materials into finished goods. In a typical production line, inventories for raw materials, work in process, and finished goods must be coordinated With production schedules o minimize working capital investment. In essence, the raw-material inventories are stocked and production schedules developed to produce inventories Of finished goods needed to meet sales forecasts. An ERP system can help a manufacturer integrate and coordinate all of the functions of the manufacturing process using standard messaging formats that allow data to be shared among all internal and external constituents in the supply chain. For example, an ERP system enables a manufacturer to use data on expected sales and customer needs from sales-management and customer- arrive systems within the production-management process to more accurately forecast inventory requirements, The manufacturers sales department then can use the finished-goods directors to manage customer expectations and focus sales efforts. An ERP system also can be used to facilitate the manufacturers sharing of inventory and sales forecasts with key suppliers, which can use the data to more effectively meet the manufacturers needs, By contrast, costs in a healthcare organization are much more difficult to forecast because a healthcare provider must manage many different processes, each paving different, and often unpredictable, outcomes. Indeed, the treatment of every patient varies to some degree in terms of processes, staffing, and facility usage. In addition, because healthcare delivery processes tend to be labor-intensive, the primary cost driver for healthcare organizations is labor, unlike manufacturing, where the primary cost driver is raw materials.

Human Nature Comparative Analysis

Human Nature Comparative Analysis Aphra Behn lived between 1640 and 1689. He is most known for his popular novel titled Oroonoko that was written in 1688 based on his trip to Surinam. First, he underscored the fact that he was a famous author by going against the ideas of Aristotle on fiction. Aristotle perceived fiction as an imitation of nature.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Human Nature: Comparative Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More He was of the view that there is a difference between fiction and history because the latter is concerned with what should be happening while the former is simply a collection of events implying that it does not have a begging and an end. The author is against slavery because it was dehumanizing and discriminative in nature. Traders in Ghana were simply concerned with accumulating wealth without necessarily considering the nature of business and its effects on the society. Based on this, he was of the view th at human beings are always calculative because they work so hard to satisfy their needs without considering the wishes and the desires of others (Behn 37). Even though the narrator went against the views of Aristotle on fiction, he appreciated the fact that hierarchy exists among human beings whereby the monarchy does not want its power to be interfered with in society. In his view, legitimate authority should be derived from the people since the powers of the monarchs are always destructive because they are used in a way that is inconsistent with the demands of the majority. Behn published his works at the time when Britain was undergoing constitutional reforms, with King Charles I trying to bring in a constitutional monarch, but with no success. Hobbes published his works on the Leviathan soon afterwards when the monarch was restored. The views of Behn on governance and human nature were based on the Aristotelian writings. Aristotle had advised that politics is illogical since soc iety is organized in the same way as the family and each unit is assigned a specific role to play. Therefore, hierarchy should be respected because family members cannot have similar powers, as the father is often considered the head of the family while the mother is charged with the role of taking care of the family members.Advertising Looking for essay on british literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Based on this, it is noted that Behn expected society to be stratified based on gender, age, and social position meaning that the most powerful should be given the role of leading while the less privileged should respect the authority and support it. For Hobbes, the existence of a strong centralized government was preferred, but its leaders had to be elected directly by the citizens (Hobbes 22). In other words, Hobbes supported a democratic system of government whereby the majority should be allowed to rule, but the minority should have a say. In his novel, Behn suggested that Prince Oroonoko had to be given special treatment, even though he was a slave. In this case, the prince will never lose his powers, irrespective of whether he is in jail or not. In his view, a leader will always remain a leader even when conditions are extreme, something that goes against democracy, which suggests that power has to be shared equally (Schmitt and Schwab 88). The novel promotes monarchy and the status quo as demonstrated in one of the scenarios where he separates Oroonoko from the rest of slaves. The author defended the culture of the Coromanti people who were viewed in other places as uncivilized barbarians. This was mainly because they engaged in trade and accepted multilingualism. The region was not colonized because its people were aware of their rights. Slaves were acquired through war, but its people never sold their sons and daughters to foreigners. Once captured, slaves would be treated in the s ame way as animals because they were considered prisoners of war. In this regard, human nature was brutal and inconsiderate because it was indifferent to the sufferings of others, something that Hobbes agreed with because he also noted that life in the state of nature is short-lived and nasty, as there is no Leviathan to unite and lead people. Human needs drive an individual to act either positively or negatively, and if appetites are not quenched, chances are high that an individual will feel pain (Iwanisziw and Southerne 59). Therefore, human beings are always under pressure to overcome desires.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Human Nature: Comparative Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More An individual acts according to his or her beliefs, principles, and values. In this case, human beings are free to do as they desire and any attempt to control them would result to resistance. Unlike Behn, Hobbes disapproved the monarchs and preferred a democratic government because it represents the interests of the majority. However, Benh shares his view on the selfishness of human beings because they always play a zero sum game whereby another person loses for the other to gain. The comparison has both ethical and cultural implications because it expresses the views of two great writers on the human nature and politics. For instance, they help in explaining what ought to be done in the political arena. Behn, Aphra. Oroonoko or the Royal Slave. Boston: MobileReference.com, 2010. Print. Hobbes, Thomas. Leviathan. Peterborough: Broadview Press, 2011. Print. Iwanisziw, Susan, and Southerne, Thomas. Oroonoko: Adaptations and Offshoots. Burlington, VT: Ashgate, 2005. Print. Schmitt, Carl, and Schwab, George. The Leviathan in the State Theory of Thomas Hobbes: Meaning and Failure of a Political Symbol. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2008. Print.

Serial Comma in Business Writing

Serial Comma in Business Writing In nearly every business writing course I lead, the subject of whether or not to use a serial comma (also called an oxford comma) comes up. There is always strong opinion. I actually dreaded writing this article. I was scarred by this subject while in graduate school studying composition and rhetoric, when I had to write a 10-page paper on the history and merits/detriments of the serial comma. I had to present my research and opinion to my classmates, who not surprisingly loved to debate grammar. The argument about whether the serial comma should or should not be included lasted over two hours. We never did come to any consensus. This controversy probably exists because there is no grammar â€Å"rule.† Just convention. And, style guides differ. To define: a serial comma is the optional comma used at the end of a list. The most common conjunctions in a list are â€Å"and† and â€Å"or.† The serial comma is the comma that comes before the conjunction: I like cookies, cupcakes(,) and gumdrops. (The comma before and is the serial comma.) TED Talks provide an excellent illustrative summary: Let me tip my hand, and give you my opinion on this business grammar issue, and then I’ll explain why: The customary convention in business writing is to use the serial comma. The customary convention in journalism is to omit it, historically to conserve space. The British tend to use serial commas less than Americans. It is both correct to use or not use a serial comma, so what is most important is consistency. (And, be prepared for some editors to correct you, regardless of which option you choose.) I recommend using the serial comma in business writing, since it is the customary convention. And, to me, it is much easier to consistently follow this convention, than to omit it most of the time and add it in when clarity is needed. Keep it simple. Let’s look at examples where the serial comma clarifies: When stocking your desk, be sure you have pens, pencils, paper clips(,) and pins. (The comma after pens in parentheses is the serial comma.) If you do not use a serial comma in this sentence, meaning is still quite clear, but you might wonder if you need to buy a box of paper clips and pins mixed together: When stocking your desk, be sure you have pens, pencils, paper clips and pins. Let’s examine a more ambiguous example: The job involves restocking shelves, cleaning and serving customers. (Without a serial comma before and, the sentence suggests the person doing this job will be responsible for cleaning the customers in addition to serving them.) Another example illustrating confusion that results by omitting the serial comma: â€Å"To reduce stress, I like running, yoga, meditation and visualization and quiet time alone.† Notice I omitted the serial comma here. Let’s see how this example works: No comma: To reduce stress, I like (running,) (yoga,) (meditation and visualization and quiet) time. Comma: To reduce stress, I like (running,) (yoga,) (meditation and visualization,) and (quiet) time. Recommendation Use the serial comma consistently in your business writing. Only omit it in those rare instances when it muddies meaning. Grammarians love to debate this issue, and there will never be full agreement, but for business writing, the convention is clear: use the serial comma. What is your opinion on this hotly debated grammar issue? Yes or no for the serial comma?

New orleans after hurricane Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

New orleans after hurricane - Essay Example Many people in New Orleans experience post traumatic stress and need a lot of support and counseling to deal with this issue according to Rhoads, Pearman, and Rick (Nd). Nutrition and metabolism focus on food and fluid consumption patterns in relation to the metabolic needs according to Daniels and Daniels (2004). This involves evaluation of local nutrient supplies and their adequacy. In New Orleans, new restaurants have been established as well as new and improved types of foods such as praline, red beans and rice. The Foods Policy Advisory Committee has been established by the City Council of New Orleans to study access to health food access and reduce disparities experienced in accessing healthy food. Other issues such as problems related to tissue integrity, gastrointestinal system, fluid balance and host defense are also identified through this pattern. Elimination is a pattern where data collection focuses on patterns of excretion (Sonoma, nd). In New Orleans excretory problems including diarrhea and constipation were experienced due to disparities in food access after the hurricanes. Data collection is done annually by researchers in the health sector to establish changes in food consumption in New Orleans.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS on THE SHAWL Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

CRITICAL ANALYSIS on THE SHAWL - Essay Example As the story develops, the reader is compelled to ask several questions. How does Rosa tolerate the sight of her daughter in pain? Why did Rosa think that her daughter would die very soon? What is the significance of â€Å"the shawl† in the eyes of the narrator? While attempting to answer these questions, one will learn that Rosa is obsessed with her past. The description of her situation at the start of the story explains why her daughter, Magda, is suffering and why Rosa cannot be of any help to her own child. They are all captives of the concentration camp, cold, exhausted and starved. They live in â€Å"a place without pity† where even struggling to acquire the basic necessities can cause them death penalty. Being only fifteen months old, her daughter was not getting the nourishment she needed from her mother. She struggles to suck milk from her mother’s breast but gets nothing in return except the feel of the dry and cracked surface. She eventually takes ple asure in suckling on her mother’s shawl which tastes like cinnamon and almond. ... In the story, the reader finds several instances where the narrator vividly conveys the unspeakable atrocities that occurred in the concentration camp. The sights and the smells of terror are muddled up together in â€Å"the coldness of hell†: Stella, cold, cold, the coldness of hell. How they walked on the roads together, Rosa with Magda curled up between sore breasts, Magda wound up the shawl. Sometimes Stella carried Magda. But she was jealous of Magda. A thin girl of fourteen, too small, with thin breasts of her own, Stella wanted to be wrapped in a shawl, hidden away, asleep, rocked by the march, a baby, a round infant in arms. Stella’s desire for the baby’s shawl leads to Magda’s death. Ozick’s abundant use of symbolism allows the reader to envision the setting. She refers to the baby as angel throughout the novel; "smooth feathers of hair nearly as yellow as the Star sewn into Rosa's coat" and as "someone who is already a floating angel". Whe n her shawl is taken away from her by Stella, Magda suddenly begins to cry and wobbles out into the yard where she is picked up by a guard and thrown on the electrified fence to meet her death. The story reaches its climax through the flat character, Stella, who remains cold and cruel till the end because, being a child herself, she does not recognize the sentiments of the others, except satisfying her own need. Cynthia Ozick uses figurative language masterfully in her work The Shawl. She believes that such language is critical for literature understanding. The story is noteworthy because of its meticulous control over the view point. It requires great attention, as the details appear to be filtered through the

Parliament between 1603-1629 Essay Example for Free

Parliament between 1603-1629 Essay The period 1603-1629 is perhaps better divided into two distinct sections 1603-1625 (reign of James I) and 1625-1629 (reign of Charles I) since these two monarchs had fairly different approaches to foreign policy, which in turn determined how Parliament responded to them. James I brought a peaceable approach to foreign policy, hoping to establish a reputation for himself as a mediator within Europe. One of his first actions as monarch was to negotiate peace with Spain in the Treaty of London in 1604. This was unpopular with Parliament for several reasons, the main one being that as Protestants many members of parliament were opposed to peace with Catholic Spain for religious reasons. However, with regards parliament, peace did have the benefit of saving a great deal of money which would have had to be raised by Parliament, and relations between parliament and James remained fairly constant over the next few years. James next major action with regards foreign policy was to support a Protestant successor to the Duke of Cleves-Julich in 1609, even to the extent of committing several thousand troops to the cause. This action undoubtedly gained Parliaments support, as did the marriage in 1613 of James daughter Elizabeth to the Protestant Frederick V of the Palatinate. Throughout these early years of James reign, his foreign policy did not seem to have a detrimental effect on his relations with Parliament indeed, his later actions in this period even served to improve his relations with Parliament. And although there were some disagreements between James and Parliament during this time, they were due to finance issues and not foreign policy. After this time, however, relations between monarch and Parliament began to sour, and one of the key factors in this breakdown of relations was the foreign policy pursued by James from 1614 onwards. From this time, James attempted to negotiate marriage first for his eldest son and then, after his death, for his heir and second son Charles with the Catholic Spanish infanta. This was deeply unpopular with most MPs, as they feared the influence a Catholic Queen of England would have on the continuing reformation of the Protestant church, and desired a foreign policy more hostile to Spain than any previous policy of James. The situation worsened as James first had the very popular Sir Walter Raleigh executed after he clashed with Spain on a trip to South America, and then as he distanced himself from the conflict between Catholics and Protestants over the Palatinate. At this point in time it appeared that relations between monarch and Parliament were very bad indeed, since James had been governing without Parliament since 1614, although this was more over disagreements about finance than anything to do with religious policy. However, when James finally did call Parliament after a seven-year gap, foreign policy became the main issue. James called Parliament in order to raise money to go to war to recover the Palatinate, an action which was widely supported. As time progressed, though, without any sign of James actually preparing for war since he was still pursuing negotiations Parliament began to demand a naval war and an end to the marriage negotiations with Spain. This angered James enough to lead him to reply that none [in the House of Commons] shall presume to meddle with anything concerning our government or deep matters of State, referring, in the main, to Parliaments rights (or not) to discuss foreign policy. This led to the Commons producing a Protestation, which claimed the right of Parliament to free speech, regardless of royal prerogative. James then dissolved Parliament and arrested several prominent MPs. Certainly, this rift had arisen mainly due to James foreign policy (although there still were other contributing factors, namely finance but also other domestic policies). However, it was not permanent as James called a final Parliament in 1624, in which he seemed to accept that he would have to go to war with Spain, especially since both his son Charles and his favourite, Buckingham, were now joining Parliament in asking for war, due to the breakdown of marriage negotiations. Parliament voted subsidies although they were insufficient for James to wage a land war and left satisfied with the situation, although no war was waged in the remainder of James lifetime (he died ten months after dissolving Parliament). So, when James died in 1625, it seemed that towards the end of his reign his foreign policies had been responsible for souring relations with Parliament, although it is worth noting that the resolutions of the final Parliament (if not fulfilled) had gone some way to repairing the relationship between monarch and Parliament. It also seemed as though, with the ascension of Charles I, who had openly supported war during the last years of his fathers reign, relations with Parliament would be improved. However, although Charles came to the throne full of plans for a war with Spain, Parliament only voted i 250,000 for a sea war and were unsure about the other plans made by Charles and Buckingham costing around i 2 million. These plans Mansfeld, the Cadiz expedition and the Isle de Rhe expedition became a series of failures, mainly due to poor training, and led to the unpopularity of both Charles and Buckingham. By 1626, relations with Parliament were very bad, and the main (although not only, since e. g. tonnage and poundage caused disputes), cause of this was foreign policy. The reluctance of Parliament to vote sufficient subsidies for war, the attacks in the House of Commons of Buckingham and the disillusion with the war caused by the failed expeditions, led to Charles dissolving Parliament in 1625. When Parliament met again the following year, Charles had married the French, Catholic, Princess, Henrietta Maria. Because of Charles need for parliamentary subsidies, he tried to reduce the MPs suspicions about pro-Catholic policies and therefore failed to carry out part of the marriage treaty. This eventually led to war with France at the same time as England was at war with Spain, a disastrous policy which caused real damage to the monarchs relationship with Parliament. Charles relations with Parliament only continued to deteriorate after this time, eventually leading to Charles pursuing Personal Rule from 1629, and the reasons for this deterioration stemmed from Charles foreign policy, mainly because of the money needed to fund the wars, for which Charles resorted to more and more desperate measures for example the forced loan, which led to greater discussion of the monarchs financial and religious policy. There is no doubt that foreign policy played a major part in the souring of relations between monarch and Parliament in the period 1603-1629. However, its influence can be seen to have increased later on in this period after Charles came to power. With James I, foreign policy did play a part in affecting his relationship with Parliament especially towards the end of his reign. However, it was his foreign policy combined with other issues particularly finance which led to a breakdown in relations in 1621. Perhaps if foreign policy had been the only issue things would not have reached such a crisis point. And, even after the breakdown occurred, the fact that James called another Parliament in 1624 showed that it was by no means permanent. In contrast, all of Charles problems and disagreements with Parliament appear to have stemmed from issues surrounding his foreign policy and the breakdown in 1629 was far more threatening to the continued existence of Parliament than any with James as monarch.

Margit Stange’s Literary Criticism of Chopin’s The Awakening Essay

Margit Stange’s Literary Criticism of Chopin’s The Awakening Kate Chopin created Edna Pontellier, but neither the character nor her creator was divorced from the world in which Chopin lived. As a means to understand the choices Chopin gave Edna, Margit Stange evaluates The Awakening in the context of the feminist ideology of the late nineteenth century. Specifically, she argues that Edna is seeking what Chopin’s contemporaries denoted self-ownership, a notion that pivoted on sexual choice and â€Å"voluntary motherhood† (276). Stange makes a series of meaningful connections between Kate Chopin’s dramatization of Edna Pontellier’s â€Å"awakening† and the historical context of feminist thought that Stange believes influenced the novel. For example, she equates Edna’s quest for financial independence with the late nineteenth century’s Married Women’s Property Acts, which sought to give married women greater control over their property and earnings. Ultimately, Stange believes, Edna’s awakening, her acquisition of self-determination, comes from identifying and re-distributing what she owns, which Stange argues is her body, much as contemporary feminist thinkers discussed what she calls women’s â€Å"sexual exchange value† (281). Additional references to reformers such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Charlotte Perkins Gilman, as well as the legal standards of femme seule and femme couverte buttress Stange’s position that Edna’s experiences are a reflection of historical reality, even if some of the equations are a bit rough. Chopin, Stange notes, is careful to separate Edna the wife from Edna the woman – â€Å"Mrs. Pontellier† becomes â€Å"Edna† in the text, and then â€Å"Mrs. Pontellier† once more when her sense of self-ownership again seems lost. Chopin... ...alls a â€Å"moment of extreme maternal giving,† Stanton argued for women’s right to a public voice because â€Å"‘alone [woman] goes to the gates of death to give life to every man that is born into the world; no one can share her fears, no one can mitigate her pangs; and if her sorrow is greater than she can bear, alone she passes beyond the gates into the vast unknown’† (289). Chopin may have had a clearer grasp of the immense hold of the rhetoric of motherhood than Stange acknowledges. Edna at â€Å"the gates of death† may be a woman caught in an evolving conception of self-ownership, burdened by the sorrow of realizing that she can only really own what she no longer wants, because what she does want is yet beyond her grasp. Edna’s trap is indeed a historical reflection, a comment on the tumultuous, even violent, evolution of ideologies, expectations, choices, and realities.