This book presents in a fun and user-friendly manner an orientation and guide to the lactation consultant profession, as manifested by the Private Practice Lactation Consultant.
Contrary to popular opinion, one of the main problems in providing uniformly excellent health care is not lack of money but lack of knowledge--on the part of both doctors and patients. The studies in this book show that many doctors and most patients do not understand the available medical evidence. Both patients and doctors are "risk illiterate"--frequently unable to tell the difference between actual risk and relative risk. Doctors often cannot interpret test results; patients cannot make informed decisions if they are given bad information. Surprisingly, treatments vary widely from one region to another. For example, in one referral region in Iowa, sixty percent of prostate patients had surgery, while in another region only fifteen percent had the same surgery. This unwarranted disparity in treatment decisions is the rule rather than the exception in the United States and Europe. All of this contributes to much wasted spending in health care. The contributors to Better Doctors, Better Patients, Better Decisions investigate the roots of the problem, from the emphasis in medical research on technology and blockbuster drugs to the lack of education for both doctors and patients. They call for a new, more enlightened health care, with better medical education, journals that report study outcomes completely and transparently, and patients in control of their personal medical records, not afraid of statistics but able to use them to make informed decisions about their treatments.
The most thorough book available on the economics of health and health care delivery, Health Economics develops the theory necessary to examine these issues analytically and presents empirical evidence on each issue, summarizing results for easy comprehension. Issues discussed include the "cost explosion" in health care, the role of physicians and the power of medical associations, and the control of technological change in medicine. Because the level of sophistication is rapidly expanding in health economics, this book also provides key analytic tools required to understand research that is currently in progress.
As a supplement to traditional classroom learning or as a faculty-facilitated distance education course, this online component combines the content of Buck's Step-by-Step Medical Coding, 5th edition with self-study and assessment tools for a complete, instructor-led course on coding. The book discusses the material in detail while the online component reinforces the important concepts in concise lessons incorporating figures, photographs, audio narrated slide shows, links to relevant web sites, and key concepts and terms linked to pop-up definitions. Available in WebCT or Blackboard, or through the Evolve course management system.
This newly updated and expanded edition of The Economics of Health and Medical Care strikes the necessary balance of population-based health economics and the more traditional, market-oriented approach to health care economics. The Fifth Edition provides the necessary tools to develop a systematic and disciplined approach for solving economic problems in a health care context while learning the importance of being able to identify, define, measure, explain, and predict certain economic phenomena and evaluate the relevance of end results. Fundamental, yet comprehensive in coverage, the focus is on how to think about economic problems in a systematic way--using the three major tasks of economics--Descriptive Economics, Explanatory Economics, and Evaluative Economics
Many healthcare organizations are seeing tremendous benefits from using control charts and SPC methods to improve performance and monitor key processes. But many have unanswered questions on how to best utilize these practices. In Improving Healthcare with Control Charts: Basic and Advanced SPC Methods and Case Studies, Dr. Raymond Carey addresses these questions and helps to explain the need for, and the use of, SPC in healthcare. Carey expands on the previous best-selling book, Measuring Quality Improvement in Healthcare, by providing more in-depth information on problems commonly experienced in constructing and analyzing control charts. He also presents many new case studies applying advanced methods and theory to real life healthcare situations.
(1)The A3 process is a way to look with "new eyes" at a specific problem identified by direct observation or experience. It offers a structure that begins by always defining the issue through the eyes of the customer. In A3 Problem Solving for Healthcare Cindy Jimmerson explains an essential tool borrowed from the Toyota Production System, which is an extension of work identified with the well-known Value Stream Map. She offers an easy-to-learn problem-solving method that can be used in every aspect of healthcare to identify, understand, and improve processes that don't support workers in doing their good work. In this compelling book you get: The expertise of a recognized industry expert in Lean principles A practical, easy-to-use workbook Concepts illustrated with numerous A3s in various stages of development Explanation of how to extend the VSM philosophy to a more focused perspective An extensive exploration of the A3 problem-solving tool in healthcare -- the first book to do so Through case studies and actual A3s, this book illustrates the simplicity and completeness of the A3 tool and its applications to regulatory documentation as well as activities of daily work.
This is a great book, but not one for fast assimilation. This is a book that takes much work to understand, but readers will be warmly rewarded for their efforts...well done. (Doody's Notes )
It is a compelling mix, backed by the unusual authority of a physician who is also a literary scholar. ... Narrartive Medicine is practical enough to be beneficial to the clinician, yet sufficiently theoretical to serve as a seminal text in the field. Even master clinicians can gain from the knowledge and skills presented here. Charon has written an inspired and inspiring book; and, in her stories of patients and students, she is a role model for us all. (The Lancet, Vol 370, )
