Examining The Importance Of CIO Surveys

Examining The Importance Of CIO Surveys Why do you think a CIO survey is important for the HMIS industry? Surveys of CIOs are important because the results promote an understanding and increased awareness of the HMIS industry. In a study conducted by IBM, CIOs spend about 55 percent of their time steering innovative activities such as implementing new technologies and business initiatives (Levein, 2009). Responsive to the challenges faced in planning, implementation and updated maintenance of systems in the current economic environment, these surveys promote insight to budget cuts, delayed spending, and increased demand for services with reduced resources faced by health organizations. Results of these studies provide a flavor for how CIO and HMIS executives pursue change management solutions that enable them to create lean strategic growth models as they anticipate aspects of future HMIS growth for the upcoming years. Results also indicate what CIOs perceive to be the main obstacles faced as well as areas of opportunity. As the economy transitions from recession to recovery and as healt h organizations revise their strategies from cost-cutting efficiency to value-added productivity, the surveys provide insight for future growth. Survey results help identify industry trends and provide insight from information technology (IT) product and service purchasers. 2. Predict what type of hardware investments would be considered key to HMIS future. Then check out the full survey results, and compare your prediction to the actual results. There are several hardware investments I believe will be considered key to HMIS future. The federal stimulus bill has promised billions of dollars in incentive payments to physicians and medical facilities that buy and use the electronic system so the first hardware investment that comes to my mind is an electronic medical record system. To promote its acceptance and utilization, the computers need to be reasonably powerful to run all the applications necessary to maintain clinical practice efficiency. Storage capacity of a centralized or distributed database is needed to archive large amounts of data. Central servers need to be powerful, and network or Internet connections fast and reliable. Updates to the solution architecture need to occur at the central server location with updates immediately available to all users. Compatibility or interoperability is also a necessity to link with other electronic clinical systems both within and outside the medical facility. Security mechanism s are required to protect client-specific information in an electronic environment. An extensive auditing system is required to monitor activity within the HMIS. I also believe there will be other electronic systems that place emphasis on quality care such as a clinical decision support system which assists clinicians apply new information to patient care and provides suggestions for how to manage a patientà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s condition. The results from this survey are consistent with my belief that an electronic medical record will be considered key to HMIS future. While I incorrectly assumed that a computerized provider order entry (CPOE) system was a standard component of the electronic medical record, the survey indicated that installing this type of system can, and is often considered a separate focus. Upon review of the alignment of organizational and IT strategic plans, I was quite surprised to see that almost half of the IT plans are not considered a component of the organizational plan. From my perspective, one cannot function effectively without the other. 3. Why do you think the results showed investment of EHR to be a top priority for CIOs in the coming year? I believe the reason why the results showed investment of EHR to be a top priority for CIOs in the coming year is because the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) intends to give health care organizations incentives to access federal funds to plan, design, and implement the infrastructure to promote the adoption and use of electronic health record systems and support health information exchange (HIE). This push will promote the implementation of interoperable health information technology over the next several years. In addition to financial incentives, it will also help to improve the overall quality and value of health care in the U.S. This will dramatically improve the continuity of care and informed medical decision-making. Why do you think those who work in a clinic/group practice are less concerned about Backup/Disaster Recovery than are those who work in a hospital/integrated delivery system? Do you think this is prudent? Why or why not? It is likely that those who work in a clinic/group practice may be less concerned about backup/disaster recovery than those who work in a hospital/integrated delivery system for a few reasons. What really drives the details of a recovery plan are the functions the medical practice needs to recover and how soon these functions must be available. Sadly, for some organizations, having a disaster recovery plan for remote and branch offices may not even exist. A clinic/group practice tends to deal with ambulatory out patients and may need minimal patient information along with the name and location of an alternate practice to refer patients. Another clinic/group may refer patients who require specialized care to another practice and continue handling routine appointments at an alternate site. Many medical practices continue to utilize a paper-based appointment scheduling system and/or a paper-based billing system. It is not uncommon for each personà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s medic al records to be scattered among all the medical facilities where care has been given. In comparison, hospital/integrated delivery systems may have a higher acuity of patients which places the institution at greater risk. Lives depend on the information in these records and losing access to them, even temporarily increases the potential for many patient safety issues that could be encountered. Many hospitals are already using electronic clinical systems that are critical to providing quality patient care. Many of these electronic systems are interfaced with each other. When considering disaster recovery, it is important to think beyond system failure and recovery; more importantly, the entire hospital needs to be considered. New advances in technology that exist in these types of practices generate more electronic data than in the past. Access to secure and reliable patient information is managed by IT personnel who are on staff to prevent most technical problems and support user needs. Hospitals and other health care facilities accredited by the Joint Commission are r equired to comply with published guidelines by having a business continuity/disaster recovery plan for all information systems (Owens Ahlstrom, 2008) When a disaster strikes, it is my belief that any medical practice must be able to retrieve valuable information through pre-established methods of disaster recovery. Disaster recovery depends on the complexity of the system however, all medical records, paper or electronic, need to be kept protected and secured in any type of disaster. Medical practices must get back up and running as quickly as possible to ensure patient safety and business continuity.

Breaking Free in The Matrix Essays -- Movie Film Essays

Breaking Free in The Matrix      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Eighteenth-century Enlightenment philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau begins his infamous discourse The Social Contract by stating, "Man is born free; and everywhere he is in chains. One thinks himself the master of others, and still remains a greater slave than they." Both Plato's "Allegory of the Cave" from The Republic and the Wachowski Brothers' hit film The Matrix discuss man's efforts on his journey towards illumination to break free of his chains and then liberate others imprisoned. While definite connections exist between the allegory and The Matrix, Plato and the Wachowski Brothers present different paths that one may take to achieve that end. The Matrix utilizes the symbolic figure of a hero, Nietzsche's ÃÅ"bermensch, who through fate acquires the responsibility of enlightening all, while Plato presents an individual journey in which others may act as guides but one attains enlightenment through one's desire for knowledge.    Throughout The Matrix, the Wachowski Brothers insert obvious hints of unusual skills that separate Neo from the other rebels. The film tells the story of the search for "the One" who will free the human race from its enslavement by the machines. "The One" possesses unique abilities and can manipulate the Matrix in ways that no other human has been able. Despite Neo's claim that "I'm nobody," he exhibits more "superhuman" qualities as the film progresses. Tank indicates, "He's a machine," able to spend hours learning kung fu, and Mouse notices while Neo fights Morpheus that "his neural kinetics are way above normal." Ironically at the beginning of the movie Neo's boss reprimands him for tardiness, saying, "You think you are special, th... ... Plato and the Wachowski Brothers' interpretations of the course to enlightenment differ greatly in their perspectives. As the ÃÅ"bermensch, Neo must challenge the ingrained values of society, wake the sleeping human race, and free it from the grasp of the Matrix. Plato dismisses Nietzsche's idea and instead describes a path similar to that of Hermann Hesse's Siddhartha, who realizes that an enlightened one cannot enlighten others but merely lead the way. While sporadically man still follows the ÃÅ"bermensch, Plato's process has entered society's mainstream, serving as the most frequently traveled path to enlightenment.    Sources Cited    Plato. The Republic. Trans. Benjamin Jowett. Mineola: Dover Publications, 2000. The Matrix. Dir. The Wachowski Brothers. Perf. Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne. Videocassette. Warner Home Video, 1999.   

Getting to Know Cagayan Essay

I. Description Cagayan is a province of the Philippines in the Cagayan Valley region in Luzon. Its capital is Tuguegarao City and is located at the northeastern corner of the island of Luzon. Cagayan also includes the Babuyan Islands to the north. The province borders Ilocos Norte and Apayao to the west, and Kalinga and Isabela to the south. Cagayan is part of one of the largest valleys in the Philippines formed by the majestic Sierra Madre and Cordillera mountain ranges. It is traversed by the mighty 330-km long Cagayan River and its various tributaries. The province could have gotten its name from the Ilocano word carayan or â€Å"big river,† referring to the Rio Grande De Cagayan, the longest river in the country, which bisects its valley from north to south. Or it could have been derived from the tagay trees (tall hardwood) that grew along the river banks. It is possible that the area was called Catagayan, meaning â€Å"where the tagay abounds.† The earliest inhabitants were the Aetas, short dark-skinned nomads belonging to the Negrito family. They were followed by Indo-Malay immigrants who came to be known as Ybanags The majority of people living in Cagayan are of Ilocano descent, mostly from migrants coming from the Ilocos Region. Originally, the more numerous group were the Ybanags, who were first sighted by the Spanish explorers and converted to Christianity by missionaries. This is why the Ibanag language spread throughout the area prior to the arrival of Ilocanos. II. Culture, Way of Life, Values, Religion and Beliefs Cagayan is a very ancient civilization. It has its distinct, rich and diverse culture. Commerce and trade was practiced by its inhabitants and has flourished with the Japanese, Chinese and other neighbor Asian countries even before the Spanish colonizers reached its shores. The province’s agricultural production is concentrated on two areas. The Cagayan River Delta produces rice, corn, vegetables, and rootcrops. The region near the boundary with Isabela contains a number of large tobacco plantations. Agricultural products also are of peanut, beans, and fruits. Livestock products include cattle, hogs, carabaos, and poultry. Fishing various species of fish from the coastal towns is also undertaken. Woodcraft furniture made of hardwood, rattan, bamboo, and other indigenous materials are also available in the province. The mountain ranges yield good hardwoods, as well as rattan and other forest products used in cottage industries. Fishing is a major industry in the coastal areas. Its ancientness is evidenced by the presence of centuries-old churches and other religious relics, archeological sites of nomadic tribes, and richness of its local language and culture. The oldest bell in the country, cast in 1592, still peals from the tower of the church in Camalaniugan. The old brick works in Tuguegarao lie inside the city and speak of a time when bricks were extensively used to build the beautiful churches of the Cagayan. Cagayan with its ancientness is still replete with adventure and excitement. It can flaunt its pristine natural beauty and endowment. It has breathtaking sceneries, beaches, and cavernous caves, thunderous falls, rapids, rivers, limestone mountains, thick and virgin forests, verdant valleys and many more. Also, it is a land of many opportunities having one of the largest fertile alluvial plains, grazing lands and fishing grounds (both marine and inland waters) in the Philippines and a continuous and sustainable supply of production materials. Multi-lingual, warm, gentle and amiable people await you in this remaining patch of tropical paradise in Northern Philippines. III. Land and Topography The province is bounded by the Pacific Ocean on the east; on the south by Isabela province; on the west by the Cordillera Mountains; and on the north by the Balintang Channel and the Babuyan Group of Islands. About two kilometers from the northeastern tip of the province is the island of Palaui; a few kilometers to the west is Fuga Island. The Babuyan Group of Islands, which includes Calayan, Dalupiri, Camiguin, and Babuyan Claro, is about 60 nautical miles (110 km) north of Luzon mainland. The province comprises an aggregate land area of 9,002.70 square kilometers, which constitutes three percent of the total land area of the country, making it the second largest province in the region. Cagayan has 28 municipalities and one city divided into three congressional districts. It has 820 barangays. Tuguegarao City (as of December 18, 1999) is the provincial capital, regional seat, and center of business, trade, and education. It has a land area of 144.80 square kilometers and a population of 120,645 as of 2000. Seasons in the province are not very pronounced. Relatively dry season occurs during the months of March to June and rainy season from July to October, although it is relatively cold during the months of November to February. IV. What did you learn for this ethnic group and its relation for cultural anthropology Due to the influx of Ilokano migrants in the last century, majority of the people of Cagayan speak Iloko as their primary tongue. Aside from the Ilokanos, there are several smaller ethnic groups that live in the province. The Ybanags are the dominant ethnic group in the vicinity of the provincial capital of Cagayan-—Tuguegarao, now a city. The closely related Itawits inhabit the Pinacanauan River valley as well as areas of Amulung and Tuao. The Malawegs are found mainly in the municipality of Rizal . In the foothills and the mountains of the Sierra Madre Range , several Negrito groups called the Agtas forage and hunt for food. The established lingua franca of the province is Ybanag. The Ybanags, Itawits and Malawegs are mainly lowland farmers whose agricultural practices are similar to those of the Ilokanos. The Ybanags used to inhabit the area along the Cagayan coast but migrated further inland. They conducted trade with neighboring areas using distinctive sea crafts, and their commercial interests made their language the medium of commerce throughout the region before the influx of Ilokano migrants. They are also excellent blacksmiths and continue to make good bolos. The Ybanags are reputed to be the tallest of all the ethno-linguistic groups in the Philippines The Itawits are almost indistinguishable from the Ybanags. They build their houses with separate kitchens, connected by a narrow walkway that is used as washing area for hands and feet. The Itawits are noted for their pottery and basket-weaving traditions.

Reynolds Surname Meaning and Origin

The common last name Reynolds is a patronymic surname meaning son of Reynold. The given name Reynold derives from the Germanic name Reginold composed of the elements ragin, meaning counsel, advice and wald, meaning rule. Mac Raghnaill is the Irish version of the Reynolds  surname, deriving  from the Old Norse  Rognvald  a Latin given name composed of  rogn for regal and vald, or valor. Surname Origin: English, IrishAlternate Surname Spellings: REYNOLDSON, REYNOLD, MAC RAGHNAILL, MRAINELL, MRANALD, MRANDAL, MACRANNALL, MACRANALD, MACRANDELL, MACCRINDLE, MACREYNOLD, MACREYNOLDS, RANDALSON, RONALDSON, RANNALS, RANDALS, RANDLES, RANOLDS Famous People Ryan Reynolds: Canadian actorGeneral John F. Reynolds:  Union leader during the U.S. Civil War Genealogy Resources for the Surname REYNOLDS: Most Common U.S. Surnames Their MeaningsSmith, Johnson, Williams, Jones, Brown... Are you one of the millions of Americans sporting one of these top 250 common last names from the 2000 census?The Reynolds Family CircleA  non-profit organization open to any descendant of William Reynolds and Jane Milliken who were married on August 23, 1790, in Greene County, Tennessee.Reynolds Family Genealogy ForumSearch this popular genealogy forum for the Reynolds surname to find others who might be researching your ancestors, or ask your own question about your Reynolds ancestors.FamilySearchFind records, queries, and lineage-linked family trees posted for the Reynolds surname and its variations.Reynolds Surname Family Mailing ListsRootsWeb hosts several free mailing lists for researchers of the Reynolds surname.DistantCousin.comFree databases and genealogy links for the last name Reynolds. References Cottle, Basil. Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967.Menk, Lars. A Dictionary of German Jewish Surnames. Avotaynu, 2005.Beider, Alexander. A Dictionary of Jewish Surnames from Galicia. Avotaynu, 2004.Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges. A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989.Hanks, Patrick. Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003.Smith, Elsdon C. American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.