...Value System Reading these articles has introduced me to the Norwegian culture, its values and its egalitarian social democracy. Residents of Norway are predominantly ethnic Norwegians who believe that it is their obligation to share their wealth with those who are less fortunate. Spouses are regarded as equals and it is important that the citizens maintain a good healthy balance between their work life and family life. Being wealthy is frowned upon by the general population of Norway, having an excess of money and material items are ranked very low on their list of values. There are no homeless or hungry residents, education, day care and government services are offered to all, and their financial security is guaranteed. Norway has evolved from a fishing and farming community to a mostly white collar high-tech, state-owned oil export industry with very little manufacturing thereby preserving their pristine environment. Norms Norway is a very small country but it spends 1% of its GDP each year to fight global poverty donating millions more in foreign aid than the U.N. Oslo often serves as a mediator to foreign conflicts between North and South Korea and in the Middle East peace process, gaining clout and global respectability. It is my opinion that the United States has a much different agenda for the foreign aid that we offer as compared to Norway. It appears to me that our current government may be viewed not only as the most powerful, but also as the “Bully”...
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...THIRD WORLD COUNTRY ( MADAGASCAR) PUBLIC HEALTH STATUS Public Health Life expectancy at birth has gradually improved from an average of 37.5 years for men and 38.3 years for women in 1966 to an average of fifty-two years for men and fifty-five years for women in 1990 (for a combined average of fifty-four). Malaria remains the most serious tropical disease, although eradication campaigns against mosquitoes waged since 1948 initially resulted in spectacular declines in incidence and a dramatic decrease in the island's mortality rate during a twenty-year period. Indeed, in some regions, especially the central highlands, these campaigns were almost completely successful, although malaria continues to be prevalent in the coastal regions, especially the east coast. As prevention practices faltered during the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s, the mosquito staged a comeback. The effect on a population with a significantly reduced resistance to malaria was devastating. For example, the Malagasy Ministry of Health reported 490,000 cases and 6,200 deaths from malaria in 1985, but these figures rose--to 760,000 cases and 11,000 deaths--in 1987. As of 1994, other serious diseases included schistosomiasis, tuberculosis, and leprosy. The prevalence of schistosomiasis, a parasitic ailment that spreads primarily through the passing of human wastes into ponds, irrigation canals, and slow-moving streams, reflects the continued lack of adequate sewage facilities, especially in the rural areas...
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...Higher taxes would be put in to place to pay for everything that would be considered “free”. Healthcare is a principle that would be provided for all, but how would the United States fund the healthcare? Raising taxes for everyone funds this program along with many others. In a socialist economy there would be more bureaucracy. This often means that more political committees and groups will decide how things will be run. Without profits being made, the incentive to make processes and services quick can disappear. This can lead to poorer goods and services for public consumers. Since everyone is “equal” in terms of the government there is a lack of innovation. There is less or no financial incentive for people to develop new products and services or for businessmen and entrepreneurs to set up new companies. The low motivation interferes with employees to better themselves by working towards...
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...How the U.S Health Care System Compares Internationally How the U.S Health Care System Compares Internationally The United States Health Care system is the most expensive in the world which continues to grow larger. The U.S ranks last because we have failed to achieve better health outcomes than the others. As an individual I feel that we can do a lot better only if we can figure out how to lower the Healthcare costs in the United States. Throughout the years they have been trying ways to cut the cost of healthcare, but we are nowhere near a solution. Among the 11 nations studied in this article Australia, Canada, Germany, France, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, The United Kingdom, and the United States the United Kingdom had the best overall Health Care Ranking. Living in the U.S, you would think that we would do a better job regarding quality, access, efficiency, equity, and healthy lives. We can better achieve these changes by learning from the other countries and by doing this the U.S should be able to make great improvements in within the Health Care System. Some of the improvements are being able to keep informed of broader issues and concerns such as how the system bears the cost of the insured and underinsured. Another is advocating policy changes at the legislative level and practicing more health promotion behaviors and using preventative services. There are many more ways that we can improve, but this can be...
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...Health Care Policies and Regulations Compared According to Jun, Osborn, and Squires of the Commonwealth Fund, in their International Profiles of Health Care Systems (2012), the role of the government in the Norwegian health care system is that the government is fully responsible for funding and controlling the health care system (para. 1). However, if citizens want to opt out of the government-controlled health insurance and purchase private insurance, they are able to do that, as well. This is sometimes the choice of some people when waiting lists are long and they choose to go to another country for treatment (Shafrin, para. 4). I have also heard from relatives that this is sometimes the case in Canada, as well, where there is also truly “universal” health care. However, the role of the government in health care in the United States is ever evolving and ever changing. Before the Affordable Care Act was passed in 2010 the role of the government was mostly regulatory, with the exceptions of Medicare and Medicaid and certain other special programs for people who needed financial assistance to access health care. That role is ever evolving now, though. Who is covered in these two countries? In Norway, the answer is simple: Everyone. 100% of the citizens are covered (Jun, Osborn, Squires, 2012, p. 86). In the United States, it is not as clear of a picture. According to Jun, Osborn, & Squires (2012), “In 2010, 56 percent of U.S. residents received primary care coverage...
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...Some say the right to healthcare is the right to life. However, people should pay for their own healthcare, not have it given to them by the government. Under a universal healthcare system, the right to healthcare is paid for through taxes, and people who work hard and pay those taxes are forced to subsidize healthcare for those who are not employed. In the United States, people already have a right to purchase healthcare, but they should never have a right to receive healthcare free of charge. Healthcare is a service that should be paid for, not a right. In European countries with a universal right to healthcare, the cost of coverage is paid through higher taxes. In the United Kingdom and other European countries, payroll taxes average 37% - much higher than the 15.3% payroll taxes paid by the average US worker. According to research, financing a universal right to healthcare in the United States would cause payroll taxes to double. In addition, a right to healthcare could increase the US debt and deficit. Spending on Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children's Health Insurance Program, all government programs that provide a right to healthcare for certain segments of the population, totaled less than 10% of the federal budget in 1985, but by 2012 these programs took up 21% of the federal budget. Studies have concluded that the expansion of insurance coverage under universal right to healthcare will increase the federal deficit by $340-$700 billion in the first 10 years, and could...
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...There is more virtual banking where cooperation’s are conducting business in a virtual setting. It cut back on their administrative costs tremendously various businesses has capitalized with the utilization of the internet and the Healthcare Industry is a huge beneficiary. Over a period of time many doctors gave such resistance to incorporate the use of modern technology in their daily routines such as entering information on patients, or even a progress or update note in a database or computer system. Many physicians were set in their own way; as the old saying goes a person cannot teach an old dog new tricks it is the same with moving away from paper and welcoming electronic. Almost every specialist embraces the usage of the internet perfect examples of the specialists are Radiologists, Cardiologists to list a few. Electronic Medical Records The utilization of paper records and information’s has been existed for almost a century which the integration has been a very slow and gradual process. It has been underway for twenty years in the Western healthcare system. According to Open Clinic (2005) Computerized information systems have not achieved the same degree of dissemination in healthcare as that seen in various sectors such as finance, transport and the manufacturing and retail industries....
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...Independent Report on Clinical Laboratory Testing Services Market for an Initial Public Offering (IPO) in Egypt A Frost & Sullivan Report 2014 1|P age Disclaimer © November 2014 Frost & Sullivan The market research process for this study has been undertaken through detailed primary and secondary research, which involves discussing the status of the industry with leading industry participants and experts, and compiling inputs from publicly available sources, including official publications and research reports. The Expert Opinion Consensus Methodology has been used for the report. Quantitative market information is based primarily on such interviews and desk-based secondary research; therefore, making it subject to fluctuation. Frost & Sullivan has taken all reasonable care to insure that the information contained in this report is, to the best of its knowledge, in accordance with the facts and contains no omission likely to affect its import. In making any decision regarding the transaction, the recipient should conduct its own investigation and analysis of all facts and information contained in the prospectus of which this report is a part and the recipient must rely on its own examination and the terms of the transaction, as and when discussed. The recipient should not construe any of the contents in this report as advice relating to business, financial, legal, taxation or investment matters and are advised to consult their own business, financial, legal, taxation...
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...can see some similarities to the United States – but there are some really stark differences. Below, you will see some of the most socialistic nations in the world today: China Denmark Finland Netherlands Canada Sweden Norway Ireland New Zealand Belgium Despite popular myths, there is very little connection between economic performance and welfare expenditure. Many of the countries on this list are proof of that, such as Denmark and Finland. Even though both countries are more socialistic than America, the workforce remains stronger. China In China the government manages and controls the economy. Many of the domestic companies are owned and run by the government. Recently, the Chinese economy has become more geared towards capitalism, but is still officially socialist. Life in China remains relatively less stressful and more relaxed than life in capitalist countries like America. Denmark Denmark has a wide range of welfare benefits that they offer their citizens. As a result, they also have the highest taxes in the world. Equality is considered the most important value in Denmark. Small businesses thrive, with over 70 percent of companies having 50 employees or less Finland Finland has one of the world’s best education systems, with no tuition fees and also giving free meals to their students. The literacy rate in Finland is 100 percent. Finland has one of the highest standards of living in the world. Like Denmark and other European countries, equality...
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...Hewlett-Packard Business Analysis On February 22nd, 2012 HP announced financial results for its first fiscal quarter ended January 31, 2012. For the quarter, net revenue of $30.0 billion was down 7% from the prior-year period. Gross profit was $6.6 billion and Net Income was $1.46 billion. Revenue from outside of the United States in the first quarter accounted for 66% of total HP revenue. BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) generated revenue of $3.1 billion, down 13% from the year-ago period, and representing 10% of total HP revenue. Compared to other company in the same industry HP has not done a better job, and sometimes even below other companies performance. The biggest difference in revenues and financial growth can be seen against Apple, which total revenues reached $ 44.33 billion on the quarter ending on December 31st, 2012, Gross Profit grew to $20.7 billion and a net income of $13.06 billion. Notice that Apple not only has greater revenue but its profits margins are several times greater than HP’s. On the other hand, Dell has made less revenues and profit than HP. During its quarter ending on February 2nd, 2012 Dell’s total revenue was $16 billion, gross profit $3.38 billion and net income $764 million. Both companies have shown weak earnings results compared to previous years during the same quarters, however HP have better earnings because of its global presence in several markets. How globalization has affected the company business strategies...
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...Are Australian’s being short changed on healthcare due to activity based funding? Activity based funding (ABF) is a common practice being used around the world and in some Australian hospitals. This essay will examine the practice and determine if value is being added by using ABF and how that effects costing within hospitals. ABF is the process of receiving funding from the government based on the type and volume of procedures provided to patients. Similar activities are grouped together and classified, with each hospital receiving the same amount of funding for that specific procedure classification. Value is defined by Porter ME (2010) as being a measurement of outcomes achieved and in health care, this concept should be cenered around customers. In Australia, $140.2 billion was spent on healthcare in 2011-12 with 69.7% of the funding derived from the Australian government and 27.3% from state and territory governments. Due to the global economic crisis in 2007/2008, government health funding and tax...
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...bankrupt. The current level of health care spending is at an all-time high. This is the one particular reason why the Obamacare came into play. For the most part, it was to save money. The level of national health care expenditures is considerably high in comparison to any other region across the world. “Health spending in the United States is much higher than in other countries – at least $2,535 dollars, or 51% higher than Norway, the next largest per capita spender” (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2011, para. 3). In addition in 2009 the United States spent more than 17% of its gross domestic product on healthcare, which is higher than any other developed nation in the world. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) predicts “that, without any revolutions in federal law, total spending on health care will rise from 16% of GDP in 2007 to 25% in 2025, and close to 50% in 2082” (Johnson, 2010, Para. 7). The subject of healthcare in the United States can be a straining one, and it is also an area where what people think is not always what is being done by policymakers. Healthcare spending is over the top of everything. We spend billions of...
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...Perhaps, this matter is best dealt with on a personal basis and a national conversation would be excessive. This notion is totally wrong. End of life care is one of the main factors propelling the U.S. health care system towards ruin. Specifically, the great attention and resources being diverted to terminally ill patients in roughly the last six months of life is raising the costs of healthcare. America spends 2.5x more per patient than the average country [3]. Even in places like Switzerland and Norway where healthcare is quite good they spend 66% percent of what the U.S. spends to achieve similar outcomes [3]. One might callously argue that healthcare is a privilege not a right and the rising costs simply means people will have to work harder to receive care. This notion is also incorrect. Most patients tend to be elderly and covered under Medicare. As such, increasing healthcare costs will put a strain on the federal budget, which will limit the government’s ability to provide for better education, roads and other vital services. In fact, it was estimated that spending on Medicare and Medicaid alone, which constitutes 5% of the GDP, could soar to 20% of the GDP in 2050 [2]. These are rather alarming statistics, which might inspire certain sinister dystopian thoughts. However, there...
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...An ideal health system responds to a population’s needs and expectations by improving the health status of individuals, families and communities, defending the population against what threatens its health, protecting people against the financial consequences of ill-health, providing equitable access to health care centers and making it possible for people to participate in decisions affecting their health and health system. In terms of cost, governments are expected to facilitate diversity and competition in the provision and functioning of health services, limiting themselves to financing a set of essential public health activities and clinical services, leaving the rest to private financing, in the form of public or private insurance plans. Governments must also regulate the private insurance market, designing incentives to increase coverage and decrease costs. Furthermore, they must encourage competition and private participation in the provision of clinical services financed with public funds. 1 Health financing can be a key policy instrument to improve health and reduce health inequalities if its primary objective is to facilitate universal coverage by removing financial barriers to access and preventing financial hardship and catastrophic expenditure. The creation of a system to raise sufficient funds for health fairly, a system to pool financial resources across population groups to share financial risks, a financing governance system supported by relevant legislation...
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...HMA1: Trends in Healthcare Western Governors University Healthcare Management Case Study HMA1 Linda Gunn August 21, 2010 HMA1: Trends in Healthcare The American healthcare system is in the midst of change. No other time in history has the call for healthcare reform been so strong. It is the emergence of expensive new technologies with an aging population and a new call for equitable quality access of health services for all citizens that have pushed for the impending change. Successful managers will need to understand the impetus for this change. The challenges will provide many opportunities for a manager that is properly prepared to lead and guide their organization. Model trends in the United States. Historically, the United State’s healthcare system has been provider dominated. Physicians ordered and directed care without concern for cost or resources. While complex and ever-changing, the focus was on treatment of infectious diseases such as polio, influenza, small pox. (Shortell & Kaluzny, 2006) Our current model of healthcare places much of the responsibility and burden of the cost of medical care on the individual. American healthcare spending approaches 17% of our gross domestic product (GDP), the highest of any member of the World Health Organization. Our performance consistently underperforms in comparison to our peer nations in such measures as life expectancy, infant mortality and overall level of health. (World Health Organization [WHO], 2000) ...
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