Business Commons^™

The 340b Program, Contract Pharmacies And Hospitals: An Examination Of The First 25 Years Of Their Increasingly Complex Relationship, David P. Paul Iii, Morgan Cathlene Ludado, Morgan Ruley, Hannah Sayre, Alberto Coustasse

Management Faculty Research

The 340B Drug Pricing Program, created by Congress in 1992 through the Veterans Health Care Act, has provided discounted drug prices to hospitals and other health care organizations serving a wide population of low-income patients. Some 340B programs use contract pharmacies, an arrangement whereby the hospital or health care organization signs a contract directly with a pharmacy to provide covered pharmacy services at discounted prices.

The federal 340B Drug Pricing Program has provided access to reduced price prescription drugs to over 35,000 individual healthcare facilities and sites certified by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and clinics …

Telepharmacy And Access To Pharmaceutical Services In Rural Areas, Raghav Sarkar, Brandon J. Metzger, Hannah M. Sayre, Chelsea M. Slater, Sruthi Katamneni, Alberto Coustasse

Management Faculty Research

Access to pharmaceutical services in rural areas has been affected by a national shortage of pharmacists. Telepharmacy, a subspecialty of telemedicine, has involved the utilization of telecommunications to deliver pharmaceutical services to consumers located at a distance. The number of telepharmacy programs in the United States and worldwide has been progressively increasing. The purpose of this research project was to examine the effect of the utilization of telepharmacy on rural hospitals’ access to pharmaceutical services. The methodology of this qualitative study was a literature review. Four electronic databases were employed to retrieve peer-reviewed journal articles, and three websites were accessed …

Hospital Nurse Burnout: A Continuing Problem, David P. Paul Iii, Lama Bakhamis, Harlan M. Smith Ii, Alberto Coustasse

Management Faculty Research

RNs are a critically important component of the U.S. healthcare system. RN burnout – the feeling of exhaustion from working long hours without rest – is a real concern, having been reported in many hospitals. We examine the background, causes and consequences of burnout among RNs in U.S. hospitals, in order to identify solutions to this problem. Findings indicate that Burnout Syndrome in RNs can be analyzed in terms of four clusters of characteristics: individual, management, organizational, and work. The consequences of burnout include increased RN turnover rates, poor job performance, and threats to patient safety. RN burnout in hospitals …

Macra And Rural Hospitals, Erica Kelley, Rhea Lipscomb, Jennifer Valdez, Alberto Coustasse

Management Faculty Research

The purpose of this research was to study MACRA (Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization Act) and to determine how its implementation would financially impact rural hospitals. Although the long-term effects of MACRA have not been able to be studied, MACRA has the prospective to negatively impact rural hospitals financially. MACRA has potential risks and benefits for physicians associated with its two reimbursement payment methods. The estimated negative reimbursements and set reductions to hospital reimbursement have supported the idea that physicians and all healthcare organizations need to be aware and prepared for MACRA.

The Opioid Epidemic In West Virginia, Nicholas Bowden, Rachel Merino, Sruthi Katamneni, Alberto Coustasse

Management Faculty Research

The rate of overdose-related to the use of licit and illicit opioids has drastically increased over the last decade in the U.S. The epicenter being West Virginia the highest rates of overdoses accounting for 41.5 deaths for 100,000 people among the 33,091 deaths in 2015. The number of people injecting drugs has increased from 36% in 2005 to 54% in 2015. The total U.S cost of prescription opioid abuse in 2011 has been estimated at $25 billion, and criminal-justice-system costs to $5.1 billion. The reasons for this opioid epidemic incidence in WV have been a combination of sociocultural factors, a …

The Impact Of Big Data On Chronic Disease Management, Niharika Bhardwaj, Bezawit Wadajo, Anthony Spano, Alberto Coustasse

Management Faculty Research

Introduction: Population health management – and specifically chronic disease management – depend on the ability of providers to identify patients at high risk of developing costly and harmful conditions such as diabetes, heart failure, and chronic kidney disease (CKD). The advent of big data analytics could help identify high-risk patients which is really beneficial to healthcare practitioners and patients to make informed decisions in a timelier manner with much more evidence in hand. It would allow doctors to extend effective treatment but also reduces the costs of extending improved care to patients.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to …

The Cost Of Opioid Epidemic In West Virginia, Rachel Merino, Nicholas Bowden, Sruthi Katamneni, Alberto Coustasse Dr.Ph. Md,Mba

Management Faculty Research

No abstract provided.

Burnout Syndrome In Hospital's Nurses: Causes And Consequences, Lama Bakhamis, Harlan M. Smith Ii, Alberto Coustasse, David P. Paul Iii

Management Faculty Research

PURPOSE: The purpose of this research was to examine the causes and consequences of Burnout Syndrome among RNs in U.S. hospitals to identify solutions to this problem.

METHODS: The methodology was the review of the literature and a semi-structured interview. There were seven primary databases and two websites used in this research, and 35 articles were used for this literature review.

RESULTS: Causes and risk factors of burnout syndrome among RNs have been categorized into four major areas: individual, management, organizational, and work characteristics. Burnout syndrome rate among RNs with age under 30 years was 43.6% higher …

An Analysis Of Accreditation And Its Impact Of Receiving Funding In Mental Health Hospitals, Dennis Emmett

Management Faculty Research

This paper examines the accreditation of mental health hospitals and the receiving of funding. The funding sources examined are Medicare, Medicaid, Veterans Administration, private insurance, and client fees. Other factors were the type of ownership of the hospital and region. The conclusion is that accreditation is important. Different accreditations are important for different funding sources. Region is also important with the Northeast having less funding for most sources.

Medicare And The Aca: Shifting The Paradigm Of Fraud Detection, David P. Paul Iii, Sarah Clemente, Ronald Mcgrady, Rob Repass, Alberto Coustasse

Management Faculty Research

Medicare fraud and abuse costs are estimated at 3%-10% of overall Medicare spending, which is expected to expand considerably until 2024 and as such the amount of fraud dollars would be expected to increase proportionally. The purpose of this research was to determine how recent reforms, especially the Patient Protection and Accountable Care Act, may affect Medicare fraud and abuse and to uncover the best strategies to combat Medicare fraud. The breadth of fraud and abuse within Medicare as well as recent reforms to fight fraud including legislative reforms, delivery system reforms, and other reforms including the formation of HEAT …

Evaluation Of Glucose Monitoring Technologies For Cost Effective And Quality Control/Management Of Diabetes, David P. Paul Iii, Stacy Ashworth, Leslie Salyers, Sarah Saldanha, Alberto Coustasse

Management Faculty Research

The diabetes epidemic in the United States (U.S.) has become a burden in regards to treatment, disease management, and associated costs. Key advancements in medical technology have been developed in efforts to mitigate this issue. We compare several types of glucose monitoring systems with respect to quality of care, management, and cost-effectiveness for type 1 and type 2 diabetics.

Personal Health Records: Beneficial Or Burdensome For Patients And Healthcare Providers?, Melissa Lester, Samuel Boateng, Jane Stanley, Alberto Coustasse

Management Faculty Research

Personal health records (PHRs) have been mandated to be made available to patients to provide increased access to medical care information, encourage participation in healthcare decision making, and enable correction of errors within medical records. The purpose of this study was to analyze the usefulness of PHRs from the perspectives of patients and providers. The methodology of this qualitative study was a literature review using 34 articles. PHRs are powerful tools for patients and healthcare providers. Better healthcare results and correction of medical records have been shown to be positive outcomes of the use of PHRs. PHRs have also been …

Big Data Management In United States Hospitals: Benefits And Barriers, Chad Schaeffer, Ariful Haque, Lawrence Booton, Jamey Halleck, Alberto Coustasse

Management Faculty Research

Big Data has been considered as an effective tool to reduce healthcare costs by eliminating adverse events and reducing readmissions in hospitals. The purpose of this study was to examine the emergence of Big Data in the United Sates healthcare industry, to evaluate hospital’s ability to effectively make use of complex information, and to predict the potential benefits hospitals might realize if they are successful. The findings of the research suggest that there were a number of benefits expected by hospitals when using Big Data analytics, including cost savings and business intelligence. In addition, hospitals have recognized that there have …

Is The Nationwide Health Information Network Feasible?, Tyler Godby, Christian Gomes, Jazmine Valle, Alberto Coustasse

Management Faculty Research

Nationwide Health Information Network (NHIN) use in healthcare facilities was examined for utilization and efficacy, although the advantages are abundant, healthcare facilities have been reluctant to adopt it due to associated costs. The purpose of this study was to analyze the feasibility of a U.S NHIN by exploring and determining the benefits of and assessing the barriers to its implementation. The results of this study suggest that implementation and utilization of NHIN by healthcare industry stakeholders leads to an increased quality of patient care, increased patient-provider communication, and cost savings opportunities. Increased quality of care is achieved by reducing adverse …

Quality Of Care And Profitability In Not-For-Profit Versus For-Profit Nursing Homes, David P. Paul Iii, Tyler Godby, Sarah Saldanha, Jazmine Valle, Alberto Coustasse

Management Faculty Research

Nursing home residents across the Unites States rely on quality care and effective services. Nursing homes provide skilled nurses and nursing aides who can provide services 24 hours a day for individuals that could not perform these tasks for themselves. Not-for-Profit (NFP) versus For-Profit (FP) nursing homes have been examined for utilization and efficacy, however, it has been shown that NFP nursing homes generally offer higher quality care and greater profit margins compared to FP nursing homes. The purpose of this research was to determine if NFP nursing homes provide enhanced quality care and a larger profit margin compared to …

Assisted Living: Trends In Cost And Staffing, Amy Kisling, David P. Paul, Alberto Coustasse

Management Faculty Research

Assisted living communities (ALFs), which provide a community for residents who require assistance throughout their day, is an important part of the long-term care system in the US. Trained individuals assist residents with activities known as Activities of Daily Living (ADL). The costs of ALFs are paid either out of pocket, by Medicaid or by Long-Term Care Insurance (LTCI). Medicare does not pay for ALFs. Monthly costs of ALFs have increased over the past five years on an average of 4.1%. The major reason for this cost increase is probably the increased healthcare needs of the baby boomers generation, but …

Effects Of International Study Tours On Attitude Toward Doing Business Globally: Assurance Of Learning In Executive Mba Programs, Uday S. Tate, Kamal Fatehi, Basanna Patagundi

Management Faculty Research

The past two decades have experienced and realized the wave of globalization as pervasive and impactful imperative in the world of academia, and not just in the corporate world. This realization is reflected in the 2011-13 Report by AACSB Task Force on Globalization of Management Education (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business - International, June 2011-13). The AACSB report highlights broad globalization trends in management education that have drawn the attention of institutions, corporations and business schools alike, that are striving to prepare their key stakeholders (managers and students) to face today’s complex global challenges. Today’s increasingly integrated …

Use Of Smartphones In Hospitals, N. A. Thomairy, M. Mummaneni, S. Alsalamah, N. Moussa, Alberto Coustasse

Management Faculty Research

Mobile technology has begun to change the landscape of the medical profession with more than two-thirds of physicians regularly using smart phones. Smartphones have allowed healthcare professionals and the general public to communicate more efficiently, collect data and facilitate the clinical decision making. The methodology for this study was a qualitative literature review following a systematic approach of the smartphone usage among physicians in hospitals. Fifty-one articles were selected for this study based on inclusion criteria. The findings were classified and described into seven categories: use of smartphone in obstetrics, pediatrics, surgery, internal medicine, radiology, and dermatology which were chosen …

Utilization Of 340b Program In A Rural Hospital, Heath Ashford, Lauren Valli, William K. Willis, Alberto Coustasse

Management Faculty Research

Introduction: The 340B is a federal program that provides eligible rural hospitals, providers, and clinics the capability to purchase medications at reduced prices for outpatient use. Enrollment in the 340B program requires drug manufacturers to supply covered healthcare entities and eligible healthcare organizations medications at substantially reduced prices and has allowed covered entities to extend federal resources by offering more comprehensive services and reaching more of the vulnerable populations. The purpose of this research study was to examine utilization of 340B program within provider based clinics of a university medical school affiliated with a rural hospital to assess the benefits …

Managed Care And Accountable Care Organizations, David P. Paul, Diego Arroyo, Bethany Daniel, Heather Graves, Krisitn Neal, Alberto Coustasse

Management Faculty Research

Managed care generally, and more specifically, accountable care organizations (ACOs) have attempted to provide coordination of patient care in order to eliminate or reduce unnecessary procedures and or test redundancy. The purpose of this research was to study the effects of managed care in accountable care organizations by decreasing health care costs by increasing efficiency in health care.

Early Mobilization In Icu Patients, Alex Hunter, Leslie Johnson, William Willis, Alberto Coustasse

Management Faculty Research

Introduction: Bed rest or immobilization is frequently part of treatment for patients in the intensive care unit with critical illness. The average intensive care unit length of stay was 3.3 days and for every day spent in an intensive care unit bed, the average patient spent an additional 1.5 days in a non-intensive care unit bed. Daily costs have increased more than 30% from 2000-2005 with an average daily cost of $3518. Weaning from mechanical ventilation has been correlated with increased intensive care unit and hospital length of stay. Mechanical ventilation has been correlated with the development of intensive care …

Electronic Prescribing And Its Implementation In The United States, Kate Englebert, Amber Porterfield, William K. Willis, Alberto Coustasse

Management Faculty Research

Introduction: Electronic prescribing (e-prescribing) is an important part of the nation’s push to create an electronically accessible national health system. E-prescribing allows providers to send prescriptions electronically to the pharmacy and can be stand-alone systems or part of an integrated electronic health record system.

Methodology: The methodology for this study was a literature review. Electronic databases accessed include EBSCOhost, PubMED, and Google Scholar. Additionally, government websites and a semi-structured interview were used. A total of 39 sources were referenced for the review.

Results: The results of the literature review demonstrated that e-prescribing reduces prescribing errors, increases efficiency, and helps save …

Challenges And Opportunities In Business Higher Education, Dale H. Shao, Lawrence Shao, Ralph E. Mckinney

Management Faculty Research

The catchphrase “Today’s Challenges Lead to Tomorrow’s Opportunities” succinctly describes the environment currently relevant to the area of business higher education. The future of business higher education in the 21st Century will involve dramatic changes that will lead to a vastly different business education environment than we have today. By recognizing opportunities and preparing strategies to embrace these changes, business schools will be better able to prepare for what lies ahead. There will be new opportunities to try strategic initiatives that could not have been previously attempted. Business schools must look for new alternatives and utilize a proactive approach for …

The Reality Of Digital Currency As A Financial Medium Of Exchange, Dale H. Shao, Lawrence Shao, Ralph E. Mckinney, Duane C. Rosenlieb

Management Faculty Research

This paper presents a discussion of the requirements for the long term acceptance of digital currency as a financial medium of exchange through the examination of fundamental criteria associated with common tender and the examination of selected digital currencies. According to the U.S. Treasury, digital currencies are subject to regulation if that digital currency has a substitutive purpose for facilitating exchanging goods and services (Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, 2013). Although governments can place stipulations on currencies, users of common tender, such as digital currencies, expect at least three basic privileges for a digital currency to evolve from conception to realization. …

A Study Of Effective Leadership In The Chinese Context, Wai Kwan (Elaine) Lau

Management Faculty Research

The study of leadership is one of the most often researched management topics. However, most research and theory contributions are to a great extent limited to accounting for leadership practice in the West. This study is designed to develop an effective leadership model that works in the Chinese context. Paternalistic leadership, a dominant leadership style in an Eastern business environment, is compared with transformational leadership, a dominant leadership style in a Western business environment. In addition, the cultural differences between China and the West relating to leader-follower relationships suggest different leadership behaviors may be more effective in one of these …

Financial Incentives: Pay For Performance (P4p) And The Chronically Ill Patients, David Conley, Alberto Coustasse

Management Faculty Research

P4P is the reimbursement incentive that is based on quality improvement, efficiency, which is dominating the healthcare landscape and CMS. A literature review was conducted to search for and review significant information regarding P4P and how it pertains to chronic conditions and reimbursement methods. This literature review displayed while some programs were able to display a benefit/ profit for those involved such as insurance companies, hospitals, physicians and/or patients, most programs were unable to establish quality measures, cost effectiveness and positive program outcomes worth noting.

Forensic Disciplines For Objective Global Strategic Analysis, Dale H. Shao, Lawrence P. Shao, Ralph E. Mckinney Jr.

Management Faculty Research

The global nature of investing requires a thorough analysis of the firm to determine the strategic viability of the firm for investment purposes. In addition, businesses are being held more accountable for the statements they make and the actions they take concerning their business. Several forensic disciplines have recently emerged that may supply subjective and objective data that can assist investors in making their final investment decisions and determining if ongoing businesses are truly doing what is in the best interest of their shareholders. Another factor influencing the increase forensic analyses of national and multinational corporations is the increase in …

Transformational Leadership In China: The Role Of Trust And Harmony, Wai Kwan (Elaine) Lau

Management Faculty Research

Transformational leadership attracted a significant amount of scholarly attention in the past few decades. This study is designed to develop an effective transformational leadership model that works in the Chinese context. A model is proposed to clarify the mediating effects of trust and harmony on the relationship between transformational leadership and its effectiveness. The model provides a new perspective on leadership in the Chinese context that is ignored in the Western leadership literature. It also offers a clearer understanding of how best transformational leadership practice combines with traditional Chinese wisdom to do a better job in accounting for the leader-follower …

Transformational Leadership And Workplace Injury And Absenteeism: Analysis Of A National Nursing Assistant Survey, Doohee Lee, Alberto Coustasse, Andrew Sikula Sr.

Management Faculty Research

Background: Transformational leadership (TL) has long been popular among management scholars and health services researchers, but no research studies have empirically tested the association of TL with workplace injuries and absenteeism among nursing assistants (NAs).

Purpose: This cross-sectional study seeks to explore whether TL is associated with workplace injuries and absenteeism among NAs.

Methodology: We analyzed the 2004 National Nursing Assistant Survey data (n = 2,882). A multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to test the role of TL in the context of workplace performances.

Principal Findings: Results reveal that the TL model was positively linked to workplace injury …

Evaluating Key Factors In Supplier Selection For Micro-Businesses: Implications For Buyer Satisfaction, Avinash M. Waikar, Minh Q. Huynh, Robert F. Cope, Uday S. Tate

Management Faculty Research

Final quality of products/services starts with suppliers in the supply chain. Problems can occur if suppliers do not deliver the quantities requested in full, on time, or buyers select suppliers solely on the basis of lowest price. Supplier selection has been studied for large businesses but not for very small (micro) businesses. Therefore, a survey was administered to micro-businesses to determine: what factors are important to micro-businesses in selecting suppliers and how satisfied they are with their suppliers. Factors included Brand Name, Consistency, Cost/Lower Price, Loyalty, Quality, and Warranty. Results indicated that none of the factors were unimportant. However, buyer …