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Information Interface - Volume 36, Issue 3 - August/September 2008, George Washington University, Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library

Information Interface (1976 - 2009)

News and information about Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library of interest to users.

Harnessing Knowledge To Ensure Food Safety: Opportunities To Improve The Nation's Food Safety Information Infrastructure, Michael R. Taylor, Michael B. Batz

Health Policy and Management Faculty Publications

Those working in the food industry face an abundance of information generated by diverse institutions and individuals.

Ensuring the safety of food is critically important to the public's health and a challenge for policy-makers seeking to enhance the government's role in this arena. Although the food industry has an inherent duty to make food safe, the effectiveness of what they do is highly dependent on the quality of the information they receive on potential hazards and good practices.

In this context, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation funded a project under the auspices of the Food Safety Research Consortium to examine …

Information Interface - Volume 36, Issue 1 - January/February 2008, George Washington University, Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library

Information Interface (1976 - 2009)

News and information about Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library of interest to users.

Fusion, 2008, George Washington University, William H. Beaumont Medical Research Honor Society

Fusion

No abstract provided.

The Fundamentals Of Health Savings Accounts And High-Deductible Health Plans, Beth Fuchs, Lisa Potetz

National Health Policy Forum

This background paper updates and expands on a previous NHPF document that looked at the fundamentals of health savings accounts (HSAs) and high-deductible health plans (HDHPs), their intellectual and legislative origins, and the ways they work. In addition to updating information on the HDHP/HSA marketplace, this paper presents a description of how the HDHP combined with the HSA works for enrollees. Using a question and-answer format, it then addresses some of the more complicated details of these arrangements, looking first at the HDHPs and then the HSAs. This closer examination suggests some potential policy challenges for lawmakers, the focus of …

Teaching Outbreak Preparedness In The Emergency Medicine Clerkship: An Innovative Approach, Larissa S. May

E-Learning Modules

Clinicians should be competent at contagious disease outbreak detection and management. Given the threat of emerging infectious diseases and biowarfare, there is a need to develop instructional methods on these topics. We have created a case-based exercise addressing sentinel case recognition, reporting, and containment. The workshop, conducted for medical students during their emergency medicine clerkship, incorporates the core competencies of systems-based practice, practice-based learning, and patient care. The workshop is held in a hospital conference room with the availability of internet, telephone, and other resources, simulating "real life." A hypothetical case of Ebola presenting to an emergency department is outlined. …

Health And Security In Foreign Policy, Rebecca L. Katz, Daniel A. Singer

Health Policy and Management Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Hpv Vaccination: Should It Be Recommended Or Required?, Alexandra M. Stewart

Health Policy and Management Faculty Publications

Legislation introduced by two members of the District of Columbia Council on January 9, 2007 would require all girls to be vaccinated against the human papillomavirus (HPV), the primary cause of cervical cancer, by the time they enter the sixth grade, unless a parent or guardian specifically "opts out" of the mandate. A similar bill was introduced last week in Virginia, and Maryland and West Virginia are poised to consider legislation. To place the proposals in a broader context, this paper reviews some of the scientific, legal, ethical and financial issues surrounding the HPV vaccine and compulsory vaccinations.

Information Interface - Volume 34, Issue 3 - August/September 2006, George Washington University, Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library

Information Interface (1976 - 2009)

News and information about Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library of interest to users.

The Electronic Health Record In Practice: Why, How, And What Next?, Lisa Sprague, Sally Coberly

National Health Policy Forum

This local site visit was intended to allow participants to observe the electronic health record (EHR) as used in practice by two U.S. leaders in technology and quality, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and Kaiser Permanente (KP). The VHA has employed an EHR system since 1997; KP is in the process of implementing a standard system for all clinicians nationwide. The site visit was designed to provide an opportunity for participants to explore both the expected benefits from EHR adoption and the specific lessons these two large, integrated delivery systems have learned in their transition from paper to electronic records. …

Historical Lassa Fever Reports And 30-Year Clinical Update, Abe M. Macher, Martin S. Wolfe

Medicine Faculty Publications

Five cases of Lassa fever have been imported from West Africa to the United States since 1969. We report symptoms of the patient with the second imported case and the symptoms and long-term follow-up on the patient with the third case. Vertigo in this patient has persisted for 30 years.

The Vaccine Industry: Does It Need A Shot In The Arm?, Eileen Salinsky, Cole Werble

National Health Policy Forum

This paper broadly examines the scientific, regulatory, and economic factors that contribute to constrained vaccine production capacity, periodic vaccine shortages, and perceptions of inadequate investment in new vaccine product development. It describes the vaccine development and production processes and summarizes how regulatory requirements influence these activities. Market dynamics related to vaccine supply and demand are also explored, including an examination of the industry’s cost structure, potential market size, and purchaser price sensitivity. A broad range of policy interventions designed to address shortcomings of the vaccine market are considered.

Vaccination With Recombinant Aspartic Hemoglobinase Reduces Parasitic Load And Blood Loss After Hookworm Infection In Dogs, Alex Loukas, Jeffrey M. Bethony, Susana Mendez, Ricardo T. Fujiwara, Gaddam Narsa Goud, Najju Ranjit, Bin Zhan, Karen Jones, Maria Elena Bottazzi, Peter J. Hotez

Health Policy and Management Faculty Publications

Background

Hookworms infect 730 million people in developing countries where they are a leading cause of intestinal blood loss and iron-deficiency anemia. At the site of attachment to the host, adult hookworms ingest blood and lyse the erythrocytes to release hemoglobin. The parasites subsequently digest hemoglobin in their intestines using a cascade of proteolysis that begins with the Ancylostoma caninum aspartic protease 1, APR-1.

Methods and Findings

We show that vaccination of dogs with recombinant Ac-APR-1 induced antibody and cellular responses and resulted in significantly reduced hookworm burdens (p = 0.056) and fecal egg counts (p = …

Caring For "Ryan White": The Fundamentals Of Hiv/Aids Treatment Policy, Jessamyn Taylor

National Health Policy Forum

This background paper provides an overview of the HIV/ AIDS epidemic in the United States and discusses how treatment of the disease and the populations most affected by it have changed over time. The federal government’s domestic and global efforts in prevention, research, and treatment of the disease are highlighted. The paper outlines the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act, a set of programs that fund treatment services for uninsured and underinsured individuals living with HIV/AIDS, and places it in the context of other federal programs that fund treatment for HIV/AIDS. Policy issues for Ryan White’s potential congressional …

A Killer Flu? Scientific Experts Estimate That "Inevitable" Major Epidemic Of New Influenza Virus Strain Could Result In Millions Of Deaths If Preventive Actions Are Not Taken, Margaret A. Hamburg, Shelley A. Hearne, Jeffrey Levi, Kim Elliott, Laura M. Segal, Michael J. Earls

Health Policy and Management Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Charting The Legal Environment Of Health Information, Sara J. Rosenbaum, Phyllis Borzi, Lee Repasch, Taylor Burke, John F. Benevelli

Health Policy and Management Faculty Publications

Over the past several years, increased attention has been focused on the importance of health information to health care quality improvement. The level of focus on health information has increased with the advent of electronic medical records and electronic health information systems designed to facilitate the use of health care data. Although these systems are still in their relative infancy, they hold enormous promise for revolutionizing the availability and use of health information to improve clinical performance, empower employers and consumers to better understand health plan choices and facilitate health claims administration. Their potential has been a catalyst for change …

Migrant And Seasonal Farmworkers: Health Insurance Coverage And Access To Care, Sara J. Rosenbaum, Peter Shin

Health Policy and Management Faculty Publications

Migrant and seasonal farmworkers are an integral support to the nation's agricultural industry. Nearly three million workers earn their living through migrant or seasonal farm labor. Migrant and seasonal farmworkers and their families confront health challenges stemming from the nature of their work, their extreme poverty and mobility, and living and working arrangements that impede access to health coverage and care. This brief provides an overview of migrant and seasonal farmworkers and the health challenges they face and considers options for improving their health coverage and access to care.

National Security And U.S. Child Health Policy: The Origins And Continuing Role Of Medicaid And Epsdt, Sara J. Rosenbaum, D. Richard Mauery, Peter Shin, Julia Hidalgo

Health Policy and Management Issue Briefs

Medicaid has touched the lives of half of all of the low income young adults of prime military service age. The roots of Medicaid's unique child health eligibility and coverage policies can be traced to a seminal, 1964 government study entitled One Third of a Nation: A Report on Young Men Found Unqualified for Military Service. This study analyzed the underlying causes of the astounding 50 percent rejection rate among the young men drafted into the military in 1962. It documented pervasive evidence of treatable and correctable physical, mental, and developmental conditions, and its findings influenced the course of Medicaid …

Exploring California's Rural Health System: From The Redwood Forests To The Baja Border, Eileen Salinsky, Jessamyn Taylor

National Health Policy Forum

This three day site visit to California explored the state’s rural health system with a particular focus on the financial health of inpatient and outpatient providers and how that affects access to care. The role of telemedicine as a tool for expanding access was explored as well as the special needs of vulnerable populations such as farmworkers. Participants learned how state and federal regulation and payment policies and state budget deficits impact the viability of rural health systems.

The Epidemiology Of U.S. Immunization Law: Immunization Requirements For Staff And Residents Of Long-Term Care Facilities Under State Laws/Regulations, Alexandra M. Stewart, Marisa A. Cox, Sara J. Rosenbaum

Health Policy and Management Faculty Publications

Medically appropriate, timely immunizations are an important component of the medical plans for approximately 1.6 million individuals who reside in the nation's long-term care (LTC) facilities. Increasing the immunization rates among these persons is a recognized public health goal. LTC facility residents are often members of high risk groups and are more susceptible to infectious diseases. The elderly, many of whom reside in LTC facilities, comprise 90% of the 36,000 annual deaths from influenza. Immunizations are equally important for employees of LTC facilities. Immunizations not only improve the individual's health status, but staff who have direct contact with residents represent …

Quality Improvement In Maryland: Partnerships And Progress, Judith D. Moore, Lisa Sprague

National Health Policy Forum

This one-and-a-half-day site visit to Easton, Maryland, explored the activities of the Delmarva Foundation, the Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) for Maryland and the District of Columbia. The program reviewed Delmarva’s responsibilities under their Medicare contract and the initiatives they have undertaken with hospitals and other providers to improve health care outcomes and to define, collect, and report quality data. Local hospital officials added their perspective on quality programs and working with Delmarva. Topics of particular interest were health information technology, patient safety, and quality reporting both to government agencies and to consumers.

Integrating Hiv Prevention Services Into The Clinical Care Setting In Medicaid And Ryan White Care Act Programs: Legal, Financial, And Organizational Issues, John Palen, Jeffrey Levi, Sara E. Wilensky, Jennifer Kates

Health Policy and Management Faculty Publications

This policy brief examines the structural-level opportunities and challenges associated with the delivery of HIV prevention services in or closely linked to the clinical care setting. It focuses on two of the major public programs for HIV care in the U.S: Medicaid, the nation's major public health program for low-income Americans, and the largest source of public financing for HIV/AIDS care in the U.S.; and the Ryan White CARE Act, the nation's only HIV-specific care and support services grant program which operates as the payer of last resort at the state and local level. Together, these programs provide care and …

Tick-Tock: Preparing For The Next Influenza Pandemic, Eileen Salinsky

National Health Policy Forum

This paper describes the nature of pandemic influenza and highlights key challenges for responding to this disease threat. It explains how an influenza pandemic would differ from annual influenza outbreaks and examines how a pandemic virus could emerge. It also explores important issues involved in pandemic preparedness capabilities, including disease surveillance, vaccine production and distribution, antiviral stockpiling, health care system readiness, and public health containment measures. The national pandemic preparedness plan is briefly reviewed, and unresolved policy issues related to the plan’s implementation are identified.

Information Interface - Volume 32, Issue 2 - May/June 2004, George Washington University, Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library

Information Interface (1976 - 2009)

News and information about Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library of interest to users. Includes articles on medical publishing, AHEC summer program, a journals shift project, and database search tips.

Accountability In Medicaid Managed Care: Implications For Pediatric Health Care Quality, Sara J. Rosenbaum, Anne R. Markus, Colleen Sonosky, Lee Repasch, D. Richard Mauery, Andy Schneider

Health Policy and Management Faculty Publications

This study examines the structure and operation of Medicaid and State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) health care access and quality monitoring systems for children enrolled in comprehensive managed care arrangements. As the single largest purchasers of pediatric health care in the U.S., Medicaid and SCHIP agencies play a potentially powerful role in pediatric health policy. How these agencies approach, design, and carry out health quality monitoring activities has the potential to have a major impact not only for poor and low-income children, but for the entire pediatric health system. Even when these systems are developed exclusively for publicly insured …

Public Health Communicable Disease Reporting Laws: Managed Care Organizations' Laboratory Contracting Practices And Their Implications For State Surveillance And Reporting Statutes, D. Richard Mauery, Brian Kamoie, Sarah C. Blake, Jeffrey Levi

Health Policy and Management Faculty Publications

This report, prepared for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by the GWU Center for Health Services Research & Policy (CHSRP), presents findings from analyses of contractual specifications related to public sector managed care contractors' duties and activities related to public health surveillance and education activities for communicable disease control, specifically HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, and tuberculosis.

Medical Response For Terrorist And Public Health Threats: One Region's Experience (Pittsburgh), Eileen Salinsky, Lisa Sprague

National Health Policy Forum

This site visit, planned and convened in conjunction with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s User Liaison Program, examined the efforts underway in the greater Pittsburgh area to develop emergency medical response capabilities for mass causality events. The site visit explored efforts to improve infectious disease surveillance capabilities and looked at the Region 13 collaborative’s development of a regionalized approach to emergency management planning and response. Hospital preparedness activities were also studied, including a discussion of lessons learned from a recent drill to test response to a radiological event and an exploration of conceptual frameworks to guide hospital planning …

Information Interface - Volume 31, Issue 2 - August/September 2003, George Washington University, Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library

Information Interface (1976 - 2009)

News and information about Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library of interest to users. Includes articles on computer network improvements, PDA resources, the annual book sale, and database search tips.

Obesity In America: A Growing Threat, Eileen Salinsky, Wakina Scott

National Health Policy Forum

This background paper seeks to clarify the nature and causes of the obesity epidemic in the United States and provides an overview of the associated economic and health costs. The paper summarizes existing federal programs and policies that address obesity and examines new and emerging policy strategies to battle the bulging American silhouette. Topics explored include population-based prevention, federal food- and nutrition-assistance programs, Medicare and Medicaid payment policies, school health initiatives, and publicly funded biomedical research.

Compromised Constitutions: The Iranian Experience With The 1918 Influenza Pandemic., Amir Afkhami

Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Faculty Publications

The global demographic impact of the 1918-19 influenza pandemic continues to fascinate researchers and scholars. This paper examines the social and demographic effects of this outbreak on Iranian society, through a comprehensive investigation of the modes of transmission and propagation, mortality rates, and other distinctive features of the region, and reveals the importance of taking a country's unique sociopolitical settings into account. Iran was one of the regions hit hardest by the pandemic, with mortality rates significantly higher than in most regions of the world. Though globally the victims of influenza lived primarily in urban areas, it was Iran's rural …