Health and Medical Administration Commons^™

Therapy Dog Ownership As Serious Leisure For Members Of A Therapy Dog Volunteer Group, Jonathan R. Hicks, Mary Kramer

People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice

Therapy dogs are used in a variety of settings, including prisons, hospitals, and schools, for the purposes of providing emotional and psychological support to humans. They are trained to be well behaved and to be perceived as supportive of humans. This study sought to explore the benefits to the human individuals who facilitate trained therapy sessions. Specifically considered were the ways in which therapy dog ownership is a form of serious leisure and the ways in which that leisure influences owners’ day- to- day lives. Findings suggest owners of therapy dogs experience enhanced personal enrichment, relationship with dog(s), and sense …

Do Needle Exchange Programs Cause More Harm To Injection Drug Users And Compromise The Safety Of The Communities In Which They Are In Place?, Amber L. Payne

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Needle Exchange Programs (NEP) are put in place in regions in the US, where illegal injectable drug use is prevalent, in order to decrease the amount of blood borne diseases by at least 10%, such as Hepatitis C and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), being spread throughout the drug-using community. People and Healthcare Professionals in these communities have questioned if NEPs have caused more harm to the drug users and if they have compromised public safety due to incorrect disposal of syringes.

During a study in 2011, the spread of blood borne diseases in areas where NEPs were present, decreased among …

Association Of Electronic Prescription In Controlled Substances Used, Archana Suwal, Jemima Akinyi Okonjo

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Introduction: Controlled substances have been described as pharmaceuticals or illegal medicines that act primarily on the central nervous system and could cause physical and mental dependence, eventually leading to addiction. Prescription opioids were a significant contributor to the opioid epidemic, accounting for more than 70,000 opioid-related overdose deaths, including illicit and prescription opioids, between 2018 and 2019. The Electronic Prescriptions for Controlled Substances (EPCS) initiative recently aimed to reduce rates of prescription opioid addiction, abuse, diversion, and death. The system for controlled substances had become more widely used as providers and governments trying to combat the opioid problem. Because …

Identifying And Addressing A Gap In Coverage For The Trauma Service Line Of A Community Hospital, Hayley Jodoin Pt, Dpt, Annemarie Erdman Ms, Otr/L, Jeffrey Halbert Ms, Otr/L, Csrs, Veronica Croesus Ms, Ccc-Slp, Jamie Francisco Pt, Dpt

Posters

No abstract provided.

Using Decision Trees To Classify Factors That Predict Health Insurance Status Among Sexual Minority Women, Kayla Simon

2021 Honors Symposium

Background
• Social determinants of health (SODH) are factors that influence an individual's health status.
• SODH inequalities often negatively impact health status.
• LGBTQ+ individuals are more likely than their heterosexual counterparts to be unemployed and uninsured in early adulthood (Charlton, Gordon, Reisner, 2018).

Purpose
The purpose of this project is to build a machine learning model that predicts insurance status based on social determinants of health selected as input variables

The Place And Role Of Pharmacy Benefit Management (Pbm) Companies In Us Healthcare System, George Mattis Ii

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

On average, prescription drugs cost US consumers more than any other developed country in the world. US drug makers claim that intermediaries in the prescription drug supply chain, companies called pharmacy benefit managers (PBM), are forcing them to increase their drug prices. PBMs counter that the discounts they receive from drug makers are channeled to insurers. This thesis will examine the role that PBMs play in the prescription drug supply chain and determine what effect they have on drug prices. This thesis will utilize a comparative static model, Structure, Conduct, Performance (SCP) framework to analyze the pharmaceutical manufacturing and the …

Improving Contact Tracing In Minority Communities By Combating Misinformation And Distrust, Jason G. Randall, Dev Dalal, Aileen Dowden

Understanding and eliminating minority health disparities in a 21st-century pandemic: A White Paper Collection

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to challenge the global population as infection rates climb, and officials struggle to balance the need to slow the spread of COVID-19 but also open economies safely. The disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on minority communities has raised questions about the unique experiences of these communities in terms of not only becoming infected with COVID-19, but also mitigating its spread. Although contact tracing has been identified as an invaluable tool for managing community spread and supporting economic reopening, this is contingent, in part, upon compliance with contact tracer requests. In this study, we investigated how misinformation and …

Staff Perceptions Of The Health Call Center Workplace Environment, Eric Lee Escobedo-Wu

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

The complexities of the Health Call Center (HCC) amidst of a pandemic has caused an uptick in nurses and staff experiencing physical, emotional, and mental fatigue. An increase in sick calls during peak call days and times, breakroom discussion related to workload and competing patient and clinical priorities, and the consistent need to care for patients and caregivers, while maintaining familial and fiscal responsibilities and priorities contribute to the exhaustion of the nurses. The purpose of this Quality Improvement (QI) project was to use a structured survey tool and open-ended questions to identify HCC nurses’ perceptions of stressors and burnout …

Work-Life Balance Policies And Productivity, Zilola Khashimova

Physician Assistant Studies | Faculty Scholarship

To remain viable, businesses must stay competitive in the global marketplace of today, and to be competitive, businesses must maximize all their resources. Employees are a major resource of a business, and it is imperative that a business maximize the productivity of its employees to stay competitive. Employees who are stressed from demands and issues of family and life outside of work do not make productive employees. Work-life balance practices have been adopted by businesses to provide some relief for employees from this stress with the assumption is that these policies will decrease the stress of the employee making the …

Investing Into Domestic Manufacturing Of Critical Medication And Vaccines For The Federal Government, Sharon Low

All Reports

While the federal government has made numerous public announcements regarding their stimulus plan and promises to increase the domestic capacity to produce personal protective equipment, vaccines, and medical equipment, a critical aspect that has been neglected is the serious and ongoing shortages of critical medication. The government has promised to provide 4.28 billion to expand testing and contact tracing capacities, 7.5 billion towards PPE, and 500 million to the provinces and territories for “critical health care system needs and support for mitigation effects.” While these efforts as part of Trudeau’s Safe Restart Agreement are a good place to begin reducing …

Impact Of Covid-19 On The Italian And American Healthcare Systems : A Comparative Assessment, Bita Pejam, Jennifer Lam

All Reports

This report aims to examine and assess the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic on the healthcare systems of the United States of America and Italy; two of the most heavily affected nations. Using data from December 2019 to January 2021, several consultations, and policy reviews, we identify risks and notable areas of issue in each nations’ approach to combating the virus. We focus our report particularly on the health policies and the governmental structures in place that contributed to each nations’ initial method of alleviating the impact of COVID-19. Our report compares the two healthcare systems and proposes a …

Effects Of The Needle Exchange Program Implemented In West Virginia, Amber Graves, Anthony B. Uriarte, Katherine Duty

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Introduction: West Virginia has had a recent spike in infectious diseases such as HIV and hepatitis due to increased rates of injectable drug use. The rising costs associated with such diseases have been a cause for concern in the sector of healthcare and public health. In the state, the exchanging of dirty needles has resulted in the spread of bloodborne pathogens, however, the implementation of needle exchange programs has sought to decrease the rates of infection, improve health outcomes, and lower healthcare costs. However, there is a question as to the effectiveness of such programs.

Purpose of Study: …

An Examination Of The Research Related To American Physicians' Prescription Of Opioid Analgesics Before And After The Joint Commission Pain Standards For 2001, Valory Anne S. Vailoces

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this thesis was to explore the literature regarding physicians’ prescriptions of opioid analgesics before and after The Joint Commission Pain Standards for 2001. Opioids are a last resort treatment for chronic pain due to their high potential for tolerance, dependency, and misuse. The establishment of The Joint Commission Pain Standards for 2001 was the culmination of several movements to address the underassessment and undertreatment of pain. The Joint Commission Pain Standards for 2001 focused on improving pain assessment, management, and treatment through a systematic approach. The Joint Commission (TJC), formerly the Joint Commission on Accreditation of …

Effects Of Cultural And Lived Experiences On Health Access Of Chamorro People On Saipan, Esther Lizama Muna

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

More than half of the population of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands had not visited their primary care provider for a year in 2016. The Chamorro people are less willing to seek or access care than other ethnic groups. This qualitative study aimed to understand the Chamorro people's access and utilization of Saipan's health care services to improve their access and, ultimately, their health. The theoretical frameworks included Penchansky and Thomas's theory of access to explore the Chamorro people of Saipan's lived experiences with availability, accessibility, accommodation, affordability, and acceptability of health care services, as well as Spector's …

Empowerment, Personality, And Leader-Member Exchange Quality In Physicians, Tony S. Reed

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nearly 100,000 people suffer injury or death each year due to errors in the United States healthcare system. Researchers have identified that empowerment by physicians can address this significant social issue. Despite this knowledge, qualifications to empowering behaviors in physicians have not been identified. A quantitative nonexperimental correlation approach was used to determine the role that personality type and high-quality leader-member exchange may play in the physician’s ability to create empowerment at academic medical centers in the United States. The theoretical framework of empowering leadership, Jung’s psychological types, and leader-member exchange quality informed the research design and contributed to the …

Health Care Provider Program On The Management Of Obesity, Erlinda P. Bhat

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has shown that educational programs have led to developing the professional skills and behaviors of front-line health care providers who care for overweight or at-risk obese patients. The purpose of this project was to provide an educational program on best practices for weight management to health care providers at a large military clinic. The project question was developed to assess whether the educational program increased the knowledge and confidence of health care providers in the management of obesity. Utilizing Pender's health promotion model, a quasi-experimental study was conducted in which 15 health care providers, including licensed and unlicensed personnel …

Impact Of Information Breaches On Health Care Records, Anton Antony Arockiasamy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although there were almost 3.5 million reported information breaches of health care data in the first quarter of 2019, health care providers do not know the extent of digital and nondigital breaches of patient medical records. The purpose of this quantitative, comparative study was to identify the difference between the individual patient records affected by digital versus nondigital breaches for three types of health care entities in the United States, health care providers, health care plans, and health care clearinghouses. Allman’s privacy regulation theory, the National Institute of Standards and Technology Privacy Framework, and ecological systems theory comprised the theoretical …

Evidence-Informed Health Care Transition Policy In California’S Title V Programs For Medical Complexity, Anthony Pallitto

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Inadequate health care transition policy continues to cause interruptions or setbacks in the continuity of medical care and lapses in health insurance coverage for adolescents in California's Title V programs for individuals with medically complex cases. Yet, there is a paucity of empirical health care transition research to develop an effective health care transition policy for children with medical complexity who are enrolled in California’s Title V program. The purpose of this explanatory case study was to explore the potentiality of translating evidence from a quasi-experimental health care transition primary research project into evidence-informed health care transition policy. The research …

Preventable Error Reduction Leadership Strategies Of Nurse Managers In A Hospital Setting, Sedrick Diego Bedolla

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractPreventable medical errors in the healthcare industry account for hundreds of thousands of patient deaths annually. Nurse managers strive to develop strategies to reduce incidences of preventable medical error and increase patient safety in their organization to improve performance and reduce harm in the healthcare industry. Grounded in the complex adaptive systems theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies nurse managers use to reduce the rate of preventable medical errors among employees. The participants comprised 6 nurse managers who successfully used strategies to lower the rate of preventable errors in a healthcare facility in …

Effect Of Professional Exclusion Among Respiratory Therapists In The Icu, Tiffany Lubken

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study was conducted to test how social exclusion, experienced through a culture of healthcare hierarchy, influenced the feelings/attitudes of respiratory therapists (RTs) who are excluded from discussions of end-of-life (EOL) care. Data analysis was conducted using a multivariate analysis of variance to address the research questions. A quantitative nonexperimental survey research design incorporating four evidence-based surveys was used. There was no significance found between professional exclusion from EOL care discussions and the abilities of RTs to collaborate with intensive care unit (ICU) team members within the shared decision-making model as it relates to providing care in the ICU. There …

Competition And Technical Efficiency For General Medical And Surgical Hospitals In Georgia, Nathan Ekow Davies

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The primary aim of this study was to enhance understanding of the fundamental socioeconomic problem associated with inefficient hospital competition in the United States in terms of demand and supply of services as well as the efficiency of hospitals. The relationship between market competition and hospital efficiency was investigated among general medical and surgical hospitals in Georgia. The X-efficiency theory was used which defines efficiency as the degree of effectiveness that an organization can maintain while operating in imperfect competition. The theory is most applicable in terms of addressing imperfect market characteristics of the healthcare industry. Correlations between efficiency and …

State Consent Policies And The Meaningful Use Of Electronic Health Records Among Nonfederal Acute Care Hospitals In The United States, Adetoro Kafilat Longe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The less-than-nationwide use of electronic health record (EHR) systems to send, receive, and integrate (SRI) patient summary of care (PSC) records limits the ability of hospital administrators to maximize efficiency and improve quality in the continuum of care. Despite obvious differences in state health information exchange (HIE) consent policies, there is no known research that has determined if and what aspects of state-level HIE legislation affect the use of EHR systems to SRI PSC records. Guided by the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT), the purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional research study was to examine the relationship …

Unmet Needs Of Children With Special Health Care Needs When Transitioning To Adult Services, Kiara Monee Moseby

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Health care transition planning could help decrease health care disparities among those who identify as an individual on the autism spectrum; however, less than a quarter of the adolescent population living with autism spectrum disorder receive transition planning. Decreasing health care disparities could lead to an increase in health care quality and longevity. The purpose of this study was to analyze if there was a relationship between (a) the number of physician visits, (b) if the physician treats only children, (c) if the physician talks about the child seeing physicians who treat adults, (d) if the physician worked with the …

Health Care Manager Electronic Medical Record Systems Implementation Strategies To Improve Patient Outcomes, Mcarthur Bruno Damis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ineffective implementation of electronic medical record systems (EMRS) among health care outpatient clinics results in substantial financial loss. Health care managers (HCMs) in outpatient clinics who fail to implement EMRS adversely affect employee usage and performance. Grounded in fayolism theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the strategies health care managers used to implement EMRS in their organizations. The participants were six HCMs in a U.S East Coast city. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data from semistructured interviews and internal company documents. Five themes emerged: internal communication, overcoming barriers, time management, compensation improving …

Healthcare Leader Strategies For Leveraging Electronic Heath Records, Danessa Thomas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractHealthcare organizations may incur significant losses of productivity and profit because of the absence or incomplete implementation of Electronic Health Records (EHRs). EHRs are important to healthcare leaders because they enhance communication between providers and patients, reduce unnecessary costs, and increase adherence to clinical guidelines. Grounded in the transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies that some successful healthcare leaders used to leverage EHRs in their organization to increase profit and productivity. The participants were nurse managers from four healthcare organizations that successfully implemented an EHR system in Georgia. Thematic analysis was …

The Impact Of Telehealth Services Offered By Home Care Agencies On Patient Safety, Moyna Temple

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is little available research about how home care agencies attempt to address patient safety during the nurse virtual healthcare visit. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to determine, during the delivery of telehealth care by a home care agency, to what extent the level of education of the registered nurse, the level of education of the director of the home care agency, and the clinical decision support system (CDSS) impact patient safety. The framework for the study was the complex sociotechnological systems model. Data from the 2007 National Home and Hospice Care Survey were analyzed using logistic …

Relationship Between Faculty Age, Stress, And Intent To Leave Academic Medical Institutions, Susan Christian Atterton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Faculty intent to leave academic medicine affects clinical productivity, patient and teaching service quality, and institutions' profitability. Understanding factors associated with faculty intent to leave is critical for healthcare and human resources leadership within academic medical institutions in efforts to reduce faculty intent to leave. Grounded in Graves’ spiral dynamics theory, the purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between faculty age, faculty stress, and faculty intent to leave academic medical institutions. The data were collected and analyzed for 125 faculty physicians with an M.D., Ph.D., D.O., or M.B.B.S. degree in an academic medical institution in the …

The Relationship Between Health Insurance And Dialysis Utilization For Chronic Kidney Disease Patients In Saint Lucia, Anita Lilian Sydney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractChronic kidney disease (CKD) is a significant cause of disability and death in Saint Lucia. The incidence of CKD is disproportionately higher among individuals who are socially and financially disadvantaged. New evidence suggests that in resource-poor countries, government subsidization programs for dialysis treatment aid in the delay of disease progression and its associated costs. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between health insurance, government subsidization, employment, and dialysis utilization for CKD patients and the efficacy of subsidization for dialysis in Saint Lucia. The study included a retrospective cohort of 979 moderate-to-severe CKD patients from secondary data …

Program Evaluation Of A Hospital Patient Transportation Service, James Dion Washington

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A hospital inpatient transportation process may decrease the time it takes patients to receive care and improve hospital quality and safety outcomes by providing timely and efficient patient handling. Grounded in agency theory, the purpose of this program evaluation was to evaluate the efficacy of the request for transport to measure against hospital objectives. Two specific program goals were to achieve an average 19-minute transport request-to-completion time and a 10-minute response from the time transport request is received when the transporter arrives. Data were collected from a survey, semistructured interviews, focus groups, and archival data analysis. The one sample t-test …

Strategies For Catalyzing Clinicians’ Support Of Telemedicine Programs In Rural Communities, Jonathan Liwag

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Clinicians’ failure to accept contemporary technology has been a critical barrier to telemedicine program adoption. Staff technical challenges and resistance to change can affect technology return on investment, which concerns telemedicine program leaders. Grounded in Davis’s technology acceptance model, the purpose of this qualitative, descriptive single case study was to explore strategies used by program leaders in the Marianas Islands who successfully gained clinicians’ acceptance of contemporary technology. The participants were 5 program leaders recommended by their institution because of their leadership role and telemedicine technologies experience. Data were collected from 4 face-to-face and 1 audio teleconference interview with the …