Electronic data interchange: a strategic approach

The potential of EDI is virtually unlimited, but the success of any EDI initiative hinges on its ability to directly support strategies that achieve your institution's business objectives. At its most fundamental level, EDI technology automates current business practices, speeding up the exchange of business information. This application of EDI most often is found in a hospital's material management department. But EDI integrated internally within a hospital and externally with suppliers and vendors has the potential to go beyond simple automation and to transform processes. This is where the full value of EDI can be realized. No matter which level of EDI participation hospital management decides is appropriate to fulfill its business objectives and strategies, EDI will affect the entire institution's exchange of information with its internal and external audiences. The question management must answer is: Will the hospital's EDI strategy be offensive and managed, or defensive and reactive? Today's environment leaves no room for a "no-strategy" EDI option. The options are either to proactively shape EDI, or reactively play catch-up. EDI can work for you. Adequately developing an EDI game plan in support of your business objectives and calling on your suppliers and other trading partners to work with you will ensure EDI is an asset to your facility.     

Practicing in a fish bowl

Intent on recovering "overpayments" to doctors, private insurers are turning to on-site practice audits. Here's a survival guide for these quasi-legal skirmishes.     

2001年国际承包商经营动向

在疲软的市场中,更重要的是利润而不是数量     

海洋旅游地理和海上旅游资源利用

一、总观在社会再生产过程中,海洋环境的作用越来越大,在消遣方面也有所反映,而消遣是为恢复劳动力作准备的。海洋沿岸许多地区及其水域,在相应季节和有利的地方,其强烈的吸引力产生了两种利用类型之间的相互影响,这两种利用类型就是海上旅游和供人们度假时临时居住的景色最优美、气候最宜人的沿岸地区的开发。到这种地方去游憩虽然是古已知之的一种消遣方式,但游客成群结队作海上旅行还是近几十年才有的新现象。这就是本章要特别强调海洋旅游的原因,尤其是现在把“商务旅行”、“研究旅行”、宗教朝圣和消遣旅行都看作旅游(如世界旅游组织所解释的),突出这方面的内容更有必要。