Case management: quality care today

The literature demonstrates that the concept of case management offers quality, patient-centered care. Case management promotes the wise utilization of resources and has economic advantages. The benefits of case management are widespread. Everyone concerned with patient care is affected positively, including the patient, family, caregivers, and the facility itself. The benefits far outweigh the potential problems outlined in the literature, and these problems can be eliminated with proper education. The movement toward the use of case management makes good business sense. It will continue.     

Who's in charge here? You or your computer?!

To pinpoint problems, look at hardware, software, support training and the user. The problem may reside in any one, or several, of these areas.     

Educated guesswork

Just about everyone applauds the use of cost estimates for federal programs as a way to curb the federal government's tendency to spend in the face of rising budget deficits. But a nagging question arises: Just how good are these cost estimates?     

The role of extension in the development of the farmer as entrepreneur

Different viewpoints were expressed at the 1990 annual national conference of the South African Society for Agricultural Extension regarding the role of extension in the development of the farmer as entrepreneur. It is expected that public funding will increasingly be limited to functions of general public interest. To achieve independence farmers should be willing to expose themselves to entrepreneur development stimuli. it is in the public interest to develop scarce human, economic and natural resources. Research findings indicate distinct behavioral differences between entrepreneurs of differing perceptions. A comprehensive interdisciplinary education is recommended for agriculturalists. Because needs change, education programmes must be re‐evaluated from time to time. It serves little purpose to educate people in extension who do not have a technical message to communicate. The state extension service seeks closer cooperation and liaison with agricultural co‐operative and private sector know‐how. Departmental policy will probably be less rigid in future.

A clear distinction should be made between information and extension services. The adoption of an ethical code for extensionists may be opportune. Relevancy is an important contributing factor to extensionist credibility.     

Identifying the employee of the future

Hewlett-Packard evaluated its future marketing needs and compared it to the capabilities of current employees. This case study is an example of how other companies can ensure they have the best people to meet their strategic goals.