Peachtree Healthcare Essay Example for Free

Peachtree Healthcare Essay Peachtree Healthcare has been faced with a dilemma. There has been a major IT infrastructure problem within the company for some time now. Since technology has taken over in the healthcare field, it is imperative that Peachtree Healthcare get the technology needed so that they can be trusted and well known within the healthcare industry. Mission The mission of Peachtree Healthcare is to ensure quality, consistency, and continuity of care across the entire network – and to deliver care with the highest levels of efficiency and economy while maintaining respect for patients and staff. Objectives The hospital needs to decide on what long / short term IT infrastructure system strategies and roadmaps are needed to increase efficiency. The new system should allow sharing of patient records, ensure quality, consistency, and continuity of care across entire network of hospitals and physicians. Key Issues The IT infrastructure is not reliable; therefore, uses are unable to perform their day to day functions including clinical duties. This is impacting quality and safety of patient care. Recommendations Adopt service oriented architecture (SOA) which will enable selective standardization. CURRENT SITUATION (10) Peachtree Healthcare has major IT infrastructure problems and is struggling to find the right fix. Growth through acquisitions has led to the inheritance of many incompatible legacy systems. Current IT resources are focused on maintaining inefficient processes in order to keep the hospital running. The maintenance costs of the current IT system are so high that further innovation has become a luxury. In addition there have been recent meltdowns of clinical information systems. IT infrastructure is not reliable; therefore users are unable to perform their day to day functions, including clinical duties. This is impacting quality and safety of patient care. Furthermore there is pressure from the hospital’s board to standardize hospital procedures and practices without fully assessing the need for it. Max Berndt (CEO), Candace Markovich (CIO) and Tom Drane (CFO) are struggling to analyze the current situation subjectively in order to properly manage the pressure to follow competitors. CRITERIA (5) The hospital needs to decide on what long / short term IT infrastructure system strategies and roadmaps are needed to increase efficiency. The new system should allow sharing of patient records, ensure quality, consistency, and continuity of care across entire network of hospitals and physicians. The system should also ensure â€Å"selective† standardization of certain medical procedures across the network but allow sufficient flexibility to individual hospitals and professionals in other areas. Other criteria include: †¢ Time to value when will the new system realize value for each business unit †¢ Flexibility easy to modify, upgrade and customization capabilities †¢ Staff buy-in ability to convince all staff to give this project a try ALTERNATIVES RECOMMENDATIONS (15) Alternative 1: Monolithic System (Modular Enterprise System) A monolithic system is single set of systems and applications that will provide consistency across Peachtree’s facilities but may not give doctors enough flexibility. Other pros and cons include: Alternative 2: Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) System A servicer-oriented architecture system is modular design that will allow Peachtree to standardize incrementally and selectively but poses certain risks as a newer technology. Recommendation: My recommendation is to crease a strategy of selective standardization using a SOA system. This means assessing and deciding on a SOA architecture standard. Reviewing individual business functions and deciding on an ideal standard for that functional unit then migrating others to it. This will allow Peachtree to standardize incrementally, which Max has wanted most in an IT infrastructure. RISK MANAGEMENT PLAN (15) Since SOA is a new technology, there are serious risks and consequences involved with this approach. The SOA technology is not mature yet and has not been tested in the long term. As a result there is a lot of unpredictability. To mitigate these risks Peachtree should gradually replace its old system with the SOA System. They should proceed with SOA in stages by piloting smaller projects to quickly provide value to business units. By gradually installing the SOA, Peachtree and its doctors would learn about how the systems worked and they could then master it in a sense as the infrastructure moved further. By gradually installing the infrastructure, Peachtree would not only minimize risk but also create flexibility and control. With the gradual learning process on the new SOA system, Peachtree and its physicians would allow IT to shift priorities along the way. Peachtree should also create case studies to get other business units and vendors support throughout roll-out process. They should also consider hiring external change management consultants to ensure minimum user disruption and smooth transition into the new system.

Reasons for Inequalities of Women?s Health Care in India Essay

India- An overview of the Country India, a country in South East Asia, has the world’s second highest population. Out of the one billion people residing in the nation, 120 million of its women live in poverty. The male to female birth ratio is 1.05 males to 1 female. The life expectancy of the average person is sixty-four years of age. They have a literacy rate (people over the age of fifteen that can read and write) of 59.5 percent, with 70.2 percent of males being literate and 48.3 percent of females that are able to read and write (cia.gov). India's economy is based mainly on traditional village farming, modern agriculture, handicrafts, a wide range of modern industries, and a multitude of support services. It is a patriarchal society, which means that men are the head of societal and familial matters. Women are not thought of as equal to their male counter parts and are expected to be obedient of males. Because of the large, unfavorable shift of power, women face injustices and inequalities in almost every aspect of their lives. A main issue that has always been present and continues to be problematic is the inequalities women must deal with when it comes to health care. What types of services are available to women when they are pregnant and what types of conditions result from these limited services?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The common belief when it comes to pregnancy is that it is an ordinary part of every woman’s life. Even though child birth is an extremely exciting and happy moment for a family, â€Å"the mother and child are considered `impure' and `polluting'† (Hussain, 2001). When a woman is pregnant, she is given special treatment in her family, often not expected to do housework and is fed much better, but only if the expected child will be a son. Often, if it is known that the woman will have a daughter, she will still be expected to perform all of her domestic duties, no matter how dangerous it may be for the fetus. Prenatal and post-natal health care are usually not given to a women. Most women, more than 50 percent, give birth to their child in their own homes. The times when she is taken to a hospital is when she will be delivering a male child.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the article, â€Å"Do Women really Have a Voice? Reproductive Behavior and Practices of Two Religious Communities,† Sabiha Hussain (2001) tells the story of a woman... ...ctober 28, 2004 from ProQuest database. Improving Women's Health in India. Retrieved October 28, 2004, from www.worldbank.org Johnson, Katherine. (2003). Sweating it Out for Nothing. Women's Feature Service New Delhi. Retrieved October 28, 2004 from ProQuest database. Kasturi, Leela. (Dec 31, 2000). Greater Political Representation for Women: The Case of India. Asian Journal Of Women's Studies Seoul:. Vol. 4, Iss. 4, p. 9. Retrieved October 28, 2004 from ProQuest database. Slugget, Catherine. (Apr 30, 1999). Women for Women in India: Two Unique Projects Catering to Women in India. Trikone Magazine San Jose: Vol. 14, Iss. 2, p. 11 Retrieved October 28, 2004 from ProQuest database. Women and Health: India; The 'Male Factor' in Women's Reproductive Ill-Health Win News Lexington: Winter 2000. Vol. 26, Iss. 1, p. 19. Retrieved October 28, 2004 from ProQuest database. Women and Health. Win News Lexington: Autumn 1992. Vol. 18, Iss. 4, p. 21. Retrieved October 28, 2004 from ProQuest database. India.(2004). World Fact book. Retrieved November 2, 2004, from www.cia.gov. Zucker, Jessica. (2001). A Snapshot of Women’s Reproductive health in India. Global Reproductive Health.

When Art Speaks: an Analysis of Two Artist and Two Works of Art

When Art Speaks: An Analysis of Two Artist and Two Works of Art Wanda M. Argersinger Southern New Hanpshire University When Art Speaks The Italian Renaissance produced many artists and even more works of art, but there were three artists considered to be the Trinity of Great Masters, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and Raffaelo Santi, or simply Raphael. While these artists often worked in different mediums, Michelangelo preferred stone and Raphael preferred oil paint. Michelangelo and Raphael were able to portray emotions in their work.In two of these works, The Pieta and La Madonna di San Sisto, these artists were able to bring to works of art the raw emotions felt by their subjects. Though their works are quite different, what they portrayed was often quite similar. One of Raphael’s works called Raphael’s Angels (San Sisto, 1513-1514), speaks to me in many ways. I was familiar with these two cherubs in the Sistine Madonna as they are often copied and hung in offices a nd homes. But it was only recently that I discovered that these two smiling cherubs belong to a larger work of art.These two well-known cherubs are part of a larger oil painting done on canvas titled La Madonna di San Sisto or Sistine Madonna. It was a commissioned piece and the last of Raphael’s Madonnas. When the cherubs are seen alone they are often called Raphael’s Angels, The Sistine Cherubs, and Raphael’s Two Putti. Most of the works of art during the Renaissance had strong religious connections and were done for the church with the intent that it would reside in the church. When we think of this period in art we most often think of Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel.While Raphael’s Sistine Madonna is in oil, it was done on a flax covered wall in the Benedictine monastery church and was not permanent. The full painting, The Sistine Madonna, shows Mary holding the baby Jesus, sans halo, with two Saints. The cherubs sit at the very bottom of the pic ture, almost out of place. Their cherubic faces and expressions, in my opinion, belie the magnificence and holiness of the rest of the art work. They look puzzled and somewhat bored, a bit mischievous and not at all reverent.The colors are similar to others used during this period but do not contain all the colors used by Michelangelo in his painting of The Sistine Chapel. They are not bright or harsh, but rather muted. There is sparing use of red and blue, but show more use of brown and gold. The curtains and clothes are dark. The images have little shadowing, showing only under the feet of Mary and one of the saints. The lines of the painting show an opened curtain and clouds on which Mary and the saints stand.The cherubs appear to be leaning on a solid surface that is, in fact, the very bottom of the painting, which is the only straight line of the piece. The clothes appear to be flowing, captured by the use of curved lines and shadowing in the folds. The light source appears to be the clouds which are the brightest of the piece. Personally, it is the cherubs that speak to me, and not the entire work of art. I like the playfulness they show in their eyes. I like the idea that not all religious work is completely serious and that some fun exists in religion.Intellectually, I wonder what the purpose Raphael had in including them in a Church commissioned work. This work is much like other works of the time – religious in nature, done in oil, and displayed in a house of worship. No doubt that Rafael was influenced by other artists and the trend in art of the time, and yet from this one work of art, it appears that the artist himself shows his own unique style simply by including the cherubs and their quizzical looks. During this same time period, the famous Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel.Though he may be remembered as a painter, he considered himself a sculptor and completed many statues during his lifetime. One in particular, his Pieta, (Rome, 1498) speaks to me in many ways. The Pieta is a marble statue of Mary holding Christ after he was removed from the cross. He lies straddled across her lap with her looking down on him with a solemn face and closed eyes. When looking at the piece it would be difficult not to see the pain of a woman who has lost someone dear to them.Certainly you can see the grief of Mary for the loss of Jesus, but you can also see the grief of many women who have lost someone they love. I am reminded of all women who grieve for the loss of a child. Done in marble, the statue appears to glisten in places and yet seems darker and in others. The lines capture the image of the human form and the folds of the clothes Mary wears. The hard stone she sits upon is barely seen and does not distract from the movement of the other aspects of the piece. Her face appears shaded under the scarf on her head, while light reflects off the body of Christ.The statue shows marvelous detail of Christ’s body includi ng the holes in his hands where he was nailed to the cross. Upon close observance of the statue one can see that Mary does not touch Jesus skin to skin but has a garment under her right hand, while her left hand is away from the body with her palm up. During his life Michelangelo worked for the church under Pope Julius II and for the Medici family that ruled Rome. The majority of his work was religious in nature, as seen in The Pieta and another famous sculpture he did of David.He designed the tombs for the Medici family and also the Medici Chapel. Michelangelo’s work, along with Raphael’s works, follow the works of the time, most being not only religious in nature, but based on the Christian religion and following stories from the Bible. Both painting and sculpting were popular forms of art and capturing the body through use of religious figures played a major part in the subject matters. Whether done in marble, clay, or oil, the pieces of art capture the emotions of life, the human form in almost absolute detail, and the thoughts of society at the time.With Italy being the center of Catholicism and home to the main church, it is no wonder that the majority of the art works during this period are religious in nature. Add to that the fact that many of the pieces were commissioned by one or more arms of the church religion was certainly the major influence on many of the artists. Topalski, Art In Creation, Rapahel’s Angels, Retrieved from http://www. topalski. com/2012/artworks-in-progress-fine-art-in-creation/raphael%E2%80%99s-angels/ Garden of Praise, Pieta, Retrieved from http://www. gardenofpraise. com/art50. htm

How to Ask Questions in Italian

Who is Carlo? Where is the train station? What time is it? Why do Italians talk with their hands? How do you make gnocchi? These are all questions that you’ll likely need to ask when you are in Italy or speaking Italian, and so you’re going to need to understand the basics of how to ask questions. Here Are the Basics Chi? - Who? Whom?Che?/Cosa? - What?Quando? - When?Dove? - Where?Perchà ©? - Why?Come? - How?Qual/Quali? - Which?Quanto/a/i/e? - How much? TIP: In questions beginning with an interrogative word, the subject or the personal pronoun  is usually placed at the end of the sentence. Quando arriva Michele? When does Michael arrive? Let’s take a look at how these vocabulary words are used in real life conversation. Chi Prepositions such as a, di, con, and per always precede the interrogative word â€Å"chi.† In Italian, a question never ends with a preposition. Chi à ¨ lui? - Who is he?Chi parla? - Who is speaking? (on the phone)Chi sono? - Who are they?/Who am I?Con chi hai cenato ieri sera? - With whom did you have dinner last night? Che/Cosa â€Å"Che† and â€Å"cosa† are abbreviated forms of the phrase â€Å"che cosa†. The forms are interchangeable. A che ora? - At what time?Che lavoro fa? - What work do you do? (formal)Cosa ti piace di pià ¹ della cucina toscana? - What’s your favorite Tuscan dish?Cos’à ¨ questo? - What is this? As you can see with the last example, sometimes the conjugation of the verb â€Å"essere†, in this case â€Å"à ¨Ã¢â‚¬ , can combine with the question word â€Å"cosa†. Quando Quando parti per l’Italia? - When do you leave for Italy? (informal)Quand’à ¨ il tuo compleanno? - When is your birthday? (informal)Quando à ¨ arrivata lei?/Lei quando à ¨ arrivata? - When did she arrive? Dove Di dove sei? - Where are you from? (informal)Dove hai lasciato gli occhiali?  - Where did you leave your glasses?Dove si trova una gelateria? - Where does one find an ice cream shop?Dov’à ¨ la stazione dei treni? - Where is the train station? As you can see with the last example, sometimes the conjugation of the verb â€Å"essere†, in this case â€Å"à ¨Ã¢â‚¬ , can combine with the question word â€Å"dove†. Perchà © Perchà © sei in Italia? - Why are you in Italy? (informal)Perchà © studia l’Italiano? - Why are you studying Italian? (formal) Come Come sta? - How are you? (formal)Come si chiama? - What is your name? (formal)Com’à ¨ un giorno perfetto, secondo te? - What is a perfect day according to you? (informal) Qual/Quali As with all adjectives, agree in gender and number with the nouns they modify, except for â€Å"che†, which doesn’t change. Qual à ¨ il suo segno zodiacale? - What is your zodiac sign? (formal)Quali sono i tuoi interessi? - What are your interests? (informal) Quanto/a/i/e As with all adjectives, agree in gender and number with the nouns they modify, except for â€Å"che†, which doesn’t change. Quant’à ¨? - How much is it?Quanto tempo ci vuole per arrivare a Firenze? - How long does it take to arrive in Florence?Da quanto tempo studia l’italiano? - How long have you been studying Italian? (formal)Quante persone vivono a Roma? - How many people live in Rome?Quanti anni hai? - How old are you? (informal)