This is a concise, practical and timely guide to the improved management of health promotion. It includes information on systems for quality improvement and audit of health promotion. It describes a developmental approach to intervention based on the values and processes of individual autonomy, democracy, mutual empowerment and community participation. Emphasis is placed both on how to create organizations and conditions which enhance health and quality of life, and on how to empower individuals and forge relationships through which everyone makes health gains. Recent research and evaluation is discussed in a practical way including how best to help people change their lifestyles and how to extend our outreach so that hard-to-reach groups become active participants. [Editor]

Despite some improvement in theatre utilisation, waiting lists and the length of time which patients have to wait for treatment in Northern Ireland remain the worst in the UK. Using operating theatres to their optimum could directly contribute to their reduction. Following on from a Northern Ireland Audit Office report (HCP 552, session 2002-03; ISBN 0102924333) published in April 2003, the Committee's report examines options for maximising operating theatre capacity and reducing waiting lists; better theatre management and control; and the shortage of theatre staff and the limited availability of beds.

Over 10,000 Detailed Entries! "There is a myth that all stakeholders in the healthcare space understand the meaning of basic information technology jargon. In truth, the vernacular of contemporary medical information systems is unique, and often misused or misunderstoodÖ Moreover, an emerging national Heath Information Technology (HIT) architecture; in the guise of terms, definitions, acronyms, abbreviations and standards; often puts the non-expert medical, nursing, public policy administrator or paraprofessional in a position of maximum uncertainty and minimum productivity ÖThe Dictionary of Health Information Technology and Security will therefore help define, clarify and explain...You will refer to it daily." -- Richard J. Mata, MD, MS, MS-CIS, Certified Medical Planner© (Hon), Chief Medical Information Officer [CMIO], Ricktelmed Information Systems, Assistant Professor Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas An Essential Tool for Every Health Care Industry Sector: layman, purchaser, and benefits manager physician, provider and healthcare facility payer, intermediary and consulting professional Key Benefits & Features Include: New HIT, HIPAA, WHCQA, HITPA, and NEPSI terminology Abbreviations, acronyms, and slang-terms defined Illustrations and simple examples Cross-references to current research

In the last ten years there has been an explosion in the use of computer technology in many facets of our lives. Many industries such as finance, manufacturing, and retail have embraced modern technological advances through the use of advanced computer and telecommunication technology. Unfortunately, the international health care community has been quite slow to effectively integrate new computer technology into the daily care of patients. Nevertheless, governments across the world are developing strategic plans and allocating financial resources to support the use of technology in healthcare. Medical Informatics Around The World: An International Perspective Focusing On Training Issues provides a global snapshot into such activities in 13 different countries (Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Malaysia, New Zealand, Oman, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, United Kingdom, and the United States of America). Of interest, the perspective is not from recognized leaders in the field, but rather, from health care personnel embarking upon their own post-graduate training in medical informatics. The chapters of this book were essay assignments submitted by students in the Diploma of Medical Informatics course at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburg in Scotland, United Kingdom. As such, the perspectives provide a fresh, original, and unique view into the individual countries use of information technology in health care as well as the unique approaches to medical informatics training.

Social work in the UK has recently undergone its biggest change for 30 years. As new regulatory bodies are working to consolidate social work's professional status, a new training programme, now at degree level, expects increased in-practice learning. Yet until now, students have struggled to find resources to underpin their learning. This major text addresses the new agenda and explores what social work is in the 21st Century. Structured around the framework of the National Occupational Standards for social work - and using terminology and concepts contained within them - the book examines how social work can make a difference in the lives of individuals, families and communities and argues that to really make a difference it is necessary to think outside the box. The book provides all social work students with an introductory social work textbook for the 21st century with the main chapters following the six National Occupational Standards for social work. Each chapter uses a problem-based learning approach, beginning with a 'real-life' case scenario from social work practice and drawing on messages from theory and research. It includes a range of student friendly features including glossaries, summaries, questions, exercises, further reading and links to other resources and is written by leading authors in their field and evaluated in detail by a distinguished editorial panel. Demonstrating social work's potential to be transformative, this book provides the perfect introductory text for a new generation of social workers.

In the last few years, the protection of computerised medical records, and of other personal health information, has become the subject of both technical research and political dispute in a number of countries. In Britain, the issue arose initially as an argument between the British Me dical Association and the Department of Health over whether encryption should be used in a new medical network. In Germany, the focus was the issue to all patients of a smartcard to hold insurance details and facilitate payment; while in the USA, the debate has been whether federal law should preempt state re gulation of computerised medical records, and if so, what technical and legal protection should be afforded the patient. Whatever the origin and evolution of this debate in specific countries, it has become clear that policy and technical matters are closely intertwined. What does 'computer security' mean in the medical context? What are we trying to do? What are the threats that we are trying to forestall? What costs might reasonably be incurred? To what extent is the existing technology - largely developed to meet military and banking requirements - of use? And perhaps hardest of all, what is the right balance between technical and legal controls? As the debate spread, it became clear that there was little serious contact between the people who could state the requirements - clinical professionals, medical ethicists and patients - and the people who could explore how to meet