Gerald-Mark Breen

Telemedicine: Its Effects on Health Communication

This article analyzes telemedicine, the use of distant communication technologies within the context of clinical health care, and the effects it has on health communication. The main effect is that telemedicine has the capacity to substantially transform health care in both positive and negative ways and to radically modify personal face-to-face communication (Turner, 2003). This has tremendous implications for health communication scholars in that they can extend the telemedicine debate by integrating fresh insights into more acceptable approaches that will refine and humanize mediated channels of health communication. There are several key areas of telemedicine that need to be discussed (i.e., e-health services, clinical encounters, etc.), all of which are identified in this article. In addition to describing the past and current applications of telemedicine, this article provides a better understanding of unique needs, resources, problems, and opportunities germane to telemedicine services.

Improving Doctor---Patient Communication: Examining Innovative Modalities Vis-à-vis Effective Patient-Centric Care Management Technology

This analysis investigates what patients and practitioners can do to improve their interactive communications to achieve optimal patient-centric (PC) care. One goal of this clinical practice approach is to improve patient satisfaction, compliance, and outcomes. The mutual responsibilities required of both the patients and practitioners to attain PC care are discussed. Innovative, information technology techniques in the healthcare environment in general and in care delivery in particular are explored. Practitioner-to-patient encouragement vis-à-vis self education on their conditions is also provided.

Changes in Nursing Home Staffing Levels, 1997 to 2007

A positive relationship has been demonstrated between the quality of care delivered in nursing homes and the quality of nursing staff providing the care. The general perception, however, is that there is a decline in registered nurses’ staff hours in nursing homes. The primary objective of this study is to investigate whether the levels of registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), and nursing assistants (NAs) as well as skill mix has changed in nursing homes between the years 1997 and 2007. A descriptive research design was employed on data derived from Online Survey Certification and Reporting System database. After accounting for facility size and ownership, it was found that more nursing homes have increased—rather than decreased—LPN and NA hours per resident day between 1997 and 2007. On the other hand, more nursing homes have decreased—rather than increased—RN hours per resident day and skill mix during the same time period.

An evolutionary examination of telemedicine: a health and computer-mediated communication perspective.

Telemedicine, the use of advanced communication technologies in the health care context, has a rich history and a clear evolutionary course. In this paper, the authors identify telemedicine as operationally defined, the services and technologies it comprises, the direction telemedicine has taken, along with its increased acceptance in the health care communities. The authors also describe some of the key pitfalls warred with by researchers and activists to advance telemedicine to its full potential and lead to an unobstructed team of technicians to identify telemedicines diverse utilities. A discussion and future directions section is included to provide fresh ideas to health communication and computer-mediated scholars wishing to delve into this area and make a difference to enhance public understanding of this field.

Introducing Ehealth to Nursing Homes: Theoretical Analysis of Improving Resident Care

The purpose of this analysis argues that the technology acceptance model and the theory of task technology fit offer justification for the introduction and integration of ehealth web sites (i.e., WebMd.com) into nursing home care facility operations in the United States and abroad. The driving force behind this study concerns the significant care deficiencies in nursing homes, and how ehealth can ameliorate these conditions. Ehealth has never been a focus of study in nursing homes. Examining logistics relating to nursing homes and their residents may reveal which nursing homes would benefit from integrating ehealth as a referential resource.

Physician and Nurse Job Climates in Hospital-Based Emergency Departments in Taiwan: Management and Implications

This study evaluates how emergency physicians and nurses perceive their job climates in their hospital-based emergency departments (ED). In total, 208 emergency physicians and 234 emergency nurses were surveyed, applying a validated survey instrument covering the job facets of medical and nursing autonomy, professional accomplishments and outcomes, leadership, communication, management, hospital policies and regulations, and external health policy environments germane to emergency medicine. The findings reveal that the average satisfaction score for professional growth and accomplishments was ranked highest by emergency physicians, and job communication within EDs was ranked highest by emergency nurses. Several emergency medical professional characteristics, including age, education, medical authority, employment duration, full-time or part-time statuses, perceived workloads, and hospital accreditation levels, were all related to job satisfaction in this surveyed population. New insights generated from this study could provide increased guidance to hospital and ED unit managers toward enhancing wellness and limiting dissatisfaction and disharmony relative to long-term career survival and the well-being of ED specialists.

Consumer Dissatisfaction, Complaints, and the Involvement of Human Resource Personnel in the Hospitality and Tourism Industry

In various sectors of the hospitality and tourism industry, customers oftentimes face the difficult and unfortunate experience of receiving products or services that fall below their expectations. These incidents, related to inadequate customer service delivery as a result of substandard human resource training or practice, particularly hold true in hotels, restaurants, airlines, cell phone services, and retail stores. The purpose of this article is to apply three communication theories to the formulation of complaints that communicate effectively to company employees and yield compensation for the consumer. A comprehensive investigation was conducted on the literature related to consumer complaints. Although many articles identify strategies to shape complaints (Singh, 1990), examine interactive styles of complaints (Garrett, Meyers, & Camey, 1991), and analyze efficacy and outcome expectations related to customer complaints about service experiences (Singh & Wilkes, 1996; Susskind, 2000), not a single study has used the following specific compliance-gaining communication theories as methods for forming consumer complaints: argumentation theory (Corbett & Connors, 1999; Mayberry & Golden, 1996; McGuire, 1968; Miller & Levine, 1996), the footin-the-door (FITD) technique (Freedman & Fraser, 1966), and the door-inthe-face (DITF) technique (Cialdini et al., 1975). In addition, self-efficacy theory (SET) (Bandura, 1982, 1986, 1991) is introduced as a prerequisite for executing each of these other theories. Finally, the discussion section encourages further exploration of this topic for scholars of various disciplines of the social sciences.

Examining Existing Counter-Terrorism Tactics and Applying Social Network Theory to Fight Cyberterrorism: An Interpersonal Communication Perspective

ABSTRACT A greater understanding of cyberterrorism and its interpersonal implications is needed. In addition, strategies need to be developed to prevent and/or prepare for cyberterrorist attacks. As such, this analysis is unique and important in that it examines social network theory and current counter-terrorism practices as a method of understanding how to crack, prevent, and prepare for cyberterrorism strikes. Moreover, present counter-terrorism tactics are examined in an attempt to apply them into the realm of counter-cyberterrorism. A discussion section is provided, which includes future directions for researchers interested in this area.

The use of public policy analysis to enhance the Nursing Home Reform Act of 1987

Given the prevalence of abuse and neglect in nursing home care delivery vis-à-vis elderly and frail residents, and despite the advent and implementation of the Nursing Home Reform Act of 1987 (a policy that sought to diminish such conduct in such institutional settings), deficiency citations in nursing home care and services remain both problematic and common. By employing public policy analysis, and by analyzing various social science theories applicable to the improvement of care delivery and quality, this article seeks to develop methods to enhance compliance with the Nursing Home Reform Act and reduce care deficiencies in nursing homes.

The Impact of 9/11 on Information Policy in the United States: A Current Perspective on Homeland Security and Emergency Management

This analysis seeks to attain two primary objectives. The first is to illustrate how U.S.-based information policy has been shaped and affected following the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States. The second is to produce a valid, qualitative evaluation regarding policy effectiveness, the impacts on public life, and best practices in government. Literature reviews from many disciplines and sources demonstrate that there has been a significant change in the U.S. information policy post-9/11. The findings of this study reveal what organizations and federal agencies dealing with information policy in emergency management and response have accomplished and what they have not accomplished. The discussion section offers future directions as to how to increase the effectiveness of emergency preparedness and management.