| A year ago, researchers at Johns Hopkins University published the results of a program that instituted in nearly every intensive care unit in Michigan a simple five-step checklist designed to prevent certain hospital infections. It reminds doctors to make sure, for example, that before putting large intravenous lines into patients, they actually wash their hands and don a sterile gown and gloves. The results were stunning. Within three months, the rate of bloodstream infections from these I.V. lines fell by two-thirds. The average I.C.U. cut its infection rate from 4 percent to zero. Over 18 months, the program saved more than 1,500 lives and nearly $200 million. Yet this past month, the Office for Human Research Protections shut the program down. The agency issued notice to the researchers and the Michigan Health and Hospital Association that, by introducing a checklist and tracking the results without written, informed consent from each patient and health-care provider, they had violated scientific ethics regulations. Johns Hopkins had to halt not only the program in Michigan but also its plans to extend it to hospitals in New Jersey and Rhode Island. |
It is just as easy to prevent the employment of fools in a government than anywhere else.
The government has no monopoly on stupidity, unfortunately. Mistakes happen in private enterprise, the medical profession and the insurance industry and there's no reason why the government should be immune from them.
It is a little misleading as well. It is the tracking of the results and not the checklist itself that violates HIPAA.
It is just as easy to prevent the employment of fools in a government than anywhere else.
An HMO doctor will not see you at all without an appointment, but Social Security will.
The UPS and Fedex are both much more inconvenient that the USPS and will make you wait longer than the USPS. They both have many fewer locations, and will make you wait longer. They are also less courteous, as a rule.
It is just as easy to prevent the employment of fools in a government than anywhere else.
I wish you were right .
In general, most of the United States swallows the neoliberal perception that private industries run projects more efficiently. Whether that is true or not in varying circumstances is of course another story completely.
An HMO doctor will not see you at all without an appointment, but Social Security will.
ROFL
I've been to HMO doctors without an appointment (indeed, most of my visits have been without appointments) - even on weekends or the middle of the night - and very few government offices are open AT ALL outside of certain hours.
<<And try to get many Govt workers to work over 40 hours in a week. When I was in the IRS, I got comp time on a 1:1 basis for any work over 40 hours in a week, I NEVER got that in the private sector. EVER.>>
Aren't you glad that 100% of the value of your overtime labour went directly into the pockets of your bosses without one cent of it coming to you? I'm sure that they must have really deserved every penny of it. You must have felt real good about it, donating the value of your labour over and above what you were paid to perform, to such a great cause.
In general, most of the United States swallows the neoliberal perception that private industries run projects more efficiently. Whether that is true or not in varying circumstances is of course another story completely.
My experience tells me that private industry is more efficient as profits, etc. are on the line.
And try to get many Govt workers to work over 40 hours in a week. When I was in the IRS, I got comp time on a 1:1 basis for any work over 40 hours in a week, I NEVER got that in the private sector. EVER.
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So your model for success involves screwing the workers?
If I taught at a public college I would make half again as much, and my students would pay less than half as much. And the president would not call me into his office and tell me that I had an obligation to kick back a part of my meager salary to the institution as a charitable do9nation so HE (who was making four times my salary) would not look bad in front of other college presidents. So please, take that sorry asshole tale elsewhere: I am not buying it for a nanosecond.
In general, most of the United States swallows the neoliberal perception that private industries run projects more efficiently. Whether that is true or not in varying circumstances is of course another story completely.
My experience tells me that private industry is more efficient as profits, etc. are on the line.
My experience tells me otherwise.
I currently work in the private sector. I have before and I've worked in the public sector as well.And your rationale is?
The differences are amazing. Yes, I work longer hours now...
But I stand by my comment.
I currently work in the private sector. I have before and I've worked in the public sector as well.And your rationale is?
The differences are amazing. Yes, I work longer hours now...
But I stand by my comment.