Environmental Studies Essay Example for Free

Environmental Studies Essay The population of the world has been on an upward trend for the most part of the past many years. The rapid rise in the population in the past had been attributed to factors like improved medical care and good nutrition. However, the statistics appear to be changing as the 21st century wears on. There has been recorded a decrease in the overall global population growth rate such that although there is still a growth in the population, the rate is reducing. However, the rate is not evenly distributed. Instead, only the developed nations where industrialization and modernity are advanced are experiencing the population slowdown. The developing World still has rising rates of population growth (I. R. C. , 2005). The reduction in the growth rate can be attributed to climatic changes that have in turn caused people to resort to totally new ways of living. There has been a lot of destruction to the atmosphere and the resultant effect has been that some of the plants and animals that were useful for improving the immunity of the people when included in the diet are now extinct. Global warming has killed many such plant and animal species; and the other effects have been that there is an increase in strange, previously uncommon diseases caused by climatic changes which are making more people to die faster than before. Life expectancy has also reduced because of these changes (Johansen, 2009). In addition, the lifestyles of people have changed drastically, including having diets that are less healthy such as the consumption of genetically modified substances whose chemical contents are harmful to the body and shorten life. This trend is bound to go on for as long as industrial development is going to continue, worsening as the effects of global warming resulting from industrial pollution increase (Vormedal, 2005). New factors are bound to come into play, including increased child mortality and increased resistance to medication available even as new species of pathogens and parasites emerge with changing environmental conditions. It is also expected that more people will be less willing to have children as the pressure on available resources increases, thereby pushing the population growth rate down. With globalization opening up doors of nations, more technologies and immigrants are expected to get in, and not only will there be a real pressure on resources available pushing families to downsize but there will also be a massive movement away from the use of natural, more nutritious food items to those that are artificial and developed through technology (I. R. C. , 2005). As such are likely to be more harmful to the body, many people will find themselves less fertile while the fertile ones will be less willing to have more than a few children. The few children born will have a reduced life expectancy due to increased diseases; and child mortality will be very high. As the figure below shows, the population of Canada has been on a downward trend ever since the start of this century. It is expected that this will go on as the country becomes more industrialized and as global warming becomes more pronounced. By the year 2030, the country will most likely be faced with the problem of having a majority of its population being people over the age of 65 years because the young people are those who are likely to be affected negatively by the forces causing this trend (I. R. C. , 2005).

Coffee A Review Of Possible Health Benefits Biology Essay

Coffee A Review Of Possible Health Benefits Biology Essay Coffee: A Review of Possible Health Benefits. One of the worlds most widely consumed beverages, coffee, has been enjoyed by people for centuries. The coffee shrub, a bush bearing rich green leaves, pale flowers, and vivid red berries, stems from East Africa, and was introduced to the Americas in the early 1700s. Today, the United States accounts for nearly a quarter of the worldwide yearly consumption of more than 12 billion pounds of coffee grown globally. Fifty-four per cent of Americans consume coffee daily as coffee continues to grow in popularity. The average U.S. coffee drinker consumes more than three cups of coffee per day, usually in the morning for a quick boost from the caffeine. Aside from giving its drinkers a morning lift, research shows coffee may help protect against a host of health problems, including type 2 diabetes, Parkinsons disease, cardiovascular disease, and various types of cancers. With thousands of studies being conducted on coffee over the last forty years, some advising a reduction on the consumption, others promoting coffees intake, people suffering from type 2 diabetes may be surprised to learn about some of coffees health perks. The most common type of diabetes, type 2 diabetes, makes up the majority of the American cases of the disease. When an insufficient amount of insulin is produced in the body, type 2 diabetes develops. The lack of insulin in the body causes an increase of glucose in the blood. This causes insulin resistance. When insulin resistance happens, blood sugar levels increase. If blood sugar levels remain too high, the pancreas may be at risk of damage, resulting in serious, life-threatening health problems. Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health and Brigham and Womens Hospital analyzed information collected from over 125,000 study participants for almost two decades and discovered a possible link between a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and consuming up to three cups of caffeinated coffee each day. Those who drank more than six cups of coffee each day lessened the risk of diabetes in women by 30% and in men by more than 50%. Another study conducted by researchers from the University of Sao Paulo in Ribeirao Preto, Brazil found that in nearly 70,000 women who had coffee during lunchtime, they were 33% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes compared to those who did not drink coffee. Another survey that pooled data from 18 different studies counting half a million participants from over the last 40 years revealed an additional 7% less risk of diabetes development for each cup of coffee consumed past 4 cups. Dr. Peter Martin, head of the Institute for Coffee Studies at Vande rbilt University, describes coffee as having a multitude of compounds, including chlorogenic acid, a chemical that increases the bodys ability to remove and organize blood sugar, therefore reducing the development of type 2 diabetes. Another seriously debilitating condition, Parkinsons disease, currently affects nearly two million Americans. Parkinsons disease is a condition caused when nerve cells in the brain fail to generate dopamine, a monoamine neurotransmitter in the brain which is needed in order for the central nervous system to operate correctly. During subsequent stages of Parkinsons disease, victims develop indications of tremors and bradykinesia, causing decreased movement ability. Since the general population is getting older, more and more Americans are expected to be diagnosed with Parkinsons disease in the future. Lifestyle may have the strongest influence on the development of Parkinsons disease, but scientists are now considering nutritional sources like coffee as possible deterrents against the disorder. During a 22-year analysis of nearly 7,000 men and women, ages 50 to 79, researchers found participants who consumed coffee in large quantities, ten or more cups per day, lowered their risk of developing Parkinsons disease by an astounding 75%. In another study conducted over a 30 year span by the Honolulu Heart Program, researchers studied over 8,000 Japanese-American men and the link between coffee consumption and the development of Parkinsons disease. Coffee drinkers in this study were less likely to develop Parkinsons disease. As a matter of fact, those who never drank coffee were five times more likely to develop Parkinsons disease compared to the coffee consuming men who participated in this study. An additional study on coffees inverse affects on Parkinsons disease development from the Harvard School of Public Health used 135,000 people from various backgrounds. The study group participants who drank more than four cups of coffee on a daily basis lessened their risk of Parkinsons disease development by 50%. In more recent studies conducted by Vanderbilt Institute for Coffee Studies, the only institute in the country dedicated to studying the health effects of coffee, found that individuals who drank coffee throughout the day, not just in the morning, slashed their chances of developing Parkinsons disease by as much as 80%. Three of these studies discovered the more people drank coffee, the more they decreased the chances of Parkinsons disease development. Similar to the caffeine found in coffee, the brain produces a natural form of this xanthine chemical called adenosine. The brain of a person who is at risk of Parkinsons disease produces too much adenosine and not enough dopamine. When a significant amount of caffeine is ingested, the chemical blocks adenosine receptors in the brain. When these receptors are blocked and adenosine production is cut off, more dopamine is produced, thus decreasing a risk of Parkinsons disease development. In the past, many studies named coffee as a contributing factor in the development of different forms of cardiovascular diseases. The general consensus was that coffee raised cholesterol levels in drinkers, creating an increased risk of cardiovascular problems. However, the majority of those studies stemmed from Europe where the process of how coffee is made just before consumption differs from the way Americans prepare the beverage. Unlike many Europeans who enjoy coffee that has been prepared using a percolator, a French press, or the Scandinavian boiling method, Americans generally filter their coffee. The filtering process seems to eliminate most of the harmful cholesterol found in coffee. More recent studies made an adjustment for American coffee drinkers and found that in individuals over 65 years of age with average blood pressure, those who consumed one cup or more each day decreased their chance of coronary heart disease mortality by more than 40%. Within this same group, coffee drinkers also seemed to experience a reduced risk of heart valve issues. Harvard researchers found long-lasting cardiovascular health advantages related to regular coffee drinking. In one study, nearly 40,000 disease free men and women ages 40 to 64, were tracked from 1990 to 2000. The result of this study showed women who drank coffee on a regular basis experienced a massive 55% decrease in cardiovascular related deaths. An additional studys findings presented during the American Heart Associations 50th Annual Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention in San Francisco, suggested an 18% reduction in the risk of heart rhythm disturbances in individuals who drank at least cup of coffee each day. In 2006, the Dept. of Nutrition at the University of Oslo, Norway reported coffee drinking may also reduce inflammation and the risk of cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal women. According to the American Heart Association, phytochermicals like cafestol, flavonoids, and other micronutrients found in coffee may have reversing affects on the development of cardiovascular disease. Coffees phytochemicals along with antioxidants and chlorogenic acid are believed to have defensive properties against cardiovascular problems by reducing the build up of fat collected by arteries. Coffee has also earned a negative reputation regarding the development of cancer. Many health studies of the 1970s and 1980s resulted in the labeling of coffee as a promoting substance in the progression of various types of cancer. One of the earliest studies conducted on the subject, released in 1971 by American scientists for British medical journal, The Lancet, named coffee as a possible cause for bladder cancer. Ten years later in 1981, researchers from Harvard again linked coffee to various forms of pancreatic cancers. However, in the mid 1990s, more research showed insufficient associations between coffee consumption and these types of cancer, especially when an adjustment was made for smoking. Because individuals who were heavy cigarette smokers also tended to drink large amounts of coffee, research often made invalid connections between the two habits, confusing health problems that may be caused by either. By the late 1990s, more and more studies began to crop up disproving initial results of research finding coffee to be adversary to health. In more recent years, new studies suggest chemicals found in coffee may even have an inverse affect on health and could possibly help protect against many types of cancers. According to a 2003 study conducted by researcher Francesca Bravi from Milans Institute of Pharmacological Research, individuals who consume coffee are 41% less likely to develop liver cancer compared to those who do not drink coffee. In a study spanning the course of two decades, scientist Kathryn Wilson from Channing Laboratory of Harvard used data taken from 50,000 male participants. In this study, 5% of male participants who consumed more than six cups of coffee each day experienced a 60% decreased risk of developing prostate cancer. Likewise for women, coffee is now also being associated with having protective value against some of the most common forms of cancer affecting female reproductive organs. According to the American Cancer Society, the most common form of cancer affecting reproductive health for women is uterine cancer. A 2009 Mayo Clinic study finds that out of a 20,000 women study, those who drank two to three cups of coffee each day were 30% less likely to develop uterine or endometrial cancer. Study leaders Thomas Hofmann, Ph.D., professor and head of the Institute for Food Chemistry at the University of Munster in Germany, and Veronika Somoza, Ph.D., deputy director of the German Research Center for Food Chemistry in Garching, claim coffee drinking could possibly avert colon cancer from developing. Studies suggest people who consume four or more cups of coffee each day reduce the risk of developing colon cancer by about 25%. Researchers Hofmann and Somoza identified the protection coffee offers ag ainst cancer stems from the antioxidant compounds found in the beverage. These compounds prompt phase II enzymes, living cells in the body which protect against chemical carcinogenesis. Chemical carcinogenesis is the process where cells transform from being normal, to precancerous, to cancerous. Chlorogenic acid found in coffee destroys the damaging free radicals in the body which contribute to diseases, including different types of cancer. Another anticancer chemical found in coffee, methylpyridinium, forms when coffee beans are roasted. Methylpyridinium can be found in caffeinated, decaffeinated, and even instant versions of the beverage. With a number of recent studies evaluating the possible link between drinking coffee and the reduction of risks pertaining to the development of Parkinsons disease, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and certain types of cancers, individuals suffering from these disorders may find some relief in the next pot of coffee they perk. Although dated reviews concluded coffee drinking could cause greater risks of these diseases, more recent findings suggest just the opposite. Although the latest studies on the medicinal and therapeutic uses of coffee are shedding new light on possible health advantages, researchers say additional investigation on the components of coffee and their effects on the body should be considered. While doctors are not yet advising patients to consume more coffee than usual, individuals who consume coffee may continue enjoying this population beverage as part of a balanced diet without worry of any adverse health effects progressing due to its consumption.

Relation Between Matrix And Descartes Meditations Philosophy Essay

Relation Between Matrix And Descartes Meditations Philosophy Essay Renà © Descartes was a French philosopher and mathematician who were really famaous with his philosopical works, especially with Meditations on First Philosophy. His ideas in Meditations have been important source of inspiration for considerable number of movies. One of the most significant movie that reflects Descartes ideas is Matrix in which Keanu Reeves Thomas Anderson is a computer programmer for a well known company and also has another life as a hacker Neo. He starts to get mysterious messages on his computer and after meeting with Morpheus, is told that reality is totally different from what he and other people perceive it to be. Within the scope of this assignment, I search for relations between the movie and the Descartes ideas by referring to significant quotations from a translation of Meditation on First Philosophy which was written by Christopher Biffle and specific scenes from the movie. In the movie, the reality that most people perceive is actually a dream that is created by a powerful being to deceive humanity. People think that they live in a city, breathe air and the year is 1999. However, in reality, the year is approximately 2199, there is no air and the world is in a bad situation like is attacked by war. As it is indicated in Meditation I (Biffle, 2001) : This would be perfectly obvious-if I werent a man accustomed to sleeping at night whose experiences while a sleep are at least as far-fetched as those madmen have while awake. How often, at night, Ive been convinced that I was here, sitting before the fire, wearing my dressing gown, when in fact I was undressed and between the covers of my bed! But now I am looking at this piece of paper with my eyes wide open; the head that I am shaking has not beel lulled to sleep; I put my hand out consciously and deliberately and feel. None of this would be as distinct if I were asleep. As if I cant remember having been tricked by by similar thoughts while asleep! When I think carefully about this, I see so plainly that there are no reliable signs by which I can distinguish sleeping from waking that I am stupefied-and my stupor itself suggests that I am asleep! People live in a dream and can not distinguish it from reality. It is obvious from some scenes of the movie that Neo also has doubts about it. In one of them, agents take Neo to interrogate and convince him to work for them to defeat Morpheus. Agent Smith made Neos lips be locked in order not to make him speak and put a transmitter in him which is like a spider. Then the other scene stast with Neos waking up. The first thing that he does is to check his mouth and it is normal. However, the transmitter is in him and he gets rid of it my the help of Trinity who is one of the characters in the film. If all the things he has seen are a dream, then why is there a transmitter in him? In addition, if all the things are real, then why is there anything with his mouth? This is why the world that people live is a computer simulation called matrix. Some events can occur in matrix and in order to make people believe everything that they perceive, some impossible things that are hard to believe c an be seen as dreams. Descartes mentions that there are no certain differences between a dream and reality. When someone dreams about something, he is not aware of doing it exactly, thus there is an impossibility in ignoring that what people perceive as reality is not a dream. Descartes has doubts about being aware of whether you are in a dream or in real which is the dream argument and in another scene of the movie, Morpheus concludes the sme doubts as he asks: Have you ever had a dream, Neo, that you were so sure was real? What if you were unable to awake from that dream? How would you know the difference between the dream and the real world? In another scene, Morpheus asked Neo what reality really is. Are there the things that we comprehend? If we think about the movie, people believe that the world that they live is real and most of the things that they have leraned are coming by the help of the senses. According to Descartes (Biffle, 2001) , Of course, whatever I have so far accepted as supremely true I have learned from the senses or through the senses. But I have occasionally caught the senses deceiving me, and its prudent never completely to trust those who have chetaed us even once. Things that we get by our senses are the impulses that are conveyed to brain by the nerves and interpreted by it. There is no exact way that we can know that someting real is created by our experiences or knowledge or it is just a general idea that we believe. Our brain may deceive us and it may just dream by itself. I can give an example from the scene that Neo sees the woman in red. His senses trick him and when he turns back to see the woman again, he faces with an agent. On the other hand, there is another thing said by Descartes (Biffle, 2001), Similarly, while things like eyes, heads, and hands may be imaginary, it must be granted that some simpler and more universal things are real-the real colors from which the true and false images in our thoughts are formed. According to Descartes, I can say that the images that the matrix created or the woman in red exist, and in their creation, there are some bases on the production of them. Even if the images are imaginary, their bases are real. The human figure or especially a woman figure, the color red are all real. Thus, we can tell that Descartes ideas about senses are supported in the film by this scene. . Descartes continues and further states that since deception exists, there must be some evil responsible. However, rather than attributing this evil to God himself, he blames some malevolent demon. This demon in this movie is obviously the artificial intelligence responsible for the creation of the matrix. The Matrix was created to control humanity for the intelligences own gain, so it is inherently evil. Descartes proceeds to talk about how in order to truly be free, one must do his best to resist deception and know what can truly be known. Neo and the rest of the ships crew are doing their best to free humanity, but humanity in general continues to be deceived by what appears to be so real. The Matrix simulates reality so well, that it never occurs to humanity to doubt what they see. Even Neo, the character the story centers around is clueless at the beginning. Only once he is confronted with the truth does he begin to doubt, but even then he attempts to deny it. Descartes ponders this in his meditations as well. He reflects on humanitys tendency to believe the uncertain based on comfort with the idea. Once someone is used to an idea, they tend to resist letting it go because it is so ingrained in them. He continues to state that one should treat any idea that can be doubted as being absolutely false so that no belief is built upon an uncertain foundation. However, some choose to go back to the comfort of believing that which is not true, such as Cypher deciding to go back to the Matrix. He chooses the comfort of the deception over the harsh truth, and opts to prolong his deceit. He conspires against humanitys freedom for his own personal gain. Obviously, there is a much deeper side to this movie than the action scenes and special effects. There are some very noticeable parallels with the first meditation of Descartes as well as other works not mentioned. It revives an interest in a topic that has been pondered for quite some time. Thus encouraging a new generation to ponder what can truly be known. This movie, when viewed in the correct light, really brings into question what deceptions truly exist in our lives. Spoon thing

Religion in Public Schools Essay -- Prayer in Public Schools

Religion in School â€Å"Juliana! It is 7:00. Time to get up,† yelled my sister Jessica every Wednesday morning during our high school years. We got up earlier than usual those Wednesday mornings for FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes). FCA was held in the classroom of my social studies teacher who was also the instructor of FCA. I never realized how lucky I was to have an organized religious group at my high school until I talked to some friends from other schools. I was then given a taste of the reality of religion in school in overall society in the United States. Growing up in a small town lacking diversity in religions, I did not see the big picture that religion in schools is an issue. In order to discover what it was truly like to be exposed to the issue of religion in school I talked to three college students who graduated from large high schools. While talking to them I realized many religious privileges I took for granted at my school. For instance, these students could not say â€Å"Christmas break† because it was related to Jesus. Instead they had to say â€Å"winter break.† They simply did not have Easter break because the holiday was related to Christ. After interviewing my friends about religion in their schools I understand there is controversy on the subject. Neiberger proposal â€Å"Prayer does not belong in classrooms (1996),† states Ami Neiberger, a public relations programmer. Neiberger considers prayer at public school to violate the first amendment. Her strongest argument is saying state and religion should stay separate. This means the state should not have control of religion when it is present in school. Neiberger also does not think it is appropriate for prayer to take place at public sch... ...have to disagree with her main proposal. She does have good arguments to support her thoughts, but removing religious freedoms from school would be offensive to those students who want to practice their religion openly. Keeping religion in schools allows us as students to practice the freedoms that were given to us. References Barton, D. (2002). Solving the pledge of allegiance controversy. Wallbuilders. Retrieved November 2, 2003, from http://www.wallbuilders.com/resources/search/ detail.php?ResourceID=67 Legal Information Institute. First amendment: an overview. New York. Cornell Law School. Retrieved November 2, 2003, from http://www.law.cornell.edu/topics/first amendment.html Neiberger, A. (1996). Prayer does not belong in school. Retrieved October 30, 2003, from http://www.alligator.org/edit/issues/96-sumr/960523/d2ami23.htm

Diversification within American Organizations Essay -- essays research

Diversification within American Organizations The United States has the most diverse and multicultural population ever known to man. The symbolic metaphor â€Å"the melting pot,† strongly states that the major problem organizations face in American society is a diverse personnel with different economical status, beliefs, and cultural background; because of this, operating an organization in American society is a very complex task. For many years, researchers struggled with the concept of finding the perfect organizational structure to meet the need of the employee and the demands of society. However, research has consistently shown because of historical American idealism that individuals choose to interact more often with members of their own cultural groups or identity rather it’s gender, physical, race, or religious base. This type of interaction makes managing a diverse work force a major challenge for managers in the 21st century. This paper will examine diversification from four important issues facing today and future American corporations: Gender, Disability, Ethnicity, and Religion. The four issues are protected by Federal and State laws and enforce by Federal and State courts. Since Americans are comprised of individuals from various countries, and different ethnicities many organizations have begun to embrace diversification in the workplace. Diversification within American Organizations (GENDER) The study of organizations shows the significant differences and similarities of groups. American organizations have recognized that the composition a workforce or any organization, is beginning to reflect the composition of American society. Diversity of gender is one that is characterized by rolls of a person or persons. Research has shown that men and women are equal in terms of learning ability, memory, reasoning ability, creativity, and intelligence (Gibson, 96). Some people regard issues of treatment of various employee groups, such as those based on gender, race, and sexual orientation as primarily an issue of moral fairness. Women should be given the same career opportunities as men; homosexual couples should be given the same health insurance benefits as heterosexual couples. American society and culture has changed considerably on these issues over the last 150 years (when women were not allowed to vote and slavery was still practiced), and o... ...rganization. Diversity will challenge organizational leaders to make the necessary changes to develop a multicultural organization in today’s diverse society that fits society demands and the organizational needs. References Bolman, L.G., & Deal T.E. (1997). Reframing Organizations: Artistry, Choice and   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Leadership. Second Edition. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Inc. Braun, Carol M. (1998). Inequality: Opposing Viewpoints in Social Problems. San Diego: Greenhaven Press. Capps, Walter. (1990). The new religious right: piety, patriotism, and politics. South Carolina: University of South Carolina Press, 119-120. Clutterbuck, David (1981). How to be a good corporate citizen: A manager’s guide to making social responsibility work & pay. McGraw Hill Company. Oxford Press, 26-86. Cox, T. (1991). The Multicultural Organization. Academy of Management Executive, 5,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  34-37. Gender in the Workplace. (n.d.) Retrieved June 3, 2002 from http://www.hum.ah.edu/gender/gender.html. Gibson, J.L.,Ivancevich, J.M., Donnelly, J.H. (2000) Organizaions: Behavior Structure

Controversial Television Program Essay

My topic is Controversial Television Program; I believe that I can’t exclusively pertain to only one source. Why? Having a specific source restricts the information available for my topic that will hinder the comparisons of the advantages and disadvantages of certain controversial programs. A controversial television program doesn’t necessarily mean it has a â€Å"negative† impact to the audience, rather than a good conventional discussion for audience to tackle a particular issue that has a significant effect to the society or to an individual. It does not constraints ones idea, rather it asks us to become open minded and embrace various issues to talk about and open our minds and do something about it. This controversial television program varies from time to time. Decades ago, people are more conservative and restrict television programs that only cater to their taste, to their way of living. But now, people opt to have taste of these things that enhance their minds and argue things. I have chosen 3 various resources for my paper, and these three resources are great combinations to help me enable present a better research paper. These resources are in the same form of media as to my topic, and would surely cover all my questions and be able to expound a good argument to my audience.

Hsm310 Hipaa Assignment

| You Decide| Activity| Assignment Responses| Part I| From the Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) perspective on HIPAA, contemplate the three basic areas which HIT professionals must be most concerned with are: (1) Privacy Rules (2) Security Rules, and (3) Standardized transaction code sets| Write a paragraph on each of the 3 critical areas of HIPAA for a training session of your staff. Explain what they are, why they are important and how they impact staff duties and the organization. | HIPAA Rules(1)Privacy Rules: According to the U. S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the HIPAA Privacy Rule establishes national standards to protect individuals’ medical records and other personal health information and applies to health plans, health care clearinghouses, and those health care providers that conduct certain health care transactions electronically. It’s important because the Rule requires appropriate safeguards to protect the privacy of personal health information, and sets limits and conditions on the uses and disclosures that may be made of such information without patient authorization. This rule impacts the staff by: Not sharing the information with others who have no need to know, including co-workers, family members or friends, minimizing opportunities for patient information to be overheard by others, never sharing passwords, disposing of information containing PHI properly such as shredding paper files(2)Security Rules: The HIPAA Security Rule establishes national standards to protect individuals’ electronic personal health information that is created, received, used, or maintained by a covered entity. The Security Rule is important because it requires appropriate administrative, physical and technical safeguards to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and security of electronic protected health information. It impacts the organization by forcing the healthcare industry to adopt uniform electronic transaction standards for Healthcare information, . (3)Standardized transaction code sets rules: This rule is designed to improve claims and management revenue cycle. It important because it helps save physicians thousands of dollars annually by using the standard transactions. It impacts the organization because some health insurers still have not adopted all of the standard transactions and because of the inconsistency it creates a burden for physician practices| Part II| Leading experts in HIPAA implementation agree that the first step toward HIPAA compliance is to Inventory the organization’s data| Fill out the attached HIPAA inventory form for your organization. List the various departments from where you have retrieved data. Indicate how the data will be used. | Department HIPAA Inventory (1) Health Information Management Services: a. A critical issue would be who can and cannot have access to health information b. Having only access at a specific time frame. For instance, only Monday- Friday between 8 and 4, but to patients only. (2) Clinical Nursing Services: c. A critical issue concerning Clinical Nursing Services is the staffing. The staffing effects patient safety and quality care. d. The issue can be addressed by cutting spending for other personnel, such as unlicensed caregivers, housekeepers, and other support staff. The amount of non-nursing work performed by RNs in inpatient units could increase, and investments in medical technology and facilities to improve the quality of care could be deferred. (3) Credit Department: e. A critical issue would be hospitals continue to face volume declines, which negatively impact the bottom line. f. Since patient experience impacts the bottom line, with the increase in consumer savvy patients and the emergence of ratings sites, recognition programs, and other efforts, the issue can be addressed by incorporating pay-for-performance programs based on satisfaction outcomes as part of their financial arrangements. This should make the financial implications greater than ever. According to â€Å"healthcare industry news† An increasing amount of research and writing has been done on the subject, offering healthcare managers an â€Å"evidence-based† case for improving the service encounter. | Part III| In a modern US hospital, the individual responsible for assembling a HIPAA implementation team generally holds the title  Chief Compliance Officer, with the Chief Information Officer (CIO) in the primary role of electronic communication, and all data compliance. The CCO assures the CIO and HIMS Director that they may in fact release private health information (PHI) for TPO with a written authorization. What is TPO and why is the CCO correct under HIPAA? | Operational Activities and HIPAATreatment (T) is when a health care professional provides, coordinates or manages the health care services of one or more providers. Payment (P) means the activities we perform to get reimbursed for the health care services we have provided. Operations (O): include activities that ensure our effective business operations. These include, conducting quality assessment and improvement activities, reviewing the competence or qualifications of health care professionals, evaluating practitioner and provider performance, etc The CCO is correct under HIPAA because The HIPAA Privacy Rule permits a health care provider to disclose protected health information about an individual, without the individual’s authorization, to another health care provider for that provider’s treatment of the individual. | Fill in the areas required to complete the assignment questions above Works Cited Health Information Privacy. (n. d. ). Retrieved December 2011, from http://www. hhs. gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/administrative/securityrule/index. html Hospital Impact. (n. d. ). Retrieved December 2011, from http://www. hospitalimpact. org/index. php/2011/12/01/p3571 Hospital Nurse Staffing and Quality of care. (n. d. ). Retrieved December 2011, from http://www. ahrq. gov/research/nursestaffing/nursestaff. htm#Strategies