Ted Mylenbusch

Authored Comments

I think that companies, like people, tend to focus on their own interests and make decisions based on those interests. There is no one best model that fits all companies and to compare them without regard to resource consumption emphasis and groupings according to what products they produce and sources of funding is inherently unfair and counter productive. Management of human resources tend to be expressed or projected as a segmentation into publics or audiences as organizations evolve and/or grow. Management styles for each segment will vary and have different goals based on the financial and social importance and relevance that goals in these areas add value, however that is defined. Managements ability to distill these differentiations and apply appropriate techniques to add value will depend on there competence. Identifying areas or departments of excellence is only the first step. Educating other managers and there employees on how to emulate that achievement embodying there departmental or area goals is the next step. I think that identification of "star" employees and how they realized their own and company goals is one effective internal campaign. These recognition programs could be spread across departmental, functional or product definitions and span these areas highlighting cooperation and inter-area collaboration to achieve or redefine individual, group, and company goals or sub-goals defined by individual or collaborative groups. In short, the tenets I am emphasizing involve employee empowerment and management competence.

Patient driven health care consumption is the way to go. Although MDs make all the resource consumption decisions, it is up to patients to become aware of the details and medical regimens for their particular condition(s). Having been an RN for 29 years I have professionally participated in the administration of medical treatment protocols for various types of cancer. Progress is made incrementally and sometimes breakthroughs do occur. Even one or two year old information may not reflect the current research using differing combinations of surgery, radiation, legacy and new drugs in clinical trials. We are getting smarter exponentially. Online information mining and sharing among patients and non-patients alike is currently the best alternative for making up-to-date medical information available to the audience in need. But protection of the patient's privacy is a real concern. Ideally, current information from ongoing clinical trials and availability of new treatment regimens should be aggragated in one online location to provide for a one-stop shop and news feeds to patients with specific problems. Prevention and management of chronic problems is the best way to save the most money. Also, alternative healthcare system entry portals and screening centers beyond MD offices and emergency rooms need to be developed. Early detection increases survival rates in most acute and chronic disease situations. Open source has made new software technologies available to a wider audience and spurs innovation by harnessing the power of the wider community. Patient specific medical information needs to be made available to medical providers and patients, alike. Anonymous medical information should be available to all others desiring higher levels of wellness.