Wednesday, September 4, 2019

teenage wasteland Essay -- essays research papers

The Teenage Wasteland, why was it so good? Growing up in the recent generations is very challenging. Children at such young ages, even younger than teens have been faced with such perilous decisions. It is especially hard for teenagers to find acceptance at this point in their lives. Here is an instance that is so common in this day and age, yet this particular case is only fiction. A teenage boy named Donny has been going through a few changes in his appearance. His parents, Matt and Daisy, are somewhat disturbed yet they don’t say much to him. Then one day Daisy gets a call from Donny’s school administrator and tells her that his grades are attitude are dropping scale. He eventually gets kicked out of private school and does poorly in public school. Daisy was concerned and decided to take advice from the school and psychologist to get help from a highly reputable tutor, Calvin Applebee. Instead of Donny’s parents talking to their son they hire Cal, which tries to handle Donny’s lack of emotion an d performance. Donny’s performance didn’t change with Cal, at least in the school aspect, but Cal kept reassuring Daisy and Matt that it would change and to give it more time. In result, Donny runs away after being sent home because he was expelled for being caught with drugs in his locker and months later he still has not returned home. Who is to blame? Should Daisy and Matt been more disciplined on Donny? Well, in Anne Tyler’s short story the Teenage Wasteland this is just what happened. I really enjoyed this story because I feel it really focused on an issue that is so common in our generation. It was easy to read and was straight to the point. I especially enjoyed the role of the dumbfounded parents, Cal’s cynical character, and in result of the all their foolishness, the action Donny resulted in taking. It was really funny to me to see how Donny’s parents could be so oblivious to all that was happening to Donny. They were very good parents but didn’t but enough discipline on him. They instead let the school, the psychologist, and especially the Cal run the life of Donny. Daisy and Matt should never have given so much control to everyone else over their own son. Daisy tried helping Donny in school, even having to start supper late at times and spending less time around her other daughter. It wasn’t always pleasant because when Matt would come home she would... ...r’s story may not have been happy but it ended as more of a realistic matter. Maybe she decided to conclude the book with the disappearance of Donny to show some parents how important is truly is to communicate and love their children unless they want the same thing to happened to their children that Donny experienced. I really enjoyed â€Å"Teenage Wasteland† because it displayed a topical issue some parents have actually faced in their lifetime. It was exceptional the way the story was wrapped up. Not that I don’t enjoy happy endings but I am more interested in reading stories that may be written in fiction but that I can actually relate to and imagine it happening. Anne Tyler displayed this real life situation through a fiction tale that has such valuable lessons to be learned. Donny’s just a teenager who was going through a rough time in his life and just wanted to be loved and to love himself. It isn’t always happy the way children turn out but parents do make the difference and communication is a key to success. I feel Tyler displayed this quite clear in her short story so everyone could learn a lesson worth learning to prevent this astounding situation from happening to others.

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

The Potato And Its Societal Effects Essay -- Essays Papers

The Potato And Its Societal Effects The potato had a great effect in Europe during the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. The potato was a part of the Agricultural Revolution that took place during this time. The Agricultural Revolution not only had a great impact on agriculture, but society as well. This revolution caused an increase in population. J.G. Hawkes, author of The Potato: Evolution, Biodiversity, and Genetic Resources, notes that the "potato [was] brought to Spain about 1570 by Spanish explorers who discovered it in South America. The potato was grown in the country of Chile. Hawkes also asserts that the potato was most likely brought to England around 1590. However, Redcliffe Salaman, author of The History and Social Influence of the Potato, explains that "the potato was a luxury food in England until the middle of the seventeenth century" (445). The potato helped to revolutionize society. During the eighteenth century the working class of England could not afford bread. Bread prices rose dramatically, but workers wages remained low. This caused a great deal of disease and malnutrition within the working class in England. Salaman notes that "the potato was mainly responsible for remedying this condition amongst the working classes of the country" (435). The potato was used as a substitute for bread because there was a shortage of wheat. The potato helped England to survive a shortage of wheat and bread. The Western Heritage Brief Edition textbook explains that with the potato, "a single acre of land could produce enough potatoes to feed a peasant family for an entire year" (381-82). Salaman offered the evidence of esteemed economist Adam Smith who said, "one acre land under potatoes would yield... ... it was and could not afford food. Potatoes had been the primary source of food for seventy percent of the Irish people. This Famine changed Ireland socially and culturally in many ways. Works Cited - Food and Drink in History: Selections from the Annales. Vol. 5. Baltimore: The John Hopkins University Press, 1979. 5 vols. - Hawkes, J.G. The Potato: Evolution, Biodiversity, and Genetic Resources. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institute Press, 1990.. - Salaman, Redcliffe. The History and Social Influence of the Potato. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1985. - Szabo, Liz. "Interpreting the Irish Famine, 1846-1850." Liz Szabo’s Home Page. http://avery.med.virginia.edu/~eas5e/Irish/Famine.html (25 March 1998). - The Western Heritage Brief Edition. Vol. 2. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1996. 2 vols.

Monday, September 2, 2019

The Roots of Artificial Intelligence Essay -- History Historical Essay

The Roots of Artificial Intelligence The roots of artificial intelligence can be traced back to ancient Greece with myths like that of Pygmalion, which incorporated the idea of an intelligent robot. These early thoughts soon developed into stories like Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein in 1818, which was the story of a monster created by man and brought to life. These stories make for interesting fireside tales and bedtime reading, but where did artificial intelligence truly get its start? Most scientists and historians would give this credit to â€Å"the father of artificial intelligence†1, John McCarthy. Without McCarthy, the term â€Å"artificial intelligence† would not have been coined; and many discoveries in this growing field would not have been made or pursued without his preliminary research into this previously uncharted territory of computer science. This early research in artificial intelligence has led to many of the most important technological advances of all time. By loo king at John McCarthy’s life and a few of these applications of artificial intelligence, it is easy to see how much of an impact the field of artificial intelligence has had on our world. John McCarthy was born in 1927 in Boston, Massachusetts. His mother, a journalist for the Federated Press wire service, and his father, a fisherman, carpenter, and a union organizer, were both Communist party activists. â€Å"McCarthy has ascribed his early interest in science to his family’s political views, pointing to their general belief that technology was good for humanity†2. Due to his family’s controversial political views, John was kept on the move for most of his childhood, first to New York and then on to Los Angeles. As a junior in... ...ries that will help society just as much, if not more, than a true artificial intelligence. Works Cited 1Morales, Edu. Online: http://web.mit.edu/STS001/www/Team7/home.html 2 Ibid. 3Weiss, Sonia. â€Å"John McCarthy†. Online: http://www.digitalcentury.com/encyclo/update/mccarthy.html 4Ibid. 5Ibid. 6Ibid. 7Christiansen, Brian. â€Å"History of Speech Recognition†. Online: http://www.stanford.edu/~jmaurer/history.htm 8Howard-Spink, Sam. Online: http://www.research.ibm.com/thinkresearch/pages/2002/20020918_speech.shtml 9Ibid. 10 â€Å"Remote Control in Deep Space.† Science News Weekly. 29 May 1999. 11Artificial Intelligence. Exploration Systems Autonomy Section, Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Online: http://www-aig.jpl.nasa.gov/ 12Roush, Wade. â€Å"Immbots Take Control.† Technology Review. December 2002-January 2003.

Sunday, September 1, 2019

Brooklyn Cop Essay

The cop appears to be a savage yet we are later made aware of his underlying vulnerability. New York’s reputation of violence and crime leads to our awareness of the cop’s fear of not returning home to his wife. †¦ We are first made aware of the cop’s intimidating appearance in the first line, of the first stanza when MacCaig uses the simile â€Å"built like gorilla. † This gives us a very negative and animalistic idea of the man, an enforcer, and almost a thug. This is reinforced with the metaphor, â€Å"hieroglyphs in his face† instead of eyes. We build a picture of someone who is very strong, brutish and somewhat sinister. MacCaig includes the element of humour by saying, â€Å"but less timid,† this is also ironic, as gorillas aren’t renowned for their timidity to begin with. We are further made aware of the cop’s threatening appearance when the cop is described as being, â€Å"steak coloured. † This suggests that the cop constantly looks enraged, due to the comparison to raw steak, which is bright red. A very important metaphor is created in the first stanza, which establishes the main theme of the poem: â€Å"he walks the sidewalk and the thin tissue over violence†¦ † This leads us to believe that there is an underlying threat of violence in the cop’s persona, which implies that the cop is an unpredictable and perilous character. We now know why this man has to be so strong: his world is one where, as the metaphor highlights, the thin veneer of peace and civilisation is very fragile and could easily be broken. MacCaig retains our interest by creating contrast in the cop’s persona in the first stanza. The stanza concludes with Norman MacCaig giving a more defenceless view of the cop, by expressing the intimate relationship he shares with his wife. He says, â€Å"See you, babe† as well as â€Å"Hiya honey. † We can now almost think of him as a gentle giant, less of a brute. The word â€Å"honey† is a term of affection that shows both his love for his wife and his relief at coming home safely from his work. These conflicting parts of his personality; his brutal, animal-like side at work, and his tender caring side at home are revealed in these two contrasting lines and contribute to the vivid description of the cop. We are further made aware of the cop’s vulnerable side when we are told, â€Å"he hoped it, he truly hoped it. † MacCaig uses repetition to increase our awareness of the cop’s fear of not returning home to his wife. In the last stanza, the poet shifts the image of the gorilla. No longer the powerful and dangerous animal, he has become one of an endangered species who faces death or extermination at every street corner. Who would be him, gorilla with a nightstick whose home is a place he might, this time, never go back to? † Norman MacCaig uses a rhetorical question, as he wants us all to consider the dangers this man faces on a daily basis; The fact that every working day is a life threatening situation for him is affluent throughout the poem, as is the fierce, tough and unyielding characteristics of this Brooklyn Cop, all of which are necessities in order for him to be able to fulfil his duties. MacCaig questions the cop’s integrity in the last sentence of the poem, he asks yet another rhetorical question: â€Å"And who would be who have to be his victims? † Here, MacCaig has used an elliptical sentence structure. This last question is almost encoded, requiring the reader to think of all the implications, but leaving us to make up our mind independently.

Saturday, August 31, 2019

Assess the impact of new technologies on the music industry – Discuss the significance and implications of these developments

Over the years, the development of new technology has caused significant changes in the music industry. The presence of radio and digital radio, digital television, mini discs and the Internet has created challenges and opportunities for the BPI (British Phonographic Industry) and RIAA (Record Industry Association of America) alike. Radio works in parallel with the record industry because airplay determines to some extent, the chart position of an artist or group. If chart success is dependent on radio, then radio is an important tool to the music industry. To show just how important, ‘pluggers' are employed to approach disc jockeys to play their bands music for promotion and chart placement. Furthermore, the introduction of digital radio has excluded some of the restrictions of area broadcasting so people have more access to music. This is significant because radio now has a larger audience than before and more people are being influenced. This changes the way music is purchased and determines the success of artists and the record companies. Digital television works in the same way as radio in that the music channels help promote singles through the playing of music videos. Specialized channels and radio stations target specific audiences – this is known as narrow casting – which let every genre of music be heard enabling audiences to make up their own minds about what they like. As homogenous music exists alongside specialist music produced mainly by A and R (Artist and Repertoire), record companies want to target the right audiences for maximum exposure and therefore corresponding sales. For example, the channels ‘MTV Hits', ‘The Box' and ‘Smash Hits† play mostly pop music, whereas channels like ‘Kerrang', ‘Q' and ‘MTV2†³ specialize in alternative and rock music. The Internet has proved to be both helpful and challenging to the music industry. For record companies, it advertises and sells their music and is an easy way for people to purchase singles and albums. The introduction of selling CD's on the Internet has not meant that high-street stores will go out of business as not everyone buys music from their computers. For example younger people do not have credit cards and are therefore not able to buy music on the Internet. Instead, it has provided record companies with another profitable venture, as now there is more access to buy music. The downside of the Internet for the music industry is the emergence of MP3. This compresses material without altering the end product so it can be downloaded onto PC. Many millions of people now download music for free and burn the songs onto a blank disk. This is illegal but available and at present because of the mass numbers of people doing it, the BPI and RIAA cannot stop it from happening There are many arguments in favour of downloading, but the music industry insists outright that it should be banned. Their arguments against file sharing are that it deprives artists (and record companies) of royalties. The money gained from selling music provides an incentive to actually make it – if there is no money then there is no incentive and it will discourage artists from recording music. However, some artists may not consider money to be the main incentive to make music and even record straight to MP3 format. For example, David Bowie, the ‘Beastie Boys' and ‘Muse' do this. Other implications of downloading music are that if profits continue to fall, record companies will take fewer risks and not introduce new bands with different styles of music. This means that music will become even more predictable and formulaic which in turn creates a limited choice for the consumer. They also claim that it could undermine the record industry. The industry does feel threatened as in 1999 two hundred free music websites were shut down. Record companies say that the industry will be weakened because of MP3, and eventually smaller, independent record companies would disappear and again, people's choice in music will be limited. However, it can be argued that through buying albums choice is already limited. File sharing actually allows audiences more freedom to obtain the music that they want to hear, rather than paying for an album and only liking two out of ten songs. Alongside the threat of Internet downloading is the existence of mini disks and mini disk players. This causes a problem for the record industry as people can hold an extensive collection of music from a variety of different genres on one small disk for the price of a blank mini disk rather that a compilation compact disk for about fifteen pounds. The new technologies discussed above have a mixture of positive and negative outcomes for the record industry. They benefit from some – for example radio and digital television, even the Internet, but suffer from other developments such as file sharing. In order to compete with the ever-growing demand for music that is cheap and readily available, then it is advised that the industry make a number of significant changes that will benefit themselves and the consumer.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Malaysian Financial Reporting Standard

Malayan Financial Reporting Standards 132 WTK Company Harmonizing to MFRS 132, the statements of fiscal place of WTK Company divide into fiscal plus, fiscal liability, and fiscal equity. In the statements of fiscal place of WTK Company besides divide into group and company. WTK Company’s fiscal assets have non-currents assets and current assets. In non-current assets, there are decently, works and equipment, prepaid land rental payments, investing belongingss, and others. For the group, in 1.1.2011, the sum of non-current assets is RM 1020829000 which increased to RM 1099123000 in twelvemonth terminal of 2011. In twelvemonth terminal of 2012, the non-current assets increased once more to RM 141151000. This show that WTK Company’s non-current assets grow from 2011 to 2012. Whereas in company portion, the sum of non-current assets in 1.1.2011 is RM 433458000 and travel up to RM 434816000 in twelvemonth terminal of 2011. In 2012, the non-current assets increase once more to RM 438215000. The current assets are stock lists, tr ade and other receivables, other current assets and others. The current assets of WTK Company, in group portion, in 1.1.2011, the sum is RM 558683000 so add up to RM 588906000. In 2012, the sum of current assets is RM 551048000. In the company portion, the current assets in 1.1.2011 are RM 45304000 grows up to RM 59270000. In 2012, the current assets sum is increase to RM 63501000. Hence, the group portion of entire sum of assets is RM 1692199000 whereas in the company portion of entire sum of assets is RM 501716000. WTK Company has fiscal liability and fiscal equity. In fiscal liability, there are non-current liabilities and current liabilities. In group portion, the sum of current liabilities in 1.1.2011 is RM 313731000 which increased to RM 310156000 in twelvemonth terminal 2011. In 2012, the sum of current liabilities additions once more to RM 242404000. In company portion, the sum of current liabilities in 1.1.2011 is RM 51892000 and lessening to RM 45407000 in twelvemonth terminal 2011. In 2012, the sum of current liabilities drops once more to RM 45070000. The sum of net current asserts/liabilities in group portion in 2012 are RM 30644000 whereas in company portion 2012, the sum of net current asserts/liabilities are RM 18431000. The non-current liabilities in group portion 1.1.2011 are RM 214236000 and increase to RM 1189560000. In 2012, the sum encouragement once more to RM 1220240000. In company portion, the non-current liabilities in 1.1.2011 are RM 4265832000 and hike up to RM 4486410 00. In 2012, the non-current liabilities are RM 456608000. After add with non-controlling involvement, RM 15319000, the entire equity is RM 1235559000 in 2012 group portion. In group portion 2012, the entire equity and liabilities are RM 1693199000 whereas in company portion 2012, the entire equity and liabilities are RM 501716000. The chief rule of MFRS 132 is a fiscal instrument that is non an plus should be confidential as either a fiscal liability or an equity instrument harmonizing to the substance of the contract, but non its official signifier. The determination to make should be at the clip instrument is chiefly known. Fiscal plus and fiscal liability should be do up for and the net sum reported when, and merely when, an entity has a officially enforceable right to countervail the sums and intends either to unclutter up on a net footing, or to acknowledge the plus and settle the liability at the same time. Equity instrument is contract that evidences a residuary involvement in the assets of an entity after subtracting all its liabilities. The statement of alterations in equity will uncover all constituents of equity demoing in item the gap balance, addition and diminution and the shutting balance. Equity comprises portion capital and militias. Additions and lessenings to retained net income non disclosed in the other comprehensive income. Statements of alterations in equity of WTK Company besides divide into group and company. In twelvemonth terminal of 2012, the group of statements of alterations in equity, the entire equity is RM 1235559000 whereas in twelvemonth terminal of 2011 is RM 1204973000. In twelvemonth terminal of 2012, entire equity attributable to the proprietors of the company is RM 1220240000 whereas in twelvemonth terminal of 2011, entire equity attributable to the proprietors of the company is RM 1189560000. The portions capital, portions premium, and exchequer portions are RM 219007000, RM 45708000, and negative RM 7570000 severally in twelvemonth terminal of 2011. In twelvemonth terminal of 2012, the portions capital and portions premium are the same as in 2011. The exchequer portions are negative RM 8062000. The maintained net incomes in 2011 are RM 931358000 whereas in 2012, the maintained net incomes are RM 962176000. In 2011, entire other militias, foreign currency interlingual rendition modest y, just value accommodation modesty, and non-controlling involvements are RM1057000, RM 685000, RM372000, and RM 15413000 severally. Entire other militias, foreign currency interlingual rendition modesty, just value accommodation, and non-controlling involvements are RM 1411000, RM 1299000, RM 112000, and RM 15319000 severally in 2012. In company portion, the entire equity in 2011 is RM 448641000 whereas the entire equity is RM 456608000 in 2012. The portions capital, portions premium, and exchequer portions in 2011 are RM 209007000, RM 45708000, and negative RM 7570000. In 2012, the portions capital and portions premium are the same as in 2011. The exchequer portions are negative RM8062000. The maintained net incomes in 2011 are RM 190579000 whereas in 2012 are RM 199445000. Entire other militias, capital modesty, and just value accommodation are RM 917000, RM 400000, and RM 517000 severally in 2011. In 2012, entire other militias, capital modesty, and just value accommodation modesty are RM 510000, RM 400000, and RM 110000 severally. Additions such as reappraisal excess and adjust in just value of fiscal assets available for sale are recognized in other comprehensive income and disclosed discretely as militias. Revaluation excess on depreciable non-current plus is known in other comprehensive income and accredited to the reappraisal modesty. The depreciation charge wining to the just value accommodation of the plus will be higher, and an sum equal to the extra depreciation is to be transferred from the reappraisal modesty to retained net incomes. If the plus were to be sold before it was to the full depreciated, the staying balance on the reappraisal for that punctilious plus is besides transferred to retained net incomes. Interest, dividends, additions and losingss associating to an instrument classified as liability should be reported in the income statement. This means that dividends payments on preferable portions classified as liabilities are treated as disbursals. On the other custodies, distributions such as dividends to owner of a fiscal instrument classified as equity should be charge straight aligned with equity. The outgo of an entity’s ain equity instrument that is has required cherished portions is deducted from equity. Derive or loss is non recognized on the purchase, sale, issue or revocation of exchequer portions.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Evolution of health care information system Essay

In this paper, we will compare and contrast Skilled Nursing Facilities from 20 years ago to today. Skilled Nursing facilities of today are both similar and different from what they were like two decades ago. Similarities comprise of the organizational structure, including different departments, and the various roles within those departments. The roles of nurses, doctors, administrators, and therapists have not changed much in the last 20 years, and it is still the same hierarchical approach where a top down approach to administration and management is used . The differences outweigh the similarities as many changes have taken place over the years. Most of the changes have been as a result of the advances in information technology in health care. Some of the differences include utilization of information systems such as e-mail for communication, documentation using electronic medical records (EMR), and utilization of advanced medical equipment. Two significant advances in health care information system over the last two decades has been the use of EMR and the advances in medical devices. These two advances have changed how care is being delivered in health care in general and more specifically, in skilled nursing facilities. Two decades ago, majority of documentation was done by hand, often resulting in disjointed, redundant documentation without the ability to extrapolate meaningful data for analytical and benchmarking purposes. By contrast with the current EMR documentation, there is very little duplication of documentation, and internal and external benchmarking is available for quality improvement purposes. Today’s skilled nursing facility is dependent upon computer and information systems to run practically every aspect of the organization. Billing systems, pyxis systems for medication dispensing, minimum data set documentation and transmission to The Centers for Medicare and Medicare Systems are just some examples of the use of computer technology used in nursing facilities of today. Skilled Nursing Facilities using outdated technology, hand- written documentation, and outdated medical equipment will have to adapt to and invest in technology and equipment if they want to stay competitive with the market. Information System in Skilled Nursing Facility of Today The skilled nursing facility that I currently work at is a long-term care facility founded in 2001 and is affiliated with a local nonprofit hospital. This 150-bed state-of-the-art facility has 40 sub-acute beds, 30 dementia beds, and the remainder, are long-term beds. The sub-acute unit has all private rooms. All beds are Medicare and Medicaid certified. This modern facility has electronic medical records and uses internal and external benchmarking data to track and trend data. They use this data to improve clinical and financial outcomes and as a result of this, have been able to improve their financial viability and have a five-star rating on the CMS Nursing Home Compare website. The physicians and nurses can access lab results, and x-ray results online via a secure connection. The admissions department can cost out patients medications and the rehabilitation department, in collaboration with the MDS coordinators can determine reimbursement based on patient needs, prior to the patient being admitted. Data is stored in a data warehouse (server) where it can be mined by authorized personnel only. The advanced medical equipment use has resulted in high level of job satisfaction and resulted in staff retention. Analysis of Data Used: 20 Years Ago to Now Twenty years ago, skilled nursing facilities did not have the ability to collect and analyze data. The need to collect data was there, and some manual data collection was done, but it was impossible to collect significant clinical and financial data and use it for analytical purposes. Fast forward 20years to the present and we now have the ability to have access to significant data that can be used to improve systems and processes for better outcomes. Of significance has been the minimum data set in nursing homes. The Minimum Data Set (MDS) is part of the federally mandated process for clinical assessment of all residents in Medicare and Medicaid certified nursing homes. This process provides a comprehensive assessment of each resident’s functional capabilities and helps nursing home staff identify health problems. Care Area Assessments (CAAs) are part of this process, and provide the foundation upon which a resident’s individual care plan is formulated. MDS assessments are completed for all residents in certified nursing homes, regardless of source of payment for the individual resident. MDS assessments are required for residents on admission to the nursing facility, periodically, and on discharge. All assessments are completed within specific guidelines and time frames. MDS information is transmitted electronically by nursing homes to the national MDS database at CMS. National and regional benchmarking is available through reports and government rates nursing homes based on these benchmarks. Examples of available benchmarking are percentage of restraints used, facility-acquired wounds, infection rates, falls, and decline in activities of daily living. Two Major Technological Advances influencing Health Care Information System (HCIS) Health care information systems are a prerequisite for coordinated, integrated, and evidence-informed health care. Introduction and use of EMR has changed how health care is delivered across the spectrum and will continue to change. It has allowed us to collect clinical data and use it to use evidence-based best practices. It has given the ability to decrease redundancy in documentation and increase patient safety by flagging medications that may be contraindicated if given in combination with another medication. Another major technological advance has been in the area of medical devices and equipment. Advanced medical devices used for diagnosis has helped detect diseases more rapidly and as a result, saved lives. The use of telemedicine is for patients who wish to remain in their homes versus a nursing home have been significant. Nurses can check patients’ vital signs frequently and collaborate with the physician to monitor patients and change treatment as needed before patient becomes acutely ill. This has lessened the need for the patients to be re-hospitalized, hence, better outcome for the patient as well as lesser financial impact. Formally defined, telemedicine is the use of medical information exchanged from one site to another via electronic communications to improve a patient’s clinical health status. Telemedicine includes a growing variety of applications and services using two-way video, e-mail, smart phones, wireless tools, and other forms of telecommunications technology. Conclusion There are some similarities and vast differences between the operations of a long-term care facility of today versus one from 20 years ago, specifically as it relates to information systems and how data was used than in comparison with the way it is used today. Today, every process, and system in a long-term care facility is dependent upon information technology to function. Financial and clinical outcomes are measured and compared with other organizations, both, nationally, and regionally to gauge and improve processes. One major technological advance has been in the area of use of EMR and access to patient information, such as lab results being readily available, enabling providers with quick decision-making ability. Another major technological advance has been in advanced medical equipment and telemedicine, allowing exchange of information for improved patient health status. Future advancement in information technology will change the way health care is delivered and facilities that embrace this change and use it to their advantage will come out ahead. References www. americantelemed. org/learn www. cms. gov www. lse. ac. uk