Item response theory scoring and the detection of curvilinear relationships.

Psychologists are increasingly positing theories of behavior that suggest psychological constructs are curvilinearly related to outcomes. However, results from empirical tests for such curvilinear relations have been mixed. We propose that correctly identifying the response process underlying responses to measures is important for the accuracy of these tests.

Older and (emotionally) smarter? Emotional intelligence as a mediator in the relationship between age and emotional labor strategies in service employees.

Unlabelled: BACKGROUND/STUDY CONTEXT: The purpose of the current study was to investigate whether age was related to emotional labor strategies (surface and deep acting), and whether emotional intelligence partially explained this relationship. Additionally, employee well-being was examined as an outcome in this model.

Methods: A total of 519 participants (age 18-68), working in a variety of service occupations, participated in a cross-sectional survey study.

Employee adiposity and incivility: establishing a link and identifying demographic moderators and negative consequences.

The prevalence of increased adiposity among employees in the American workplace has resulted in significant economic costs to organizations. Unfortunately, relatively little research has examined the effects of excess adiposity on employees themselves. As a step toward remedying this, the current study examined a previously unknown link between adiposity and incivility, and how this might impact employee burnout and withdrawal.

How to avoid a HIPAA horror story.

The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act of 2009 significantly expands the financial risk of violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and extends HIPAA procedures and penalties to business associates. Hospitals, physicians, and their business associates should ensure that HIPAA privacy and security provisions are adopted. Compliance efforts should focus on high-risk areas, including information access management, access control, and impermissible disclosures of protected health information.

Why can't physicians interoperate? Barriers to adoption of EHRS.

Despite an anti-kickback EHR safe harbor and a Stark EHR exception to legal restrictions on certain types of physician-hospital collaborations, hospitals have remained reticent to establish shared EHRs with physicians. Technical conditions in the safe harbor, in particular, undermine its utility. Unresolved tax issues related to hospital donations of software and other items necessary to create such shared EHRs also pose a significant barrier.

The 8 dimensions of quality.

Healthcare providers can better develop strategies for achieving and maintaining high-quality care by reviewing quality of care laws and metrics in relation to eight dimensions of quality: Reporting. Documentation. Quantity or access to care.