Perm-waved human hair: a thermorheologically complex shape memory composite.

A "permanent" bent shape can be imposed on a straight human hair by a two-stage reduction/oxidation (perm-waving) process. The process relies on the molecular level on sulfhydryl/disulfide interchange as bond exchange reaction (BER). We expected a well-documented transition temperature around 60°C to be the trigger for the shape memory (SM) process of perm-waved hair.

Use of the health plan employer data and information set for measuring and improving the quality of asthma care.

Objectives: To discuss the Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set (HEDIS) criteria for measuring performance in asthma care and to review new strategies to improve the quality of asthma care.

Data Sources: Expert opinion from a roundtable on National Committee for Quality Assurance HEDIS and asthma care, supplemented with a MEDLINE database search to identify articles published between January 1, 1990, and May 31, 2005, with the following keywords in the title: asthma plus HEDIS, pay for performance, incentive programs, reimbursement, or employee education.

Study Selection: Studies and review articles were selected for their relevance to measuring the quality of asthma care using HEDIS and improving care using newer trends, such as employee education and physician incentive programs.

A focus on the asthma HEDIS measure and its implications for clinical practice.

With more than $16.1 billion in annual costs, the asthma management system is inadequate and needs revision to improve health and financial outcomes. Solutions may be found in the National Committee for Quality Assurance's guidelines and in such programs as Pay for Performance that financially reward providers for adherence to standards of practice based on Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set measures.