Journal articles on the topic 'Quality control Australia Costs'
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1
Sharp, I. H., and M. A. Schell. "Study of Recreational Use of Sydney Water Board and Fish River Water Supply Storages (Australia)." Water Science and Technology 21, no. 2 (February 1, 1989): 119–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/wst.1989.0037.
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Existing and potential recreational uses in a number of very different water supply catchments managed by two major N.S.W. authorities were investigated. Community attitudes to recreational use of both land based and water based activities were analysed together with reactions to increased charges to cover costs of ensuring safe water quality. Threats to water quality were studied and additional management and water quality control measures formulated.
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Wellings, C. R. "Puccinia striiformis in Australia: a review of the incursion, evolution, and adaptation of stripe rust in the period 1979 - 2006." Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 58, no. 6 (2007): 567. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ar07130.
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The wheat stripe rust pathogen (Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici; Pst) was first detected in Australia in 1979. The features of the initial pathotype suggested that it was of European origin, and later work provided evidence that it was most likely transmitted as adherent spores on travellers’ clothing. Despite long-held views that this cool temperature pathogen would not adapt to Australian conditions, Pst became endemic and progressively adapted to commercial wheat production through step-wise mutation. Several of these mutant pathotypes became frequent in the Pst population, causing widespread infection and significant costs to production (yield and quality losses; chemical control expenditure) in certain cultivars and seasons. Pathotype evolution, including adaptation to native barley grass (Hordeum spp.) populations, is described. The occurrence of an exotic pathotype of Pst in Western Australia in 2002, and its subsequent spread to eastern Australia, represented a major shift in the pathogen population. This pathotype dominated pathogen populations throughout Australia from 2003, with chemical control expenditure estimated at AU$40–90 million annually. Another exotic introduction was detected in 1998. Initial data indicated that certain isolates collected from barley grass were highly avirulent to wheat differentials, with the exception of partial virulence to Chinese 166. Further seedling tests revealed that these isolates, tentatively designated barley grass stripe rust (BGYR), were virulent on several Australian barleys, notably those of Skiff parentage. Data, including molecular studies, suggest that BGYR is a new forma specialis of P. striiformis. Field nurseries indicate that BGYR is likely to have little impact on commercial barley, although this may change with further pathotype evolution or the release of susceptible cultivars.
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Roy, Peter. "Maritime offshore operations—occupational noise monitoring, assessment and control." APPEA Journal 49, no. 2 (2009): 569. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/aj08042.
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With increasing emphasis on occupational health as a component of maritime safety case requirements for Australia, the National Offshore Petroleum Safety Authority (NOPSA), in keeping with their goal of improving health and safety outcomes across the industry, has ramped up their expectations on noise management plans (NMP). Now the expectation includes noise risk assessments and evaluation and implementation of feasible engineering noise controls, and NOPSA have added scrutiny of ototoxic substances as well, all of which parallel international trends. NOPSA surveys have found rather poor industry compliance with noise management requirements overall, and have stated that they will continue to promote the issues and will not hesitate to take enforcement action to improve compliance. Occupational noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) is 100% permanent and 100% preventable. Failing to prevent NIHL has significant human, economic, legal and operational impacts. NIHL results in diminished quality of life including isolation and communication problems that affect social interactions. The economic effects of NIHL include lost time and decreased productivity, loss of otherwise qualified and experienced workers through medical disqualification, workers’ compensation costs and disability settlements, retraining costs and expenses related to medical intervention and treatment. Noise-impaired communications affect workplace operational and health and safety performance, and noisy ship and maritime platform accommodations and common areas adversely affect staff comfort, fatigue, morale and general well-being.
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Jung, Brian, Niel Kritzinger, Steven van Wagensveld, and John Mak. "A case study for cost-effective design of relocatable deep dewpoint control gas plant." APPEA Journal 57, no. 2 (2017): 607. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/aj16030.
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Australia has significant smaller-capacity gas fields, in relatively remote areas. An economically viable design for the Australian market is a small to mid-size gas plant to produce pipeline-quality gas and recover attractive amounts of liquid products (NGLs) for export by truck. Such a plant has minimal equipment, is highly modularised to be cost-effective for remote locations with high labour costs, can be relocated, and can be implemented in a substantially shorter time frame than conventional projects. For the North and South American markets, we have developed a deep dewpointing process that combines high NGL recovery with simplicity of design, yet is flexible enough to accommodate a range of compositions and flow rates. This design is well suited for standardisation of small to medium-size gas plants where feed gas compositions may vary and capacity increases are not well known. A short implementation schedule provides first-to-market economic benefits. We have developed 3rd Generation ModularisationSM that is proven to significantly reduce a plant’s footprint compared with more traditional modularisation practices. This new approach makes it possible to design a gas processing facility as transportable modules that can be built in the most cost-effective location, are low cost to install and may be relocated in the future. This has been demonstrated in a recent project completed in 2015 for Shell in Canada. This paper presents the solution for the Australian market that combines the benefits of high gas liquids recovery with low investment, delivered in compact relocatable modules that enable very flexible field development strategies.
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Lee, Yong Yi, Cathrine Mihalopoulos, Mary Lou Chatterton, Susan L. Fletcher, Patty Chondros, Konstancja Densley, Elizabeth Murray, et al. "Economic evaluation of the Target-D platform to match depression management to severity prognosis in primary care: A within-trial cost-utility analysis." PLOS ONE 17, no. 5 (May 25, 2022): e0268948. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0268948.
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Background Target-D, a new person-centred e-health platform matching depression care to symptom severity prognosis (minimal/mild, moderate or severe) has demonstrated greater improvement in depressive symptoms than usual care plus attention control. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of Target-D compared to usual care from a health sector and partial societal perspective across 3-month and 12-month follow-up. Methods and findings A cost-utility analysis was conducted alongside the Target-D randomised controlled trial; which involved 1,868 participants attending 14 general practices in metropolitan Melbourne, Australia. Data on costs were collected using a resource use questionnaire administered concurrently with all other outcome measures at baseline, 3-month and 12-month follow-up. Intervention costs were assessed using financial records compiled during the trial. All costs were expressed in Australian dollars (A$) for the 2018–19 financial year. QALY outcomes were derived using the Assessment of Quality of Life-8D (AQoL-8D) questionnaire. On a per person basis, the Target-D intervention cost between $14 (minimal/mild prognostic group) and $676 (severe group). Health sector and societal costs were not significantly different between trial arms at both 3 and 12 months. Relative to a A$50,000 per QALY willingness-to-pay threshold, the probability of Target-D being cost-effective under a health sector perspective was 81% at 3 months and 96% at 12 months. From a societal perspective, the probability of cost-effectiveness was 30% at 3 months and 80% at 12 months. Conclusions Target-D is likely to represent good value for money for health care decision makers. Further evaluation of QALY outcomes should accompany any routine roll-out to assess comparability of results to those observed in the trial. This trial is registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12616000537459).
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Cheng, Qinglu, Stuart A. Kinner, Xing J. Lee, Kathryn J. Snow, and Nicholas Graves. "Cost–utility analysis of low-intensity case management to increase contact with health services among ex-prisoners in Australia." BMJ Open 8, no. 8 (August 2018): e023082. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-023082.
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ObjectivesThe economic burden of incarceration is substantial in Australia. People released from prison are at high risk of poor health and this is an important predictor of recidivism. The ‘Passports Study’ was a randomised controlled trial of an intervention designed to increase health service utilisation after release from prison. The aim of this study is to conduct a cost–utility analysis of this transitional programme.SettingAustraliaDesignA hybrid simulation model was developed to estimate the changes to total economic costs and effectiveness expressed as quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) from the adoption of the ’Passports’ intervention compared with the control group. Model parameters were informed by linked data from Queensland Corrective Services, Medicare, Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, Queensland Hospital Admission Patient Data Collection, Emergency Department Information System and National Death Index. Health-related quality of life was measured using the Short-Form 8 Health Survey (SF-8). The primary outcomes were the costs and estimated QALYs associated with the intervention group and the control group. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis was conducted to test parameter uncertainties.ResultsCompared with the control group where no attempt was made to encourage health service utilisation, an average participant in the intervention group incurred an extra cost of AUD 1790 and experienced slightly reduced QALYs, which indicated that the intervention was dominated in the baseline analysis. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis revealed that the transitional programme had a low probability of being cost-effective with the outcome measures selected.ConclusionThe findings of this study do not provide economic evidence to support the widespread adoption of the Passports intervention. Due to the reductionist nature of the cost–utility approach, it may be that important health-related benefits have been omitted. Another research approach using a wider range of health-related measures might generate different conclusions.
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Comans, Tracy, Victoria Visser, and Paul Scuffham. "Cost Effectiveness of a Community-Based Crisis Intervention Program for People Bereaved by Suicide." Crisis 34, no. 6 (November 1, 2013): 390–97. http://dx.doi.org/10.1027/0227-5910/a000210.
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Background: Postvention services aim to ameliorate distress and reduce future incidences of suicide. The StandBy Response Service is one such service operating in Australia for those bereaved through suicide. Few previous studies have reported estimates or evaluations of the economic impact and outcomes associated with the implementation of bereavement/grief interventions. Aims: To estimate the cost-effectiveness of a postvention service from a societal perspective. Method: A Markov model was constructed to estimate the health outcomes, quality-adjusted life years, and associated costs such as medical costs and time off work. Data were obtained from a prospective cross-sectional study comparing previous clients of the StandBy service with a control group of people bereaved by suicide who had not had contact with StandBy. Costs and outcomes were measured at 1 year after suicide bereavement and an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was calculated. Results: The base case found that the StandBy service dominated usual care with a cost saving from providing the StandBy service of AUS $803 and an increase in quality-adjusted life years of 0.02. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis indicates there is an 81% chance the service would be cost-effective given a range of possible scenarios. Conclusion: Postvention services are a cost-effective strategy and may even be cost-saving if all costs to society from suicide are taken into account.
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Roebeling, P. C., M. C. Cunha, L. Arroja, and M. E. van Grieken. "Abatement vs. treatment for efficient diffuse source water pollution management in terrestrial-marine systems." Water Science and Technology 72, no. 5 (May 25, 2015): 730–37. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/wst.2015.259.
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Marine ecosystems are affected by water pollution originating from coastal catchments. The delivery of water pollutants can be reduced through water pollution abatement as well as water pollution treatment. Hence, sustainable economic development of coastal regions requires balancing of the marginal costs from water pollution abatement and/or treatment and the associated marginal benefits from marine resource appreciation. Water pollution delivery reduction costs are, however, not equal across abatement and treatment options. In this paper, an optimal control approach is developed and applied to explore welfare maximizing rates of water pollution abatement and/or treatment for efficient diffuse source water pollution management in terrestrial-marine systems. For the case of diffuse source dissolved inorganic nitrogen water pollution in the Tully-Murray region, Queensland, Australia, (agricultural) water pollution abatement cost, (wetland) water pollution treatment cost and marine benefit functions are determined to explore welfare maximizing rates of water pollution abatement and/or treatment. Considering partial (wetland) treatment costs and positive water quality improvement benefits, results show that welfare gains can be obtained, primarily, through diffuse source water pollution abatement (improved agricultural management practices) and, to a minor extent, through diffuse source water pollution treatment (wetland restoration).
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Gao, Lan, Phuong Nguyen, David Dunstan, and Marjory Moodie. "Are Office-Based Workplace Interventions Designed to Reduce Sitting Time Cost-Effective Primary Prevention Measures for Cardiovascular Disease? A Systematic Review and Modelled Economic Evaluation." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 16, no. 5 (March 7, 2019): 834. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16050834.
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Objectives: To assess the cost-effectiveness of workplace-delivered interventions designed to reduce sitting time as primary prevention measures for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Australia. Methods: A Markov model was developed to simulate the lifetime cost-effectiveness of a workplace intervention for the primary prevention of CVD amongst office-based workers. An updated systematic review and a meta-analysis of workplace interventions that aim to reduce sitting time was conducted to inform the intervention effect. The primary outcome was workplace standing time. An incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was calculated for this intervention measured against current practice. Costs (in Australia dollars) and benefits were discounted at 3% annually. Both deterministic (DSA) and probabilistic (PSA) sensitivity analyses were performed. Results: The updated systematic review identified only one new study. Only the multicomponent intervention that included a sit-and-stand workstation showed statistically significant changes in the standing time compared to the control. The intervention was associated with both higher costs ($6820 versus $6524) and benefits (23.28 versus 23.27, quality-adjusted life year, QALYs), generating an ICER of $43,825/QALY. The DSA showed that target age group for the intervention, relative risk of CVD relative to the control and intervention cost were the key determinants of the ICER. The base case results were within the range of the 95% confidence interval and the intervention had a 85.2% probability of being cost-effective. Conclusions: A workplace-delivered intervention in the office-based setting including a sit-and-stand desk component is a cost-effective strategy for the primary prevention of CVD. It offers a new option and location when considering interventions to target the growing CVD burden.
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Mazaheri, Mandana, Yvonne Scorgie, Richard A. Broome, Geoffrey G. Morgan, Bin Jalaludin, and Matthew L. Riley. "Monetising Air Pollution Benefits of Clean Energy Requires Locally Specific Information." Energies 14, no. 22 (November 15, 2021): 7622. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/en14227622.
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Meeting the Paris Agreement on climate change requires substantial investments in low-emissions energy and significant improvements in end-use energy efficiency. These measures can also deliver improved air quality and there is broad recognition of the health benefits of decarbonising energy. Monetising these health benefits is an important part of a robust assessment of the costs and benefits of renewable energy and energy efficiency programs (clean energy programs (CEP)) and a variety of methods have been used to estimate health benefits at national, regional, continental and global scales. Approaches, such as unit damage cost estimates and impact pathways, differ in complexity and spatial coverage and can deliver different estimates for air pollution costs/benefits. To date, the monetised health benefits of CEP in Australia have applied international and global estimates that can range from 2–229USD/tCO2 (USD 2016). Here, we calculate the current health damage costs of coal-fired power in New South Wales (NSW), Australia’s most populous state, and the health benefits of CEP. Focusing on PM2.5 pollution, we estimate the current health impacts of coal-fired power at 3.20USD/MWh, approximately 10% of the generation costs, and much lower than previous estimates. We demonstrate the need for locally specific assessment of the air pollution benefits of CEP and illustrate that without locally specific information, the relative costs/benefits of CEP may be significantly over- or understated. We estimate that, for NSW, the health benefits from CEP are 1.80USD/MWh and that the current air pollution health costs of coal-fired power in NSW represent a significant unpriced externality.
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Chavan, Sachin G., Zhong-Hua Chen, Oula Ghannoum, Christopher I. Cazzonelli, and David T. Tissue. "Current Technologies and Target Crops: A Review on Australian Protected Cropping." Crops 2, no. 2 (June 8, 2022): 172–85. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/crops2020013.
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Protected cropping offers a way to bolster food production in the face of climate change and deliver healthy food sustainably with fewer resources. However, to make this way of farming economically viable, we need to consider the status of protected cropping in the context of available technologies and corresponding target horticultural crops. This review outlines existing opportunities and challenges that must be addressed by ongoing research and innovation in this exciting but complex field in Australia. Indoor farm facilities are broadly categorised into the following three levels of technological advancement: low-, medium- and high-tech with corresponding challenges that require innovative solutions. Furthermore, limitations on indoor plant growth and protected cropping systems (e.g., high energy costs) have restricted the use of indoor agriculture to relatively few, high value crops. Hence, we need to develop new crop cultivars suitable for indoor agriculture that may differ from those required for open field production. In addition, protected cropping requires high start-up costs, expensive skilled labour, high energy consumption, and significant pest and disease management and quality control. Overall, protected cropping offers promising solutions for food security, while reducing the carbon footprint of food production. However, for indoor cropping production to have a substantial positive impact on global food security and nutritional security, the economical production of diverse crops will be essential.
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Petrie, L. G., and J. D. Wrigley. "Recreational Use of the Catchments and Storages of Sydney Water Board (Australia)." Water Science and Technology 21, no. 2 (February 1, 1989): 129–33. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/wst.1989.0039.
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The Water Board has a number of catchment areas under its control. These catchment areas are used to supply water of acceptable quality and quantity to over 3.4 million people. A range of catchment protection measures is applied to these catchment areas depending on distance from and length of time from the offtake points. Several recreation pursuits have been permitted within the terms of the protection measures. To gain a view of public perception and acceptance the Board in 1986 completed a public review and survey of the present and potential future use of its water supply catchment areas and storages for recreational purposes. The study considered whether community recreational demands were being met and whether some or all of these demands can be satisfied without harming water quality or the environment. From the study, the Board has concluded that there is both broad community support for its strong protection of the water supply and significant interest in use of additional recreational facilities. Accordingly, the Board has identified a number of additional requested recreational opportunities that can be introduced while maintaining present levels of water quality protection and conservation values. These additional items include additional nature walks near some of the existing dam picnic areas, escorted tours of the catchment areas, walking trails on catchment perimeters and increased river bank fishing in the Warragamba Catchment Area. Additional facilities are being introduced at Prospect Reservoir in the populated western suburbs of Sydney including a bicycle/jogging/walking track, BMX track, skateboard area and historic lookout and picnic area. These new initiatives will be introduced as part of an ongoing programme of review. Additional future activities will be introduced where possible. The Board however is concerned that no recreational activity should be introduced that is likely to cause future problems with water quality protection. Future introduction of increased water treatment levels will enable a further review of catchment protection policies but the high costs of such treatment will cause the Board to delay those introductions as long as practicable. In brief, the Board has fully reviewed its present policy on recreational use and has concluded that the general pol icy is appropriate and has strong community support. The implementation of that policy is being modified, however, to provide for acceptable additional facilities for which there is a demonstrated community need.
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Sandy-Hodgetts, Kylie, Richard Parsons, Richard Norman, Mark W. Fear, Fiona M. Wood, and Scott W. White. "Effectiveness of negative pressure wound therapy in the prevention of surgical wound complications in the cesarean section at-risk population: a parallel group randomised multicentre trial—the CYGNUS protocol." BMJ Open 10, no. 10 (October 2020): e035727. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2019-035727.
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IntroductionCaesarean delivery is steadily becoming one of the more common surgical procedures in Australia with over 100 000 caesarean sections performed each year. Over the last 10 years in Australia, the caesarean section rate has increased from 28% in 2003 to 33% in 2013. On the international stage, the Australian caesarean delivery rates are higher than the average for the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Australia ranked as 8 out of 33 and is second to the USA. Postoperative surgical site infections (SSIs) and wound complications are the most common and costly event following a caesarean section. Globally, complication rates following a caesarean delivery vary from 4.9% to 9.8%. Complications such as infection and wound breakdown affect the postpartum mother’s health and well-being, and contribute to healthcare costs for clinical management that often spans the acute, community and primary healthcare settings. Published level one studies using advanced wound dressings in the identified ‘at-risk’ population prior to surgery for prophylactic intervention are yet to be forthcoming.Methods and analysisA parallel group randomised control trial of 448 patients will be conducted across two metropolitan hospitals in Perth, Western Australia, which provide obstetric and midwifery services. We will recruit pregnant women in the last trimester, prior to their admission into the healthcare facility for delivery of their child. We will use a computer-generated block sequence to randomise the 448 participants to either the interventional (negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) dressing, n=224) or comparator arm (non-NPWT dressing, n=224). The primary outcome measure is the occurrence of surgical wound dehiscence (SSWD) or SSI. The Centres for Disease Control reporting definition of either superficial or deep infection at 30 days will be used as the outcome measure definition. SWD will be classified as per the World Union of Wound Healing Societies grading system (grade I–IV). We will assess recruitment rate, and adherence to intervention and follow-up. We will assess the potential effectiveness of NPWT in the prevention of postpartum surgical wound complications at three time points during the study; postoperative days 5, 14 and 30, after which the participant will be closed out of the trial. We will use statistical methods to determine efficacy, and risk stratification will be conducted to determine the SWD risk profile of the participant. Follow-up at day 30 will assess superficial and deep infection, and wound dehiscence (grade I–IV) and the core outcome data set for wound complications. This study will collect health-related quality of life (European Quality of Life 5-Dimensions 5-Level Scale), mortality and late complications such as further surgery with a cost analysis conducted. The primary analysis will be by intention-to-treat. This clinical trial protocol follows the Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trials (SPIRIT) and the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials guidelines.Ethics and disseminationEthics approval was obtained through St John of God Health Care (HREC1409), Western Australia Department of Health King Edward Memorial Hospital (HREC3111). Study findings will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at international conferences. We used the SPIRIT checklist when writing our study protocol.Trial registration numberAustralian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12618002006224p).
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Ritar, AJ. "Control of ovulation, storage of semen, and artificial insemination of fibre-producing goats in Australia: a review." Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 33, no. 6 (1993): 807. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ea9930807.
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Artificial insemination (AI) allows individual bucks to be exploited widely and so is a potentially useful tool for the rapid genetic improvement of fibre goats. In Australia, where there is a desire by farmers to improve the productivity of their goats, AI may best be adopted under extensive grazing conditions using control of ovulation to allow efficient and accurate timing of the deposition of frozen-stored semen. Although ovulatory activity is influenced by the manipulation of environmental factors, the time of ovulation is synchronised most accurately by the combined use of intravaginal progestagens and pregnant mares' serum gonadotrophin. However, the costs of these exogenous hormones remain high, which justifies investigation of alternative methods to control ovulation. Bucks show strong seasonality in the quality and quantity of their sperm production, and so there is limited time in which semen may be collected for storage and AI, but this can be extended by optimising nutrition and management. There appears to be no improvement in the fertility of stored semen when seminal plasma, which contains egg yolk coagulating enzyme, is removed and an extender containing only a low concentration of egg yolk is used for dilution. Simple methods have been developed for 1-step dilution and freezing of buck semen. However, the post-thawing viability of spermatozoa frozen in pellets on dry ice is higher than for semen frozen in straws in liquid N2 vapour, although straws are preferred for commercial trade. For frozen-thawed semen, fertility after laparoscopic insemination is high, whereas the fertility after cervical insemination is considerably lower but improves by the deeper placement of semen into the reproductive tract. Does are best inseminated 5-10 h before the expected time of ovulation. A dose as low as 1 x 106 motile spermatozoa may be used for laparoscopic insemination of thawed semen that was previously diluted at rates (semen: diluent) of 1:2 to 1:23. However, for the cervical method, a low dilution rate of 1:2 allows a sufficiently small, highly concentrated dose of at least 120 x 106 motile frozen-thawed spermatozoa t o be deposited into the reproductive tract of the doe. Cervical insemination is cheaper and simpler than the laparoscopic method, and this warrants the development of an improved technique for the consistent, deep deposition of frozen-thawed semen through the cervix in a high proportion of does.
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Campus, Paolo, Nigel D. Swarts, Craig Mundy, John P. Keane, and Caleb Gardner. "Assessing Processing Waste from the Sea Urchin (Centrostephanus rodgersii) Fishery as an Organic Fertilizer." Agronomy 12, no. 12 (November 23, 2022): 2919. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12122919.
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The longspined sea urchin, Centrostephanus rodgersii, is a climate-driven pest species in south-eastern Australia. The harvest of this species is highly encouraged and in Tasmania, the existing fishery is expanding resulting in a large amount of waste that needs disposal. Research into use of waste products as inputs for organic or biodynamic farming systems can help reduce costs of disposal and keep the industry profitable; by sustaining or incrementing sea urchin harvest the industry can assist in their control. In the current study, urchin waste was dried and finely ground to a powder and applied to tomato plants in a greenhouse to examine the effect on growth and productivity. Urchin waste powder (UWP) had a mineral composition of Ca (40 g 100 g−1), Mg (1.7 g 100 g−1), P (0.03 g 100 g−1), Fe (19.34 mg kg−1) and B (38 mg kg−1), a pH 8.06 in water and an Electrical Conductivity (EC) value of 7.64 dSm−1. Seven different treatment rates of UWP (0.3%; 0.5%; 0.8%; 1%; 2%; 3%; 5%), were added to 10 replicate pots containing 4 kg nutrient-poor potting mix planted with tomato (Variety K1) seedlings. Plant growth, yield, quality attributes and mineral content of tomato were measured under UWP treatments with comparison against a Hoagland solution control. UWP influenced tomato growth and productivity proportional to the quantity applied, however, the Hoagland solution control had a significantly greater yield. Potting mix pH increased from 6.8 to 7 and higher available P was detected in potting mix receiving higher rates of UWP. No phytotoxic effects were detected. The highest UWP treatment matched the Hoagland control in fruit quality and nutritional composition. Processing waste from the sea urchin fishery has potential as organic fertiliser or amendment providing plant-available Ca and some microelements such as Boron.
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Wilksch, Simon M., Anne O'Shea, C. Barr Taylor, Denise Wilfley, Corinna Jacobi, and Tracey D. Wade. "Online prevention of disordered eating in at-risk young-adult women: a two-country pragmatic randomized controlled trial." Psychological Medicine 48, no. 12 (December 13, 2017): 2034–44. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0033291717003567.
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AbstractBackgroundDisordered eating (DE) is a widespread, serious problem. Efficacious prevention programs that can be delivered at-scale are needed.MethodsA pragmatic randomized controlled trial of two online programs was conducted. Participants were young-adult women from Australia and New Zealand seeking to improve their body image. Media Smart-Targeted (MS-T) and Student Bodies (SB) were both 9-module interventions released weekly, whilst control participants received positive body image information. Primary [Eating Disorder Examination–Questionnaire (EDE-Q) Global], secondary (DE risk factors) and tertiary (DE) outcome measures were completed at baseline, post-program, 6- and 12-month follow-up.ResultsBaseline was completed by 608 women (M age = 20.71 years); 33 were excluded leaving 575 randomized to: MS-T (N = 191); SB (N = 190) or control (N = 194). Only 66% of those randomized to MS-T or SB accessed the intervention and were included in analyses with controls; 78% of this sample completed measures subsequent to baseline. Primary intent-to-treat (ITT) analyses revealed no differences between groups, while measure completer analyses found MS-T had significantly lower EDE-Q Global than controls at 12-month follow-up. Secondary ITT analyses found MS-T participants reported significantly higher quality of life–mental relative to both SB and controls (6-month follow-up), while MS-T and controls had lower clinical impairment relative to SB (post-program). Amongst measure completers, MS-T scored significantly lower than controls and SB on 5 variables. Of those with baseline DE, MS-T participants were significantly less likely than controls to have DE at 12-month follow-up.ConclusionsGiven both programs were not therapist-moderated, MS-T has potential to achieve reductions in DE risk at low implementation costs.
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Lartey, Stella T., Thomas Lung, Sarah Serhal, Luke Bereznicki, Bonnie Bereznicki, Lynne Emmerton, Sinthia Bosnic-Anticevich, et al. "Healthcare expenditure and its socio-demographic and clinical predictors in Australians with poorly controlled asthma." PLOS ONE 18, no. 1 (January 5, 2023): e0279748. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0279748.
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Introduction Asthma has substantial and increasing health and economic burden worldwide. This study aimed to estimate healthcare expenditure and determine the factors that increase expenditure in Australians with poorly controlled asthma. Methods Individuals ≥18 years of age with poorly controlled asthma, as determined by a score ≥1.5 on the Asthma Control Questionnaire, were included in the study. Healthcare utilization costs from medical services and medications were estimated over an average follow-up of 12 months from administratively linked data: the Medicare Benefits Schedule and Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. A generalized linear model with gamma distribution and log link was used to predict participants’ key baseline characteristics associated with variations in healthcare costs. Results A total of 341 participants recruited through community pharmacies were included. The mean (standard deviation, SD) age of participants was 56.6 (SD 17.6) years, and approximately 71% were females. The adjusted average monthly healthcare expenditure per participant was $AU386 (95% CI: 336, 436). On top of the average monthly costs, an incremental expenditure was found for each year increase in age ($AU4; 95% CI: 0.78, 7), being unemployed ($AU201; 95% CI: 91, 311), one unit change in worsening quality of life ($AU35; 95% CI: 9, 61) and being diagnosed with depression and anxiety ($AU171; 95% CI: 36, 306). Conclusions In a cohort of Australian patients, characterized by poor asthma control and co-morbidities individuals impose substantial economic burden in terms of Medicare funded medical services and medications. Programs addressing strategies to improve the quality of life and manage co-morbid anxiety and depression and encourage asthma patients’ engagement in clinically tolerable jobs, may result in significant cost savings to the health system.
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Thomas, M., P. Wright, L. Blackall, V. Urbain, and J. Keller. "Optimisation of Noosa BNR plant to improve performance and reduce operating costs." Water Science and Technology 47, no. 12 (June 1, 2003): 141–48. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/wst.2003.0639.
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Noosa WWTP is publicly owned and privately operated by Australian Water Services. The process includes primary sedimentation, raw sludge fermentation, biological nutrient removal (BNR), sand filtration and ultraviolet (UV) disinfection. An innovative feature of the plant is the supplementary carbon dosing facility to avoid the use of metal salts (alum or ferric) for phosphorus removal. The average flow treated during 2000 was 9.0 ML/d. The annual 50 percentile effluent quality requirements for nutrients are total N < 5 mg/L and total P < 1 mg/L. The objectives of this project were to: determine the cause of variability in phosphorus removal; develop a strategy to control the variability in phosphorus removal; and minimise the operating cost of supplementary carbon dosing while achieving the effluent quality requirements. An investigation of chemical and microbiological parameters was implemented and it was concluded that there were several factors causing variability in phosphorus removal, rather than a single cause. The following four major causes were identified, and the control strategies that were adopted resulted in the plant achieving annual 50 percentile effluent total P = 0.37 mg/L and total N = 3.0 mg/L during 2001. First, phosphorus removal was limited by the available VFA supply due to consumption of VFA by other organisms competing with phosphate accumulating organisms (PAO), and due to diurnal variations in the sewage VFA and phosphate concentrations. Therefore, supplementary carbon dosing was essential to make allowance for competing reactions. Second, increasing the fermenter VFA yield via supplementary carbon dosing with molasses was found to be an effective and economic way of ensuring reliable phosphorus removal. Third, nitrate in the RAS resulted in consumption of VFA by denitrifying bacteria, particularly with process configurations where the RAS was recycled directly into the anaerobic zone. Incorporating a RAS denitrification zone into the process rectified this problem. Finally, glycogen accumulating organisms (GAO) were observed in BNR sludge samples, and consumption of VFA by GAO appeared to cause decreased phosphorus removal. Better phosphorus removal was obtained using VFA derived from the fermenter than dosing an equivalent amount of acetic acid. It was hypothesized that GAO have a competitive advantage to use acetate and PAO have a competitive advantage to use propionate, butyrate or some other soluble COD compound in the fermenter effluent. Contrary to popular belief, acetate may not be the optimum VFA for biological phosphorus removal. The competition between PAO and GAO for different VFA species under anaerobic conditions requires further investigation in order to control the growth of GAO and thereby improve reliability of biological phosphorus removal processes.
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Webb, Ashley A., and Paul V. Martin. "Potential of a payments for ecosystem services scheme to improve the quality of water entering the Sydney catchments." Water Policy 18, no. 1 (July 9, 2015): 91–110. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/wp.2015.210.
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Although the Sydney Catchment Authority (SCA) largely controls the quality of water entering the Sydney catchments, it has limited jurisdiction over the majority of activities undertaken on private land, where much of the non-point source pollution originates. The current governance model reflects a traditional ‘command and control’, government-centred philosophy limiting the economic opportunities for landholders. Using six case studies from other jurisdictions we explore the potential for market-based schemes to better enable the SCA to meet its statutory objectives. A contemporary payments for watershed services scheme could better address issues of non-point pollution in more efficient and fairer ways than the present model. Under such a scheme, the SCA would rely more upon negotiated service arrangements pursuing a ‘least cost of supply’ for a defined water quality output, with the costs of these arrangements being reflected in the price of water to consumers. Funds are likely to be applied more strategically to secure water quality outcomes at the least public and private cost while maximizing the value of non-water ecological services from the same lands. These findings are relevant and can be applied to many other drinking water catchments within Australian and other jurisdictions.
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Scott, John K., and Roger G. Shivas. "Impact of insects and fungi on doublegee (Emex australis) in the Western Australian wheatbelt." Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 49, no. 5 (1998): 767. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/a97143.
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Biotic influences on doublegee(Emex australis Steinheil) seed production wereinvestigated as a precursor to the introduction of new insect biologicalcontrol agents for this weed, and to investigate the cause of doublegeedecline in the northern and central wheatbelt of Western Australia since 1990.The symptoms of the decline are doublegee plants of reduced size withdistorted leaves, collapsed stems, and smaller achenes(the spiny seed-bearing fruit) that crumble when mature.Three sites were investigated in 1992 by surveys for insects and fungi, andinsect and fungus exclusion experiments.Emex stem blight (Phomopsis emicis R. G. Shivas) waspresent at the 3 study sites. The Watheroo site had comparatively high levelsof dock aphids (Brachycaudus rumexicolens Patch) ondoublegee plants, the Badgingarra site had a comparatively high density ofdock sawfly (Lophyrotoma analis Costa) on doublegee, andvery few insects were present on doublegee at the Wongan Hills site. Viruseswere not detected in samples of plants showing the effects of decline.The exclusion experiment showed a significant effect of removing insects andfungi on achene dry weight at the Watheroo site. There was no treatment effectat the Badgingarra and Wongan Hills sites. The biology of the fungus and theaphid lead to the conclusion that the primary cause of doublegee decline isthe dock aphid. This indicates that biological control againstE. australis might be achieved by using insects thatindirectly affect seed quality.
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Wootton, Richard, Helen Gramotnev, and David Hailey. "Telephone-supported care coordination in an Australian veterans population: a randomized controlled trial." Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare 16, no. 2 (December 11, 2009): 57–62. http://dx.doi.org/10.1258/jtt.2009.090408.
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An evaluation was undertaken on the effectiveness and efficiency of care coordination in delivering health services to Australian veterans with chronic or complex medical conditions requiring multidisciplinary care and who had moderate to high care needs. The veterans participated in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) supported by the Department of Veterans' Affairs. For evaluation of the RCT, information on cost of care and quality of life (QOL) was collected before the commencement of coordinated care and at follow-up after 12 months. Of 525 veterans who were recruited, 481 were surveyed at baseline (243 in the intervention group and 238 controls). At follow-up, 421 were surveyed (213 intervention and 208 controls). There were no significant differences between the coordinated care and control groups of veterans in costs of care or in QOL measurements using the SF-12 Health Survey and the EuroQol Group EQ-5D. These findings are consistent with those reported in earlier studies which suggest that benefits from care coordination programmes may take some time to emerge.
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Noblet, Andrew, Cary Cooper, John McWilliams, and Annette Rudd. "Wellbeing, Job Satisfaction and Commitment among Australian Community Health Workers: The Relationship with Working Conditions." Australian Journal of Primary Health 13, no. 3 (2007): 40. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/py07037.
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The Australian community health sector has undergone extensive organisational reform in recent times, and, in the push to enhance efficiencies and contain costs, there are indications that these changes may have undermined the wellbeing of community health personnel and their ability to provide high quality illness-prevention services. The aim of this study was to examine the working environments experienced by community health service employees and identify conditions that are predictive of employee stress. The study was guided by a tailored version of the demand-control-support model, whereby the generic components of the model had been augmented by more situation-specific stressors. The results of multiple regression analyses indicated that job control, and, to a lesser extent, social support, were closely associated with the outcome variables (psychological health, job satisfaction and organisational commitment). The more situation-specific stressors also accounted for significant proportions of explained variance. Overall, the results suggest that working conditions, particularly job control, social support and specific job stressors, offer valuable opportunities for protecting and enhancing the wellbeing of community health service personnel.
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Wai Foon, Shyong, and Milé Terziovski. "The impact of operations and maintenance practices on power plant performance." Journal of Manufacturing Technology Management 25, no. 8 (September 30, 2014): 1148–73. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/jmtm-12-2012-0122.
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Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of operations and maintenance (O&M) practices, individually and collectively, on power plant performance. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected from more than 100 power plants in Australia and Malaysia. The reliability and validity (content, construct, and criterion) of the practice and performance measures were evaluated. Findings – Committed leadership and maintenance-oriented practices as part of a total productive maintenance (TPM) philosophy were found to be the main differentiators between high and low performing plants. Research limitations/implications – The research is cross-sectional in nature, therefore, it does not permit us to account for the lag between implementation and performance. Second, the performance measures are subjective and may be subject to response bias. Practical implications – The implication of the research findings for plant managers is that they need to allocate more “softer” resources to the O&M function if they expect high plant availability. Social implications – Apart from capacity and fuel cost, operating costs are an important source of differentiation for power plants. The implication is that reduction in operating costs is directly related to the reduction of consumer power bills. Originality/value – The reader will learn from this paper that committed leadership and maintenance-oriented practices have greater explanatory power in the regression models than employee involvement, customer focus, strategic planning, and knowledge management. This knowledge is important because it emphasises that in addition to quality management practices, which are focussed on the development of the people aspects of the organization, the plant equipment and physical assets should also be given equal emphasis, in order to improve operational performance of power plants.
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Barrett, Stephen, Stephen Begg, Paul O’Halloran, Christopher M. Doran, and Michael Kingsley. "Physical activity telephone coaching intervention for insufficiently physically active ambulatory hospital patients: Economic evaluation of the Healthy 4U-2 randomised controlled trial." PLOS ONE 17, no. 6 (June 23, 2022): e0270211. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0270211.
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The Healthy 4U-2 randomised controlled trial demonstrated that a physical activity (PA) telephone coaching intervention was effective for improving objectively-measured PA and health-related outcomes. The current study reports on an economic evaluation performed alongside the trial to determine whether this effective intervention is also cost-effective from a healthcare funder perspective. Participants (N = 120) were insufficiently physically active adults recruited from an ambulatory care clinic in a public hospital in regional Australia. The primary outcome was change in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) measured using accelerometers. Changes in quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) were derived from the 12-Item Short Form Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-12). Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were calculated for each outcome. Uncertainty of cost-effectiveness results were estimated using non-parametric bootstrapping techniques and sensitivity analyses. The mean intervention cost was $132 per person. The control group incurred higher overall costs compared to intervention ($2,465 vs. $1,743, respectively). Relative to control, the intervention resulted in incremental improvements in MVPA and QALYs and was deemed cost-effective. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis indicated that compared to control, the intervention would be cost-effective for improving MVPA and QALYs at very low willingness to pay thresholds. Sensitivity analyses indicated that results were robust to varied assumptions. This study shows that PA telephone coaching was a low-cost strategy for increasing MVPA and QALYs in insufficiently active ambulatory hospital patients. Findings of health benefits and overall cost-savings are uncommon and PA telephone coaching offers a potentially cost-effective investment to produce important public health outcomes.
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Stoelwinder, Johannes U., and Margaret A. Abernethy. "The Design and Implementation of a Management Information System for Australian Public Hospitals." Health Services Management Research 2, no. 3 (November 1989): 176–90. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/095148488900200302.
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Existing management information systems (MIS) in hospitals are often inadequate. This has occurred because of a variety of antecedents, including past funding mechanisms, organisational structure and the accepted role of management. A variety of new pressures, including demands for increased accountability, greater resource control and changing relationships between physicians and hospitals are demanding improved MIS to enable the hospital to manage. This paper explores these influences on past and future hospital MIS. It describes the design of a MIS that enables patient care to be costed in clinically meaningful ways. Patient costs may be aggregated to cost specific diagnoses and procedures, Diagnosis Related Groups (DRG), a clinician's case load, a clinical unit or a division. The information can be used for clinical budgeting, flexible budgeting, utilisation review and quality assurance.
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Premachandra, Dasun, Lee Hudek, Aydin Enez, Ross Ballard, Steve Barnett, Christopher M. M. Franco, and Lambert Brau. "Assessment of the Capacity of Beneficial Bacterial Inoculants to Enhance Canola (Brassica napus L.) Growth under Low Water Activity." Agronomy 10, no. 9 (September 22, 2020): 1449. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10091449.
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Canola (Brassica napus L.) is the third largest crop produced in Australia after wheat and barley. For such crops, the variability of water access, reduced long-term annual rainfall and increasing water prices, higher overall production costs, and variability in production quantity and quality are driving the exploration of new tools to maintain production in an economical and environmentally sustainable way. Microorganisms associated with the rhizosphere have been shown to enhance plant growth and offer a potential way to maintain or even increase crop production quality and yield in an environmentally sustainable way. Here, seven bacterial isolates from canola rhizosphere samples are shown to enhance canola growth, particularly in low water activity systems. The seven strains all possessed commonly described plant growth promoting traits, including the ability to produce indole-3-acetic acid and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase, and the capacity to solubilise nutrients (Fe2+/3+ and PO43−). When the isolates were inoculated at the time of sowing in pot-based systems with either sand or clay loam media, and in field trials, a significant increase in dry root and shoot biomass was recorded compared to uninoculated controls. It is likely that the strains’ plant growth promoting capacity under water stress is due to the combined effects of the bacterial phenotypes examined here.
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Crosby, D. G., D. Tamhane, Z. Yang, A. K. Khurana, and V. A. Kuuskraa. "A REVIEW OF THE U.S. TIGHT GAS INDUSTRY FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF SELECTED AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND BASINS." APPEA Journal 35, no. 1 (1995): 692. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/aj94043.
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The recovery of natural gas from low permeability sandstones in the US has been made commercially possible due, to a large degree, to advanced technologies. The US currently produces 2 TCF annually from tight gas sandstone reservoirs. Large efforts have been directed towards identifying and developing the more productive basinal areas, or 'sweet spots9 of tight gas reservoirs. The identification of natural fractures prior to drilling, through the use of remote imagery in combination with established methods such as magnetic and gravity mapping, is currently being pioneered. Reduction in well-bore stimulation costs through development and application of advanced hydraulic fracture technology has improved the economics of tight gas production. The use of 3D fracture models in combination with realistic insitu stress profiles, appropriate proppants and effective quality controls have greatly increased well productivities through smaller, more efficient fracture treatments. Treatments have been successfully designed to avoid damage to natural fractures.Large tight gas sandstone resources similarly exist in the Cooper and Perth Basins of Australia and in the Taranaki Basin of New Zealand, although these resources remain largely untapped. To date, less than 50 BCF has been produced from Australian and New Zealand tight sandstones, largely from the Tirrawarra Sandstone and Patchawarra Formation of the Cooper Basin and the Ngatoro/McKee Formations of the Taranaki Basin. These formations compare well however, in terms of depositional environments with prolific US tight gas producing formations. They appear to be well placed to take advantage of the experiences and technologies gained by their US counterparts as well as through site specific adaptation of such technologies and the development of new technologies.
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Spahrkäs, Simon S., Anne Looijmans, Robbert Sanderman, and Mariët Hagedoorn. "Beating Cancer-Related Fatigue With the Untire Mobile App: Protocol for a Waiting List Randomized Controlled Trial." JMIR Research Protocols 9, no. 2 (February 14, 2020): e15969. http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/15969.
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Background Many cancer patients and survivors worldwide experience disabling fatigue as the main side effect of their illness and the treatments involved. Face-to-face therapy is effective in treating cancer-related fatigue (CRF), but it is also resource-intensive. Offering a self-management program via a mobile phone app (ie, the Untire app), based on elements of effective face-to-face treatments, might increase the number of patients receiving adequate support for fatigue and decrease care costs. Objective The aim of this protocol is to describe a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to assess the effectiveness of the Untire app in reducing fatigue in cancer patients and survivors after 12 weeks of app use as compared with a waiting list control group. Substudies nested within this trial include questions concerning the reach and costs of online recruitment and uptake and usage of the Untire app. Methods The Untire app study is a waiting list RCT targeting cancer patients and survivors who experience moderate to severe fatigue via social media (Facebook and Instagram) across 4 English-speaking countries (Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States). The Untire app includes psychoeducation and exercises concerning energy conservation, activity management, optimizing restful sleep, mindfulness-based stress reduction, psychosocial support, cognitive behavioral therapy, and physical activity. After randomization, participants in the intervention group could access the Untire app immediately, whereas control participants had no access to the Untire app until the primary follow-up assessment at 12 weeks. Participants completed questionnaires at baseline before randomization and after 4, 8, 12, and 24 weeks. The study outcomes are fatigue (primary) and quality of life (QoL; secondary). Potential moderators and mediators of the hypothesized treatment effect on levels of fatigue and QoL were also assessed. Link clicks and app activation are used to assess reach and uptake, respectively. Log data are used to explore the characteristics of app use. Sample size calculations for the primary outcome showed that we needed to include 164 participants with complete 12-week measures both in the intervention and the control groups. The intention-to-treat approach is used in the primary analyses, which refers to analyzing all participants regardless of their app use. Results Participants were recruited from March to October 2018. The last participant completed the 24-week assessment in March 2019. Conclusions This mobile health (mHealth) RCT recruited participants online in multiple countries to examine the uptake and effectiveness of the Untire self-management app to reduce CRF. Many advantages of mHealth apps are assumed, such as the immediate access to the app, the low thresholds to seek support, and the absence of contact with care professionals that will reduce costs. If found effective, this app can easily be offered worldwide to patients experiencing CRF. Trial Registration Netherlands Trial Register NL6642; https://www.trialregister.nl/trial/6642. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/15969
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Bosire, Joseph, and Catherine Amimo. "Emerging Issues and Future Prospects in the Management of Transnational Education." International Journal of Higher Education 6, no. 5 (October 23, 2017): 143. http://dx.doi.org/10.5430/ijhe.v6n5p143.
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Transnational Education has gained momentum under the auspices of the General Agreement on Trade in Services administered by World Trade Organizations which have provided for successful marketing of higher education across borders. This paper reviews past research, discussions and analyses on the topic on a global perspective. The objectives are to establish the rationale for transnational education, emerging issues over the providers, mode of supply, the potential of the market and issues on curriculum and pedagogy. Past research reveals that transnational education is anchored on economic, political, cultural and educational rationales. The global market for transnational education is asymmetrical where some nations are exporters (UK, US, Australia), and others importers (Africa, Latin America and Central Asia). The modes of provision include cross-border supply, commercial presence and presence of natural persons. The potential of the market is growing - commercial presence being dominant. The emerging issues include competition, differences in pedagogical practices, loss of nations and learner autonomy, control and self-respect of higher education, confusions on qualifications and transfer of academic credits, escalated costs, commercialization of knowledge as a commodity, dominant language (largely English) used as a medium of communication, and de-contextualization of the national curriculum. Quality assurance and accreditation are also at stake since the national/states capacity for regulating the supply of transnational education is limited. Though discussions on transnational education are on-going, stakeholders need to work with governments, non-governmental organizations, Higher Education Institutions and regulators to improve the future of transnational education, including developing an acceptable code of conduct.
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Rahmawati, Sitti, Mark A. Graber, Mohammad Hakimi, Ali Ghufron Multi, Indra Bastian, and Nurulhuda Rahman. "Cost Comparison of Emergency Cesarean Section in Indonesia: The impact of Australian Model of Diagnosis-related Groups as a Payment System for Patient Care in Hospitals." Open Access Macedonian Journal of Medical Sciences 9, E (March 8, 2021): 216–23. http://dx.doi.org/10.3889/oamjms.2021.5831.
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BACKGROUND: The cesarean section in Indonesia was higher, still worrying for women and babies’ health with pregnancy complications. It will have psychological effects such as trauma and stress during labor and its consequences on labor cost. AIM: This study’s purpose was to determine the cost of cesarean delivery as a diagnosis of transition-related groups and the Australian-diagnosis-related groups (AR-DRGs) model’s impact. METHODS: The research method is descriptive qualitative study. The 42 samples are pregnant women and that selected by purposive sampling. The data are collected from a secondary data source of medical record installations, observations, interview interviews, and focus group discussion with health professionals, nurses, doctors, and midwives. Data analysis is based on the activity-based costing system method. It includes cost treatment per disease diagnosis, cesarean section AR-DRG 370 method as a payment method for hospital treatment. RESULTS: Determinants of cost differences in cesarean section surgery are based on AR-DRG 370 related to diabetes and eclampsia (complications and comorbidities) with relatively high-cost rates of O01A DRGs of US$ 2639 due to high-risk pregnancy complications. Complications of mild pregnancy (DRGO01D) with different categories of uterine rupture and sepsis have a low-cost average at the total cost of US$ 1251. Payment ability of an average of 42 respondents shows the costs category of DRGs O01A-DRGs O01D US$ 7088 or US$ 169, per patient and length of stay 4–6 days. CONCLUSIONS: The impact of Australia’s AR-DRGs model of transition DRG prospective payment shows that the health system can improve the quality of professional services in hospitals and control costs, and labor costs are cheaply profitable for hospitals. The results are accurate and experienced to be applied in Indonesian hospitals.
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De Geyter, Ch, C. Wyns, C. Calhaz-Jorge, J. de Mouzon, A. P. Ferraretti, M. Kupka, A. Nyboe Andersen, K. G. Nygren, and V. Goossens. "20 years of the European IVF-monitoring Consortium registry: what have we learned? A comparison with registries from two other regions." Human Reproduction 35, no. 12 (November 14, 2020): 2832–49. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/humrep/deaa250.
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Abstract STUDY QUESTION How has the performance of the European regional register of the European IVF-monitoring Consortium (EIM)/European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) evolved from 1997 to 2016, as compared to the register of the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the USA and the Australia and New Zealand Assisted Reproduction Database (ANZARD)? SUMMARY ANSWER It was found that coherent and analogous changes are recorded in the three regional registers over time, with a different intensity and pace, that new technologies are taken up with considerable delay and that incidental complications and adverse events are only recorded sporadically. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY European data on ART have been collected since 1997 by EIM. Data collection on ART in Europe is particularly difficult due to its fragmented political and legal landscape. In 1997, approximately 78.1% of all known institutions offering ART services in 23 European countries submitted data and in 2016 this number rose to 91.8% in 40 countries. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION We compared the changes in European ART data as published in the EIM reports (2001–2020) with those of the USA, as published by CDC, and with those of Australia and New Zealand, as published by ANZARD. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS We performed a retrospective analysis of the published EIM data sets spanning the 20 years observance period from 1997 to 2016, together with the published data sets of the USA as well as of Australia and New Zealand. By comparing the data sets in these three large registers, we analysed differences in the completeness of the recordings together with differences in the time intervals on the occurrence of important trends in each of them. Effects of suspected over- and under-reporting were also compared between the three registers. X2 log-rank analysis was used to assess differences in the data sets. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE During the period 1997–2016, the numbers of recorded ART treatments increased considerably (5.3-fold in Europe, 4.6-fold in the USA, 3.0-fold in Australia and New Zealand), while the number of registered treatment modalities rose from 3 to 7 in Europe, from 4 to 10 in the USA and from 5 to 8 in Australia and New Zealand, as published by EIM, CDC and ANZARD, respectively. The uptake of new treatment modalities over time has been very different in the three registers. There is a considerable degree of underreporting of the number of initiated treatment cycles in Europe. The relationship between IVF and ICSI and between fresh and thawing cycles evolved similarly in the three geographical areas. The freeze-all strategy is increasingly being adopted by all areas, but in Europe with much delay. Fewer cycles with the transfer of two or more embryos were reported in all three geographical areas. The delivery rate per embryo transfer in thawing cycles bypassed that in fresh cycles in the USA in 2012, in Australia and New Zealand in 2013, but not yet in Europe. As a result of these changing approaches, fewer multiple deliveries have been reported. Since 2012, the most documented adverse event of ART in all three registers has been premature birth (<37 weeks). Some adverse events, such as maternal death, ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, haemorrhage and infections, were only recorded by EIM and ANZARD. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION The methods of data collection and reporting were very different among European countries, but also among the three registers. The better the legal background on ART surveillance, the more complete are the data sets. Until the legal obligation to report is installed in all European countries together with an appropriate quality control of the submitted data the reported numbers and incidences should be interpreted with caution. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS The growing number of reported treatments in ART, the higher variability in treatment modalities and the rising contribution to the birth rates over the last 20 years point towards the increasing impact of ART. High levels of completeness in data reporting have been reached, but inconsistencies and inaccuracies still remain and need to be identified and quantified. The current trend towards a higher diversity in treatment modalities and the rising impact of cryostorage, resulting in improved safety during and after ART treatment, require changes in the organization of surveillance in ART. The present comparison must stimulate all stakeholders in ART to optimize surveillance and data quality assurance in ART. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) This study has no external funding and all costs are covered by ESHRE. There are no competing interests. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER N/A.
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Brown, Victoria, Joanne Williams, Lisa McGivern, Susan Sawyer, Liliana Orellana, Wei Luo, Kylie D. Hesketh, Denise E. Wilfley, and Marj Moodie. "Protocol for economic evaluation alongside the SHINE (Supporting Healthy Image, Nutrition and Exercise) cluster randomised controlled trial." BMJ Open 10, no. 8 (August 2020): e038050. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-038050.
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IntroductionLimited evidence exists on the cost-effectiveness of interventions to prevent obesity and promote healthy body image in adolescents. The SHINE (Supporting Healthy Image, Nutrition and Exercise) study is a cluster randomised control trial (cRCT) aiming to deliver universal education about healthy nutrition and physical activity to adolescents, as well as targeted advice to young people with body image concerns who are at risk of developing disordered eating behaviours. This paper describes the methods for the economic evaluation of the SHINE cRCT, to determine whether the intervention is cost-effective as an obesity prevention measure.Methods and analysisA public payer perspective will be adopted, with intervention costs collected prospectively. Within-trial cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) and cost-utility analysis (CUA) will quantify the incremental costs and health gains of the intervention as compared with usual practice (ie, teacher-delivered curriculum). CEA will present results as cost per body mass index unit saved. CUA will present results as cost per quality-adjusted life year gained. A modelled CUA will extend the target population, time horizon and decision context to provide valuable information to policymakers on the potential for incremental cost offsets attributable to disease prevention arising from intervention. Intervention costs and effects will be extrapolated to the population of Australian adolescents in Grade 7 of secondary school (approximate age 13 years) and modelled over the cohort’s lifetime. Modelled CUA results will be presented as health-adjusted life years saved and healthcare cost-savings of diseases averted. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios will be calculated as the difference in costs between the intervention and comparator divided by the difference in benefit. Semi-structured interviews with key intervention stakeholders will explore the potential impact of scalability on cost-effectiveness. These data will be thematically analysed to inform sensitivity analysis of the base case economic evaluation, such that cost-effectiveness evidence is reflective of the potential for scalability.Ethics and disseminationEthics approval was obtained from the Deakin University Human Research Ethics Committee (#2017–269) and the Victorian Department of Education and Training (#2018_003630). Study findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed academic papers and participating schools will receive annual reports over the 3 years of data collection.Trial registration numberACTRN 12618000330246; Pre-results.
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Woods, A. J., J. D. Penrose, A. J. Duncan, R. Koch, and D. Clark. "IMPROVING THE OPERABILITY OF REMOTELY OPERATED VEHICLES." APPEA Journal 38, no. 1 (1998): 849. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/aj97057.
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Underwater Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV's) have a significant support role to play in offshore petroleum production facilities. The extent to which ROVs can replace diver-based operations depends significantly on ROV capacity and the relative costs of mobilising and implementing the two modes of underwater operation. This paper presents work directed at two aspects of ROV operability: the quality of visual information presented to the ROV pilots and the degree of station keeping control exhibited by the vehicle.Significant improvement in pilot performance of selected maintenance-type tasks has been achieved by the use of a purpose built underwater stereoscopic video camera and associated ship-based stereoscopic display unit. Two generations of cameras have now been built and used on a Perry Triton vehicle in use at the North Rankin A platform on the North West Shelf.In a related program, stereoscopic images of the platform structure are processed to determine the relative position of the ROV. Changes in position are used as inputs to thruster control algorithms, with a view to enabling the vehicle to hold position in fluctuating current fields. The position data from the processed 3D images are linked to output from an on-board inertial system to enable position to be maintained despite periodic loss of visual information.First trials of the combined vision-inertial system indicated some success, notably using the vision system, but indicated difficulties with the inertial package and its integration into the control process. An extension of this project is now being supported by the Australian Maritime Engineering Cooperative Research Centre (AMECRC).
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Birrell, Louise, Ainsley Furneaux-Bate, Cath Chapman, and Nicola C. Newton. "A Mobile Peer Intervention for Preventing Mental Health and Substance Use Problems in Adolescents: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial (The Mind Your Mate Study)." JMIR Research Protocols 10, no. 7 (July 30, 2021): e26796. http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/26796.
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Background Anxiety, mood, and substance use disorders have significant social and economic impacts, which are largely attributable to their early age of onset and chronic disabling course. Therefore, it is critical to intervene early to prevent chronic and debilitating trajectories. Objective This paper describes the study protocol of a CONSORT (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials)-compliant randomized controlled trial for evaluating the effectiveness of the Mind your Mate program, a mobile health (mHealth) peer intervention that aims to prevent mental health (focusing on anxiety and depression) and substance use problems in adolescents. Methods Participants will consist of approximately 840 year 9 or year 10 students (60 students per grade per school) from 14 New South Wales high schools in Sydney, Australia. Schools will be recruited from a random selection of independent and public schools across the New South Wales Greater Sydney Area by using publicly available contact details. The intervention will consist of 1 introductory classroom lesson and a downloadable mobile app that will be available for use for 12 months. Schools will be randomly allocated to receive either the mHealth peer intervention or a waitlist control (health education as usual). All students will be given web-based self-assessments at baseline and at 6- and 12-month follow-ups. The primary outcomes of the trial will be the self-reported use of alcohol and drugs, anxiety and depression symptoms, knowledge about mental health and substance use, motives for not drinking, and willingness to seek help. Secondary outcomes will include positive well-being, the quality of life, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Analyses will be conducted using mixed-effects linear regression analyses for normally distributed data and mixed-effects logistic regression analyses for categorical data. Results The Mind your Mate study was funded by an Australian Rotary Health Bruce Edwards Postdoctoral Research Fellowship from 2019 to 2022. Some of the development costs for the Mind your Mate intervention came from a seed funding grant from the Brain and Mind Centre of the University of Sydney. The enrollment of schools began in July 2020; 12 of 14 schools were enrolled at the time of submission. Baseline assessments are currently underway, and the first results are expected to be submitted for publication in 2022. Conclusions The Mind your Mate study will generate vital new knowledge about the effectiveness of a peer support prevention strategy in real-world settings for the most common mental disorders in youth. If effective, this intervention will constitute a scalable, low-cost prevention strategy that has significant potential to reduce the impact of mental and substance use disorders. Trial Registration Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12620000753954; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=379738&isReview=true International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/26796
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Ambrens, Meghan, Anne Tiedemann, Kim Delbaere, Stephanie Alley, and Corneel Vandelanotte. "The effect of eHealth-based falls prevention programmes on balance in people aged 65 years and over living in the community: protocol for a systematic review of randomised controlled trials." BMJ Open 10, no. 1 (January 2020): e031200. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2019-031200.
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IntroductionBetween 20% and 28% of community-dwelling older people experience a fall each year. Falls can result in significant personal and socioeconomic costs, and are the leading cause of admission to hospital for an older person in Australia. Exercise interventions that target balance are the most effective for preventing falls in community-dwellers; however, greater accessibility of effective programmes is needed. As technology has become more accessible, its use as a tool for supporting and promoting health and well-being of individuals has been explored. Little is known about the effectiveness of eHealth technologies to deliver fall prevention interventions. This protocol describes a systematic review with meta-analysis that aims to evaluate the effect of eHealth fall prevention interventions compared with usual care control on balance in people aged 65 years and older living in the community.Methods and analysisWe will perform a systematic search of the following electronic databases: MEDLINE, CINAHL Complete, Embase and PsychINFO and citation search of Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed Central, Cochrane Database Central and PEDro for randomised controlled trials that use an eHealth technology to deliver a fall prevention intervention to community-dwellers aged ≥65 years, that are published in English, and include a balance outcome (primary outcome). The screening and selection of articles for review will be undertaken by two independent reviewers. The PEDro scale and Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations will be used to assess study quality. The results will be synthesised descriptively, and if sufficient data are available and the studies are not overly heterogeneous, a meta-analysis will be conducted using the random effects model.Ethics and disseminationAs this will be a systematic review, without involvement of human participants, there will be no requirement for ethical approval. The results of this systematic review will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations and dissemination to policymakers and consumers to maximise health impact.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42018115098.
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Jordan, Matthew. "Quality control in South Australia." Journal of Australian Studies 16, no. 34 (September 1992): 53–68. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14443059209387108.
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Sutherland, Rachel, Alison Brown, Nicole Nathan, Serene Yoong, Lisa Janssen, Amelia Chooi, Nayerra Hudson, et al. "A Multicomponent mHealth-Based Intervention (SWAP IT) to Decrease the Consumption of Discretionary Foods Packed in School Lunchboxes: Type I Effectiveness–Implementation Hybrid Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial." Journal of Medical Internet Research 23, no. 6 (June 24, 2021): e25256. http://dx.doi.org/10.2196/25256.
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Background There is significant opportunity to improve the nutritional quality of foods packed in children’s school lunchboxes. Interventions that are effective and scalable targeting the school and home environment are therefore warranted. Objective This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a multicomponent, mobile health–based intervention, SWAP IT, in reducing the energy contribution of discretionary (ie, less healthy) foods and drinks packed for children to consume at school. Methods A type I effectiveness–implementation hybrid cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted in 32 primary schools located across 3 local health districts in New South Wales, Australia, to compare the effects of a 6-month intervention targeting foods packed in children’s lunchboxes with those of a usual care control. Primary schools were eligible if they were not participating in other nutrition studies and used the required school communication app. The Behaviour Change Wheel was used to co-design the multicomponent SWAP IT intervention, which consisted of the following: school lunchbox nutrition guidelines, curriculum lessons, information pushed to parents digitally via an existing school communication app, and additional parent resources to address common barriers to packing healthy lunchboxes. The primary outcome, mean energy (kilojoules) content of discretionary lunchbox foods and drinks packed in lunchboxes, was measured via observation using a validated school food checklist at baseline (May 2019) and at 6-month follow-up (October 2019). Additional secondary outcomes included mean lunchbox energy from discretionary foods consumed, mean total lunchbox energy packed and consumed, mean energy content of core lunchbox foods packed and consumed, and percentage of lunchbox energy from discretionary and core foods, all of which were also measured via observation using a validated school food checklist. Measures of school engagement, consumption of discretionary foods outside of school hours, and lunchbox cost were also collected at baseline and at 6-month follow-up. Data were analyzed via hierarchical linear regression models, with controlling for clustering, socioeconomic status, and remoteness. Results A total of 3022 (3022/7212, 41.90%) students consented to participate in the evaluation (mean age 7.8 years; 1487/3022, 49.22% girls). There were significant reductions between the intervention and control groups in the primary trial outcome, mean energy (kilojoules) content of discretionary foods packed in lunchboxes (–117.26 kJ; 95% CI –195.59 to –39.83; P=.003). Relative to the control, the intervention also significantly reduced secondary outcomes regarding the mean total lunchbox energy (kilojoules) packed (–88.38 kJ; 95% CI –172.84 to –3.92; P=.04) and consumed (–117.17 kJ; 95% CI –233.72 to –0.62; P=.05). There was no significant difference between groups in measures of student engagement, consumption of discretionary foods outside of school hours, or cost of foods packed in children’s lunchboxes. Conclusions The SWAP IT intervention was effective in reducing the energy content of foods packed for and consumed by primary school–aged children at school. Dissemination of the SWAP IT program at a population level has the potential to influence a significant proportion of primary school–aged children, impacting weight status and associated health care costs. Trial Registration Australian Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12618001731280; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=376191&isReview=true International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) RR2-10.1186/s12889-019-7725-x
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Smith, Mary, Sue Atkins, Leon Worth, Michael Richards, and Noleen Bennett. "Infections and antimicrobial use in Australian residential aged care facilities: a comparison between local and international prevalence and practices." Australian Health Review 37, no. 4 (2013): 529. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ah12007.
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Introduction. In July 2011, 29 residential aged care facilities (RACF) located in the Grampians rural region, Victoria, participated in the Grampians healthcare-associated infection (HAI) and antimicrobial use point prevalence study. Methods. On a single day, trained infection control consultants collected data using two surveys. The RACF survey enabled collection of information (e.g. occupancy levels) about each RACF and its residents. The resident survey was completed for eligible high-level care residents who presented with signs and symptoms of a HAI and/or were prescribed an antimicrobial. A literature review was undertaken so comparisons could be made against similar studies. Results. The Grampians prevalence of residents presenting with ≥1 HAI (3.8%) was higher than the pooled prevalence (2.3%) for four international studies (P = 0.01). The Grampians prevalence of residents prescribed ≥1 antimicrobial (8.3%) was higher than the pooled prevalence (5.8%) for eight international studies (P = 0.009). Conclusion. The prevalence of the Grampians residents presenting with ≥1 HAI and residents prescribed ≥1 antimicrobial were both observed to be significantly higher than pooled data from similar international studies. What is known about this topic? RACF residents are vulnerable to HAI for a variety of reasons (e.g. comorbidities and functional disabilities). Inappropriate antimicrobial use for these HAI may lead to the emergence of antimicrobial resistance, adverse drug reactions and excessive costs. The literature does not extensively detail surveillance programs that measure HAI or antimicrobial use in Australian RACF. What does this paper add? In a sample of Australian RACF, the Grampians point prevalence study established a baseline prevalence of HAI and antimicrobial use. The rates calculated were shown to be significantly high when compared with similar studies. What are the implications for practitioners? Quality improvement initiatives that might decrease the prevalence of HAI and antimicrobial use in Australian RACF should be investigated and supported by key stakeholders.
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Nguyen, T. M., Y. S. Hsueh, M. V. Morgan, R. J. Mariño, and S. Koshy. "Economic Evaluation of a Pilot School–Based Dental Checkup Program." JDR Clinical & Translational Research 2, no. 3 (May 5, 2017): 214–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/2380084417708549.
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The objectives of this study were to perform an economic evaluation of a targeted school-based dental checkup program in northern metropolitan Melbourne, Victoria. A 12-mo retrospective case-control cohort analysis using the decision tree method evaluated the incremental cost-utility and cost-effectiveness ratio (ICUR/ICER) for passive standard care dental services and an outreach pilot intervention completed in 2013. A societal perspective was adopted. A total of 273 children ( n = 273) aged between 3 and 12 y met the inclusion/exclusion criteria: 128 in the standard care group and 145 in the intervention group. The total society costs included health sector costs, patient/family costs, and productivity losses in 2014 Australian dollars. Outcome measures were evaluated using quality-adjusted tooth years (QATY) and the combined deciduous and permanent decayed, missing, and filled teeth prevented (DMFT-prevented). A generic outcome variable was created to determine the impact of the intervention to reach underserved populations based on government concession eligibility (cardholder status). Uncertainties were incorporated using 95% confidence intervals. The mean total society cost per child is $463 and $291 ( P = 0.002), QATY utility difference is 0.283 and 0.293 ( P = 0.937), effectiveness difference is 0.16 and 0.10 ( P = 0.756), and cardholder status is 50.0% and 66.2% ( P = 0.007), respectively, for the standard care and intervention groups. On average per child, there was a cost saving of $172 and improvement of 0.01 QATY, with an additional proportion of 16.2% of cardholder children reached. The calculated ICER was $3,252 per DMFT-prevented. The intervention dominates standard care for QATY and per 1% cardholder reached outcome measures. Our study found the pilot checkup program was largely less costly and more effective compared with the current standard care. Further research is needed to quantify the value of outreach interventions to prevent dental caries development and progression in populations from low socioeconomic status. Knowledge Transfer Statement: The findings of this research demonstrated that an outreach dental program can be less costly and more effective than standard models of dental care. It showed that a school-based dental checkup program is beneficial despite other opinions that dental screening is ineffective as a method to improve public dental health. There is fiscal economic evidence to support broader expansion of similar programs locally and internationally to reduce dental caries for children from low-income families.
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Villagra, Victor. "Strategies to Control Costs and Quality." Medical Care 42, suppl (April 2004): III—24—III—30. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/01.mlr.0000119395.13327.e9.
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Foster, Emma, Zhibin Chen, Ella Zomer, Maria Rychkova, Patrick Carney, Terence J. O'Brien, Danny Liew, Graeme D. Jackson, Patrick Kwan, and Zanfina Ademi. "The costs of epilepsy in Australia." Neurology 95, no. 24 (September 15, 2020): e3221-e3231. http://dx.doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0000000000010862.
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ObjectiveTo determine the health economic burden of epilepsy for Australians of working age by using life table modeling and to model whether improved seizure control may result in substantial health economic benefits.MethodsLife table modeling was used for working age Australians aged 15–69 years with epilepsy and the cohort was followed until age 70 years. Published 2017 population and epilepsy-related data regarding epilepsy prevalence, mortality, and productivity were used. This model was then re-simulated, assuming the cohort no longer had epilepsy. Differences in outcomes between these cohorts were attributed to epilepsy. Scenarios were also simulated in which the proportion of seizure-free patients increased from baseline 70% up to 75% and 80%.ResultsIn 2017, Australians of working age with epilepsy followed until age 70 years were predicted to experience over 14,000 excess deaths, more than 78,000 years of life lost, and over 146,000 productivity-adjusted life years lost due to epilepsy. This resulted in lost gross domestic product (GDP) of US $22.1 billion. Increasing seizure freedom by 5% and 10% would reduce health care costs, save years of life, and translate to US $2.6 billion and US $5.3 billion GDP retained for seizure freedom rates of 75% and 80%, respectively.ConclusionsOur study highlights the considerable societal and economic burden of epilepsy. Relatively modest improvements in overall seizure control could bring substantial economic benefits.
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Chiadamrong, N., and C. Thaviwatanachaikul. "ANALYSIS OF QUALITY COSTS FOR STATISTICA QUALITY CONTROL PLANNING." ASEAN Journal on Science and Technology for Development 19, no. 1 (December 10, 2017): 39–54. http://dx.doi.org/10.29037/ajstd.328.
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Quality has become one or the most important force leading to organizational success and company growth in national and international markets. The return-on-investment from strong and effective quality programs is providing excellent profitability results in firms with effective quality strategies. Due to the wide variation in quality results, the search for the genuine keys to success in quality has become a matter of deep concern to management of companies. This paper suggests a way to quantifying quality costs. As a result, the appropriate quality strategies can be adjusted and set to match with each company situation based on the categorization of the quality costs suggested. This outcome can, then, be used as a guideline for manufactures in setting their suitable quality program, which establishes the proper balance between the costs and customer services.
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Hylton Meier, Heidi. "A Control Model for Assessing Quality Costs." American Journal of Business 6, no. 1 (April 22, 1991): 40–44. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/19355181199100007.
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Barad, Miryam. "Some cultural/geographical styles in quality strategies and quality costs (P.R. China versus Australia)." International Journal of Production Economics 41, no. 1-3 (October 1995): 81–92. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0925-5273(94)00096-4.
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Skrzypczak, Izabela, and Marta Słowik. "Economical aspects concerning quality control of concrete." Budownictwo i Architektura 18, no. 1 (June 6, 2019): 049–56. http://dx.doi.org/10.24358/bud-arch_19_181_05.
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The paper deals with economical aspects concerning the quality control of concrete. About 70% of total concrete production is connected with the structural concrete, the subject of quality control and/or conformity. When checking the conformity criteria for a compressive strength of concrete for a small number of samples, qualification errors do not affect the formation of costs associated with losses on external deficiencies. In order to avoid costs related to qualification errors and losses on external deficiencies, the number of samples should be set larger than the minimum (included in contract’s clauses). Furthermore, the designer recommendations should be indicated in the specification. In the paper the costs concerning quality control for concrete have been analyzed.
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Sousa, Sérgio, and Eusébio Nunes. "Integrating quality costs and real time data to define quality control." Procedia Manufacturing 38 (2019): 1600–1607. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.promfg.2020.01.125.
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Khandaker, Shahjahan Ali, and Mohammad Alauddin. "Economic analysis of food‐borne diseases control program in Australia." International Journal of Social Economics 32, no. 9 (September 1, 2005): 767–82. http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/03068290510612575.
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PurposeFood safety is an important means for controlling food‐borne diseases. While there are various procedures for food safety, HACCP‐based procedure has been considered as an efficient method for food‐safety. In Australia the introduction of HACCP‐based food‐safety measures has been recommended in particular for meat and meat products to replace the traditional organoleptic meat inspection procedure. Aims to estimate the costs and benefits.Design/methodology/approachEmploying tools of social cost benefit analysis, this paper estimates the worth of the HACCP‐based food‐safety program. The analysis was carried out assuming five alternative scenarios with 3, 5, and 7 per cent interest rates.FindingsThe results of this study show that the HACCP‐based food‐safety programs are expected to generate net benefit to the society if the effectiveness ranged between 20 and 90 per cent. However, at the 10 per cent level of effectiveness, net benefit turns into net social loss.Originality/valueProvides details of the costs and benefits of the HACCP‐based food‐safety programs in Australia.
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Oppermann, M., W. Sauer, and H. Wohlrabe. "Optimization of quality costs." Robotics and Computer-Integrated Manufacturing 19, no. 1-2 (February 2003): 135–40. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0736-5845(02)00070-4.
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Christiaanse, Rob, and Joris Hulstijn. "Control Automation to Reduce Costs of Control." International Journal of Information System Modeling and Design 4, no. 4 (October 2013): 27–47. http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/ijismd.2013100102.
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Much compliance effort concerns adherence to contracts. Parties to a contract need to make sure that the other parties will deliver. To this end they may require additional controls in the business process to monitor delivery and induce contractual penalties when needed. Controls have costs. In this paper the authors argue that introducing fully automated controls will help to reduce control costs, because (i) they can prevent misstatements (compliance by design) or (ii) they increase the quality of evidence and thereby reduce the audit risk for the external auditor and corresponding audit fees. The line of reasoning is illustrated by a case study of the implementation process of automated controls on the procurement process for public transport services for the elderly and disabled. This is a complex and heavily regulated domain. The case study indicates that control automation makes monitoring compliance to contracts in such complex domains feasible and that using control automation can in fact reduce the costs of control.
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Allison, Ryan W., Carol K. H. Hon, and Bo Xia. "Construction accidents in Australia: Evaluating the true costs." Safety Science 120 (December 2019): 886–96. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2019.07.037.
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