The Project Oversight Guide


Book Description

Whether you are a project manager tasked with overseeing an outsourced capital project or an owner investing in a major project critical to the future of your business, you are most likely starting at a disadvantage. A savvy contractor's project team is likely to be populated with project management professionals who have read an abundance of literature on how to maximize project value for themselves. Unfortunately, as any book search will show you, there is virtually no guidance out there for how to successfully oversee a capital project from an owner's perspective. In project management terms, the client or owner is just a "managed external stakeholder." The book is intended to bridge the gap between knowing how to run a project and knowing how to oversee one. Readers of the POG will find out that project oversight and project management are uniquely different disciplines. Bad project oversight can make an otherwise good project fail, whereas good oversight can lead a substandard project team or contractor to succeed in delivering the expected return on investment. Did you know that, when done right, project oversight more than pays for itself? By reading the POG, students of project management, project management professionals, and owners will gain insight into all facets of the oversight of capital projects, including tools and techniques, organizational design, best practices, behaviors, and processes. The POG packages this information in an examples-based look-see at real situations and lessons learned from the field. WORDS OF PRAISE and REVIEWS The Project Oversight Guide is a much needed and significant addition to project management literature. Well done! --Robert Brese, Former CIO, Department of Energy The framework in The Project Oversight Guide drives project performance to a "win-win" outcomes for owners and contractors! --Kelly Powers, President, Williams Industrial Services If you read this book, it will surely improve the prospects for your capital projects ending in a more predictable and successful outcome. --Cliff Eubanks, 36-year Oversight Senior Executive




Responsible Research


Book Description

When 18-year-old Jesse Gelsinger died in a gene transfer study at the University of Pennsylvania, the national spotlight focused on the procedures used to ensure research participants' safety and their capacity to safeguard the well-being of those who volunteer for research studies. Responsible Research outlines a three-pronged approach to ensure the protection of every participant through the establishment of effective Human Research Participant Protection Programs (HRPPPs). The approach includes: Improved research review processes, Recognition and integration of research participants' contributions to the system, and Vigilant maintenance of HRPPP performance. Issues addressed in the book include the need for in-depth, complimentary reviews of science, ethics, and conflict of interest reviews; desired qualifications for investigators and reviewers; the process of informed consent; federal and institutional oversight; and the role of accreditation. Recommendations for areas of key interest include suggestions for legislative approaches, compensation for research-related injury, and the refocusing of the mission of institutional review boards. Responsible Research will be important to anyone interested in the issues that are relevant to the practice of using human subjects as research participants, but especially so to policy makers, research administrators, investigators, and research sponsorsâ€"but also including volunteers who may agree to serve as research participants.




Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government


Book Description

Policymakers and program managers are continually seeking ways to improve accountability in achieving an entity's mission. A key factor in improving accountability in achieving an entity's mission is to implement an effective internal control system. An effective internal control system helps an entity adapt to shifting environments, evolving demands, changing risks, and new priorities. As programs change and entities strive to improve operational processes and implement new technology, management continually evaluates its internal control system so that it is effective and updated when necessary. Section 3512 (c) and (d) of Title 31 of the United States Code (commonly known as the Federal Managers' Financial Integrity Act (FMFIA)) requires the Comptroller General to issue standards for internal control in the federal government.




Improving the Quality of Long-Term Care


Book Description

Among the issues confronting America is long-term care for frail, older persons and others with chronic conditions and functional limitations that limit their ability to care for themselves. Improving the Quality of Long-Term Care takes a comprehensive look at the quality of care and quality of life in long-term care, including nursing homes, home health agencies, residential care facilities, family members and a variety of others. This book describes the current state of long-term care, identifying problem areas and offering recommendations for federal and state policymakers. Who uses long-term care? How have the characteristics of this population changed over time? What paths do people follow in long term care? The committee provides the latest information on these and other key questions. This book explores strengths and limitations of available data and research literature especially for settings other than nursing homes, on methods to measure, oversee, and improve the quality of long-term care. The committee makes recommendations on setting and enforcing standards of care, strengthening the caregiving workforce, reimbursement issues, and expanding the knowledge base to guide organizational and individual caregivers in improving the quality of care.




Nonprofit Financial Oversight


Book Description

Finally! Nonprofit financial oversight is simplified. If you are looking for a way to quickly and efficiently equip your nonprofit board or finance committee members to oversee the financial affairs of your nonprofit organization, look no further. With more than 30 years of hands-on experience serving hundreds of nonprofit organizations, Mike Batts brings his concise and clear communication style to this important topic. Each chapter of this book is an easy read, and the book is loaded with information provided in a plain-language format. The Appendices provide a wealth of useful resources. You don't need to be a financial expert to oversee the financial affairs of a nonprofit organization, but you do need to know what to look for and how to evaluate the information you receive. Nonprofit Financial Oversight - The Concise and Complete Guide for Boards and Finance Committees helps you do just that - simply and efficiently. Resources in this book include: Annual Board Financial Oversight Checklist Your board or finance committee can know the bases are covered by using this helpful plain-language checklist as a reminder of key financial oversight issues that should be addressed in your organization every year. Sample Policies Not only does this book tell you in a straightforward manner what policies most nonprofit organizations should have in place, it provides an array of sample policies to greatly simplify the process of adopting them. Sample Finance Committee Charter This book will help you determine whether your organization needs a finance committee or an audit committee. And if you do, you are ready to go with a sample finance committee charter and guidelines for an audit committee charter! Chapter Titles 1. The Duty of Board Members to Oversee Financial Operations 2. The Finance Committee 3. Audits and Other Accountability Practices 4. Key Areas of Financial Oversight 5. Governing Documents and Policies 6. Internal Financial Reporting and Monitoring 7. Financial Health 8. Tax Compliance 9. Risk Management Appendices A. Annual Financial Oversight Checklist for Boards and Finance Committees B. Sample Conflicts-of-Interest Policy C. Sample Executive Compensation-Setting Policy D. Sample Policy on Dishonesty, Fraud, and Whistleblower Protection E. Sample Donor Privacy Policy F. Sample Gift Acceptance Policy G. Sample Expense Reimbursement Policy




Ethical Considerations for Research on Housing-Related Health Hazards Involving Children


Book Description

Ethical Considerations for Research on Housing-Related Health Hazards Involving Children explores the ethical issues posed when conducting research designed to identify, understand, or ameliorate housing-related health hazards among children. Such research involves children as subjects and is conducted in the home and in communities. It is often conducted with children in low-income families given the disproportionate prevalence of housing-related conditions such as lead poisoning, asthma, and fatal injuries among these children. This book emphasizes five key elements to address the particular ethical concerns raised by these characteristics: involving the affected community in the research and responding to their concerns; ensuring that parents understand the essential elements of the research; adopting uniform federal guidelines for such research by all sponsors (Subpart D of 45 CFR 46); providing guidance on key terms in the regulations; and viewing research oversight as a system with important roles for researchers, IRBs and their research institutions, sponsors and regulators of research, and the community.




Government Auditing Standards - 2018 Revision


Book Description

Audits provide essential accountability and transparency over government programs. Given the current challenges facing governments and their programs, the oversight provided through auditing is more critical than ever. Government auditing provides the objective analysis and information needed to make the decisions necessary to help create a better future. The professional standards presented in this 2018 revision of Government Auditing Standards (known as the Yellow Book) provide a framework for performing high-quality audit work with competence, integrity, objectivity, and independence to provide accountability and to help improve government operations and services. These standards, commonly referred to as generally accepted government auditing standards (GAGAS), provide the foundation for government auditors to lead by example in the areas of independence, transparency, accountability, and quality through the audit process. This revision contains major changes from, and supersedes, the 2011 revision.




Health Professions Education


Book Description

The Institute of Medicine study Crossing the Quality Chasm (2001) recommended that an interdisciplinary summit be held to further reform of health professions education in order to enhance quality and patient safety. Health Professions Education: A Bridge to Quality is the follow up to that summit, held in June 2002, where 150 participants across disciplines and occupations developed ideas about how to integrate a core set of competencies into health professions education. These core competencies include patient-centered care, interdisciplinary teams, evidence-based practice, quality improvement, and informatics. This book recommends a mix of approaches to health education improvement, including those related to oversight processes, the training environment, research, public reporting, and leadership. Educators, administrators, and health professionals can use this book to help achieve an approach to education that better prepares clinicians to meet both the needs of patients and the requirements of a changing health care system.




Statement of Taxes Due


Book Description




Registries for Evaluating Patient Outcomes


Book Description

This User’s Guide is intended to support the design, implementation, analysis, interpretation, and quality evaluation of registries created to increase understanding of patient outcomes. For the purposes of this guide, a patient registry is an organized system that uses observational study methods to collect uniform data (clinical and other) to evaluate specified outcomes for a population defined by a particular disease, condition, or exposure, and that serves one or more predetermined scientific, clinical, or policy purposes. A registry database is a file (or files) derived from the registry. Although registries can serve many purposes, this guide focuses on registries created for one or more of the following purposes: to describe the natural history of disease, to determine clinical effectiveness or cost-effectiveness of health care products and services, to measure or monitor safety and harm, and/or to measure quality of care. Registries are classified according to how their populations are defined. For example, product registries include patients who have been exposed to biopharmaceutical products or medical devices. Health services registries consist of patients who have had a common procedure, clinical encounter, or hospitalization. Disease or condition registries are defined by patients having the same diagnosis, such as cystic fibrosis or heart failure. The User’s Guide was created by researchers affiliated with AHRQ’s Effective Health Care Program, particularly those who participated in AHRQ’s DEcIDE (Developing Evidence to Inform Decisions About Effectiveness) program. Chapters were subject to multiple internal and external independent reviews.