Showing papers on "Cost effectiveness published in 1978"

Reliability-centered maintenance

Abstract: : This book explains basic concepts, principles, definitions, and applications of a logical discipline for development of efficient scheduled (preventive) maintenance programs for complex equipment, and the on-going management of such programs. Such programs are called reliability-centered maintenance (RCM) programs because they are centered on achieving the inherent safety and reliability capabilities of equipment at a minimum cost. A U.S. Department of Defense objective in sponsoring preparation of this document was that it serve as a guide for application to a wide range of different types of military equipment. There are essentially only four types of tasks in a scheduled mainenance program: (1) Inspect an item to detect a potential failure; (2) Rework an item before a maximum permissible age is exceeded; (3) Discard an item before a maximum permissible age is exceeded; (4) Inspect an item to find failures that have already occurred but were not evident to the equipment operating crew. A central problem addressed in this book is how to determine which types of scheduled maintenance tasks, if any, should be applied to an item and how frequently assigned tasks should be accomplished. The use of a decision diagram as an aid in this analysis is illustrated. The net result is a structured, systematic blend of experience, judgment, and operational data/ information to identify and anlayze which type of maintnence task is both applicable and effective for each significant item as it relates to a particular type of equipment.

Product Mix and Cost Disaggregation: A Reinterpretation of the Economics of Higher Education.

Abstract: This paper attempts to separate undergraduate, graduate, and research costs at the university Since the proportion of resources allocated to each of these activities varies systematically across time and institutions, this disaggregation alters our cross-sectional and intertemporal picture of productivity, net benefits, and subsidies in higher education Real undergraduate costs are shown to be much lower than previously assumed and the social rate of return higher; educational "productivity" has been rising through time, contrary to popular belief Undergraduate education is now a profitable "production" activity at universities, used to subsidize their "consumption" of loss-making graduate education Community college teaching is more costly and heavily subsidized than university teaching of lower-division students

The value and cost of children.

Abstract: Recent research on actual and perceived benefits and costs of children to their parents in both developed and less developed countries is summarized. Such figures and research cannot only help predict fertility behavior but can also provide data for welfare departments figuring support costs courts setting support costs and government planners allocating resources. Findings on costs and satisfactions from several major surveys are presented and then actual costs in the U.S. are presented in a series of tables. Research indicates that efforts to popularize small families could well take an economic approach - developing social security systems for the aged substituting mothers for childrens work in developing countries. Compulsory education might also help. 1 researcher suggests publicizing exact costs of raising a child. A survey in Hawaii found that parents uniformly underestimated the direct costs of each child. Also couples might be most receptive to family planning during the years when economic costs are highest.

Medical Economics Survey-Methods Study Cost-Effectiveness of Alternative Survey Strategies

Abstract: The Medical Economics Survey-Methods Study was conducted under contract for the National Center for Health Statistics during 1975–76. The objective was to determine the cost-effectiveness of a variety of strategies under consideration for application in a national survey in 1977. Detailed data on he

Cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness: methodologies for evaluating innovative pharmaceutical services.

Abstract: Cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis techniques which can be of assistance in the evaluation of innovative pharmaceutical services are reviewed. Process and outcome measures are considered, and suggested steps in a cost-benefit study are presented. Samples of pharmacy studies using these techniques are appraised. Possible measures for benefits and costs along with literature references for evaluations of innovative pharmaceutical services are presented. Areas of pharmaceutical service discussed are ambulatory patient consultation, unit dose drug distribution, drug information services, monitoring drug therapy in acute care and long-term care, parenteral admixture services, patient and therapy responsibilities, patient discharge interviews, patient drug histories and profiles, and personnel substitutions. Although there have been several encouraging reports on the cost-benefit of pharmaceutical services, more evaluative research is needed to develop programs which maximize the benefit-to-cost ratio to society.

Community-based and commercial contraceptive distribution: an inventory and appraisal.

Abstract: Nonclinical delivery systems have been developed primarily because of the need to provide greater access to a majority of the people particularly in rural areas and urban poor neighborhoods. Poor distribution of appropriately trained health personnel and physical limitations have prevented the clinic-based system to expand. Nonclinical delivery systems are designed to minimize service delivery costs and such barriers to clients as distance costs to clients administrative difficulties and ignorance of contraception. Personnel with limited family planning training have been utilized and community involvement has been increasingly encouraged. The belief that there is an unmet need for family planning services and that if services were made available in these areas they would be used underlies the development of nonclinical services. This report provides an overview on community-based and commercial distribution projects--describing projects the services they provide their evaluation design and their results in 36 countries in Asia Latin America and Africa. It also discusses the intermediate effectiveness (volume of contraceptives distributed number of acceptors continuation and prevalence) the impact on fertility decline the cost effectiveness and the replicability of such efforts. A case study of the Indonesian experience is offered.

Library planning and decision-making systems

Abstract: The problems of managing libraries have been multiplying. The operations of libraries have become increasingly complex, involving in many cases mechanization, centralization, and computerization of library services. The size and scope of collections have grown rapidly as they attempt to keep up with the geometric expansion of knowledge, and so have the variety of services offered or contemplated and the expectations of users. These kinds of change and growth have made it more important than ever that libraries utilize comprehensive frameworks for planning and decision making concerning their operations and resources, and the major focus of this book is on the development of such analytical frameworks for university and large public library systems."It is in the spirit of making a contribution to the development of such frameworks," Professor Hamburg writes, "that this book has been written.... Since there is an inseparable need not only for improved library statistical data systems but also for the above-mentioned frameworks for rational planning and decision making, we have devoted considerable effort to the development of analytical models that might assist library administrators in making decisions that would maximize the flow of benefits imparted to the communities the library serves. Some of the results of this model-building effort are reported in these pages...."Some of the methods discussed in this text fall within the discipline known as management science (or operations research). There is a large communications gap between librarians, who use English to make themselves understood, and management scientists, who routinely use mathematics as a language. We have tried to communicate clearly to those concerned with library management, and, except in parts of Chapter 4, we have managed to keep the presentation on a verbal rather than a mathematical level."The six chapters are entitled Introduction and Summary, Library Objectives and Overall Performance Measures, A Framework for Library Decision Making, Library Models and Empirical Findings, Development of a Management Information System for Libraries, and Higher-Level Decision Making.

Peak-period traffic congestion: a state-of-the-art analysis and evaluation of effective solutions

Abstract: This paper reports on an analysis of a range of largely non-construction congestion reduction techniques which was funded by the U.S. National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP). A number of evaluations of the direct and indirect effec tiveness, costs, timing and feasibility of 22 major classes of promising techniques was performed. Based on this analysis, the study team evaluated 17 of these techniques as both effective and feasible in a U. S. institutional context. However, none of these 17 offered more than marginal reductions in peak-period traffic congestion when applied individually. Some techniques affected so small a percentage of travelers that reductions in congestion would not be discernible. Other techniques promised significant congestion reductions in theory but did not realize that promise in practice. It was concluded that many techniques could be implemented together with the potential for far greater combined effectiveness. An analysis was performed to determine how best to “package” or jointly implement promising techniques to optimize their combined effectiveness. It was found that all promising techniques could not be applied together because of conflicts in their impact. This analysis suggested eight sample “packages” or combinations of mutually supportive techniques. These eight packages were subjected to evaluations similar to those performed for individual techniques; while the packages are merely examples of potential combinations, the evaluation methodology employed should be of continuing use to local transportation planners. This paper was developed from NCHRP Report 169, Peak-Period Traffic Congestion, Options for Current Programs, and Peak-Period Traffic Congestion: State-of-the-Art and Recommended Research (NCHRP Agency Draft) By Robert Remak and Sandra Rosenbloom.

Optimum Ordering Policies with Lead Time for an Operating Unit in Preventive Maintenance

Abstract: An ordering policy allows a spare, delivered after a constant lead time, to be put into inventory. Under certain conditions there exists a finite and unique ordering policy maximizing the cost effectiveness, which balances the system effectiveness and the cost and is defined as [s-availability]/[s-expected cost rate].

A highly efficient residue-combinatorial architecture for digital filters

Abstract: A hybrid digital filter structure is presented that combines a combinatorial multiplication technique with a residue number architecture. The hybrid technique eliminates general multiplication and results in a parallel structure inherent in the residue number system. Results indicate that better speed/cost ratios can be obtained with the hybrid architecture than with either structure alone for applications in which high performance is a predominant factor.

XS-0: a self-explanatory school computer

Abstract: XS-0 is a low-cost interactive system that serves as a self-explanatory school computer. Particular attention has been devoted to making the man-machine dialog easy to follow for the inexperienced user. The system includes a course on computer programming, a programming system for writing, editing, executing, and debugging programs interactively, and a filing system containing private and public libraries. The language offered to the user is a version of Pascal. The system is realized on a small stand-alone computer which supports a small number of graphic terminals. This hardware consists of the most cost effective components currently on the market.

Improving the cost-effectiveness of obesity programs: three basic strategies for reducing the cost per pound.

Abstract: Empirical support is provided for three basic strategies of improving the cost-effectiveness of treatments for obesity. The importance of analyzing both the effectiveness and cost of different program components when attempting to improve cost-effectiveness is illustrated in the first two studies. First, the strength of relationships between changes in different eating behaviors and changes in obesity was assessed for a small sample of obese individuals. Change in only one of eight behaviors investigated was significantly and strongly correlated with change in obesity. Data also were collected on the subjective costs and benefits of changing 36 eating behaviors that are commonly included in treatments for obesity. Some eating behaviors were found to differ greatly in subjective cost and perceived benefit, as measured by clients' ratings of component difficulty and component usefulness. A final, quasi-experimental study demonstrated the importance of developing cost-effective systems for translating principles of treatment for obesity into actual treatment. The impact on cost-effectiveness in mind is illustrated in a comparison of dollars paid by clients in relation to percent reduction in obesity for two weight reduction programs. The studies are discussed as highlighting the importance of measuring the cost and effectiveness of alternative delivery systems for, and different components of, treatments for obesity.

Cost-effectiveness comparison of manual and on-line retrospective bibliographic searching.

Abstract: A study to compare the cost effectiveness of retrospective manual and on-line bibliographic searching is described. Forty search queries were processed against seven abstracting--indexing publications and the corresponding SDC/ORBIT data bases. Equivalent periods of coverage and searcher skill levels were used for both search modes. Separate task times were measured for question analysis, searching, photocopying, shelving, and output distribution. Component costs were calculated for labor, information, reproduction, equipment, physical space, and telecommunications. Results indicate that on-line searching is generally faster, less costly, and more effective than manual searching. However, for certain query/information-source combinations, manual searching may offer some advantages in precision and turn-around time. The results of a number of related studies are reviewed. 1 figure, 6 tables, 43 references.

Catalog information and text as indicators of relevance

Abstract: The indicativity of a type of catalog information (or catalog field) is intended as a measure of how well the information in the field conveys the contents of the document it represents. In the experiments reported here, indicativity is measured for several catalog fields by comparing users' evaluations of the relevance of documents on the basis of the information in a given field with their judgments on the basis of full text. A small but statistically significant increase in indicativity is found as the length of a catalog field (as measured by the number of different content-word stems) is increased. The title field is found to have an indicativity of 0.64; matching subjects, 0.67; subjects, 0.70; abstract, 0.73. Despite the relatively small gain in indicativity for the longer fields, users value the longer fields highly for determining relevance if one judges by the amount of time they spend on them. Support for the hypothesis that the indicativity measure does not fully reflect the value of the fields is developed. Thus, the question of the cost effectiveness of the longer fields is unresolved. Other aspects of catalog field utility studied under the Project Intrex equipments are also reported.

Criteria for Pipeline Replacement

Abstract: Water lines properly designed, constructed, and protected against corrosion should last indefinitely. Many water lines have been in use for over 100 years. However, water mains do have to be replaced and in many cases at a very early service age. Breaks in water mains are usually attributed to one or more factors, alone or more often in combination-improper installation, external corrosion, internal corrosion, surge, soil movement, temperature changes, impacts, and manufacturing defects. The effects of these conditions could have been avoided by good design and construction. When they cannot be corrected at an annual cost less than that of replacing the main, the main should be replaced. In determining when a main should be replaced, a study of the cost effectiveness of the decision is a major consideration, with concern given to intangibles such as customer satisfaction and public reaction.

Computed tomography: cost and efficacy implications

Abstract: Because CT is unique, it has been accepted by physicians with unrestrained enthusiasm. However, the capital investment and cost of maintenance are high, and there has been no orderly program of dispersion despite the profound interest of the regulatory agencies in cost containment. Although the diagnostic accuracy of CT in both the head and body is high, its information gain over other competing imaging methods, particularly those in the abdomen (ultrasound, nuclear medicine), has not been fully documented. In evaluating the cost effectiveness of CT, long-term outcome, while the most important criterion, requires carefully controlled studies over many years. Short-term value may be measured by assessing the degree to which CT furnishes new diagnostic information, its accuracy, its effect on the morbidity and mortality of diagnostic and theraupeutic procedures, its impact on treatment planning, and changes in cost and saving incident to its use. Prospective studies must relate the contribution of CT to that of competing methods and document the impact of additional diagnostic information.

The Use of Monetary Incentives in National Assessment Household Surveys

Abstract: The National Assessment of Educational Progress household survey of young adults 26–35 years old uses a unique monetary incentive procedure to effectively reduce nonresponse and to increase overall cost effectiveness. As a result of poor response in the first year of National Assessment, a special followup study was conducted to examine alternative field procedures; four different incentive plans were tested in a designed experiment imposed on 64 area segment sampling units. The results of the experimental study and of the adopted monetary incentive procedure on response rates in Years 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the National Assessment household surveys are reported.

The dynamics of pension funding: contribution theory

Abstract: A general model for a pension plan involving growth with respect to the population, salaries, and retirement benefits is used to study contribution patterns that may arise under different actuarial cost methods. Detailed results are presented for the case where the growth of population and the growth of salaries are described by exponential functions. Economic implications are presented and discussed.

A Lower Bound Cost Benefit Model for Information Services.

Abstract: This paper describes an economic modeling approach to evaluating the costs and benefits associated with providing information services through information centers. The approach develops a framework for understanding observations about the demand for scientific and technical information and integrating these observations with fundamental economic principles. The resulting cost and benefit models permit estimating a lower bound on benefits and the calculations of net benefits (benefits less costs). The paper includes example calculations for information analysis centers and illustrates, through sensitivity analyses, how changes in parameter values can change the outcome of the calculations.

Evaluating cost-effectiveness of diagnostic equipment: the brain scanner case.

Abstract: An approach to evaluating the cost-effectiveness of high-technology diagnostic equipment has been devised, using the introduction of computerised axial tomography (CAT) as a model. With the advent of CAT scanning, angiography and air encephalography have a reduced, though important, role in investigating intracranial disease, and the efficient use of conventional equipment requires the centralisation of neuroradiological services, which would result in major cash savings. In contrast, the pattern of demand for CAT scanning, in addition to the acknowledged clinical efficiency of the scanner and its unique role in the head-injured patient, ephasies the need for improved access to scanners. In the interest of the patients the pattern of service must change.

Research in Teacher Effectiveness--Where It Is and How It Got Here.

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Utilization and cost-effectiveness of cranial computed tomography at a university hospital.

Abstract: This study prospectively surveyed the utilization of cranial computed tomography (CCT) at The George Washington University Hospital over a 12-month period. Of 3,070 CCT scans studied, 1,098 (35%) resulted in a positive clinically important diagnosis for an overall case finding cost of $800. Within each of 25 individual indications for scanning, classified on the basis of the patient's most specific sign or symptom, case finding costs varied from a low of $411 for patients in coma to $3,500 for patients with headaches as their only indication for CT scanning. Within two diagnostic categories, malignant brain tumors and cerebral aneurysms, there was significant agreement (p less than 0.001) between the prescanning diagnosis and the result on CCT. Overall there was also close agreement (correlation coefficient = 0.706) between the rank listing of the 25 indications for scanning compiled prior to CCT with that obtained after the scanning results were known.

Mythology in the Making: Is the Open University Really Cost-Effective?.

Abstract: Recent publications have concluded that the Open University is both more cost-effective and more “open” than conventional universities. In this paper the evidence for these claims is critically examined, and it is concluded that neither claim has been substantiated. An alternative technique, cost-effectiveness analysis, is proposed as a more appropriate way of evaluating the Open University. A rudimentary application of the technique to the cost structure of the OU indicates that there is a prima facie case for believing that its application would result in a substantial reduction in the Open University's costs.

Energy efficient engine: Preliminary design and integration studies

Abstract: The characteristics and systems benefits of an energy efficient engine (E3) suitable for use on advanced subsonic transport aircraft were determined. Relative to a current CF6-50C engine, the following benefits were estimated: 14.4% reduction in installed cruise specific fuel consumption, and a reduction in direct operating cost of more than 5%. The advanced technology E3 system would also permit: compliance with FAR 36 (1977) noise limits, and compliance with 1981 EPA emission standards.