In health care, geography is destiny

Geography decides destiny.

“The next activity we will do in today’s session is called the fantasy death exercise.” I look at the expectant faces in front of me. I always get a kick out of doing this exercise with medical students as it is a great immersion learning tool and fun to do. “The fantasy death exercise is sort of like guided imagery experience. Please close your eyes and keep them closed until I tell you to ope...

Geography is not Destiny. Geography, Institutions and Literacy in England, 1837-1863

Geography made rural society in the south-east of England unequal. Economies of scale in grain growing created a farmer elite and many landless laborers. In the pastoral north-west in contrast family farms dominated, with few hired laborers, and modest income disparities. Did this geography driven difference in social structure influence educational outcomes in England 1810-1845? Using new micr...

The Geography of Health Care Systems

Polarity Is Destiny

The GTPase Cdc42 specifies polarity in various biological processes. Kesavan et al. (2009) now demonstrate that Cdc42 also regulates epithelial cell polarity in the developing mouse pancreas, where it is required for tubule formation and maintenance. Furthermore, the polarization of epithelial tissue influences the differentiation of pancreatic progenitor cells, linking cell polarity to cell sp...

Is Patient Choice the Future of Health Care Systems?

Patient and user choice are at the forefront of the debate on the future direction of health and public services provision in many industrialized countries in Europe and elsewhere. It is used both, as a means to achieve desired policy goals in public health care systems such as greater efficiency and improved quality of care, and as a good with its own intrinsic value. However, the evidence sug...