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Biomedical subjects

E C Ross

Publications and source records attributed to E C Ross.

15 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Ocular motor measures in migraine with and without aura.

The purpose of this study was to examine basic ocular motor function in individuals with migraine. We used an infrared eye-tracking system to measure horizontal smooth pursuit to a sinusoidal target, saccades to horizontal target displacements of 5-20 degrees , and the stability of fixation in 19 migraine without aura (MoA), 19 migraine with aura (MA) and 19 headache-free control (C) subjects. Eye movement measurements were made at two target displacement rates and against both homogeneous grey and patterned backgrounds. We found no statistically significant differences between migraine and control subjects in any of the eye movement parameters measured, but did find highly significant effects of both target speed and background pattern in all groups. Our results do not provide support for subclinical cerebellar impairment in migraineurs, and do provide evidence that previously described visual abnormalities in migraine are not artefacts of abnormal fixation or eye movements.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Will managed care ever deliver on its promises? Managed care, public policy, and consumers of mental health services.

Advocates of managed care have promised to greatly improve delivery of services to persons with serious mental illness by focusing on effectiveness and accountability. With the exception of a few beacons of success, experience shows that managed care has not delivered on its promises. This article examines several areas of the public mental health system that still have major flaws, hindering adequate provision of services. Such flaws include the absence of integration of Medicaid and the public mental health system; general lack of publicly documented performance measurements that demonstrate accountability; absence of meaningful and authentic consumer, family, and enrollee participation in service planning, implementation, and evaluation; among others. Are we ready to replicate the lessons from the few beacons of success, or will we just continue to fail persons with the most serious mental illnesses?

Attitude to Health↗
PubMed1999

Regulating managed care: interest group competition for control and behavioral health care.

In this essay I identify how historic patterns of competition among health care interest groups have simultaneously retained their past contours and also changed significantly as a result of the jolt created by the rise of managed care. I explain why it is that I and other executives of for-profit managed behavioral health care organizations, traditionally advocates of market-based approaches to accountability, have begun to support some versions of regulation by the national government in order to restore consumer confidence in the credibility of managed health plans. Key concepts that are addressed include notions of public accountability, control of the purse strings, consumer protections, and provider privileges.

Behavioral Medicine↗
PubMed1999

NCQA requirements: friend or foe?

In this time of intensified cost-containment pressures and low funding for behavioral healthcare services, organizations are particularly sensitive to externally imposed requirements that add expense and administrative burden. As a tradeoff, the contribution of such requirements to the overall quality of behavioral health services is vitally important. The requirements of the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) have stimulated many intensely felt reactions among a wide range of managed behavioral healthcare stakeholders, undoubtedly because of the substantial impact those requirements are creating. The reactions portrayed in this dialogue section, from representatives of the payor, purchaser, provider and consumer communities and from NCQA itself, indicate the ambivalence stakeholders have toward the quality-assurance movement.

Accreditation↗
PubMed1997

Managed behavioral health care premises, accountable systems of care, and AMBHA'S perms. American Managed Behavioral Healthcare Association.

This article discusses the concepts and approaches underlying managed behavioral health care and the need to assess quality of care. The author describes the Performance Measures for Managed Behavioral Healthcare Programs (PERMS) developed by the American Managed Behavioral Healthcare Association (AMBHA), which is offered as a first step toward enhanced quality of care assessment in managed behavioral health care.

Behavioral Medicine↗
PubMed1993

The effects of resistance level on muscle coordination patterns and movement profile during trunk extension.

The objective of this research was to investigate the effects of varying resistance level on patterns of muscle activity and trunk motion during the performance of dynamic trunk extension. Twenty-five female subjects were tested at four resistance levels: nominal resistance, and 30%, 50%, and 70% of maximum isometric extension strength. Peak truncal velocity, acceleration, and deceleration decreased with increased resistance, although no difference existed between the nominal and 30% maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) conditions. Coactivation of abdominal muscles was present at all resistance levels, although it was greater for the nominal resistance condition than the other conditions. The timing of EMG activity of the extensor and abdominal muscles was significantly affected by resistance. The amplitude and time course of peak muscle activity are discussed in terms of the implications for spinal loading.

Abdominal Muscles↗