August 2014

Bundled Payment for Health Services
commentary
The Winding Path to Effective Bundled Payment
M. Susan Ridgely, Peter S. Hussey
Aug 29, 2014
Health Affairs Blog
It's not unusual for a demonstration to fall short of its original objectives. Learning from such cases is part of the innovation process. This is especially worthwhile for bundled payment, which has many potential benefits for patients, providers, and payers.
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Ukraine
commentary
A Diplomatic Solution for Ukraine
Ian Bond, Denis Corboy, William Courtney @courtneywmh, John Herbst, Richard Kauzlarich, William W. Taylor, Kenneth Yalowitz
Aug 27, 2014
The National Interest
Despite uncertainty about Russian military plans and the outcome of Ukrainian operations against pro-Russian separatists, it's not too soon to consider how to lay the foundations for a negotiated solution. If Moscow were unwilling to reach a fair settlement, the West would have options to increase its leverage.
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Intelligence Collection
announcement
Brian Michael Jenkins Joins Elite Panel on Domestic Intelligence Gathering
Aug 26, 2014
The "Blue Ribbon Panel" will preside over work by a Business Executives for National Security task force to determine whether post-9/11 reforms have kept pace with evolving threats to homeland security.
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Security Cooperation
commentary
Foreign Fighters Are a Global Threat
Christopher S. Chivvis
Aug 25, 2014
U.S. News & World Report
The threat posed by foreign terrorist fighters cannot be resolved by the United States, or any ally, working alone. It calls for broad international cooperation on law enforcement, intelligence sharing and other areas for many years to come.
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Parenting
commentary
Germs Go Back to School, Too: Five Ways to Protect Your Kids
Jeanne S. Ringel @JeanneRingel
Aug 25, 2014
The RAND Blog
With kids working and playing in close contact and sharing supplies and equipment, schools can be hotbeds for infection. Each year, K-12 students miss about 60 million school days due to colds and the flu combined. But these five approaches can help reduce their chance of spreading infections and getting sick.
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Caregivers
commentary
Meeting the Caregivers Challenge
Emily K. Chen, Jeffrey Wasserman
Aug 25, 2014
The RAND Blog
Ill or injured military personnel and veterans and people with dementia are unique populations, but they give us a preview of the enormous long-term care challenges Americans will face in the decades to come.
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Developing Countries
commentary
Women's Menstrual Hygiene in India: The Health and Environmental Implications
Mahlet Atakilt Woldetsadik
Aug 22, 2014
The RAND Blog
According to India's 2011 census, 89 percent of the nation's rural population lives in households that lack toilets. This absence of proper sanitation presents public health challenges and affects Indian women disproportionately.
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Teacher Effectiveness
commentary
Flexibility Is Key in Administration's Call for Teacher Equity Plans
Jennifer L. Steele, John Engberg, Brian M. Stecher
Aug 22, 2014
The RAND Blog
Metrics like teacher experience and licensure reveal little about teachers' impact on student learning. The focus should be on disadvantaged students' access to effective teachers.
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Police-Community Relations
commentary
Data Key to Tackling Racial Profiling in Ferguson
K. Jack Riley @K_Jack_Riley
Aug 21, 2014
Cincinnati Enquire
Authorities in Ferguson would be wise to consider following Cincinnati's example in dealing with mistrust between police and citizens after the police shooting of a young black man. The city embarked on a thorough examination of racial profiling by its police force and took steps to deal with the perception that bias was influencing the way police officers performed their duties.
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Ukraine
commentary
Make Russia an Offer on Ukraine It Can't Refuse
Olga Oliker, Keith Crane
Aug 20, 2014
CNN
An international initiative that does not appear to emanate from NATO or the EU could help bring Russia to the table, in part by accepting that Moscow, too, has a role. An international peacekeeping force could open the way for a negotiated end to the conflict.
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Multicultural Education
blog
Pardee RAND Promotes Diversity in Public Policy Through Summer Faculty Workshop
Aug 20, 2014
The Pardee RAND summer faculty workshop aims to help scholars who teach at historically black colleges and universities strengthen their approach to research and bring new analytic thinking, tools, and practices back to their students, inspiring them to pursue graduate education and careers in public policy.
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Peacekeeping and Stability Operations
commentary
Taking It One Crisis at a Time
James Dobbins @Jim_Dobbins
Aug 19, 2014
U.S. News & World Report
The main difference between the immediate post-Cold War decade and the post-9/11 era as regards the variety of international challenges is that during that earlier period these challenges were faced and dealt with seriatim, rather than allowed to accumulate.
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Military Education and Training
commentary
Mending the Marriage Between Colleges and the Military
Paula G. Thornhill
Aug 18, 2014
The Chronicle of Higher Education
Without a concerted effort to change military executive education, military services will continue a misguided effort to buy academic credibility, and some elite universities will continue selling their names. Most importantly, the Untied States will miss an opportunity to hone the critical thinking of its next generation of military leaders.
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The Islamic State (Terrorist Organization)
commentary
Disrupting Terrorist Safe Havens
Brian Michael Jenkins @BrianMJenkins
Aug 18, 2014
The Hill
Disrupting the terrorist safe havens in Syria and Iraq would require a balanced approach that makes the business of terrorist planning and training difficult without entangling U.S. forces in new conflicts and angering the very populations the United States seeks to assist.
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Threat Assessment
blog
Andrew Parasiliti Named Director of Center for Global Risk and Security at RAND
Aug 18, 2014
Andrew Parasiliti, former editor in chief of Al-Monitor.com, has been named director of the Center for Global Risk and Security. His background also includes appointments as executive director of the International Institute for Strategic Studies-US and Corresponding Director, IISS-Middle East.
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Obesity
commentary
Always Hungry? Here's the Real Reason Why
Deborah A. Cohen @DrDebCohen
Aug 15, 2014
Fox News Channel
The problem of obesity cannot be attributed to a single dietary or physiological factor, like too much sugar, too much fat, or even factors like viruses, bacteria, and endocrine disrupters. The real problem is that Americans now live in a food swamp and there is just too much food easily available.
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North Atlantic Treaty Organization
commentary
NATO's Crucial Summit
F. Stephen Larrabee, Ian J. Brzezinski
Aug 15, 2014
CNN
President Obama can take action now to ensure the September NATO summit in Wales underscores transatlantic resolve and capability in the face of Russian aggression and provide the strong, decisive U.S. leadership NATO needs in this time of crisis.
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Peacekeeping and Stability Operations
commentary
To Fight ISIS, Make Peace with Syria's Assad
William Young
Aug 14, 2014
USA Today
To disrupt al-Baghdadi's advance, the United States and its allies should start by addressing the source of the problem -- the conflict in Syria. They can begin by negotiating a truce with President Bashar Assad to stop the fighting in Syria.
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Iraq
commentary
What's Going on in Iraq?
Karl P. Mueller
Aug 14, 2014
U.S. News & World Report
While the United States could embark on a much wider war in Iraq, there's little reason to think it will rush to do so or that using airpower to help defend the Kurds will make such an escalation inevitable.
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College-Bound Students
commentary
The Price for Student Satisfaction and Success in Higher Education
Benoit Guerin
Aug 14, 2014
The RAND Blog
Choosing the right university and the best course of study is one of the most important decisions young people and parents will make. Not everyone makes the right decision. Of the wide range of factors involved in choosing a university, how important are university tuition fees to young people and their parents?
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Veterans Health Care
commentary
Improving the Experience of Veterans Seeking Mental Health and Substance Use Care
Kimberly A. Hepner @KimberlyHepner
Aug 13, 2014
The RAND Blog
Last week, President Obama signed a bill to overhaul care provided by the Veterans Health Administration. This is an important step, but attention to veterans' experiences receiving care, particularly veterans in need of mental health and substance use care, should be an essential component to ongoing efforts to improve quality.
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Terrorism Financing
commentary
Hitting ISIS Where It Hurts: Disrupt ISIS's Cash Flow in Iraq
Patrick B. Johnston, Benjamin Bahney
Aug 13, 2014
The New York Times
President Obama's decision last week to conduct airstrikes against ISIS and send humanitarian aid will help buy time for both Iraqi and Kurdish forces to regroup. But Baghdad needs a strategy that aligns the political and economic interests of all Iraqis to hit ISIS where it hurts: its war chest.
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Methodology
commentary
The Telescope and the Microscope: Public Policy Wisdom from Victor Hugo
Michael D. Rich @michaeldrich
Aug 12, 2014
RAND Review
The best policy analysis reveals both the hidden details of an issue and its broader context.
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Mental Health and Illness
commentary
We Need to Talk About the Taboo — 'Mental Health Matters'
Marie-Louise Henham
Aug 11, 2014
The RAND Blog
The stigma surrounding mental health often leads young people to shy away from seeking the help and support they need. This year's celebration of the UN's International Youth Day (12th August) focuses on mental health and aims to remove the stigma.
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Methodology
commentary
Response to 'Study on Parental Longevity Is Short on Causation'
Esther M. Friedman, Robert D. Mare
Aug 11, 2014
New York Times
The possible effects of families on health and mortality is an extremely complex topic. No single study or type of study is exactly a test of the argument. We need more studies that advance possible interpretations and describe patterns of associations in broad populations of interest.
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Emerging Technologies
commentary
Crime Victims: Silicon Valley Tech Industry Can Get Them the Help They Need
Nelson Lim
Aug 11, 2014
San Jose Mercury News
A broader approach is needed to better address the needs of millions of American victims of crimes like sexual assault, family violence, financial exploitation, gun violence, identity theft, burglary and stalking. And that's where Silicon Valley's tech community can step up.
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Epidemic
commentary
Six Takeaways from the Ebola Outbreak in West Africa
Jeanne S. Ringel @JeanneRingel, Peter Chalk
Aug 8, 2014
The RAND Blog
No amount of research can save those who've already perished from Ebola in West Africa, but our capacity to learn from such tragedies is a silver lining that has historically enhanced global resilience to disease. With that in mind, here are six key lessons from the outbreak.
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European Union
commentary
Step It Up, Europe
James A. Thomson @thomson0145
Aug 6, 2014
U.S. News & World Report
Despite the latest sanctions on Russia, the European Union will need to do more to achieve its objectives in Ukraine. In addition to much tougher economic sanctions, NATO could help Ukrainians by providing military assistance, weapons, training, and intelligence, and deploying air and naval forces closer to the conflict.
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Military Health and Health Care
commentary
Military and Veteran Mental Health: Why Should Psychiatrists Care?
Charles C. Engel @CharlesEngel
Aug 6, 2014
Psychiatric Times
What's happening in the mental health world of the U.S. military and veterans is of great interest to all American psychiatrists. The local impact of recent deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan runs much deeper than just the number of veterans in a particular practice or community.
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Afghanistan
commentary
Iraq's Lessons for Afghanistan
Seth G. Jones
Aug 4, 2014
Lawfare
The successes of ISIS and other Sunni groups have raised important questions about the wisdom of America's decision to withdraw U.S. military forces from Iraq in 2011. They raise equally significant questions about the U.S. decision to exit Afghanistan in the future.
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