Hospital Readmission Rates Among The Elderly Essay

Hospital readmission rates among the elderly are steadily becoming a growing topic of concern. Robinson, Esquivel, and Vlahov (2012) describe readmission or re-hospitalization as a return to the hospital shortly after discharge from a recent hospital stay (p. 338). The elderly, defined as 60 years of age and older, account for the highest hospital readmission rates in comparison to other age groups (Robinson, Esquivel, Vlahov, 2012). With medical advances, life expectancy is on the rise, which means older people will have more comorbidities and consequently be required to take more medications for symptom management. Generally when a person takes anywhere from two-nineteen medications, the term polypharmacy is introduced (Pasina et al., 2014). In hospital settings polypharmacy is not an issue because there are nurses and medical providers to address questions and concerns, administer medications, and monitor a patient for potential adverse effects. However, once discharge occurs, t his patient is left to juggle all aspects of their care on their own. A plan of care formulated to improve the elderly population s quality of life outside of the hospital, speaks to one of the Institute of Medicine s (IOM) core competencies, applying quality improvement. Apply Quality Improvement Applying quality improvement has been recognized as one of the Institute of Medicine s (IOM) core competencies. This competency serves to continually understand and measure quality of care inShow MoreRelatedOutcomes Management of Nursing Essay1567 Words   |  7 PagesMeasurement and Data Management Project: Hospital Readmissions Charmein Garner and Celeste Thomas Loyola University New Orleans Outcomes Management Project Defined Issue or Problem of Interest The selected problem of interest is hospital readmissions after being discharged from hospitals/medical facilities. Several patients enter the hospital and soon after discharge are catapulted back into the seemingly revolving doors of the hospital. Readmission rates affect all areas of healthcare. CenterRead MoreElderly Population At Risk For Hospital Readmission953 Words   |  4 Pagesthe elderly population at risk for hospital readmission, the authors discuss an in depth evaluation on why this occurs. Hospital readmission, a growing health concern, tallied in a whopping $17 B in Medicare cost for unplanned hospitalizations. Readmission, refers to a return to the hospital after discharge from a recent stay where rates are reported mostly at 30, 60, and 90-day intervals after discharge. Even though the elderly, aged 60 years or older, unfailingly represent the highest rate of hospitalRead MoreReducing Readmissions For Geriatric Heart Failure Patients930 Words   |  4 PagesRe ducing Readmissions for Geriatric Heart Failure Patients Utilizing a Collaborative Care Coordination Approach With heart failure, increasing in incidence in the United States, hospital readmission rates are being scrutinized to save money, especially for Medicare beneficiaries. Over 5 million people in the United States are living with heart failure, defined as â€Å"a condition in which the heart cannot pump enough blood and oxygen to support other organs in the body† (CDC, 2013). Heart failure affectsRead MoreThe Severity Of Heart Failure1657 Words   |  7 Pages2012, p. 1). Due to the severity of HF, readmission rates of HF patients are an area of great concern because HF is the leading cause of hospital admissions and readmission in patients older than 65 years (Stamp, Machado, Allen, Correspondence, 2014). Not only is it the leading cause of hospital admissions and readmissions, it is also one of the most costly diagnoses in the United States (Stamp et al., 2014). Heart failure has become an increasing issue among a variety of patients especially thoseRead MoreThe Geriatric Population : A Significant Impact On Federal Spending Through The Medicare Program1495 Words   |  6 PagesGeriatric care presents a significant impact on federal spending through the Medicare program. Roughly 20% of all geriatric hospital discharges are done as a transfer of care to a Skilled Nursing Facility (Simmons) at the cost of $32 billion dollars annually. Of those sent to a Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF), 23% are readmitted within 30 days (Simmons). A hospital readmission may result from a new condition, a recurrent exacerbation of a known chronic condition, a complication resulting from previousRead MoreTransitions Of Hospital Readmission Rates1845 Words   |  8 Pagesof Care There is a problem of avoidable hospital readmission rates for the Medicare and Medicaid populations that lead to adverse consequences not only for the patient, but also the payer and hospital. In order to decrease these avoidable readmission rates it is important to identify processes that can be implemented at the health plan level such as pre-discharge hospital visits by health plan staff, and post-discharge care coordination. Hospital readmissions are of great concern to the Centers forRead MoreProviding Patients And Families With Information About Their Diagnosis And Plan Essay1374 Words   |  6 Pagestold to them regarding home care. Hospital readmission rates are one of the many metrics scrutinized by hospitals and payors alike (Boccuti Casillas, 2016). When patients are discharged and readmitted within 30 days, this is a costly and concerning problem. Not only for the hospital but also for the patient (Jack et al., 2009). Studies have shown that when patients do not understand their discharge instructions, they have higher rates of 30-day readmissions (Regalbuto, Maurer, Chapel, Mendez,Read MoreAssociation Between Age Sex And Hi Case Study1304 Words   |  6 PagesAssociation between Age Sex and HAIs; CLABI, pneumonia and urinary tract infections are the main hospital acquired infections most commonly affect adults age group above 65 years old. this age groups usually have many chronic illnesses which predispose them to more frequent visit to the health care facilities for care and for also predispose them to hospital admission and more frequent than other population. also lack proper individual hygiene assist in spreading the infection. In Study done byRead MoreThe Use Of An Education Protocol For Hf Patients And Its Impact On Multidisciplinary Team Members Perceptions Of Structured Patient985 Words   |  4 Pagesmanagement strategies. The demands to reduce the costs associated with heart failure admissions and readmissions are increasing across the health care industry. The purpose of this project is to examine the use of an education protocol for HF patients and its impact on multidisciplinary team members’ perceptions of structured patient education and reducing heart failure admissions and readmissions. There are numerous nursing research studies that describe the implementation of a protocol for patientRead MoreThe Health Care System of Saudi Arabia3402 Words   |  14 Pagesof services, and insufficient resources. Given that an increasing population creates a greater demand for healthcare services, the shortage of hospital beds due to high admission rates and increased length of stay are some of the challenges that the healthcare system of Saudi Arabia is struggling to overcome. The Saudi Arabian government funds 244 hospitals that have a capacity of 33,277 beds (Almalki, Fitzgerald, Clark, 2011). However, there was a forecast of bed capacity shows that, by 2013, the

Everyday Use by Alice Walker - 949 Words

The Meaning of Heritage In the early 1970s, the Black Power movement was not only a political slogan against racism, but also an ideology that promoted racial pride and embraced the elements of the African culture. During this time, many African-Americans were encouraged to grow their hairs into afros, wear traditional African clothing, and reject their white slave names. In the story Everyday Use, Alice Walker presents a family with opposing views towards tradition and creates a character fooled by the Black Power movement. The author uses irony to reveal a meaning of heritage hidden under the perceived idea of African-American identity. From the beginning, the oldest daughter, Dee, pretends to honor and embrace her roots, yet she†¦show more content†¦Dee wants to keep the quilts to show off her heritage and hang them on her wall as decorations; she thinks her sister will not appreciate them and will put them to everyday use. Maggie agrees to give up her promised quilts because after all, she â€Å"can member Grandma Dee without the quilts† (Schmidt 352). However, Mama will not let Dee keep them because deep inside, she knows that Maggie deserves them. Maggie learned how to quilt from aunt Dee, who learned how to quilt from Grandma Dee; therefore, she will be able to keep their culture and their history alive. After this decision, Wangero responds furiously, â€Å"You just dont understand [†¦] your heritage† (Schmidt 323), and suggests that the quilts have a materialistic a value that has to be preserved in order to maintain the familys African heritage. Ironically, the quilts are not valu able because they are old and their ancestors sewed them; instead, they are priceless because they represent a tradition that many hard working black women followed for years. The author suggests that Maggie has an understanding her sister never will; she understands the real meaning of African heritage. Wangero was one of the many African-Americans in the 1970s who struggled to define their identity within the framework of American society. She changed her name and her appearance in efforts to embrace her AfricanShow MoreRelatedEveryday Use By Alice Walker852 Words   |  4 Pagescomes or belongs to one by reason of birth. In â€Å"Everyday Use†, by Alice Walker, the theme of the story can be considered as the meaning of heritage or even the power of education. Alice Walker uses many symbols and motifs such as the following: quilts, education, knowledge, Asalamalakim, and the renaming of Dee. In the story, African heritage and knowledge takes a major role. The African heritage plays a major role in the story, â€Å"Everyday Use†. Alice Walker emphasizes the meaning of heritage by havingRead MoreEveryday Use By Alice Walker1372 Words   |  6 PagesEverday Use† research paper In â€Å"everyday Use,† Alice Walker tells a narrative of a mother’s frustrating relationship together with her two daughters. At this facet, â€Å",Everyday Use†, tells that how a mom little by little refuses the cursory values of her older, successful daughter at the aspect of the useful values of her younger, much less lucky daughter. On a deeper outlook, Alice Walker takes on the theme of heritage and its norms as it applies to African-Americans. Everday Use, is set insideRead MoreEveryday Use By Alice Walker1102 Words   |  5 Pagespoem â€Å"Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers† can be read similar to Alice Walker s short story Everyday Use† both are compared by the women’s ways of showing their strengths and how they identify their values, expressions and strength. Advertised in the general outlines of the plot, both literary themes talks of a quest for freedom, the characters identity and self-expression. Adrienne Rich â€Å"Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers† Alice Walker â€Å"Everyday Use† Comparison Paper Analyzing the two types of literatureRead MoreEveryday Use By Alice Walker1372 Words   |  6 Pagessociety as a whole, but more specifically in the African American Community. Alice Walker gives slight insight into   what being forced   to assimilate is like. She says in her short story Everyday Use: She will stand hopelessly in corners homely and ashamed of the burn scars down her arms and legs eyeing her sister with a mixture of envy and awe. Statements such as these are a regular occurrence in her works. Walker often speaks on the ever so disheartening topic of cultural assimilation and theRead MoreEveryday Use By Alice Walker996 Words   |  4 PagesIn the short story â€Å"Everyday Use† by Alice Walker, the author describes different ideas about one’s heritage. Culture and heritage is at the main point of the story â€Å"Everyday Use† by Alice Walker as symbolized by the quilt. The bond that Mother and Maggie share is brought by their common talent to make works of art like quilts. Dee does not have similar capacity because she does not appreciate manual labor nor believes in her heritage. The idea of pride in culture, heritage, and family is the mainRead MoreEveryday Use By Alice Walker1721 Words   |  7 PagesIn her short story â€Å"Everyday Use,† Alice Walker summarizes the representation of the beauty, the conflicts and struggles within African-American culture. â€Å"Everyday Use† focuses mainly between members of the Johnson family, consisting of a mother and her two daughters. One of the daughters Maggie, who was injured in a house fire and has living a shy life clinging to her mother for security. Her older sister is Dee, who grew up with a grace and natural beauty. â€Å"Dee is lighter than Maggie, with nicerRead MoreEveryday Use By Alice Walker1111 Words   |  5 Pagestheir culture. Alice Walker highlights and distinguishes the dissimilarities and clichà © of country African American women with the actualities that make up their lives. Characterized by short, compound sentences, with long adjectives and use of literary elements, her style is eloquent conversational and authentic. Alice Walker’s short story, Everyday Use is stylistic, ironic and narrates profound interpretation of unique views and approaches to African-American culture. Walker’s use of characterizationRead MoreEveryday Use By Alice Walker1735 Words   |  7 Pages â€Å"Everyday Use† by Alice Walker and â€Å"Brownies† by ZZ Packer are two different short stories with different lessons but both talk about the topic of race. Both stories talks about the time in the 20th century when slavery just ended but racism are still active between African Americans and Caucasians. Walker described a story about a single African American mother who is waiting for her daughter to arrive from college. Packer described a story about these African American fourth graders who are inRead MoreEveryday Use By Alice Walker1655 Words   |  7 PagesIn â€Å"everyday Use,† Alice Walker tells a narrative of a mother’s frustrating relationship together with her two daughters. At this facet, â€Å",Everyday Use†, tells that how a mom little by little refuses the cursory values of her older, successful daughter at the aspect of the useful values of her younger, much less lucky daughter. On a deeper outlook, Alice Walker takes on the theme of heritage and its norms as it applies to African-Americans. Everday Use, is set inside the late ,60s or mid ,70sRead MoreEveryday Use By Alice Walker1447 Words   |  6 PagesAbout â€Å"Everyday Use† The conflict in the story is centered around the clash between the two worlds with which Walker s character Dee is endued. Dee increasingly accuses her heritage of the ideas and rhetoric of the new Black Pride movement. Walker weaves the theme of African cultural nationalism with a descriptive conflict immersed in family issues. On another level, Alice Walker offers a unique look at the struggling African-American woman to find both a personality and voice from the shadows of

Soren Chemical Free Essays

Q1. What is the addressable market size for Coracle? Is the first year goal of $1. 5M sales reasonable? Ans. We will write a custom essay sample on Soren Chemical or any similar topic only for you Order Now Coracle is one of the clarifiers developed and produced by Soren Chemicals targeting residential pools which have smaller size than commercial pools and water parks, that are served by other clarifiers like the Kailan MW produced by Soren Chemicals. Very small quantities of Kailan MW are sufficient to treat large volumes of water but it is unsuitable for smaller-scale applications such as residential pools due to the fear of misuse and safety risks. The targeted residential pools of Coracle have a lower volume of water, a lower volume of swimmers, and a less intense maintenance program. It is estimated that there are 9 million residential pools in the United States. According to what illustrate in the last paragraph of the case in page 7, the frequency of usage of residential pools and residential pool chemicals will be largely increased from May. Also as introduced by the Table A in the page 5, the average months of pool usage are 5 months, which makes great sense because normally people will swim in summer time from May to September, and less people will swim in cold whether from October to April. Currently, Coracle has three leading competitors for residential pool-use clarifiers: Keystone Chemical, Kymera, and Jacson Laboratories, and each of the competitors has a 15% to 20% share of the residential pool clarifier market. So, the remained reasonable and addressable market share for Coracle is 40% to 55% maximally if we do not consider the competition and market share of other smaller competitors. Considering the facts like distributors typically carried tens of the thousands of products from many suppliers, including the regional formulators that sold Kailan MW, at least two of the formulators sold Kailan MW with a diluted version as a private label clarifier, and the competition from leading competitors and small competitors, we suggest that 15% should be market share of residential pools market for which Coracle needs to struggle and address. Therefore the addressable market size for Coracle should be $7,846,373 based on the 15% of market share. Based on the above analysis, although it seems that the first year goal of $1. 5 million sales is quite reasonable if we decide the addressable market size $7,846,373 by 5 (it means Soren Chemical generates their sales revenue mainly in 5 months from May to September for Coracle), which is around $1. 57 million and higher than the target, but it is not the case, and it is not reasonable if the marketing team study it carefully. The $1. 5 million sales goal is too aggressive for the first year for Coracle. Q2. Why is Soren Chemical struggling to sell Coracle? a. What are the implications of the channel structure for pool chemicals? b. How would you describe the selling process for Kailan MW vs Coracle? Ans. Soren Chemical launched Coracle only in September 2006, which is the last busy and most suitable month for swimming. The sales team for Coracle did not consider following effects, which will impact the sales revenue extremely for the first year: 1. Consumers, wholesale distributors, pool service professionals, pool specialty retailers, mass retailers need to take time to know the new Coracle brand and the value they can get from Coracle if they buy it. 2. The stocks in the consumers sides, pool service professionals sides, pool specialty retailers sides, and mass retailers sides will also impact the sales of Coracle, especially in the last busy maintenance month of a year. Especially till the end of September, if the consumers decide not to use the pool until next May, they may not maintain the pools because in the beginning of next May, they need to clean again for the pools for swimming after a long time of non-use. 3. Soren Chemical did not position the good product Coracle in the most appropriate position to its customers. Consumer market of residential pools emphasized more on aesthetics and perceived cleanliness. This is a risk for Soren Chemical to bring Coracle to the market without a suitable emphasis focusing on what the consumers concern more. 4. As indicated in the case, 30% of the respondents recalled receiving the Coracle materials that Soren Chemical had sent in response to their inquiries. Furthermore, 70% of the respondents stated that their distributors had not offered Coracle. All these suggest that Coracle’s sales team did not do sufficient work before they bring the Coracle clarifier to the market and this also weakened their sales revenue. . There is unclear gap between Kailan MW and Coracle even though Kailan MW targets at the segment of commercial pool and water parks, while Coracle targets at the segment of residential pools. There are still at least two formulators who dilute Kailan MW with a private label and sell to distributors for consumer market and this will compete with Coracle clarifier. Q3. How would you rate Coracle pricing strategy? Any opportunity? Ans. The pricing strategy is OK; the retail price for Soren per container of 0. Gallons has been settled as $25. This is based on a manufacturer price of $14. 88, which Soren has ascertained for a 35% gross margin. Opportunity exists in terms of margins for the distributers and retailors. The model must be slightly more flexible if they decide to sell the diluted product. Q4. What action plan do you recommend for Coracle? Ans. In my understanding the pool cleaning professionals are not well or properly aware about the product. So most of the actions must be concentrated around the marketing of the product: 1. Increase the marketing budget to the level where we can advertise to all channels not only DIY. 2. Clear message to the users – who are not technically sound, and make then aware about the facts the product are offering. A clear distinguishing must be established which clearly demonstrate a compression between the inferior products which just make the water look clear. 3. Clear margins for the distributers who may sell the diluted product. How to cite Soren Chemical, Papers

Smog Essay Example For Students

Smog Essay Smog has been around for a pretty long time, people just knew it as something else. Smog comes from the word smoke and fog, and thats practically what it is. It was a serious problem before, before nature and humans went unharmed in the presence of smog but now its serious. What does all of this polluted air do to the body? The answer depends on the situation. How long a person is exposed to pollution, the type and concentration, the place, time and day, temperature, weather and more. But one thing is certain: Smog is harmful to your health. Lungs are ozones primary target. Studies on animals show that ozone damages cells in the lungs airways, causing inflammation and swelling. It also reduces the respiratory systems ability to fight infection and remove foreign particle. Ozone may pose a particular health threat to those who already suffer from respiratory problems such as asthma, emphysema and chronic bronchitis. About 10% of the basins approximately 14 million residents fit into t his category. Ozone may also pose a health threat to the young, elderly and cardiovascular patients. Ozone affects healthy people as well. In 1990, the State Air Resources Board established a new health advisory level in response to mounting evidence that smog affects healthy, exercising adults at lower levels than previously believed. Now, a health advisory is issued at .15 parts per million (on the pollutant standards index) before a first stage smog alert is called when ozone levels reach .20 ppm. During a health advisory, everyone, including healthy adults and children are advised to avoid prolonged, vigorous outdoor exercise. Susceptible individuals, including those with heart or lung disease, should avoid outdoor activities until the advisory is canceled. Currently, the federal Environmental Protection Agency is reviewing the adequacy of the federal health standard for ozone and is considering tightening it. The sources of pollution include emissions from on-road vehicles, non-road vehicles like planes, ships and trains, industries, and even small businesses and households where polluting products are used. Ozone, an invisible gas, is not emitted directly into the air, but forms when nitrogen oxides from fuel combustion and volatile organic gases from evaporated petroleum products react in the presence of sunshine. Ozone levels are highest during the warm months when there is strong sunshine, high temperatures and an inversion layer. Nitrogen oxides are produced when fossil fuels are burned in motor vehicles, power plants, furnaces and turbines. Carbon monoxide is a by-product of combustion that comes almost entirely from motor vehicles. Fine particles, which are emitted directly as smoke and diesel soot and form in the air out of nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides, obscure visibility and can be inhaled deep into the lungs. During the early years of World War II, Los Angeles residents began to realize the consequences of an increasingly industrialized area. Investigations began to determine the cause of residents eye irritation, crop damage, severe reductions in visibility and the rapid deterioration of rubber products. Smog became a familiar word and everyday presence and scientists and medical personnel began to look at its effects on public health. In the mid-1950s, the state of Californias Public Health division started to step up its efforts to define the problem of how and where smog forms, as well as address the health concerns associated with exposure to smog. Ozone levels were reaching peaks of .68 parts per million, more than six times the federal health standard. Early efforts to study the health effects of exposure to air pollution focused on acute exposure episodes. Only recently have the long-term exposure effects been addressed. In a 1956 survey sent out by the Los Angeles County Medical Association, physicians reported the following: There have been several episodes in history which illustrate the harmful effects of acute short-term exposure to air pollution. Among those include: During a five-day fog in December 1930, 63 people died, most of the deaths occurring on the fourth and fifth days. Older persons with previously known diseases of the heart or lungs accounted for the majority of fatalities. The signs and symptoms were primarily those caused by a respiratory irritant. They include chest pain, cough, shortness of breath and irritation of the eyes. Sulfur dioxide gas is suspected as the cause of the disaster. Twenty people died and approximately 7,000 or 50% of the population, experienced acute illness during the week of Oct. 25, 1948, when temperature inversion and air stagnation occurred. Persons of all ages became ill, but those over 55 were more severely affected. Those with previous heart or respiratory disease, particularly bronchial asthma, suffered m ost. Symptoms were primarily respiratory and secondarily gastrointestinal, and included cough, sore throat, chest constriction, shortness of breath, eye irritation, nausea and vomiting. The onset of the illness for most persons occurred on the evening of the third day. Of the 20 who died, 14 had some known heart or lung disease. Three episodes during which heavy fogs and air pollution were associated resulted in the death of nearly 5,000 people in 1948, 1952 and 1956. The episode in December of 1952 alone, resulted in at least 3,000 deaths more than expected for that time of year. Although the increase was present in every age group, the greatest increase was in the age group of 45 years and over. More than 80% of these deaths occurred among individuals with known heart and respiratory disease. During each of these incidents, comparable conditions were present: limited air supplies as a result of low-lying temperature inversions and faint winds, and a continuing heavy output of air pollution from multiple sources. Also, in none of the incidents was technology sophisticated enough to properly monitor the air and diagnosis of the specific causes of the illness and deaths were based on limited evidence gathered after the disasters. Unemployment In Europe: Its Impact In The Future O EssayThere have been many Environmental Protection Agency studies looking at health effects. Some findings include: oA study of 10 adult men exposed to .12 ppm ozone for 6.6 hours (including five hours of moderate exercise), found that lung function decreased and respiratory symptoms (coughing and breathing discomfort) increased over the more than six hours of exposure. In a study done on rats, continuous low level exposure to ozone caused restrictive lung disease. Removal of the rats from the ozone environment to one of clean, filtered air appeared to reverse the disease state back to normal. However, the study indicated that since people do not breathe filtered air, ozone exceedances in numerous cities would appear to promote pulmonary fibrosis. In a field study of children during normal activities at summer camp, lung function measurements were taken before, during and after ozone levels reached above .12 ppm on four days and .1 8 ppm on one day. Lung function failed to return to its pre-episode level for many days after the ozone episode had passed. An acute exposure of humans to .40 ppm ozone initiates biochemical changes in the lung resulting in the production of components which contribute to inflammation and acute lung damage and which can lead to long term effects such as fibrosis. A study was initiated to determine if prolonged exposure to low levels of ozone would produce similar biochemical changes. Non-smoking males were randomly exposed to filtered air and either .10 ppm or .08 ppm of ozone for 6.6 hours with moderate exercise. The study concluded that exposure of humans to low levels of ozone is sufficient to cause an inflammatory reaction in the lungs. The California Air Resources Board has concluded that since the lungs of children are not fully developed, early damage to the respiratory tract could increase the risk of respiratory disease in adult life. Because of their physiology, children are much more likely than adults to develop smog-related lung damage. For their body size, children inhale several times more air than adults, and they breathe faster, particularly during strenuous physical activity. In addition, they spend more time outdoors than any other segment of the population according to the AQMD study. Dr. Robert F. Phalen, Ph.D., professor of community and environmental medicine and director of the Air Pollution Health Effects Laboratory at the University of California, Irvine, says that when children exercise, they tend to breathe through their mouths. According to Phalen, mouth-breathing bypasses the natural filtering of air pollutants by the nose and allows large volumes of polluted air to affect the more sensitiv e areas of childrens lungs which are still developing. Studies show that children exposed to summer ozone pollution year in, year out, have a greater susceptibility to respiratory infections because chronic exposure to smog impairs their immune system. Research findings also suggest that, even if children do not show symptoms while exercising in unhealthful air, they are likely to suffer a loss in lung function compared to youngsters who grow up where the air is less polluted. State and federal governments have set health standards for pollutants, specifying levels beyond which the air is unhealthful. Californias state standards for air pollutants are more stringent than the federal governments. It is up to each individual state to determine if they want to set tougher standards. Standards are set to provide an adequate margin of safety in the protection of public health. Under the federal Clean Air Act, EPA must base standards solely on health considerations and not economics or technology. Various levels of smog episodes are reported for the pollutant ozone. The declaration of a first, second or third stage smog alert is based on the degree of health risk. The protective actions help to reduce exposure to unhealthful levels of ozone, but those who are especially sensitive should contact their physician for more specific advice. Generally, in the event of a smog alert, outdoor activities should be scheduled for morning or early evening hours to avoid the mid-day peak when ozone levels are at their highest. My opinion on the problem is that it is a very serious problem and something should be done. The only thing is, nothing jurastic enough will be done. People cant just all of the sudden stop using cars and humans cant just all of the sudden change their way of living. So smog and ozone levels will get worse but life will go on. Bibliography:www.smog.com