The language of health informatic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The language of health informatic - Essay Example ts or characteristics of the database includes the ability for it to have a simple decoding formula whereby all parties on the system can easily decode data that are put in the system and use these data in a way and manner that best meets their needs. Again, the data ought to be highly accessible. Accessibility in this case would touch on the need to ensure that the programming is designed at the level and standard of the user’s information technology knowledge. Finally, it is important to structure the database in such a way that even though it can be accessed easily, it cannot be easily penetrated by intruders. That is security should be a key factor. Database would be found to include among other things, personal data that touches on name, age, gender, religion and insurance information of patient (Gillespie et al, 2009). This is followed with patient profile, which includes data on aspects of the patient daily life including occupation, education, marital status, children, hobbies, worries, needs, patterns and habits (Tune and Salzman, 2012). Furthermore, the database looks at medical history of the patient as well as physical examination and laboratory data. When it comes to these areas, chief complaints, area of present illness, past medical history and medication are clearly spelt out on the database. The database could therefore be said to be an electronic system that makes the identification of the patient easier for the practitioner. Indeed, it is worth stressing the point that having a database that merely spells out and possesses the characteristics and medical data above is not enough. Rather, these data must be presented and handled in such a way that it represents the best form of utilization for the health practitioner. It is in such regard that the need to have a uniform coding and standardization of the data becomes important. In a multi-facility regional hospital such as this one, data that are uniformly coded in a single system would bring a

Does Specific Types of Post- Acute of Care Congestive Heart Failure Article

Does Specific Types of Post- Acute of Care Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) - Article Example An evaluation of the methods is used to determine the methods which can be employed to improve the management of the condition and prevent readmission. Congestive heart failure is a draining ailment with an increasing prevalence in various sections and regions of the world especially among the elderly people. This illness is one of the major causes of hospital admission in various health care facilities around the globe (Khatibzadeh et al, 2013). The treatment cost that is associated with this condition is approximated to be $ 20 billion. Medical therapy for the condition has ensured that the survival rates have been increased. However, beneficial effect on the quality of lives of patients has not been widely reported. Up to 20% of patients with congestive heart failure are normally readmitted to the hospitals and health facilities within thirty days of discharge (Lloyd-Jones et al., 2005). This number or rate of readmission however varies region wisely and is also dependent on the insurance coverage that each of these patients have. These costs of readmission have necessitated the assessment of the various conditions that pres ent a risk of admission and interventions have been developed to prevent readmission. The prevalence of congestive heart failure diseases around the world presents a fundamental challenge to the healthcare system. Many patients suffering from this condition have to be placed under acute care within the hospitals, and this does not always end the problem (Calvillo–King et al., 2013). Once the patient conditions improve, discharge becomes imminent and the lack of proper care after discharge leads to readmission of the patients. This research seeks to identify the effectiveness of the post-acute care interventions in the prevention of hospital readmission. These interventions have mainly been adopted and implemented in seeking to ensure the patients receive comprehensive care and are not

Equilibrium Le Chateliers principle

Equilibrium Le Chateliers principle Introduction: Equilibrium is defined as the point at which the forward and reverse rates of a reaction are equal (1). A system in dynamic equilibrium is a specific example of a system in a steady state. In this steady state the rate of inputs and outputs in the system is equal, so the makeup of the system is unchanged over time (3). Le Chateliers principle can be used to predict how a change in conditions will affect chemical equilibrium. This principle states that if a chemical system at equilibrium goes through a change in concentration, temperature, volume, or pressure, than the equilibrium shifts to offset the change; furthermore, any change in these areas initiates an opposite reaction in the affected system (2). This principle is used to influence the results of reversible reactions (1). Once a reaction has reached equilibrium, the equilibrium concentrations of each reactant and product are known, one can use an equation to determine the equilibrium constant (3). The constant always has the same value as long as the temperature remains constant (2). The equation used to determine this constant is defined as the concentration of the products (to the power of the stochiometric coefficients) over the concentration of the products also to the power of the stoichiometric coefficients (3). Once you know to what side of the reaction equilibrium shifts to you can determine the dominant species or coordination compound. A coordination compound is defined as a compound that contains a coordination complex, which is a structure made up of a central atom bonded to a surrounding assortment of molecules or ligands (1). Coordination is a reference to the coordinate covalent bonds between the ligands and the central atom (1). These bonds occur through the donating or accepting of electron pairs. Groups donating electron pairs are the ligands (Lewis bases) while groups accepting pairs are usually transition metal cations (1). The purpose of this lab is to learn how to apply this background information to better understand how changes in equilibrium mixture are affected by artificially applied changes. Once the changes are applied predictions are made for shifts in equilibrium. Students will carry out the experiment and determine what side equilibrium actually shifts to. This determination, through the use of Le Chatleliers principle, will then be used to determine which is the dominant species, or coordination complex in each reaction. Procedure: Throughout the experiment the color and observations were continuously made. The cobalt (II) complexes were prepared by adding 3 mL of deionized water to the solid CoClv(2)†¢6Hv(2)O. In another test tube 3 mL of 12 M HCl was added to the solid CoClv(2)†¢6Hv(2)O. 0.309 g of CuClv(2)†¢2Hv(2)O was dissolved in a small beaker and the color was recorded; 10 mL of deionized water Next, the solution was evenly poured into three test tubes. In the hood, 4 mL of 6 M NHv(3) was added dropwise to the first test tube until the solution became clear to form [Cuv(9)NHv(3))4(Hv(2)O)v(2)] ²+. In the second test tube, 10 drops of NaOH was added and observations were recorded to form Cu(OH)v(2). We measured 5 mL of 6 M HCl and added it to the third test tube to form [CoCl4] ². 15 mL of a 0.1 M solution of CoClv(2)†¢6Hv(2)O was placed in a small beaker. Using a pipet, 2.0 mL of the solution was poured into each of the five labeled test tubes. Test tube #1 was set aside and used as a control. Set up separate charts for the addition of reagents (HCl, NaCl, and HNOv(3)), addition of water to test tube #3, heating to 100 ?C test tube #2-5, and cooling to 0 ?C test tube #2-5. Each chart should contain a prediction, observations, and predominant complex column. 0.3 g of CuClv(2)†¢2Hv(2)O was placed in an 125 mL Erlenmeyer flask and dissolved by 3mL of deionized water; observations were made. A chart was set up for the addition dropwise of NHv(3) (45 drops), HCl, and H2O to a flask and observations were recorded. Half of the solution was poured into a beaker. One was heated; the other was cooled, and compared. The heat was turned up high to boil the solution and observations were made. Discussion: This experiment related Le Chateliers Principle to shifting equilibrium. There is a large effect on the position of equilibrium by the addition of a species which participates this equilibrium. When a species is added that reacts and forms a predominant complex the equilibrium will shift to keep everything equal. An example of this is when HCl is added to the cobalt complex. The shifting of equilibrium can be seen when the solution starts out at pink color and when HCl is added it changes color to blue. The predominant complex is Cobalt Chloride. Water was added the above solution and the complex turned back to pink. The predominant complex turned from cobalt chloride to [Co(H2O)6]2+. Water is not directly participating in equilibrium but it still reacts with species in the solution and therefore indirectly causes a shift in equilibrium. Water is a solvent and any solvent does not appear in the equilibrium equation although it will still have an effect of equilibrium. This effect is the same as mentioned before in the idea that the solvent could react with a species in the solution and cause an inequality in equilibrium therefore causing a shift. Science Encyclopedia database. http://science.jrank.org/pages/1771/Coordination Compound.html. (Accessed November 1, 2009) Clackamus Community College database. http://dl.clackamas.edu/ch105-03/dynamic.htm (Accessed November 1, 2009) Chemguide database. http://www.chemguide.co.uk/physical/equilibria/lechatelier.html

offensive language Essay -- essays research papers

Offensive Language Throughout the day, I find myself exposed to harsh language. Whether in at work or walking through the hallways at school, it is all around us. Later, as I accelerate through rush-hour traffic, I discover that I use these words as well, lashing out with blunt verbal terms in the safety of my enclosed vehicle. I have used bad language before, but I do use it often. I have friends that cuss every other word. However, I do not care for it much. It is not so much offensive, just bothersome. Whether your daily vocabulary consists of several cuss words or it is just the occasional â€Å"shit† in a fit of anger or pain, everyone is guilty of it. Who hasn’t accidentally let a word slip when they slam their finger in a door or stub their toe on the coffee table? Is this impressive, of course not. There used to be a day that when you said â€Å"shit† in public, it was like exploding a bomb in public; people would fall silent, staring at you with half-angry open mouths. Mot hers would clap their hands over their children’s ears and push them away from you; desperately trying to keep their kids form such language. But today, we’ve fallen. Sure there are still a few people that cringe at the sound of vulgar language, but not many. In the 1970’s, George Carlin delivered a monologue citing seven words that you could never say on network television. Now, these words are being used regularly on network television. You could say that swear words have lost their impact, or, you could argue that our language has become downright coarse, offensive, and rude. Where do Cuss words come from, and what do they really mean? Originally it began as cursing. These are the words and phrases that you say in order to curse someone. It was some sort of supernatural or magical belief. Nowadays, people know that telling someone to â€Å"Go to Hell† will not actually curse them there, no matter how angrily it is said. The evolution of profanity continues to change with each generation. Some cuss words have somehow maintained their original meanings throughout hundreds of years, while many others have completely changed meaning or simply fallen out of use. The meaning behind a word is what makes it acceptable or unacceptable. Veterinarians use the word â€Å"bitch† on a regular basis, and think nothing of it. The meaning of the word is female dog. It is a fine word to use in that profession, or... ... the disrespect we have for everything, and our lack of manners, but also a growing rage that we obviously don’t know what to do with. Bad language is all over the media, informing in the attitudes of young people. It creeps into our workplace and into our homes. We need to find a way to diffuse some of this rage, and find more constructive ways to express it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Words are very powerful and word usage is extremely important. Unfortunately, we are living in a society that seems to have forgotten the basics of language. Our growing tolerance of swear words is not a sign of progress, it is a sign of how we have lowered our standards. I am not saying that I am completely innocent. I do not cuss on a regular basis, but when I drop something heavy on my foot the expression â€Å"Darn It† just doesn’t seem to cut it. The fact that we even have words that are considered â€Å"profane† is silly. Words are words, and nothing more. They only exist to describe things. The words poop, crap, and shit all mean exactly the same thing. Why on earth is one of them incorrect to use and the others not? It may not make sense, but that is the way it is and it probably always will be.

Functional Areas †Staff at R. Bethels Essay

R. Bethels have two owners, a manager and three other members of staff. The manager looks after the day to day running of the shop and helps run the business. The owners complete the paper work of the business and look after the financial side. Human Resources At R. Bethels, human resources is for: * Recruiting and dismissing * Providing good working conditions * Negotiating with trade unions * Health and safety The owners of R. Bethels are in charge of human resources. They will employ and dismiss employees. They will decide how much they get paid and how often they get paid. The manager will make the phone calls to employees, open and run the shop and to advertise available jobs. It is important that the manager does this in order to employ the correct people. Employing the correct people is good for motivation, quality of work and customer satisfaction. The Owners of R. Bethels may not do things to provide good working conditions all the time but he will decide what are good working conditions and tell members of his staff how to make these conditions available. This is so that people will want to work for R. Bethels. They will negotiate with trade unions in order to give their employees decent pay and good working conditions. They will also decide how to handle health and safety issues and improve them as and when they need to. R. Bethels need to be a healthy and safe environment so that people are able and willing to work for R. Bethels. As R. Bethels is a small business, training may not always matter but the owners will be in charge of it if it is needed. This would be needed for motivation, job satisfaction and an increase in profit through happy and satisfied customers. Finance Finance department covers: * Recording financial matters * Preparing accounts * Paying wages and salaries * Obtaining capital and other resources The owners deal with the company’s finances. They will record and file all of the financial documents. This is important, as when R. Bethels need a financial document e.g. a sale they have just made, it will be easy to find. The owners will decide on who gets what amount of money per week or per annum and they will hand out the wages to the employees. They will also prepare accounts in order to sort out money, which comes in and goes out of the business. R. Bethels need capital in order to trade properly, the manager or the owners may sort this out. Administration and ICT Support Function R. Bethels’s administration and ICT support is for: * Cleaning and maintenance * Health and safety * security * Clerical services * Word processing The manager will deal with clerical services and possibly computers and Internet. The clerical services are things like answering the phone and typing up letters. The manager would do this or the owners would, depending the circumstances. These are needed in order to keep in touch with customers, banks, other companies, etc. The employees would deal with cleaning and maintenance in order to keep things clean and in working order. The manager and the employees would share out the duties of everything else in order to keep the business a safe place to work. Marketing and sales Marketing is needed to enable R. Bethels to find out what customers need. This helps increase sales in order to increase their profit. As the manager at R. Bethels will have more time than the employees and the owners, he will be able to cover marketing. The owners and the employees will also be able to do this if they have any spare time, if they need to. The manager will ring up restaurants companies in order to advertise the company’s products that are available. He will take time with customers to show them how to cook and serving ideas for the fish. When the customers want buy a product, they will be served by the manager or the employees and the money will be handed into the till machine. Customer services This deals with: * Keeping customers happy * Dealing fairly with complaints * Responding to enquiries * Offering credit * After sales service * Advice and information * Reliability * Good products, fairly priced R. Bethels may not be able to deal with all of the things in this list, because of the size of their business. The owners will decide how these things are sorted out but all of the staff at R. Bethels will have to help meet them. R. Bethels will try their best to keep customers happy. Keeping customers happy is what customer services are needed for. Research and development Research and Development is all about researching products and how customers respond to the business. If there are any things that need improving, R. Bethels will talk to their supplier and sort it out. At R. Bethels, the manager and the employees will do the research but the employees and the owners will sort out the product development. R and D is an important function because R. Bethels can have an advantage over their rivals and they can have a more desired product. At R. Bethels, the business lifestyle will be totally different to that of Dominos. At the moment there are only five people who are involved in the business, if and when this changes the lifestyle of the business will probably change too possibly in a dramatic way.

Direct Marketing Essay

Direct marketing is a channel-agnostic form of advertising that allows businesses and nonprofits organizations to communicate straight to the customer, with advertising techniques that can include Cell Phone Text messaging, email, interactive consumer websites, online display ads, fliers, catalog distribution, promotional letters, and outdoor advertising. Direct marketing messages emphasize a focus on the customer, data, and accountability. Characteristics that distinguish direct marketing are: 1. Marketing messages are addressed directly to the customer and/or customers. Direct marketing relies on being able to address the members of a target market. Addressability comes in a variety of forms including email addresses, mobile phone numbers, Web browser cookies, fax numbers and postal addresses. 2. Direct marketing seeks to drive a specific â€Å"call to action.† For example, an advertisement may ask the prospect to call a freephone number or click on a link to a website. 3. Direct marketing emphasizes trackable, measurable responses from customers — regardless of medium. Direct marketing is practiced by businesses of all sizes — from the smallest start-up to the leaders on the Fortune 500. A well-executed direct advertising campaign can prove a positive return on investment by showing how many potential customers responded to a clear call-to-action. General advertising eschews calls-for-action in favor of messages that try to build prospects’ emotional awareness or engagement with a brand. Even well-designed general advertisements rarely can prove their impact on the organization’s bottom line. A recent study by the Direct Marketing Association reports that in 2010, marketers – commercial and nonprofit – spent $153.3 billion on direct marketing, which accounted for 54.2% of all ad expenditures in the United States. Measured against total US sales, these advertising expenditures generated approximately $1.798 trillion in incremental sales. In 2010, direct marketing accounted for 8.3% of total US gross domestic product. Also in 2010, there were 1.4 million direct marketing employees in the US. Their collective sales efforts directly supported 8.4 million other jobs, accounting for a total of 9.8 million US jobs. Direct marketing is attractive to many marketers because its positive results can be measured directly. For example, if a marketer sends out 1,000 solicitations by mail and 100 respond to the promotion, the marketer can say with confidence that campaign led directly to 10% direct responses. This metric is known as the ‘response rate,’ and it is one of many clearly quantifiable success metrics employed by direct marketers. In contrast, general advertising uses indirect measurements, such as awareness or engagement, since there is no direct response from a consumer. Measurement of results is a fundamental element in successful direct marketing. The Internet has made it easier for marketing managers to measure the results of a campaign. This is often achieved by using a specific website landing page directly relating to the promotional material. A call to action will ask the customer to visit the landing page, and the effectiveness of the campaign can be measured by taking the number of promotional messages distributed (e.g., 1,000) and dividing it by the number of responses (people visiting the unique website page). Another way to measure the results is to compare the projected sales or generated leads for a given term with the actual sales or leads after a direct advertising campaign. While many marketers recognize the financial benefits of increasing targeted awareness, some direct marketing efforts using particular media have been criticized for generating poor quality leads, either due to poor message strategy or because of poorly compiled demographic databases. This poses a problem for marketers and consumers alike, as advertisers do not wish to waste money on communicating with consumers not interested in their products. Some of these concerns have been addressed by direct marketers by the use of individual â€Å"opt-out† lists, variable printing, and better-targeted list practices. Additionally, in order to avoid unwanted mailings, members of the marketing industry have established preference services that give customers more control over the marketing communications they receive in the mail. The term â€Å"junk mail,† referring to unsolicited commercial ads delivered via post office or directly deposited in consumers’ mail boxes, can be traced back to 1954. The term â€Å"spam,† meaning â€Å"unsolicited commercial e-mail,† can be traced back to March 31, 1993, although in its first few months it merely referred to inadvertently posting a message so many times on UseNet that the repetitions effectively drowned out the normal flow of conversation. To address the concerns of unwanted emails or spam, in 2003, The US Congress enacted the Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing (CAN-SPAM) Act to curb unwanted email messages. Can-Spam gives recipients the ability to stop unwanted emails, and set out tough penalties for violations. Additionally, ISPs and email service providers have developed increasingly effective Email Filtering programs. These filters can interfere with the delivery of email marketing campaigns, even if the person has subscribed to receive them, as legitimate email marketing can possess the same hallmarks as spam. There are a range of email service providers that provide services for legitimate opt-in emailers to avoid being classified as spam. Consumers have expressed concerns about the privacy and environmental implications of direct marketing. In response to consumer demand and increasing business pressure to increase the effectiveness of reaching the right customer with direct marketing, companies specialize in targeted direct advertising to great effect, reducing advertising budget waste and increasing the effectiveness of delivering a marketing message with better geo-demography information, delivering the advertising message to only the customers interested in the product, service, or event on offer. Additionally, members of the advertising industry have been working to adopt stricter codes regarding online targeted advertising. Any medium that can be used to deliver a communication to a customer can be employed in direct marketing, including: Email Marketing Sending marketing messages through email or Emailmarketing is one of the most widely used direct-marketing methods. One reason for email marketing’s popularity is that it is relatively inexpensive to design, test, and send an email message. It also allows marketers to deliver messages around the clock, and to accurately measure responses. Online Tools With the expansion of digital technology and tools, direct marketing is increasingly taking place through online channels. Most online advertising is delivered to a focused group of customers and has a trackable response. * Display Ads are interactive ads that appear on the Web next to content on Web pages or Web services. Formats include static banners, pop ups, videos, and floating units. Customers can click on the ad to respond directly to the message or to find more detailed information. According to research by eMarketer, expenditures on online display ads rose 24.5% between 2010 and 2011. * Search: 49% of US spending on Internet ads goes to search, in which advertisers pay for prominent placement among listings in search engines whenever a potential customer enters a relevant search term, allowing ads to be delivered to customers based upon their already-indicated search criteria.This paid placement industry generates more than $10 billion dollars for search companies. Marketers also use search engine optimization to drive traffic to their sites. * Social Media Sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, also provide opportunities for direct marketers to communicate directly with customers by creating content to which customers can respond. Mobile Through mobile marketing, marketers engage with prospective customers and donors in an interactive manner through a mobile device or network, such as a cellphone, smartphone, or tablet. Types of mobile marketing messages include: SMS: (short message service) — marketing communications are sent in the form of text messages, also known as texting. MMS: (multi-media message service) — These messages use elements such as images, video, and audio; Mobile Applications: Smartphone-based mobile apps contain several types of messages. Push Notifications are direct messages sent to a user either automatically or as part of a campaign. They include transactional, marketing, geo-based, and more. Rich Push Notifications are full HTML Push Notifications. Mobile apps also contain Interactive ads that appear inside the mobile application or app; Location-Based Marketing: marketing messages delivered directly to a mobile device based on the user’s location; QR Codes (quick-response barcodes): This is a type of 2D barcode with an encoded link that can be accessed from a smartphone. This technology is increasingly being used for everything from special offers to product information. Mobile Banner Ads: Like standard banner ads for desktop Web pages but smaller to fit on mobile screens and run on the mobile content network Direct Mail The term â€Å"direct mail† is used to refer to communications sent to potential customers or donors via the postal service and other delivery services. Direct mail is sent to customers based on criteria such as age, income, location, profession, buying pattern, etc. Direct mail includes advertising circulars, catalogs, free-trial CDs, pre-approved credit card applications, and other unsolicited merchandising invitations delivered by mail to homes and businesses. Bulk mailings are a particularly popular method of promotion for businesses operating in the financial services, home computer, and travel and tourism industries. In many developed countries, direct mail represents such a significant amount of the total volume of mail that special rate classes have been established. In the United States and United Kingdom, for example, there are bulk mail rates that enable marketers to send mail at rates that are substantially lower than regular first-class rates. In order to qualify for these rates, marketers must format and sort the mail in particular ways – which reduces the handling (and therefore costs) required by the postal service. In the US, marketers send over 90 billion pieces of direct mail per year. Advertisers often refine direct mail practices into targeted mailing, in which mail is sent out following database analysis to select recipients considered most likely to respond positively. For example, a person who has demonstrated an interest in golf may receive direct mail for golf-related products or perhaps for goods and services that are appropriate for golfers. This use of database analysis is a type of database marketing. The United States Postal Service calls this form of mail â€Å"advertising mail† (admail for short). Telemarketing Another common form of direct marketing is telemarketing, in which marketers contact customers by phone. The primary benefit to businesses is increased lead generation, which helps businesses increase sales volume and customer base. The most successful telemarketing service providers focus on generating more â€Å"qualified† leads that have a higher probability of getting converted into actual sales. The National Do Not Call Registry was created in 2003 to offer consumers a choice whether to receive telemarketing calls at home. The FTC created the National Do Not Call Registry after a comprehensive review of the Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR). The do-not-call provisions of the TSR cover any plan, program, or campaign to sell goods or services through interstate phone calls. The provisions do not cover calls from political organizations, charities, telephone surveyors, or companies with which a customer has an existing business relationship. Canada has its own National Do Not Call List (DNCL). In other countries it is voluntary, such as the New Zealand Name Removal Service. Voicemail Marketing Voicemail marketing emerged out of the market prevalence of personal voice mailboxes, and business voicemail systems. Voicemail marketing presented a cost effective means by which to reach people directly, by voice. Abuse of consumer marketing applications of voicemail marketing resulted in an abundance of â€Å"voice-spam,† and prompted many jurisdictions to pass laws regulating consumer voicemail marketing. More recently, businesses have utilized guided voicemail (an application where pre-recorded voicemails are guided by live callers) to accomplish personalized business-to-business marketing formerly reserved for telemarketing. Because guided voicemail is used to contact only businesses, it is exempt from Do Not Call regulations in place for other forms of voicemail marketing. Voicemail courier is a similar form of voicemail marketing with both business-to-business and business-to-consumer applications. Broadcast Faxing Broadcast faxing, in which faxes are sent to multiple recipients, is now less common than in the past. This is partly due to laws in the United States and elsewhere which regulate its use for consumer marketing. In 2005, President Bush signed into law S. 714, the Junk Fax Prevention Act of 2005 (JFPA), which allows marketers to send commercial faxes to those with whom they have an established business relationship (EBR), but imposes some new requirements. These requirements include providing an opt-out notice on the first page of faxes and establishing a system to accept opt-outs at any time of the day. Fax senders must begin complying with these new requirements, which are described in this fact sheet. Roughly 2% of direct marketers use fax, mostly for business-to-business marketing campaigns.[16] Also, due to the popularity of a variety of digital communication methods, the overall use of faxes is less than in the past. Couponing Couponing is used in print and digital media to elicit a response from the reader. An example is a coupon which the reader receives through the mail and takes to a store’s check-out counter to receive a discount. Digital Coupons: Manufacturers and retailers make coupons available online for electronic orders that can be downloaded and printed. Digital coupons are available on company websites, social media outlets, texts, and email alerts. There are an increasing number of mobile phone applications offering digital coupons for direct use. Daily Deal Sites offer local and online deals each day, and are becoming increasingly popular. Customers sign up to receive notice of discounts and offers, which are sent daily by email. Purchases are often made using a special coupon code or promotional code. The largest of these sites, Groupon, has over 83 million subscribers. Direct Response TV Direct marketing via television (commonly referred to as DRTV) has two basic forms: long form (usually half-hour or hour-long segments that explain a product in detail and are commonly referred to as infomercials) and short form, which refers to typical 30-second or 60-second commercials that ask viewers for an immediate response (typically to call a phone number on screen or go to a website). TV-response marketing — i.e. infomercials — can be considered a form of direct marketing, since responses are in the form of calls to telephone numbers given on-air. This allows marketers to reasonably conclude that the calls are due to a particular campaign, and enables them to obtain customers’ phone numbers as targets for telemarketing. One of the most famous DRTV commercials was for Ginsu Knives by Ginsu Products, Inc. of RI. Several aspects of ad, such as its use of adding items to the offer and the guarantee of satisfaction were much copied, and came to be considered part of the formula for success with short-form direct-response TV ads (DRTV) Direct Response Radio In direct response radio, ads contain a call to action with a specific tracking mechanism. Often, this tracking mechanism is a â€Å"call now† prompt with a toll-free phone number or a unique Web URL. Results of the ad can be tracked in terms of calls, orders, customers, leads, sales, revenue, and profits that result from the airing of those ads. Insert Media Another form of direct marketing, insert media are marketing materials that are inserted into other communications, such as a catalog, newspaper, magazine, package, or bill. Coop or shared mail, where marketing offers from several companies are delivered via a single envelope, is also considered insert media. Out-of-Home Out of home direct marketing refers to a wide array of media designed to reach the consumer outside the home, including transit, bus shelters, bus benches, aerials, airports, in-flight, in-store, movies, college campus/high schools, hotels, shopping malls, sport facilities, stadiums, taxis — that contain a call-to-action for the customer to respond. Direct Response Magazines and Newspapers Magazine and newspaper ads often include a direct response call-to-action, such as a toll-free number, a coupon redeemable at a brick-and-mortar store, or a QR code that can be scanned by a mobile device — these methods are all forms of direct marketing, because they elicit a direct and measurable action from the customer. Direct Selling Direct selling is the sale of products by face-to-face contact with the customer, either by having salespeople approach potential customers in person, or through indirect means such as Tupperware parties. Grassroots/Community Marketing The door-to-door distribution of flyers and leaflets within a local community is a business-to-consumer form of direct marketing used extensively by restaurants, fast food companies, and many other business focusing on a local catchment. Similar to direct mail marketing, this method is targeted purely by area and community, and costs a fraction of the amount of a mailshot, since it is not necessary to purchase stamps, envelopes, or address lists with the names of home occupants.