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A large teaching hospital instituted a major technological change in its intensive care unit (ICU) to deliver superior care to critically ill patients. This paper examines how the decision makers viewed the proposals that were considered in their ante-decision discussions and what they did to minimize their post-decision regrets--minimum regrets would indicate that the changes were successful. In those ante-decision discussions, quality measures were pinpointed by which post-decision analyses would judge success or failure for the changes that were implemented. In addition to statistical measures, the planners also used graphical analyses, including laddering, of the communication and decision networks within the ICU before and after the changes. The results of the quality measures were proof that the new operation of the ICU was a fabulous success. The minimization of regret made the innovation process run far more smoothly and successfully than anyone could have expected, which resulted in universal acceptance of the ICU innovations by all parties affected by the decisions made. This research has applicability to any hospital planning a change in its operations and seeks at the same time to insure its medical, professional, and administrative staffs' support for those changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses the manner by which courts view products liability cases. Negligence laws enacted in different jurisdictions; Court doctrines; Changing attitudes of appeals courts towards products liability cases. INSET: The best defense...is a strong offense.

Presents excerpts of papers presented to the IRRA during its winter 1966 meetings in San Francisco, California. Processing employment discrimination cases; Effect of economic change on the Michigan labor force; Technological displacement as a micro phenomenon.