Editor's Note

The changes in the economic environment have created volatile conditions for hospital organizations and the health care industry. This issue’s articles explore this dilemma. We see this in two articles titled “The Link Between Hospital Quality and Profitability of Outpatient Services Offered” by Donald Self, DBA; Charles Hegli, PhD; and Robin Self, PhD. And “A Comparison of Human Elements and Nonhuman Elements in Private Health Care Settings: Customers’ Perceptions and Expectations” by Norazah Mohd Suki, PhD; Jennifer Chiam Chwee Lian, PhD; and Norbayah Mohd Suki, PhD. More insightful scholarly contributions have been made in “Disparities in Disability Among Non-Hispanic Black Elders: Results From the National Interview Survey 2001–2003,” by Alberto Coustasse, MD, DrPh; Dennis Emmett, DBA; Nimisha Patel, MSc; and Alicia Pekar, MSc., and “Ethical Considerations of Genetic Presymptomatic Testing for Huntington’s Disease,” by Alberto Coustasse, MD, DrPh; Alicia Pekar, MSc; Andrew Sikula, PhD, MBA, and Sue Lurie, PhD. My commentary addresses “Leadership and Management Performance.” I greatly appreciate the fine work and research of our authors, and many thanks to our readers and subscribers.