Integration Strategies for the Medical Practice / Edition 2

The Health Care Landscape in the 21st Century     1
Phases of Health Care     3
Emerging Trends in Health Care     5
The Health Care Industry at a Crossroads     6
The Health Care Delivery Landscape     9
Managed Care Organizations     9
Health Care Insurers     9
Government     10
Physicians     10
Hospitals     10
Landscape Summary     11
Overhaul of the Health Care System: Is It Needed?     11
Summary     12
Notes     12
Strategies for Hospitals     13
The Physician Equity Option: An Alternative to Purchasing a Practice     15
Allowing Physician Input Into Hospital-Affiliated Groups     17
Hospital Strategy and Financial Health in the 21st Century     18
Summary     19
Notes     20
Strategies for Physicians     21
Equity Model Integration Strategies     21
Other Integration Strategies     23
Other Integration Strategies With Specialists     25
The Profitable Physician Practice     28
The Right Strategy for Physicians     29
Keys to Success     31
Summary     32
Note     33
Hospitals and Physician Relations Programs     35
The Need for Physician Relations Programs     35
Service-Equal Environment     36
People-Oriented Business     37
Program Goals and Objectives     38
Recruitment vs Retention     39
Department Structure     39
Organizational Positioning     40
Hiring an Internal vs an External Person     40
Sample Job Descriptions     41
Compensation     41
Relationships With Department Heads     43
Identifying Targeted Physicians     49
Involvement in Monthly Management Meetings     50
Tracking Issues and Concerns     51
Justification of the Physician Relations Department     51
Creating Baselines     51
Return on Investment     52
Key Areas of Opportunity     52
Summary     52
Note     53
Ancillary Services     55
What Are Ancillary Services?     55
Example of Ancillary Services     57
Why Offer Ancillary Services?     58
Rules to Follow     61
Integration Options     62
Legal Considerations     63
Implementation of the Ancillary Service     64
Planning     64
Development     64
Operating     65
Continual Assessment     65
Summary     65
Strategies for Managed Care     67
The Current Landscape of Managed Care     68
The Rise of Consumerism     69
The Changing Face of Reimbursement     70
Further Consolidation of the Payer Industry and the Rebalancing of Fully Insured Managed Care Products     73
The Prospect of a Single-Payer System     74
Summary     76
Notes     76
Strategies for Technology     77
Information Technology as a Key to Controlling Rising Health Care Costs     79
Technology in the Medical Practice     80
Investing in and Adapting to Technology     84
Summary     87
Notes     88
Index     91