title: Survival of the hospital emergency department: strategic alternatives for the future.
abstract: Diverse and pervasive environmental forces are reshaping hospital emergency services as hospitals strive to respond to consumer preferences related to cost and convenience. Complacency can no longer serve as a standard operating procedure for hospital emergency departments competing against lower-priced, consumer-oriented, free-standing facilities. Strategic alternatives, a five-step strategy for survival and growth, and a projection of future models of hospital emergency services are examined.
mesh_terms: D004465:Economic Competition; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005249:Fees and Charges; D005376:Financial Management / Q000379:methods; D005544:Forecasting; D008389:Marketing of Health Services / Q000379:methods; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010934:Planning Techniques; D014481:United States