title: Integrated pathways for managing rural health services.
abstract: Rural providers must redefine their role in the changing health care system to include a more integrated approach to health care delivery. The rural provider must develop integrated pathways to coordinate all medical, behavior, and social services to ensure that appropriate services are available, locally or through linkages with other providers, for the population. The integrated pathway must manage care across the continuum of services and coordinate decisions occurring at the point of service.
authors.affiliation: Health Services Management Group, University of Missouri, Columbia, USA.
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Hicks
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Bopp
mesh_terms: D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D019091:Critical Pathways; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006622:Hip Prosthesis; D006780:Hospitals, Rural / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017146:Models, Organizational; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States