Strategically integrating hospital/home care services for improved profitability.
Because hospitals and home health agencies have been predominantly separate organizations, coordination of their efforts has not been optimized. However, with the recent proliferation of hospital-based home health agencies, opportunities to integrate these health care service delivery systems have increased. Bethesda Memorial Hospital, Boynton Beach, Fla., is a 362-bed not-for-profit community hospital with a Medicare-certified home health agency organized as a department of the hospital. Until recently, the home health agency was generally perceived as a separate entity whose services were distinct from hospital services. Progress toward integration of hospital and home care services was given impetus through collaboration of the home health agency administrator and a newly appointed director of medical affairs who was given the responsibility as medical director of the home health agency. A prime responsibility of the director of medical affairs was to reduce length of stay and hospital costs through appropriate resource management.
Bethesda Memorial Hospital, Boynton Beach, FL, USA.
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JM
Rumberg
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Girard
D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D005431:Florida; D018575:Home Care Services, Hospital-Based / Q000191:economics* / Q000458:organization & administration; D006745:Hospital Bed Capacity, 300 to 499; D010934:Planning Techniques; D011357:Product Line Management