Using quality improvement as a system-building strategy.
When leaders at Henry Ford Health System (HFHS) in Detroit decided to integrate the various components of their system eight years ago, they not only had to overcome numerous barriers, such as lack of strategic alignment among HFHS's 11 business units, but also had to change the system culture and develop a new approach to managing care. Key strategies used in making the shift included revamping the governance process, implementing quality management, and linking financial performance to compensation. In this article, HFHS executives discuss their sometimes-tumultuous journey and give tips for other organizations considering integration.
Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI, USA.
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D003142:Communication; D006075:Governing Board; D006746:Hospital Bed Capacity, 500 and over; D007857:Leadership; D008824:Michigan; D009096:Multi-Institutional Systems / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D015279:Organizational Culture; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010564:Personnel, Hospital; D010934:Planning Techniques; D012456:Salaries and Fringe Benefits; D018511:Systems Integration; D017749:Total Quality Management