title: Physicians and organizations: strange bedfellows or a marriage made in heaven?
abstract: Underscoring the importance of physician-organization alignment as a necessary condition for building and sustaining integrated healthcare systems, this article provides information regarding the nature of such alignment, the key influential factors, and the processes employed to make alignment a reality. Structural and strategic factors address the influence of environmental, market, and organizational characteristics on alignment. The strategic intent of organizations and physicians, and physician perspectives on the effects of integration, are explored. Key processes examined include building trust, placing physicians in management and governance, and developing physician leadership. Continuing issues and challenges are considered, and a set of principles to help guide the journey of physicians and organizations toward successful alignment is suggested.
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Management Research, University of Washington, USA.
authors.forename: H S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Zuckerman
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Hilberman
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Burns
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Torrens
mesh_terms: D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004465:Economic Competition; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006075:Governing Board; D019981:Health Care Sector; D006759:Hospital-Physician Joint Ventures / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D018578:Hospital-Physician Relations; D007256:Information Systems; D007857:Leadership; D008329:Managed Care Programs / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D008511:Medicine; D008486:Physician Executives; D011216:Practice Management, Medical / Q000191:economics; D017064:Process Assessment, Health Care; D013038:Specialization; D014481:United States