title: Benchmarking and networking through collaborative groups.
abstract: The search for better ways to deliver healthcare services at lower cost led a group of hospitals in the Carolinas, 2 years ago, to pioneer a new concept, the collaborative group. A collaborative group typically is composed of five or six similar (but not competing) hospitals that work together closely to help each other make the changes necessary to survive in an increasingly competitive marketplace. Hospital staff members at all levels are able to work together to discover improvement opportunities through benchmarking teams and networking efforts. This article describes their experiences, achievements, and lessons learned.
authors.affiliation: SunHealth Alliance, Inc., Charlotte, NC, USA.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hodges
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kelley
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wilkes
mesh_terms: D017598:Efficiency, Organizational / Q000592:standards*; D017144:Focus Groups; D006126:Group Processes; D006740:Hospital Administrators / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007324:Institutional Management Teams / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D017146:Models, Organizational; D009096:Multi-Institutional Systems / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D009657:North Carolina; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D010379:Peer Group; D013022:South Carolina