title: Degree of integration can influence organizational economic decisions.
abstract: When healthcare providers join to form contracting organizations to negotiate managed care contracts, the resulting organizations can be characterized by their degree of integration: tightly integrated (ie, a single bottom line) or loosely integrated (ie, economic independence of each affiliated entity is preserved). Tightly integrated organizations generally are more attractive to payers and better able to optimize returns on their managed care contracts.
authors.affiliation: Jennings Ryan & Kolb, Atlanta, GA, USA.
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Daugherty
mesh_terms: D002204:Capitation Fee; D003284:Contract Services; D003659:Decision Making, Organizational; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated / Q000145:classification / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005376:Financial Management / Q000379:methods*; D006123:Group Practice / Q000191:economics; D017721:Hospital Costs; D008329:Managed Care Programs / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration*; D018511:Systems Integration; D014481:United States