title: Mergers of equals: understanding the dynamics.
abstract: The current wave of mergers in the healthcare field is marked by demands from staff that their organizations not lose autonomy--and one way leaders are getting agreements signed is to assert that each merging group will be treated as equal in power. But such mergers, says consultant Stephen L. Ummel, can lead to "inertia, indecisiveness and confusion". Leaders of three healthcare systems--Partners in Boston, BJC in St. Louis and Lifespan in Rhode Island--cite four major lessons that others planning mergers should take to heart.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rovner
mesh_terms: D003659:Decision Making, Organizational; D004465:Economic Competition; D006273:Health Facility Merger / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007857:Leadership; D017146:Models, Organizational; D015279:Organizational Culture; D011209:Power, Psychological; D018511:Systems Integration; D014481:United States