Integration: from structural to functional.
Because of trends that are driving increased consolidation in the healthcare industry, community healthcare systems in the future will have fewer independent medical practices. Hospitals and physician practices can be structurally or functionally integrated, but those that are structurally integrated only, do not function as integrated health systems. For successful integration, leaders from many disciplines need to engage in a partnership and be willing to create conditions for a functional integration.
The Halley Consulting Group, Westerville, Ohio, USA. mhalley@halleyconsulting.com
Marc D
MD
Halley
D006123:Group Practice; D018578:Hospital-Physician Relations; D009935:Organizational Affiliation / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States