The promise of integrated health care. Simple strategies for transforming organizations.

To meet rapidly changing industry conditions, successful integrated health care systems must cease to rely on the traditional medical model. No longer can these enterprises reactively deliver care to the sick and injured, but will be forced to transform their model to deliver the value customers demand. This new strategy is based on managing health. In this article on the promise of integrated health care, the author details how the redefined managed care industry--team-based, entrepreneurial primary care offices supported by corporate facilities, specialists and managers--will assume responsibility to redefine the marketplace and manage the health of a population. Key to this evolution, according to Manley, will be organizational revolution of the team structure, information management technology and value-added services that create long-term customer relationships.