Regionalization: an opportunity for improving management.

Lewis and Kouri provide an excellent review of the status of regionalization across Canada. Their paper examines the potential benefits of regionalization and the factors increasing or decreasing potential impact, the state of regionalization in each province and regionalization's contribution to health reforms. Of the six goals mentioned in the potential benefits of regionalization, four focus on effectiveness and efficiency and two on accountability and public input. The political nature of healthcare is mentioned often, and the negative impact of end-runs to political authority if patients or providers are not satisfied is underlined.