ABSTRACT

Any survey of hospital executives shows that they perceive that their institutions either are or will be attempting to develop some kind of formal relationship with select elements of the medical staff. As described elsewhere in this book, these efforts may take many forms, and the most effective are generally the most costly and politically risky. Many “social” approaches have been attempted that address some form of practice enhancement or the development of educational or informal management support services. Most hospitals are in an environment where there is already a reorganization of equity, which is really a euphemism for the purchase or capitalization of practices. Most hospital systems have already addressed the more straightforward and traditional approaches, like assistance with recruitment and coordination of promotional programming, and they are either ready for the next step or being forced to find one.