Integrated delivery systems: Improving health care quality and reducing costs.

• Author: Charles, David
• Position: ADVICE

SERVICE PROVIDERS IN the health care industry are constantly looking for ways to improve productivity, profitability and customer satisfaction in order to maintain a competitive advantage. Many 4 health care facilities have a desire to improve quality while reducing costs, creating positive patient relations, and making positive contributions to the community. With the help of an Integrated Delivery System (IDS) these objectives can be attainable.

Integrated Delivery Systems are formed when hospitals, physicians, nursing homes and other medical entities join together to provide the best possible combination of services to the consumer. This combination of providers can share vital information with one another, such as a patient's medical records, to provide the highest quality service for the lowest possible price. Coordinating information reduces administrative tasks, saving rime and lessening the amount of paperwork.

The integration also brings a new level of power to the entity. The increased size gives the unit greater bargaining power and increased clout in the marketplace. As demands from each individual group become coordinated, the system itself becomes more efficient and productive.

However, Integrated Delivery Systems are not the best path for every health care provider to take. When deciding if an IDS is right for a given organization, if is important to invest in due diligence, to determine if the work and...