New Century Healthcare: Strategies for Providers, Purchasers and Plans

ANNOTATION

The book contains black-and-white illustrations.

Gain insight into what healthcare delivery will be like as it moves beyond managed care. Coile forecasts the trends for everything from health plans to provider organizations to purchasers, as well as examines such timely topics as complementary medicine, consumer choice, physician practice management, and capitation.

FROM THE CRITICS

Eugene C. Rich

The author of this relatively short book explores the current state and anticipated evolution of the U.S. healthcare system, authorized by a prominent healthcare industry consultant and prolific writer of books, articles, and newsletters on healthcare industry trends. The purpose is to define the next phase of evolution in managed care in the U.S., forecasting opportunities, threats, and strategic responses by healthcare administrators. This book is written for administrators of healthcare organizations, including hospitals, medical group practices, and health plans. In this short, easy-to-read work the author describes the state of U.S. healthcare market evolution in the late '90s from the perspectives of managed care organizations, physician groups, ambulatory care centers, hospitals, and rural health systems. He also includes chapters on alternative therapy and "E-Health". The chapters consist largely of a collection of interesting anecdotes, illustrative data, and informative graphs and tables. A number of the chapters end with a "top ten" list (e.g., trends, strategies, or models). The year 2000 has brought several books describing the current state and future evolution in the U.S. healthcare industry. These publications tend to suffer from incompleteness and inconsistency. For example, in this work the author seems in favor of integrated delivery systems in one section and against hospital integration strategies in another. Regarding PPMs, on one page the author suggests they do not have physician integration or practice management expertise but on other pages, suggests they do. There are also some important omissions -- for example, there is little discussion regarding thecurrent state and future impact of rapidly rising pharmaceutical costs. Furthermore, there is little discussion of recent societal emphasis on reducing medical errors and improving patient safety. Nonetheless, this is a well-written book filled with interesting data and anecdotes, likely to provide a stimulating read for healthcare executives.

Doody Review Services

Reviewer: Eugene C. Rich, MD (Creighton University Medical Center)Description: The author of this relatively short book explores the current state and anticipated evolution of the U.S. healthcare system, authorized by a prominent healthcare industry consultant and prolific writer of books, articles, and newsletters on healthcare industry trends. Purpose: The purpose is to define the next phase of evolution in managed care in the U.S., forecasting opportunities, threats, and strategic responses by healthcare administrators. Audience: This book is written for administrators of healthcare organizations, including hospitals, medical group practices, and health plans. Features: In this short, easy-to-read work the author describes the state of U.S. healthcare market evolution in the late '90s from the perspectives of managed care organizations, physician groups, ambulatory care centers, hospitals, and rural health systems. He also includes chapters on alternative therapy and "E-Health". The chapters consist largely of a collection of interesting anecdotes, illustrative data, and informative graphs and tables. A number of the chapters end with a "top ten" list (e.g., trends, strategies, or models). Assessment: The year 2000 has brought several books describing the current state and future evolution in the U.S. healthcare industry. These publications tend to suffer from incompleteness and inconsistency. For example, in this work the author seems in favor of integrated delivery systems in one section and against hospital integration strategies in another. Regarding PPMs, on one page the author suggests they do not have physician integration or practice management expertise but on other pages, suggests they do. There are also some important omissions:for example, there is little discussion regarding the current state and future impact of rapidly rising pharmaceutical costs. Furthermore, there is little discussion of recent societal emphasis on reducing medical errors and improving patient safety. Nonetheless, this is a well-written book filled with interesting data and anecdotes, likely to provide a stimulating read for healthcare executives.

Booknews

Predicts the future of the American healthcare industry. The author argues that managed care organizations (HMOs) are risking a backlash if they don't address consumer and provider concerns. Clearly enamored of the corrective benefits of the capitalist market, the author of (1997) argues for the emergence of a sixth phase, in which managed care evolves a new set of cost-control processes that will focus on the consumer as "the last frontier" of cost management. Details of this future phase will include risk-sharing with providers, reduction of regional and provider variation in clinical care, disease management programs for chronically ill enrollees, and "empowered" consumers through Internet-enabled information access. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

RATING

3 Stars from Doody

ACCREDITATION