Have you noticed? Healthcare organizations are consolidating left, right and center—particularly the ones I’ve been working with recently in the Northeast Corridor. Hospitals, physicians and ancillary services are now having to adjust to this major disruption which, for many of them, is understandably difficult.
This current wave of healthcare system consolidation is also causing a lot of confusion for the remaining independent providers, home health providers, visiting nurses, special purpose centers, and last but not least, consumers.
I recently wrote a blog for Hospital Impact (the first in a series) zeroing in on the unintended consequences of healthcare systems integration. I invite you to read it here. The biggest impact I am seeing out in the field? That big consolidations are having big consequences.
These changes are not going away, so we must understand what they mean
Any large change forces companies, organizations, structures and processes to adapt. In my subsequent blogs, I’ll focus on what this means for all of us, from the shifting of consumer behavior to expanded delivery services to the cutting of ancillary services. I will also examine the related negative fallout, such as angry doctors, the commoditization of physicians and the lack of patient loyalty.
What will the future bring? Stay tuned!
For more on the consequences of healthcare system integration, both expected and unintended, check back in for my next blogs. Better yet, subscribe and you will be sure to get them.
As always, feel free to contact me to discuss any of these points in further depth.
Andi Simon President |
