Abstract
With the rapid growth of managed care, health care providers are consolidating to form regional, fully integrated delivery systems to achieve operational efficiencies and to meet contracting requirements. Increasingly home health care is becoming a core business, with critical links to system-affiliated physicians and facilities and the communities served. As a result, most large integrated delivery systems (IDSs) have expanded the strategic positioning and capabilities of home care within their provider networks. This article explores (1) industry trends impacting the need for a regional home care strategy; (2) some recommended action steps for effectively integrating or linking home care into a regional health care delivery system; and (3) a decision-making process by which a regional IDS can define the optimal strategic positioning for home care services.
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