According to government sources, U.S. expenditures on health care in 2009 reached nearly $2.4 trillion (expected to reach $2.7 trillion in 2010). ... Even so, as health care organizations continue to struggle with the financial realities of today's health care market, it is likely that some form of collaboration will continue to be a popular option chosen by the leadership of these organizations in an effort to compete for improved profitability (through decreased costs and increased productivity), market power, service delivery, and overall efficiency. ... A loose affiliation will be ch...

• Word Count: 1536
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Gatekeepers are usually the primary care physician chosen by the individual who is responsible for the initial appointment and the key decision maker in deciding whether a patient should referred to other providers within the network. "In Lansing, where plans say that the greatest source of member dissatisfaction is the referral requirement, several plans are moving to an electronic system that should simplify and speed up the process.""...

• Word Count: 1069
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

EHRs can also use their computing power to automatically crosscheck personal information and other sources. ... Patient portals allowing a patient or family to request an appointment that suits their availability with their chosen clinician is considered easy and highly accessible. ...

• Word Count: 1130
• Approx Pages: 5
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

Regardless of the name most sources use similar definitions to define the problem. ... Some hospitals are testing and replacing their own equipment for Y2K compliance to alleviate the financial strain of using an outside source. ...

• Word Count: 7430
• Approx Pages: 30
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate