EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The healthcare industry is changing hence the need for integrated healthcare delivery systems. In order to come up with the integrated delivery system, healthcare organizations form links with other healthcare facilities offering different healthcare services such as insurance, physicians among others. So far, the outcome of integrated delivery systems has been mixed. However, there has been radical changes in cost savings, improved health care quality as well as competitiveness between the different healthcare organizations.
INTRODUCTION
An integrated delivery system can be defined as a network of different healthcare providers and organizations that provides coordinated services to people needing the services. The organizations forming the network are held clinically and financially accountable for the outcomes of the people served (Enthoven, 2009).
Some of the services offered by the network may include a fully equipped hospital, home health care services, social services, surgery for outpatients, rehabilitation centers, an AIDS treatment and training center among others.
An integrated health delivery systems main objective will include:
- Reducing overhead and administrative Costs.
- Reducing and sharing the risks involved
- Distribution of the available resources
- Improving health care services
- Addressing social issues affecting people living in a community
The level of integration depends on various things such as the local market realities, the extent to which organizations are incorporated into the larger system and the percentage of the health services that are being integrated into the system.
The two main types of integration used in the integrated delivery system are: horizontal integration and vertical integration (Enthoven, 2009).
Horizontal integration- This is where the activities being coordinated are at the same level when it comes to delivering of services. The organizations involved provide a similar level of healthcare services.
Vertical integration- This involves coordinating services that are at different stages of the delivery system. The organizations involved are not at the same level when it comes to offering services to patients. It aims at providing efficiency, increasing the level of access and offering high quality services.
DISCUSSION
Every organization is comprised of different departments where each department is assigned specific functions. This helps an organization to run efficiently. Some of these departments will include:
- Desktop services department- This department deals with support for computers and software’s found in the organization. It will also deal with purchasing of new and computers as well as the configuration process.
- Network operations department- This is responsible for regular updates regarding the systems databases and servers. This department is a 24/7 centralized network operations center used to monitor the system.
- Application programming department- This department deals with the organizations administrative software’s.
- Interface development department- This is responsible for creating a common boundary between all the involved healthcare providers.
- Help desk- This department is involved in the process of providing answers to questions asked by patients and provide solutions to them (Memphis.edu, 2013).
The network operations department deals with all matters regarding the organizations servers, therefore, having a server operations department may be unnecessary.
Some of these departments can be combined and still be able to offer all the services required. These departments are: the network operations department and the Application programming department. This will enhance efficient use of the available capital and the available resources.
The help desk department can be located in every facility to help attend to the patients queries and offer solutions to them.
The interface development departments’ services are best offered in consolidation with other departments. This makes the process of creating a common boundary between the different healthcare providers much easier.
CONCLUSION
In an integrated delivery system, all the services provided by the various departments are very crucial to the efficient running of the organization. All the various departments have their specific duties to perform. However, some of these departments can be incorporated to work as one and in the process offer some advantages to the organization.
Others function best when they are located in every facility the organization has. Such a department is the help desk.
REFERENCES
Enthoven, Alain C. (2009) .Integrated Delivery Systems: the Cure for Fragmentation. American Journal of Managed Care, 15, 284-S290
Information Technology division. (2013), retrieved October 16, 2013, from http://www.memphis.edu/itd/about-itd.php
Integrated delivery Systems. (2013), retrieved October 16, 2013, from
www.wsha.org/files/62/Gov_Board_Manual_integrated.pdf
