Creating a vision for the twenty-first century healthcare organization.

Management approaches used by healthcare organizations have often lagged behind other businesses in more competitive industries. Companies operating in such dynamic environments have found that to cope with the rapid pace of change they must have an articulated understanding of their organization's capabilities and consensus on where the organization is headed based on predictions about the future operating environment. This statement of identity and strategic direction takes the form of a vision statement that serves as the compass for the organization's decisions for a five- to ten-year period. This article discusses the importance of vision statements in tomorrow's healthcare organizations, presents an overview of future scenarios that may provide context for organizational visions, and suggests a process for developing a vision statement. A case study is presented to illustrate how a vision statement is created. Following the guidelines presented in this article and reviewing the case study should assist healthcare executives and their boards in crafting better visions of their organizations' futures, developing more effective strategies to realize these visions, and adapting to more frequent and more significant change.

Experience with percutaneous transhepatic cholangioscopy (PTCS) in the management of biliary tract disease.

BACKGROUND: Biliary tract disorders often present significant management difficulties, particularly in patients who are poor surgical candidates. Percutaneous transhepatic cholangioscopy (PTCS) is an infrequently utilized alternative that might offer significant therapeutic benefit. We reviewed our experience with the use of this modality as a definitive therapy for biliary tract disorders. METHODS: Patient records at the Atlanta VAMC and Emory University hospitals were reviewed. We identified 17 patients who had undergone 25 PTCS interventions between August 1994 and December 1998. The indications for PTCS included dilatation of biliary-enteric anastomoses in four patients, biliary stone removal (with or without lithotripsy) in eight patients, stricturoplasty in four patients, biopsy of suspected biliary neoplasms in seven patients, and removal of obstructing clot in one patient. Most procedures (n = 17) were performed through percutaneous transhepatic tracts (12-18 Fr) that were <1 week old. All tracts were dilated to operating size on the day of the procedure. All patients received periprocedural antibiotics. RESULTS: The interventions were successful in seven of eight stone removals, four of five stricturoplasties, three of four anastomotic dilatations, seven of seven biopsies, and the single clot removal. The only complication involved one episode of hemobilia, requiring angio-embolization of a small branch of the right hepatic artery. CONCLUSIONS: PTCS is a safe, useful, and well-tolerated adjunct to the more common endoscopic and surgical techniques for managing complicated biliary tract disorders. Our experience suggests that PTCS can be performed early, without prolonged sequential dilatation of the percutaneous transhepatic tract, and may allow avoidance of operation in high-risk surgical candidates.

A vision for ambulatory care in the 21st century.

The 1990's have been a remarkable decade for ambulatory care providers. Ambulatory care services have flourished in an era of rapidly increasing demands and seemingly limitless potential. Will the first decade of the next millennium continue this trend or is something new on the horizon? Ambulatory care's future prospects need to be evaluated within the context of the overall health care delivery environment of the future. At this time, three alternative "futures" seem plausible for the next decade. Managed care dominates. This scenario appears most likely at present with managed care poised to make significant inroads into Medicaid and Medicare populations. National health insurance is instituted. Some believe that this is a logical reaction to the excesses of the current competitive marketplace and is possible following the presidential election of 2004. Slow evolution of current system. This scenario may be viewed as the status quo alternative and is likely in the absence of a crisis or a better, generally agreed upon way in which to improve health care delivery.

Catholic healthcare's future. Ten models for competition and capitation.

In the next five years, Catholic providers must select strategies that will involve affiliations, acquisitions, and consolidations with Catholic and non-Catholic partners. At least 10 options are available to meet the long-term trends of managed care, competition, and capitation. Vertical integration allows comprehensive patient care. Multisponsor management can help religious institutes expand their market share. Systems and one-hospital sponsors can affiliate their facilities to form Catholic networks. Community-based not-for-profit networks can include both Catholic and non-Catholic organizations bound by contracts and joint ventures. Joint ventures provide the benefits of integration to Catholic providers, who must be willing to commit substantial capital to create HMOs and other networks with non-Catholic partners. Acquisition of facilities and regional and statewide expansion can strengthen a Catholic system's market position in the face of declining acute care hospital services. Catholic/non-Catholic mergers risk consolidating and closing facilities but need not erase Catholic identity. Cooperation between affiliation and merger, or "co-opetition," involves creating new legal territory for Catholic/non-Catholic consolidation. Divestiture may be an ultimate strategy, but Catholic sponsors must proceed with caution in their dealings with plentiful buyers. Catholic facilities and systems are joining with Catholic Charities, other providers, and local agencies to create networks.

Rightsizing the delivery system.

In the next five to 10 years, managed care penetration in large metropolitan areas and small cities could reach 90 percent, while per-member-per-month premium payments could fall to an average of $100. At the same time market demand for acute care services is expected to decline, and demand for subacute and nonacute care services will rise sharply. Most health systems are not configured to meet these emerging market demands. But one health system analyzed its market opportunities and developed rightsizing options that could help it meet market demands and improve its cost-efficiency to ensure its survival.