Hospitals and Care Systems of the Future

What do hospitals need to do to remain successful as the nation’s health system faces major changes? A new report from the American Hospital Association’s Committee on Performance Improvement identifies ‘must-do’ strategies and critical organizational competencies that hospitals will need to embrace for the future.

Must-do strategies identified for future success:

1. Aligning hospitals, physicians, and other providers across the continuum of care
2. Utilizing evidence-based practices to improve quality and patient safety
3. Improving efficiency through productivity and financial management
4. Developing integrated information systems
5. Joining and growing integrated provider networks and care systems
6. Educating and engaging employees and physicians to create leaders
7. Strengthening finances to facilitate investment and innovation
8. Partnering with payers
9. Advancing through scenario-based strategic, financial and operational planning
10. Seeking population health improvement through pursuit of the “triple aim“

To plan for and implement these must-do strategies, hospitals will need to master these  core competencies:

1. Design and implementation of patient-centered, integrated care
2. Creation of accountable governance and leadership
3. Strategic planning in an unstable environment
4. Internal and external collaboration
5. Financial stewardship and enterprise risk management
6. Engagement of full employee potential
7. Collection and utilization of electronic data for performance improvement

The report discusses each recommended strategy and competency. Self-assessment questions, performance metrics needed, and case examples are also included.

Source: AHA Committee on Performance Improvement. Hospitals and care systems of the future. American Hospital Association, Sept. 2011. http://www.aha.org/content/11/hospitals-care-systems-of-future.pdf.  Additional appendices: http://www.aha.org/content/11/hospitals-care-systems-of-future-appendix.pdf . Presentation slides: http://www.aha.org/content/11/hospitals-care-systems-of-future.pptx

Posted by AHA Resource Center, (312) 422-2050, rc@aha.org