Paper series (United Hospital Fund of New York)
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Responding to changes in health care financing, government policy, technology, and clinical judgment, and the rise of managed care, hospitals are shifting services from inpatient to outpatient settings and moving them into the community. Institutions are evolving into integrated delivery systems, developing the capacity to provide a continuum of coordinated services in an array of settings and to share financial risk with physicians and managed care organizations. Over the past several years, hospitals in New York City have shifted considerable resources into ambulatory care. ⋯ Many of the components vital to high-quality ambulatory care can take years to develop, and significant investments of capital. Increased primary care capacity, new specialty group practices, state-of-the-art equipment for diagnosis and treatment, advanced information technology to manage and coordinate care and link services at multiple locations, and highly trained clinical and support staff all require strong commitment and support from a team of senior management executives and medical staff leaders, sufficient staffing resources, and outside expertise. Once the infrastructure is in place, hospitals must continue to reach out to their communities, helping people to understand the health care system and use it effectively.