Bazzoli wrote in the special edition of the Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law (2004), which was a 20-year retrospective on Paul Starr’s The Social Transformation of American Medicine that, “…the world was changing for…hospitals in the United States.” Bazzoli goes onto explore the idea that the once local hospitals had become health care conglomerates. We see this in the growth of Hackensack Meridian Health from north to central New Jersey. Bazzoli also highlights that the merging of hospitals included shared governance and reliance on local decision making.
Consider the following for Memo No. 1:
The rise of large health systems is nothing new. Some of these ventures have succeeded (Kaiser Permanente) and some have failed (Allegheny across the state of PA during the 1990s although it is stable now in western PA). Do you consider consolidation of health systems as a ‘good’ policy by hospital executives for the health care of local communities? In answering this question, consider the following quotes from Kissick (1994) and Abel-Smith (1976):
“Although it may be politically unattractive, a health-care strategy must balance cost with quality and access to yield the greatest good for the greatest number.” – Kissick (1994)
“In health care it is possible to spend more but get less value if value is measured as health status for the population. The iron triangle of access, quality, and cost containment helps us define value. Increasing quality or access adds value, but then so does lowering costs if what we seek is cost-effectiveness. Costs, like access and quality and, for that matter, health itself, are relative.” – Brian Abel-Smith (1976) found in Kissick’s 1994 book
In other words, Is the juice worth the squeeze?
Memo should be 12-font (double- and single-spaced mix is allowed, where appropriate). Three (3) pages max, including bullet points of your main ideas on the first page.
