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Research Priorities for Administrative Challenges of Integrated Networks of Care
Author(s) -
Pilgrim Randy,
Hilton Joshua A.,
Carrier Emily,
Pines Jesse M.,
Hufstetler Greg,
Thorby Suzette,
Milling T. J.,
Cesta Beth,
Hsia Renee Y.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
academic emergency medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.221
H-Index - 124
eISSN - 1553-2712
pISSN - 1069-6563
DOI - 10.1111/j.1553-2712.2010.00934.x
Subject(s) - reimbursement , accreditation , medicine , credentialing , quality (philosophy) , licensure , health care , medical emergency , nursing , medical education , political science , philosophy , epistemology , law
In 2006, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) advanced the concept of “coordinated, regionalized, and accountable emergency care systems” to address significant problems with the delivery of emergency medical care in the United States. Achieving this vision requires the thoughtful implementation of well‐aligned, system‐level structures and processes that enhance access to emergency care and improve patient outcomes at a sustainable cost. Currently, the delivery of emergency medical care is supported by numerous administrative systems, including economic; reimbursement; legal and regulatory structures; licensure, credentialing, and accreditation processes; medicolegal systems; and quality reporting mechanisms. In addition, many regionalized systems may not optimize patient outcomes because of current administrative barriers that make it difficult for providers to deliver the best care. However, certain administrative barriers may also threaten the sustainability of integration efforts or prevent them altogether. This article identifies significant administrative challenges to integrating networks of emergency care in four specific areas: reimbursement, medical–legal, quality reporting mechanisms, and regulatory aspects. The authors propose a research agenda for indentifying optimal approaches that support consistent access to quality emergency care with improved outcomes for patients, at a sustainable cost. Researching administrative challenges will involve careful examination of the numerous natural experiments in the recent past and will be crucial to understand the impact as we embark on a new era of health reform. ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2010; 17:1330–1336 © 2010 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine