As pressure builds to cut costs while improving patient outcomes, a team approach to health care is gaining traction at city-owned Memorial Health System. The concept is relatively simple — get all caregivers on the same page for the benefit of the patient…

While long-standing models like the Mayo Clinic have made it work, some experts say integration can be tricky when a hospital didn't start out that way. "You cannot generally convert a free-standing community hospital into a Mayo Clinic, because the transition is very different," says David Atchison, CEO of Ponder & Co. of Chicago. His consulting firm serves as financial adviser to Colorado Health Facilities Authority, which issues bonds for nonprofit hospitals in the state.

Colorado Springs Independent, by Pam Zubeck, 3/24/2010

Tags: model of care, Uncategorized