How healthcare organizations can achieve true integration

Of the many organizations that have attempted to become integrated delivery systems (IDSs), only a few have actually achieved this goal. Achieving true integration requires commitment to an ongoing process that consists of a series of increasingly challenging phases: development of the organization's unifying concept and culture, specification of the organizational and administrative structure, integration of funds and other assets, development of synergistic operations, and ongoing commitment to ensuring organizational responsiveness to market forces. In addition, including physicians in the integration process is essential for achieving true integration. To effectively integrate physician practices into the larger organization, IDSs need to overcome physician resistance to losing perceived autonomy and control. Physicians are most likely to accept integration into an IDS if they recognize the advantages they gain from allowing the IDS to assume administrative control of their practices.