Hospitals of the future

Hospitals and health systems face unprecedented demand to change in both the near- and longer-term future, ranging from demographic changes to increasing reliance on value-based payment, and to the uncertainty surrounding governmental reform. the American Hospital Association Board Committee on Performance Improvement embarked on an initiative to identify the top ten strategies all hospitals must adopt in order to be successful care systems of the future. As a result of the committee's survey research, four top strategies were identified: (1) Aligning hospitals, physicians, and other providers across the continuum of care; (2) Using evidenced-based practices to improve quality and patient safety; (3) Improving efficiency through productivity and financial management; and (4) Developing integrated information systems. This article summarizes ten strategies and the measures to assess the accomplishment of these strategies.