Shared materials management and warehousing: a feasibility study

In response to significant changes in the political, competitive, and economic environment of Massachusetts, five independent hospitals sought ways to strengthen their capabilities to deal with these new challenges through collaboration. These hospitals, located in suburban Boston, prepared and submitted a proposal to the Blue Cross/Massachusetts Hospital Association Fund for Cooperative Innovation, requesting participative funding to conduct a "Shared Materials Management and Warehousing Feasibility Study". The objective was to determine the feasibility of several independent hospitals, operating in the same geographic area, sharing materials management and related functions. The hospitals were: Framingham Union, Glover Memorial, Leonard Morse, Newton-Wellesley, and Marlborough.

Management issues in the development and maturation of multihospital systems

Little has been written about the maturation of multihospital systems and the demands or challenges this process places on system managers. This article reviews particular developmental concerns within the context of a generic life cycle model and discusses the unique management challenges that arise as a system develops and matures.

Competitors become allies in MRI joint venture

In spite of what first seemed like insurmountable hurdles, two competing Denver hospitals have joined together in an innovative plan to provide magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) services. Their alliance may be a model for other hospitals in the same type of competitive environment.

Computer user groups: a shared rural hospital experience

For the small or rural hospital with a stand-alone system, a user group can be a way to obtain programming, education and training, assistance from the manufacturer, and greater influence in the marketplace--abilities which many larger hospitals have. Moreover, the use of such a group is a way for individual hospitals to maximize the use of and make computer operators more comfortable with their systems. The UB-82 programming project is an illustration of how a group of hospitals with limited resources can work together to achieve a common goal.