Jossey-Bass The Health Care Industry: A Primer for Board Members

Health care industry board members are called upon to make decisions that have an enormous effect on their organizations, medical staffs, employees, and their communities. To be effective, they must understand context; the health care industry's structure and dynamics The Health Care Industry offers board members a comprehensive resource that clearly explains how health services are organized, financed, and provided. This much-needed resource contains a wealth of information and Explains board responsibilities Describes organizations that provide health services such as ambulatory care facilities, physician practices, hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, health systems and public health agencies Clarifies how money moves through the system: insurance, health plans, Medicare, Medicaid and HMOs. Describes the characteristics and training of health professionals including physicians, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, chiropractors, and physicians assistants Provides a glossary of health care terms, concepts, and acronyms Review "The authors have succeeded in writing a primer targeting new and long-tenured board members." ( Journal for Healthcare Quality, May/June 2004) From the Inside Flap Health care industry board members are called upon to make decisions that have an enormous effect on their organizations, medical staffs, employees, and their communities. To be effective, they must understand context; the health care industrys structure and dynamics. The Health Care Industry offers board members a comprehensive resource that clearly explains how health services are organized, financed, and provided. This much-needed resource contains a wealth of information and Explains board responsibilities Describes organizations that provide health services such as ambulatory care facilities, physician practices, hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, health systems, and public health agencies Clarifies how money moves through the system: insurance, health plans, Medicare, Medicaid, and HMOs Describes the characteristics and training of health professionals including physicians, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, chiropractors, and physicians assistants Provides a glossary of health care terms, concepts, and acronyms From the Back Cover Health care industry board members are called upon to make decisions that have an enormous effect on their organizations, medical staffs, employees, and their communities. To be effective, they must understand context; the health care industrys structure and dynamics. The Health Care Industry offers board members a comprehensive resource that clearly explains how health services are organized, financed, and provided. This much-needed resource contains a wealth of information and Explains board responsibilities Describes organizations that provide health services such as ambulatory care facilities, physician practices, hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, health systems, and public health agencies Clarifies how money moves through the system: insurance, health plans, Medicare, Medicaid, and HMOs Describes the characteristics and training of health professionals including physicians, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, chiropractors, and physicians assistants Provides a glossary of health care terms, concepts, and acronyms About the Author Dennis D. Pointer is president of Dennis D. Pointer & Associates and the author of numerous books including Board Work (Jossey-Bass, 1999), winner of the James A. Hamilton Book of the Year Award from the American College of Healthcare Executives. Dr. Pointer is the Austin Ross Professor in the Department of Health Services at the University of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicine. Stephen J. Williams is a consultant to numerous health care organizations, associations, and governmental agencies. Dr. Williams is Professor of Public Health and Head of th