How Consolidated Health Systems Manage Risk

But at the center in healthcare are local providers, and relatively speaking, they’re small. The reality is that those that deliver health care services in our communities -- hospitals, physicians, post-acute providers, and allied health professionals are David in the land of Goliaths. Some local boards and medical groups say. "As long as we are able to fulfill our mission and serve our community, the big’s can’t hurt us." But ask yourself: Did Walgreens or CVS ask permission of the hospital board or local physicians to set-up retail clinics in your community? Did the big insurer ask permission to enroll the patients in its care management programs and direct its members to providers they chose? Did the big employer ask permission to send its open heart and joint replacement cases elsewhere to get a better deal?  And are digital health services doing a better job educating the local citizenry about the quality, costs and safety of the services provided than we do ourselves?