“Many healthcare leaders believe that physician-hospital alignment is one of the greatest challenges facing the U.S. healthcare system. Hospitals and physicians are faced with the task of finding innovative ways to collaborate while taking advantage their joint economic interests. Accountable care organizations (ACO), medical foundations, hospital-owned group practices, and joint venture initiatives are all potential solutions?”(Harrison, 2016, p. 183). Refer to Chapter 9, “Accountable Care Organizations and Physicians Joint Ventures?”in your digital textbook and answer the following questions:

1) Define the concept of an “integrated physician model?” 2) Explain the importance of clinical integration in the strategic planning process.
3) Demonstrate an understanding of the dynamics of and controversies surrounding accountable care organizations and alternative approaches to the current health system.
4) Choose one of the models for hospital-physicians integration and discuss the advantages and disadvantages for hospitals and physicians under this model. (Medical foundations, hospital-owned group practices, hospitalists, joint venture initiatives, equity-based joint ventures, etc.)

Harrison, J. P. (2016). Essentials of strategic planning in healthcare (2nd ed.). [Kaplan]. Retrieved from https://kaplan.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781567937916/