Looking into the crystal ball of health care, the future is a bit cloudy. Significant forces affecting independent hospitals, multi-hospital systems, and military and Veterans Administration facilities will influence the direction health care will take. These forces include health care reform; alignment of health care systems and physician groups; reduced reimbursement and payment structures; consolidations, mergers, and acquisitions; realignment of services, including a continued move toward outpatient services and increased in-home care; regulatory and compliance issues; and aging facilities and infrastructure. A panel of leaders in the field of health facility management will discuss how these forces impact the immediate and future of health care facilities, and the steps that facility managers must take to meet those challenges. This session will enable you to—
• Describe the challenges affecting all types of health care facilities today and tomorrow.
• Discuss ways facility managers can proactively respond to minimize the impact of these forces.