From the Ground Up

This book offers proven and practical approaches for redesigning healthcare organizations to be more patient-centered and less fragmented by tapping into the experiences of staff on the front lines of patient care. Healthcare continues to be our fastest-growing sector--three times more than the rest of the economy. Yet it costs almost twice as much in the United States as it does in other countries, and its delivery systems are widely acknowledged to be fragmented, uneven in quality, and difficult to negotiate for the patients they aim to serve. Systemic changes are needed to create structures and processes that address these intrinsic flaws. Practical and inspiring, this book draws on theories and practices that promote organizational change and outlines processes for establishing labor-management partnerships that utilize the knowledge and experience of administrators and staff at all levels. Through details of past and current practices of frontline participation, readers will discover proven methods for improving healthcare in the United States by listening to and implementing the ideas of frontline staff and patients.