Working together? Organizational and market determinants of collaboration between public health and medical care providers

• Published in: American journal of public health (1971) Vol. 90; no. 12; pp. 1913 - 1916
• Main Authors: Halverson, PK, Mays, GP, Kaluzny, AD
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC Am Public Health Assoc 01.12.2000; American Public Health Association
• Subjects: Attitude of Health Personnel; Biological and medical sciences; Collaboration; Community Health Centers - organization & administration; Competition; Cooperative Behavior; Cross-Sectional Studies; Economic Competition; General aspects; Health care; Health care policy; Health Care Sector; Health facilities; Health Maintenance Organizations - organization & administration; Health services; Health Services Research; Health systems. Social services; Hospitals; Hospitals, Community - organization & administration; Humans; Hypotheses; Institutional aspects; Interinstitutional Relations; Logistic Models; Market forces; Market penetration; Medical sciences; Multivariate Analysis; Nonprofit hospitals; Nonprofit organizations; Organizational Culture; Ownership; Personal health; Physician Executives - psychology; Prospective payment systems; Public health; Public Health Administration; Public health agencies; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Regression analysis; Surveys and Questionnaires; United States; USA; United States; North America; America; Incentive; Health center; Health staff; Managed care; Cooperation; Public health organization; Hospital; Public health
• ISSN: 0090-0036; 1541-0048
• DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.90.12.1913

This study examines organizational characteristics and market conditions likely to influence collaborative relationships between public health agencies and community medical care providers. Public health directors in 60 US counties were surveyed by telephone concerning their relationships with area community hospitals (n = 263) and community health centers (n = 85). Multivariate models were used to estimate the effects of organizational and market characteristics on collaboration. Collaboration was reported among 55% of the hospitals and 64% of the health centers. Certain forms of collaboration were more likely in markets characterized by higher HMO penetration and lower HMO competition. Targeted efforts to facilitate collaboration may be required in settings where institutional and market incentives are lacking.