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L B Gookin

Publications and source records attributed to L B Gookin.

2 recordsLinked to original sources

Opportunities are our future.

The national health care revolution is having especially important effects in California. Hospitals are closing, downsizing, or joining larger systems. Solo-practice physicians are joining group practices, which in turn are being purchased by large for-profit physician practice organizations. Companies that have in the past provided a single service, such as home medical equipment, home infusion, hospice, or home care, are joining forces to offer many services in an effort to appeal to payors who would rather contract with comprehensive providers. Coalitions of home health agencies are forming to better compete for managed care contracts. Home health care agencies are merging in anticipation of prospective pay and the need to spread administrative costs over a wider base. The driving force behind this revolution? Managed care.

Economic Competition↗

Partnering for success.

Almost every health care journal or newsletter I pick up has at least one article about the changes occurring in the health care delivery system. The changes for providers in all settings are enormous as we downsize, rightsize, merge, or simply change to meet the demands of managed care. The bottom line is that hospitals are shrinking and health care is moving into the outpatient and community environment. Those of us who are providers in any of these settings must respond rapidly to the changes, which are having a profound impact on the practice of nursing today that will continue into the future. Are nursing educators prepared to respond as quickly as providers to the environmental changes, and are they prepared to make the necessary curriculum changes to prepare students for their future profession? It seems more critical than ever for providers and educators to partner to successfully meet the current and future demands of the nursing profession.

Community Health Nursing↗