Tricare: An Organizational Change Study in the Military Health Services System

摘要

This thesis is a qualitative analysis of the managed care approach to deliveringhealth care in the Tidewater area of Virginia. The thesis begins with the development of civilian health care as well as the history of Navy and military medicine. This is followed by the development of managed care within the Department of Defense. A sociotechnical systems approach is then used to analyze the central function of accessing health care through the TRICARE Service Center in the Tidewater area. The analysis disclosed some key deviations from providing the patient quick, dependable access into the military health care system. To control these variances, the establishment of horizontal coordination and communication linkages are recommended.