Study to Develop Alternative Approaches for Implementing Product Line Management in the South Texas Veterans Health Care System

摘要

The Veterans Health Administration has reorganized into a decentralized, multi-service, integrated, managed health care system. Product line management is one strategy to reduce costs. A nation-wide survey of 132 VAMC Directors revealed that 40 facilities had implemented product line management. Information about strategic planning, benefits, problems, product line managers, and other demographics was provided in the survey. Survey results were consistent with private sector facilities described in the literature. Thirteen South Texas Veterans Health Care System key management staff were interviewed to learn their perceptions about implementing pro- duct line management in the South Texas Veterans Health Care System. There were mixed opinions about how to reorganize services, and whether such a management approach is the best strategy for the System. Based upon a comparison of the survey and interview results with the approaches described in the literature, three alternative approaches for implementing product line management were developed: traditional; service-oriented and traditional combined; and service- oriented, traditional, and integrated combined. Of the three, a 'best fit' approach was recommended - a service-oriented traditional approach.