Concepts of designing new delivery models.

The need for health-care organizations to deliver high-quality care that is affordable, while maintaining high morale and productivity among employees, has become a central concern for hospital executives. This article addresses the internal and external pressures that are resulting in hospitals wanting to and having to do things in dramatically different ways. The assumptions, success factors, and approaches to redesign are discussed in relation to the decision to redesign, with attention to factors that should be taken into account in the redesign process, and issues and processes of putting the redesign in place. An example of patient-care redesign with case management is included.