Beating them or joining them: your radiology group's path to the future.

Abstract

Radiologists and hospital and health system (HHS) administrators and trustees are facing significant threats and opportunities in the rapidly changing health care environment. Although multiple response alternatives exist for both groups, some of the options seem more likely than others to lead to long-term success. The choices available range from cooperation to competition, from bargaining to blaming, from offering hope to providing criticism, from standing together to standing apart, and from focusing on beating them to investing in joining them for the benefit of all. Many physicians and HHS administrators and trustees acknowledge that their relationship with each other is central to their long-term success, as well as the interests of patients and their communities. This article discusses the major forces for change faced by radiologists and HHS administrators and trustees. It examines the collaborative and competitive responses available to each, provides a review of the typical consequences of these responses, and identifies the assumptions underlying the major alternatives.