Federal Health Care Partnerships: Their Potential for Improving the U.S. Coast Guard Health Care System

Abstract

Through the Alaska Federal Health Care Partnership (AFHCP), the four U.S. coast Guard clinics in Alaska have reduced costs, improved the quality of health care, and overcome some access problems in spite of geographic isolation. Are there opportunities to achieve similar results at other remote Coast Guard clinics? This retrospective, descriptive business case study used a cost-benefit analysis method called the balance-sheet approach to tabulate who bore the costs and who reaped the benefits of Coast Guard involvement in the AFHCP in Fiscal years 1997 through 1999. The analysis showed that the AFHCP has yielded great quantifiable and unquantifiable benefits with nominal costs. A total of 16 other clinics were identified as potential sites for partnerships, but all clinics could benefit, regardless of their location. The key to realizing the full potential of federal health care partnerships in the Coast Guard is development and implementation of a formal strategic plan.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 01, 2000
Accession Number
AD1199568

Entities

People

  • Mark L. Everett

Organizations

  • Madigan Army Medical Center

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Case Studies
  • Coast Guard
  • Commerce
  • Cost Benefit Analysis
  • Costs
  • Health Care

Readers

  • Maritime Security/Maritime Homeland Security
  • Medical or Health Care Field.
  • Occupational Health and Safety.