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Preface
ase studies of health system change in this volume are based on site visits conducted as a collaborative effort of the Center for Studying Health System Change and The Lewin Group, a research and consulting firm based in Fairfax, Virginia. The 12 case studies are part of the Center’s Community Tracking Study, an ongoing effort that examines changes in the health care system in representative communities across the nation. The case studies, which have been released to each of the communities, have now been combined into a single volume. This is the first published report of the Community Tracking Study and represents the baseline to which subsequent changes in the health system will be compared.
This volume represents the culmination of an enormous effort by many people. First and foremost, we are indebted to the people in each of the sites who so generously shared their time and perspectives in an effort to help others recognize and understand the turbulent changes taking place in health care today. While we study change, those people are living it. Without their insights, candor and responsiveness, this work would not be possible. To protect the confidentiality of participants, we thank them collectively, but do not list their names here.
A number of other people whose names will not be seen elsewhere in this report were instrumental in this effort. Caroline Steinberg of The Lewin Group brought her many years of experience to this effort, coordinating a complex set of activities ranging from the design of interview protocols to reviewing case study reports. Without her hard work and that of dedicated staff, the site visits and case studies would not have been possible. Editorial and production management was performed under the able direction of Jane Stein, with support from Jean Bernard, Mary Darby and Lisa Lopez, associates of The Stein Group. Design and production was done by Monica Snellings, senior art director of Levine & Associates.
Finally, we are grateful to The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for its generous support, and to the Foundation staff, most particularly Jim Knickman, Robert Hughes and Maureen Michael, for their helpful guidance and encouragement.
To these individuals, and all others who helped but are not mentioned here -- our deepest thanks.
