The elusive quest [electronic resource] : accountability in hospitals / Carolyn L. Wiener.

Includes bibliographical references (p. [220]-245) and index.

Antecedents to the Accountability Movement: The Era of Growth -- Interdependency of Hospitals and Physicians -- The Evolution of Health Insurance -- The Universal-Care Compromise: Medicare and Medicaid -- Expanding Medical Capability -- The Growth of the Nursing Profession -- "Corporatizing" Hospitals -- The Arrival of the Era of Accountability: Rationalization, Regulation, and Restructuring -- Regulatory Attempts to Rationalize Decision Making -- Rationalizing Through Prospective Payment: Diagnosis-Related Groups -- Regulatory Oversight -- Restructuring Health Care -- The Consequences -- Formalizing the Accountability Endeavor: Forging a Path from Quality Assurance to Quality Improvement -- Finding the Right Path -- Mastering the Techniques -- Reorganizing the Hospital -- Experimenting with Performance Measurement -- Enlarging the Arena -- Implementing the Accountability Endeavor: Overcoming Assumptions and Surmounting Obstacles -- Examining the Assumptions -- Confronting Prevailing Conditions -- Examining Organizational Barriers -- Working Within the Limitations -- Demonstrating the Accountability Endeavor: The Art of Show and Tell -- Setting the Scene -- Rehearsing the Cast -- Presenting the Main Performance -- Reconceptualizing the Plot -- Reassessing Accountability -- The Five Deadly Weaknesses -- Underestimating the Unique Qualities of Contemporary Health Care -- Overstating and Overselling Accountability Proposals -- Ignoring the Irrationality Intrinsic to Rationalization Values.

Description based on print version record.