BUILDING STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN EMPLOYERS AND MANAGED CARE FIRMS TO ENHANCE QUALITY OF CARE

The challenges of integrating behavioral healthcare delivery and the d emand for better management of behavioral healthcare benefits require corporate risk managers to focus on issues of quality and outcomes. A strategic partnership between the employer and a managed care organiza tion is one tool for reducing risk and improving the quality of servic es for beneficiaries, using the techniques of total quality management . The following article describes a six-step process for launching suc h a strategic partnership, along with some potential pitfalls.