THE HENRY-FORD-HEALTH-SYSTEM

The Henry Ford Health System is a large, vertically integrated health care delivery system, with its core service delivery team comprised of a 1000-person salaried medical group. Oncology services are coordinat ed through its Cancer Center, which organizes regional distribution of oncology services for residents of southeast Michigan. Oncology servi ces are delivered through five regionally distributed sites, affording a vast majority of cancer services to be provided for patients a shor t distance from their homes. The System owns the largest health mainte nance organization in Michigan (Health Alliance Plan) and its organiza tional structure affords the opportunity of offering purchasers specif ic oncology service contracting opportunities. Advantages of providing comprehensive oncology services through an integrated health system i nclude: 1) standardized cancer care guidelines, 2) medical information exchange through an electronic medical record, 3) interdisciplinary c ancer care provided by salaried physicians, minimizing potentially con flicting financial issues in treatment decisions, 4) state-of-the-art care afforded through availability of involvement in a large number of National Institutes of Health-sponsored clinical trials, 5) high stan dards of credentialing for oncology physicians, and 6) integrative man aged care perspectives and continuous attention to cost and quality of care issues. (C) 1998 American Cancer Society.