A Comparative Study of Three Transformative Healthcare Systems: Lessons for Canada
September 2011
Authors: G. Ross Baker, PH.D., Jean-Louis Denis, PH.D.
This paper provides an overview of three transformative healthcare systems and identifies the lessons Canada can learn from these systems. These exemplary regional healthcare systems are analyzed with attention to the strategies they have adopted and investments they have made, the results of these strategies and investments, and the enabling mechanisms that have influenced their success. The three systems, Southcentral Foundation located in Anchorage, Alaska, Jönköping County Council in Sweden, and Intermountain Healthcare, headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, are diverse in their size, location and history, but all three have drawn international attention for their achievements. These systems have redesigned care delivery using quality-improvement methods, created more effective delivery systems and improved results. Each system has emphasized different approaches and strategies, but a number of common themes emerged from a comparative analysis of their efforts.
