Abstract

Regionalization in healthcare services is designed and implemented to address issues related to patient attrition and access, economy of scale, quality care delivery and cost containment. There are issues with duplication of services provided by the centers in close proximity competing for limited market share, resources, expertise and infrastructure to support the program. There are also variations in practice and outcomes across and within the programs with lack of public transparency and accountability from the healthcare delivery system. Regionalization in congenital cardiac services to centers of excellence have been advocated to address this variability in care delivery in the United States. This article proposes valuebased practice and coopetition as more practical and sustainable models of care in congenital cardiac surgery.

Keywords:Regionalization; Value-based practice; Coopetition; Congenital cardiac surgery