Managed Care: The Human Factor in Mergers and Acquisitions: A Personal Story

Introduction by the column editor: The last managed care column, in the October issue, began by noting that "behavioral health programs are changing at a dizzying pace" and then discussed mergers and acquisitions at the level of the organization. In this column, Dr. Lazarus tells about his own experience with the turbulent U.S. health care system. As clinicians we know the importance of continuity of care. Paradoxically, the current system creates discontinuities for ourselves and our patients. It is a serious problem.