A comprehensive, concise text on strategic management as it applied to a variety of health care organizations: physicians offices, hospitals, long-term care, health departments and others. The central theme of the text is that business-oriented strategic management can improve the success of health care organizations. New to the fourth edition: each chapter has been fully updated and revised situational analysis and implementation are explicitly tied together through the value chain framework it includes 22 case studies, of which 10 are brand-new. The text also retains the important features that have made previous editions of the book such a success. Each chapter contains: a generous number of examples and exhibits summaries and conclusions key terms and concepts questions for class discussion additional readings appendices that assist readers by presenting ways to analyze health care cases and make oral presentations. The text is supported by PowerPoint Slides and a Teacher's Manual. Visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/ginter for details.