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Benchmarking and networking through collaborative groups.

The search for better ways to deliver healthcare services at lower cost led a group of hospitals in the Carolinas, 2 years ago, to pioneer a new concept, the collaborative group. A collaborative group typically is composed of five or six similar (but not competing) hospitals that work together closely to help each other make the changes necessary to survive in an increasingly competitive marketplace. Hospital staff members at all levels are able to work together to discover improvement opportunities through benchmarking teams and networking efforts. This article describes their experiences, achievements, and lessons learned.