What characterizes a horizontal pattern of strategic business affiliation?

A horizontal pattern of strategic business affiliation is characterized by organizations at the same level of the healthcare delivery system joining together to enhance their services or reach. The development of outreach networks via satellite clinics is a clear example of this concept because it involves healthcare providers expanding their services to new locations while maintaining a similar operational structure. This results in an ability to serve a broader patient population and improve access to care in specific areas, all while staying within the same tier of service delivery.

Other options, while they may involve important partnerships, typically represent vertical affiliations or collaborations that connect different levels of healthcare delivery. For instance, alliances with insurance companies or contracts with clinical laboratories often signify an integration of services that differ significantly, emphasizing the connection between providers and payers or ancillary services. Similarly, partnerships with specialty pharmacies might indicate collaboration across service domains rather than a horizontal approach focused on expanding the same type of care delivery.