In the News

SHREVEPORT, La. – Louisiana is projected to be short nearly 5,000 doctors by the year 2030. Already, 60 of the state’s 64 parishes don’t have enough physicians, leaving patients with fewer options and longer wait times for care. In many small rural towns, independent physicians are the backbone of the healthcare system, often the only […]

Independent physicians continue offering patient care at lower costs than hospitals, according to a new study. “Physician Practice Affiliation Drives Site of Care Cost Differentials: An Opportunity to Reduce Healthcare Expenditures,” was published in the Journal of Market Access & Health Policy. Researchers sought to examine the relationships among practice models, sites of care and

Each of Washington state’s 39 counties is now designated at least partially as a “health professional shortage area,” according to the Rural Health Information Hub. In a viewpoint article published by The Seattle Times Aug. 25., Steven Kaptik, MD, a gastroenterologist in Tacoma, Wash., outlines the forces driving the state’s ongoing physician shortage. Read the

Every one of Washington’s 39 counties is now designated at least a partial “health professional shortage area” by the federal government, meaning there aren’t enough doctors overall, or in certain specialties, to meet patients’ needs. Rural areas, in particular, are struggling to attract and retain enough physicians. Medicare’s flawed reimbursement formula deserves some of the

In an era of consolidation and financial challenges in health care, a group of Portland clinics have banded more closely together not just to find strength in numbers, but in hopes of retaining their individual autonomy. Read the full article at the Portland Business Journal

Amid increasing consolidation in the gastroenterology industry, many leaders are pushing for changes that would allow private practices to remain intact. Read the full article at Becker’s ASC Review

AIMPA President Dr. Paul Berggreen recently joined Becker’s to discuss AIMPA’s priorities and what he believes must change in order for independent practice to survive. Read the full article here

Independent practices have been in steady decline over the last two decades, as hospitals and health systems have grown in size and market influence and the cost of operations whittles away at physicians’ bottom lines. Read the full article here

Physicians may go into private practice to treat patients by fighting their diseases and illnesses. However, in the 21st century, physicians are also fighting market conditions that make it difficult for them to stay in business. Read the full article here

Neil Mehta is correct that “medicine cannot owe its first allegiance to financial interests” (“The loophole that could allow another private equity debacle in Mass. health care,” Ideas, July 13). Physicians must have complete clinical autonomy, free from corporate interference. However, as Massachusetts legislators contemplate changes to state corporate practice of medicine laws, they must