Monday 21 January 2019

The Importance Of Independent Medical Practice Resources

By Ann Meyer


When it comes to physicians opening and keeping a private office, it can often be difficult. While this is the case, there are now more independent medical practice resources available than ever before in the history of medicine. Still, there are also more doctors working in clinics and hospitals than in the private sector.

Due to the number of independent offices which have been acquired by, or sold to equity firms and hospitals, private practices are approaching critical conditions. For, in most cases, the doctors and staff at the private practice become employees of the clinic or hospital whom acquired the facility. As such, it is a situation which is not healthy nor beneficial for doctors or staff put in this position.

Studies have shown that when this happens, health care costs often go up while quality goes down. Whereas, access to care can be limited or lost, thus leaving doctors feeling less satisfied while communities are left vulnerable to a higher rate of illness and financial difficulty. The situation has become so dire that The Association of Independent Doctors or AID, is now attempting to stop and prevent these take overs from happening in the future.

Insurance companies and premiums are also effected by these acquisitions. For example, studies show that there has been a twenty to forty percent increase in American Health Care Insurance premiums since the beginning of the take over trend. As a result, the association sees these acquisitions as unacceptable, especially in a country where a number of individuals can not afford health care.

Having members in over half of the American health care marketplace, the association hopes to raise awareness among doctors about the negative impact created by this trend. For example, to paraphrase Robert Wood Johnson, it is stated that the consolidation does nothing to improve the quality of healthcare or costs though is motivated by reducing competition and creating bargaining power for the future.

AID was born out of frustration by the negative impact left by these acquisitions. The organization was started by two certified public accountants in Florida in 2013. Since that time, the association has been representing doctors which have lacked a collective voice in stopping in the process, that is until now.

Doctors and others can find out more about the organization and how to help stop these acquisitions on the AID website. Whereas, doctors far and wide need also watch videos which have been published on the site to understand how to stop the acquisitions from happening in the first place. After which, it is hoped that not only will doctors whom have been turned into employees through this process, but others working in clinics and hospitals will consider opening, or re-opening a private practice.

The acquisitions are destroying the lives of doctors, medical staff and others working in an area which is already in crisis. While this is the case, the association hopes to stop, if not at least slow down the trend in the near future. For, while those acquiring the private practices suggest doing so is for positive reasons, most often it is a measure to reduce competition, lower salaries and increase rates for services provided.




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