The American Medical Association has just released the results of its 2012 Physician Practice Benchmark Survey. The report indicates 23% of physicians worked in practices that were at least partly hospital-owned while another 6% were directly employed by hospitals. Sixty percent of physicians were either self-employed [53%] or employed by a physician-owned practice.
While this report documents a trend toward greater hospital employment of physicians, the employment rates are lower than those in other recent reports. The report discusses these reports and explains why they differ. The AMA indicates its survey is the first broad and nationally representative look from the physician perspective.
The report also provides new data on medical practices by size, practice type, ownership, and medical specialty.
Source: Kane CK and Emmons DW. Policy research perspectives – New data on physician practice arrangements: private practice remains strong despite shifts toward hospital employment. American Medical Association, 2013. http://www.ama-assn.org/resources/doc/health-policy/prp-physician-practice-arrangements.pdf [Free registration now required to view]
Posted by AHA Resource Center, (312) 422-2050, rc@aha.org
