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Physician-Hospital Integration Services
Integrated physician-hospital arrangements, which align clinical and financial interests, are critical to the future success of health care providers in the New Era.
The medical staff model currently in place in many hospitals and health systems may not be up to the task. New structures are needed to achieve and sustain the level of physician integration required to fulfill the objectives of care management. A hospital’s physician strategy will play a central role in a value-driven care delivery and payment system.
Models Emerging, No One Size Fits All Approach
Four major models for physician integration have emerged:
- Employment/Acquisition
- Contracting
- Joint Ventured-Shared Equity Arrangements
- “Customer Support” Arrangements
Evaluation of the alternative integration arrangements involves a thorough and fact-based analysis of the market advantages, capital requirements, and operating impact of each option. Whatever the form of integration, the litmus test for an approach’s effectiveness will be its ability to align hospital and physician incentives related to utilization, cost, service, and quality objectives, while maintaining or increasing the level of physician satisfaction.
Kaufman Hall’s dedicated Physician-Hospital Integration Services can help you to address the following concerns:
- Strategic Planning for Physician Enterprises: Identifies ways of strengthening physician relationships through employment, contracting, joint ventures, and customer service programs
- Accountable Care Organizations/Clinical Integration Program Development: Determines organizational readiness for a program that drives improved clinical outcomes and accepts and manages risk, and assists in planning for and developing such programs
- Practice Acquisition Services: Supports an organization’s network development by conducting financial and organizational reviews of potential targets, negotiating physician compensation architecture, and standardizing the acquisition program
- Operational Assessments: Identifies areas for improvement across physician compensation, productivity, staffing, and other areas
- Physician Joint Ventures: Helps you transform operating assets and facilities into joint ventures that support service line objectives while also supporting quality goals and improving efficiency
Now is the time for hospital boards and executives to take purposeful steps to align their organizations with physicians for sustainable success under a very different care and payment system moving forward.
