...Physician Groups: A Changing Landscape Final Report Team Four: Fearless Leaders Leading Healthcare Organizations May 10, 2015 Rachel Gutman Josh Freeman Brad Mountcastle Alicia Spitznagel I. Executive Summary Physician care is the cornerstone of patient health and could possibly be the gateway to comprehensive wellness on a national scale. Research demonstrates that a monumental shift is underway in America’s physician industry as more and more doctors are “voting with their feet” and curtailing their practices by joining larger institutions, retiring early or joining concierge medicine (Rabin, 2014). Studies show that physicians are frustrated with our current ‘value by number’ system; they argue that they are overworked due to discounted insurance payments and increasing oversight. Our research foretells two alarming trends within the US physician landscape. The first concern is that there will be a shortage in primary-care physicians as early as the year 2020 and secondly, most medical practices will be owned by a hospital or affiliated with a large network within the next ten years (Kirchoff, 2013). The former concern places population health at risk and could reduce access to care while the latter has the potential to increase overall costs and reduce competition and innovation in the health care industry. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) marks a milestone in our nation’s history; it requires every U.S. citizen to obtain medical insurance or pay...
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...CONTROLLING HEALTH CARE COSTS WHILE PROMOTING THE BEST POSSIBLE HEALTH OUTCOMES American College of Physicians A White Paper 2009 Controlling Health Care Costs While Promoting the Best Possible Health Outcomes Summary of Position Paper Approved by the ACP Board of Regents, September 2009 What are the Major Drivers of Health Care Costs? Major drivers of health care costs include: inappropriate utilization especially of advanced medical technology, lack of patient involvement in decision-making, payment system distortions that encourage over-use, high prices for health care services, a health care workforce that is not aligned with national needs, excessive administrative costs, medical liability and defensive medicine, more Americans with declining health status and chronic disease, and demographic changes including an increase in elderly persons. This paper addresses each of these drivers of health care costs and provides recommendations for controlling them. Why Do We Need to Control Health Care Costs? Improvements in health care have the ability to provide opportunities for all people to live better, healthier lives. However, the rate of increase in U.S. spending on health care continues to exceed economic growth at an unsustainable pace. The rate of growth in health care spending is the single most important factor undermining the nation’s long-term fiscal condition. Why Should Controlling Health Care Costs be Linked to Promoting Good Health Outcomes? Increasing pressure...
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