Comments on: Are the days of the independent physician coming to an end? http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/02/are-days-of-independent-physician.html Tue, 14 Feb 2012 22:04:00 +0000 hourly 1 By: Bad Medicine, Good Solutionshttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/02/are-days-of-independent-physician.html#comment-89943 Bad Medicine, Good Solutions Sun, 22 Feb 2009 23:48:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2009/02/are-the-days-of-the-independent-physician-coming-to-an-end.html#comment-89943 No, their days are not over. Physicians just aren't looking at their options. <br/>Look here: http://www.simpd.org/<br/> http://impmo.org/<br/>These two organizations are offering variants of comprehensive medical practice models. One functions within the current system of insurance, the other outside in the realm of cash. <br/><br/>Both are quite viable. This is how comprehensive care is to survive. Not through government quality mandates, HMOs, or PPOs. The solo physician is the original medical home and will continue to offer the best medicine for patients. No, their days are not over. Physicians just aren’t looking at their options.
Look here: http://www.simpd.org/
http://impmo.org/
These two organizations are offering variants of comprehensive medical practice models. One functions within the current system of insurance, the other outside in the realm of cash.

Both are quite viable. This is how comprehensive care is to survive. Not through government quality mandates, HMOs, or PPOs. The solo physician is the original medical home and will continue to offer the best medicine for patients.

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/02/are-days-of-independent-physician.html#comment-89937 Anonymous Sun, 22 Feb 2009 00:56:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2009/02/are-the-days-of-the-independent-physician-coming-to-an-end.html#comment-89937 Not everybody is made to be an employee. I work part time as an independent physician and part time being employed by a large MSG. I hate every minute of the way the group treats the patients. It is the difference between a plastic spoon "made in China" but nicely packed and a hand crafted silver spoon sold in a plastic bag. <br/>The problem is, most patients have forgotten how it feels when the doctor knows your name and your voice on the phone. Not everybody is made to be an employee. I work part time as an independent physician and part time being employed by a large MSG. I hate every minute of the way the group treats the patients. It is the difference between a plastic spoon “made in China” but nicely packed and a hand crafted silver spoon sold in a plastic bag.
The problem is, most patients have forgotten how it feels when the doctor knows your name and your voice on the phone.

]]> By: Physician Disability Insurancehttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/02/are-days-of-independent-physician.html#comment-89935 Physician Disability Insurance Sat, 21 Feb 2009 22:23:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2009/02/are-the-days-of-the-independent-physician-coming-to-an-end.html#comment-89935 Great posting. This is so true, I've seen many independent practitioners move back to the hospitals and umbrella practices. They just don't have the support they need unless they pay for it themselves. Luckily there are some way for physicians to do this. Great posting. This is so true, I’ve seen many independent practitioners move back to the hospitals and umbrella practices. They just don’t have the support they need unless they pay for it themselves. Luckily there are some way for physicians to do this.

]]> By: Anonymoushttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/02/are-days-of-independent-physician.html#comment-89926 Anonymous Fri, 20 Feb 2009 23:56:00 +0000 http://clients.emmense.com/kevinmd/2009/02/are-the-days-of-the-independent-physician-coming-to-an-end.html#comment-89926 There is a trend away from independent practice but you overstate the advantages of employment in a medical system.<br/><br/>Low payments from insurers will still translate into low pay for physicians, especially in primary care. The big medical systems can't subsidize money losing clinics to the extent they could in the past.<br/><br/>Given the poor state of current EMRs, care coordination, and guidelines, those aren't driving the trend to employment as much as fear of owning a business during the slow painful collapse of third party payment medicine. There is a trend away from independent practice but you overstate the advantages of employment in a medical system.

Low payments from insurers will still translate into low pay for physicians, especially in primary care. The big medical systems can’t subsidize money losing clinics to the extent they could in the past.

Given the poor state of current EMRs, care coordination, and guidelines, those aren’t driving the trend to employment as much as fear of owning a business during the slow painful collapse of third party payment medicine.

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