How Physician Organizations Are Responding to Managed Care

Publication Date: May 1999

Publisher: Center for Studying Health System Change

Author(s):

Research Area: Health

Type: Brief

Abstract:

Despite a rash of troubles in 1998, physician organizations - formed in response to managed care plans - can thrive if they are locally owned, physician-run and rationally sized, said panelists at a recent roundtable organized by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC). The panelists also noted the market's slow progress toward global capitation as a way of compensating physician organizations, and the generally weak state of information systems required to support the goals behind capitation: accountability, efficiency and quality. This Issue Brief reports on governance, physician-hospital relationships, capital needs, compensation and other developments covered at the roundtable. This Issue Brief is based on a roundtable sponsored by HSC, heldJanuary 27, 1999, in Washington, D.C.