U.S. Physician Practices Shift From Ownership to Employment
The private practice model is slowly shifting toward hospital-owned and hospital employment
![U.S. Physician Practices Shift From Ownership to Employment](/content/images/size/w1200/2023/12/COTW_202310_chart3_v2.png)
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- Surgical subspecialties rank highest for percentage of doctors (63%) in private practice.
- Among surgical subspecialists, 44% work in single-specialty groups, 24% are in multispecialty groups, and 18% are in solo practice.
- Ownership trends suggest that a smaller percentage of each successive class of physicians started post-residency work in an ownership position.
- There is an important demographic shift afoot: When physicians who are practice owners retire, they tend to be replaced by physicians who are employees.
Sources
Ken CK. Policy Research Perspectives. Recent Changes in Physician Practice Arrangements: Shifts Away From Private Practice and Towards Larger Practice Size Continue Through 2022. American Medical Association. Accessed November 24, 2023.
Smith TM. 3 Top Reasons Why Doctors Are Selling Their Practices to Hospitals. American Medical Association. Accessed November 24, 2023.