Physicians beware: revisiting the physician practice acquisition frenzy.

This commentary compares the current physician practice acquisition frenzy to that of the mid-1990s and reflects on lessons learned. The bottom line: Physicians must understand that there were no "white knights" in the 1990s, and there really aren't any today. This article delineates five main factors that both physicians and hospital executives should thoroughly explore and agree on before an alignment or acquisition. Agreement on these issues is the glue that holds the deal together after the merger. These factors eliminate both buyer and seller remorse and delve into the true cultural alignment that must take place as the healthcare industry addresses the challenges of the future.

First national survey of ACOs finds that physicians are playing strong leadership and ownership roles.

The extent to which physicians lead, own, and govern accountable care organizations (ACOs) is unknown. However, physicians' involvement in ACOs will influence how clinicians and patients perceive the ACO model, how effective these organizations are at improving quality and costs, and how future ACOs will be organized. From October 2012 to May 2013 we fielded the National Survey of Accountable Care Organizations, the first such survey of public and private ACOs. We found that 51 percent of ACOs were physician-led, with another 33 percent jointly led by physicians and hospitals. In 78 percent of ACOs, physicians constituted a majority of the governing board, and physicians owned 40 percent of ACOs. The broad reach of physician leadership has important implications for the future evolution of ACOs. It seems likely that the challenge of fundamentally changing care delivery as the country moves away from fee-for-service payment will not be accomplished without strong, effective leadership from physicians.

Are your physician-integration strategies sustainable?

Before embarking on a physician-integration strategy, hospitals and health systems should perform a detailed analysis of the following four critical areas to ensure that the strategy is competitive and sustainable: Strategic objectives; Financial resources; Requisite experience and functional capabilities; Organizational structure, culture, and commitment.

Integrated delivery systems.

It's been assumed, and now MGMA member stats bear it out--more and more practices are hospital-owned.