Physician partnering: a provider network primer.

The face of health care is changing daily due to pressures brought about by dissatisfied consumers, physicians, and employers. The authors of this article believe that the only way to bring about a better health care system is for physicians to take back the administration of the medical profession from the insurers. Physicians must take the financial risks necessary to innovate a medical system that will benefit themselves, their patients, and their patients' employers. This article presents the basic business concepts needed to establish physician provider networks (PPNs) as well as the benefits and pitfalls of the various types of associations into which a PPN can enter. Clearly, the future will belong to those physicians who have the foresight to invest their talents and their finances in the business aspects of managed care.

Marketing strategies in a competitive managed care environment.

In the new health care marketplace dominated by managed care, patients expect more from their physicians and other providers. Because cost is not an issue for the managed care patient, physicians must find a way to distinguish their practices from others in the managed care plan directory. This article provides low-cost strategies that physicians may use to do so. These include: focusing on the customer; ensuring friendly, attentive, and trained staff using patient-friendly office policies; making the patient priority number one; listening to and communicating with patients; being a patient advocate; giving patients choices to increase their control over their care; respecting the time demands on the patient and his or her family, and others.