Hospitals on Buying Spree Snap Up Physician Practices
Doctors Opt For More Resources, Fewer Administrative Burdens Over Independence
There’s an interesting trend which has significant implications for pathologists and the clinical laboratory testing industry over the long term. For a variety of reasons, growing numbers of physicians are selling their medical practices to hospitals and health systems. This is creating a noticeable reduction in the number of private practices in the United States.
As commercial laboratory executives know, when a medical group practice is purchased by a hospital or health system, the clinical laboratory test referrals are redirected to the laboratory outreach program of the new owners. That means a reduction in the number of potential laboratory test clients in that regional market.