Independent practice associations (“IPAs”) are gaining momentum in response to healthcare reform and market changes responding to healthcare reform. In an era when consultants are selling one-size-fits-all solutions, physicians have to consider IPAs as a viable option once again, but they have to fine tune their expectation to recent changes.
In the thunderous noise wrought by talk about accountable care organizations (ACOs), physicians are scrambling to see where they might fit in the future of healthcare. While we think those changes will be neither as severe or as pervasive as feared, we do see huge opportunities for ANY organization which can (1) reduce healthcare expenditures, and (2) improve quality. Healthcare businesses of the future will view utilization skeptically. Hospitals of the future will look like medical practices with beds. Medical practices of the future will have a stake in the cost and quality of care being delivered and will view utilization skeptically.
