The North Carolina Family Physician Hospital Affiliation White Paper

Changes in health policy and reimbursement are forcing independent private practice physicians to consider integration with hospitals. From the strategic perspective of the North Carolina family physician, this White Paper explores the reasons driving these trends, the advantages and disadvantages of various hospital-physician integration options, and finally, provides a detailed analysis of the hospital employment model. We conclude that there are compelling “offensive” and “defensive” reasons to consider integration and specific guideposts to assure a successful and sustainable hospital-physician partnership.