Editorial: Physicians, hospitals can just get along

The “cold war” between hospital management teams and physician communities may be thawing, writes Jeff Goldsmith, PhD, president of Health Futures Inc., and an associate professor of public health sciences at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville. In an entry in Health and Hospital Networks Daily (H&HN) website, Goldsmith states that this improvement in relations may be difficult to measure, “but my impression from extensive travels around the country is that a lot more hospital management teams and medical communities are working constructively together than in the past.”

He cites collaboration on implementation of clinical information technology and on new payment models, among other signs. “Granted, there are still hot spots. But we are seeing leadership transitions on both sides of this historic divide as well as a more pragmatic approach toward improving the hospital's services and operational efficiency.”

Source: H&HN