Study: Quality of care unaffected by physician employment

An analysis of 803 acute care hospitals found that switching to a physician employment model had little influence on four primary composite quality metrics—risk-adjusted mortality rates, 30-day readmission rates, patient satisfaction scores for common medical conditions, and length of stay. Researchers found that although the percentage of hospitals that employed physicians rose from 29% in 2003 to 42% in 2013, no beneficial effects were seen with the quality measures up to two years after the switch compared to hospitals with unaffiliated or contractual relationships with their physicians. The study’s authors suggest physician employment alone is probably not sufficient to improve hospital care.

Source: Annals of Internal Medicine