Hospitals employed 49.3 percent of physicians by January 2021, up 5 percent from January 2019, according to an updated study from the nonprofit Physicians Advocacy Institute and Avalere.
For the study, researchers examined data about physician practice acquisition and hospital and health system ownership from Jan. 1, 2019, to Jan. 1, 2021.
Five findings from the study:
1. Over the two-year study period, the number of hospital-owned practices grew by 3,200 practices, reflecting an 8 percent increase.
2. By January 2021, 69 percent of physicians were employed by hospitals or corporate entities like private equity firms and health insurers.
3. Over the two-year study period, 18,600 additional physicians were hospital-employed, with 11,400 of that shift occurring after the onset of COVID-19.
4. The rate of hospital or corporate-owned physician practices climbed 8.5 percent following the onset of COVID-19.
5. From Jan. 1, 2019, to Jan. 1, 2021, hospital ownership of physician practices grew between 6 percent and 11 percent across U.S. regions, and corporate ownership grew between 44 percent and 59 percent.
To read more about the study, click here.