More hospitals are taking on physicians' back-office operations and providing financial expertise, essentially leaving physicians as "independent contractors," according to a report from The Tennessean.
Melvin Lightford, MD, who has a three-physician medical practice in Nashville, Tenn., signed an agreement with Nashville-based Saint Thomas Health under which the system will take over billing, marketing, human resources, accounting and other functions for his practice. Eighteen employees of his practice left to work for the health system under the agreement, and Saint Thomas now pays those employees' salaries.
Under this agreement, Dr. Lightford can retain the name of his practice, MetroCenter Health Care Group. He is also a voting member of Saint Thomas Physician Services' governing body, which decides on strategies and how the practice operates.
According to the report, these agreements are becoming more common and can allow physicians to focus more on patient care. It can also offer employees the better benefits provided by a large health system, such as health insurance, which can be more than small practices can afford.
Saint Thomas Physician Services has more than 275 physicians aligned, and roughly 25 percent of those are under physician services agreements like Dr. Lightford's.
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Melvin Lightford, MD, who has a three-physician medical practice in Nashville, Tenn., signed an agreement with Nashville-based Saint Thomas Health under which the system will take over billing, marketing, human resources, accounting and other functions for his practice. Eighteen employees of his practice left to work for the health system under the agreement, and Saint Thomas now pays those employees' salaries.
Under this agreement, Dr. Lightford can retain the name of his practice, MetroCenter Health Care Group. He is also a voting member of Saint Thomas Physician Services' governing body, which decides on strategies and how the practice operates.
According to the report, these agreements are becoming more common and can allow physicians to focus more on patient care. It can also offer employees the better benefits provided by a large health system, such as health insurance, which can be more than small practices can afford.
Saint Thomas Physician Services has more than 275 physicians aligned, and roughly 25 percent of those are under physician services agreements like Dr. Lightford's.
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