Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1388297
43 HEALTHCARE NEWS Less than half of physicians are in independent practices, AMA report finds By Laura Dyrda F or the first time, less than 50 percent of physicians reported working in physician-owned practices last year, according to a May 5 American Medical Association report. e AMA surveyed 3,500 physicians in Sep- tember and October 2020 about their em- ployment and practice situations. Five findings: 1. Forty-nine percent of physicians worked in wholly physician-owned practices last year, in- cluding 38.4 percent who are practice owners. 2. Since 2018, the number of physicians in private practice dropped 5 percentage points. 3. Sixty-six percent of surgical specialists are in private practice. 4. One-third of physicians younger than 40 were in private practice. 5. Forty-three percent of physicians worked in single-specialty practices, and 26.2 percent worked in multispecialty groups. Few physicians attributed changing employ- ment status to the pandemic, indicating a larg- er trend away from physician ownership, the report said. ASC leaders in markets across the U.S. face challenges finding new physicians for their centers as independence wanes. Brian Bizub, CEO of Raleigh Orthopaedic, said that while communities in North Caro- lina are growing rapidly, there has been a shi away from private practice to hospital em- ployment. He said reimbursement declines in private practice make it difficult to man- age overhead, and the referral networks are drying up as primary care physicians become affiliated with hospitals. "e current state of healthcare reform is creating uncertainties, and the shi in physi- cian preferences are leaning toward hospital employment over private practice," he said. "Recent trends and published studies clearly show that younger physicians are interested not only in practicing medicine, but main- taining a quality home life as well. Less inter- est exists in physicians seeking administrative tasks and concerns with overhead and payer reimbursements." His group has been able to maintain private ownership because of collaboration with a local health system to become part of its re- ferral network. On the other hand, some communities are seeing a spike in the number of physicians interested in ASCs. Danilo D'Aprile, adminis- trator of Danbury, Conn.-based Orthopaedic Specialty Surgery Center, said more physi- cians have requested center credentials since the pandemic began, especially for total joint replacements. "Our total joint replacement program is very robust," he said. "We are in a good position to attract a lot of these doctors, and I have a lot of physicians coming to me to request privi- leges and ownership because they want to be here." n Minnesota nurse reinstated after being fired for wearing hospital-issued scrubs instead of own By Gabrielle Masson M inneapolis-based Allina Health must reinstate for- mer nurse Cliff Willmeng, RN, but doesn't have to issue back pay, an arbitrator determined April 21. Mr. Willmeng was fired May 8, 2020, for wearing hospital-is- sued scrubs instead of his own. The arbitration ruling stems from a grievance raised by the Minnesota Nurses Associa- tion against Allina for firing Mr. Willmeng without just cause. Arbitrator Stephen Befort found Allina lacked grounds to fire Mr. Willmeng, who was worried that washing his own scrubs at home may jeopardize the health of himself, his family and patients. "Willmeng's good faith belief that the potential harm of exposure to COVID-19 necessitated a departure from the dress code policy warrants some remedy short of dis- charge," Mr. Befort wrote. Mr. Befort said Mr. Willmeng violated policies of the sys- tem's United Hospital on April 24, 2020 — two weeks be- fore he was fired — and United warned the nurse before firing him. By having nurses wear their own scrubs early in the pandemic, the hospital didn't fail to maintain a safe work environment, the ruling found. In an emailed statement to MedPage Today, Allina Health said it "is still in the process of reviewing the Arbitrator's decision in this case. However, we are gratified that he found that Allina Health acted appropriately and affirmed the safety measures implemented to protect our employ- ees. We have no further comments at this time." The health system has 90 days from the decision to appeal. After he was fired, Mr. Willmeng filed a lawsuit against Alli- na for whistleblower retaliation and wrongful termination. The lawsuit is set to be tried in October. n