NC hospitals

Flocking to hospitals

Until recently, the large majority of physicians worked in doctor-owned practices. But that’s swiftly changing.

Last year, 47 percent of physicians in the U.S. were employed by hospitals – roughly twice the percentage in 2002, according to surveys by the Medical Group Management Association.

That trend is expected to continue, with one health care recruiting company predicting that hospitals could employ as many as 75 percent of all doctors within two years.

About 35 percent of North Carolina cardiologists work for hospitals – almost three times the percentage who did so five years ago, according to a recent survey by the American College of Cardiology.

The N&O story also says Attorney Gen. Roy Cooper is considering use of anti-trust laws to stem the trend and hold down healthcare costs.

From today's Charlotte Observer. The second in a five part series on NC's hospitals and their profits.

Adam Searing, director of the N.C. Justice Center’s Health Access Coalition, questions whether many hospitals are doing enough charitable work to earn their tax exemptions.

“I feel like the hospitals are breaking the contract they made,” he said.

Jessica Curtis, director of Community Catalyst’s Hospital Accountability Project, said the Observer’s findings echo what she sees happening elsewhere in the country. “It’s almost a blatant disregard for the needs of the poor,” said Curtis, whose Boston-based group works to improve access to care.

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