Collin County Living Well Magazine Spring 2015 | Page 9

partnered with other physicians to form private
practices with multiple locations. Employed
physicians, on the other hand, are salaried personnel
who work for consolidated hospital groups. Joe chose
independent Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr. Craig Goodhart,
with OrthoTexas in Carrolton. “I chose Dr. Goodhart,
because I was able to get an appointment right away.
I had a few days between jobs and the kids were on a
bi-week from baseball. If I couldn’t get in this window
of time, I wasn’t going to be able to get my knee taken
care of. What I learned during this process was the
valuable difference between independent physicians
and employed doctors.”

Hospitals have higher operating costs, even if
you aren’t utilizing their 24 Hour Ambulatory
Care you’re still paying for it in overhead fees.
Knowing the difference between independent and
employed physicians can empower patients to make
more informed choices. As Healthcare Reform pushes
higher reimbursement rates to hospitals, private
practices across the country are being forced to either
close their doors, or be acquired by hospital groups.
CNN reported hospital purchases of physician owned
practices increased 30 to 40 percent over the past five
years, which has made finding an independent
practitioner increasingly difficult. However, locating
one of these hidden gems not only ensures a higher
level of personalized care for the patient, but it also
helps heal our broken healthcare system.
The Affordable Care Act was built to incentivize
quality of care – not quantity of care, yet according
to Paul Ginsburg, PhD, President of the Center for
Studying Health System Change, a non-partisan
think tank that studies the healthcare industry,
“Hospital acquisition of physician practices leads to
higher prices.” For example, in May 2013, the Denver
Post printed a reported following a patient who
received the same cardiac stress test twice from the
same cardiologist. The test was first ordered by the
patient’s physician as an independent and cost just
over $2,000. After the practice was purchased by a local
hospital a year later, the second test cost over $8,000.
What was the reason for the drastic difference? An
added facility fee by the hospital, the newspaper
reported. Hospitals have higher operating costs, even
if you aren’t utilizing their 24 Hour Ambulatory Care
you’re still paying for it in overhead fees. “OrthoTexas
is an independent facility, so not only did I get in to see
Dr. Goodhart more quickly,” says Joe, “but, I’m only
paying for my knee when it’s all said and done. The

best way I can explain it, is a la carte pricing; I’m only
paying for what I need. And that’s a big difference
when it comes to my portion of co-insurance.”
From the moment I walked into OrthoTexas, I was
treated like someone who was shopping at a
family owned business; I felt like I was in control,

Working in the entertainment and advertising industry,
my paychecks are dependent upon the needs of others.
So, I can understand why some doctors opt for the
security of a hospital job,” Joe says. For numerous
independent practitioners, the low insurance payouts
are making it so costly to keep their practices afloat,
they’re faced with the decision to close the doors, or
give their staff an opportunity to keep their jobs, by
selling their practice to a hospital group. Giving up
self-sufficiency isn’t without its benefits. Administrative
stresses virtually disappear. Both physicians and staff
are ensured a steady salary, while the hospital takes the
added tasks of human resources billing, collecting,
overhead, and operations. Doctors assume less on-call
time and primarily work on shift-type schedule,
freeing up personal time many physicians in private
practice rarely enjoy.
But, do the cons outweigh the perceived freedom?
Many experts believe so. When doctors aren’t in
charge of their practices, many feel patient care
takes the first hit. “I want my specialized care to be
as personalized as my primary care,” Joe says, “and
to an independen Ё