Health System

When it comes to controlling healthcare costs, only 36% of physicians agree that practicing physicians have a major responsibility to participate in cost containment, according to a recent study.

Adhering to the best practices in cancer care may be the answer many oncologists have been looking for, at least according to one hospital's findings.

Robert Williams, MD, director, Deloitte, Consulting LLP, says physician integration is driven predominantly by the department of justice, and FTC regulations that require physicians to meet the definition of clinical integration.

Hospitals across the nation are being swept up in the biggest wave of mergers since the 1990s, a development that is creating giant hospital systems that could one day dominate American health care and drive up costs.

According to Douglas Chaet, Senior Vice President, Independence Blue Cross, incentives for providers in accountable care organizations (ACOs) should stem from wanting to get an edge on the competition.

Peter Cunningham, PhD, Senior Fellow and Director of Quantitative Research, Center for Studying Health System Change, says that the expansion of people gaining coverage will be a big challenge for primary care delivery systems.