Controlling costs: opportunities for physician-hospital collaborations and ventures.
METHODS
Analysis of federal laws, regulations, and commentary relevant to gainsharing and other physician-hospital collaborations. Review of health, legal, and medical literature to identify relevant case studies, primarily from 2000 to the present.


OBJECTIVE
To illustrate a number of physician-hospital collaboration and joint venture models to explore opportunities for physicians and hospital partners to enhance revenues and contain costs in the provision of health care.


BACKGROUND
There are numerous physician-hospital joint ventures throughout the United States and 8 approved gainsharing programs. Few comparisons of gainsharing as compared to other joint venture structures are available to hospitals and physicians.


METHODS
A narrative review of health, legal, and business literature, regulations, and commentary to identify physician-hospital collaborations and ventures as well as applicable regulatory authorities.


RESULTS
There are numerous joint venture and collaboration models used throughout the country for physician-hospital collaborations with varying degrees of success. Eight approved gainsharing programs have been implemented.


CONCLUSIONS
Physician-hospital collaborations, gainsharing, and joint ventures are expanding throughout the country in response to reimbursement pressures and movement of care into the ambulatory setting. These partnerships can be successful where there is sufficient alignment of interests to offset the operational and regulatory complexities that such partnerships present.
Thompson
Roby C
RC
University of Minnesota Medical School, Office of Clinical Affairs, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
Bishop
Jennifer Reedstrom
JR
D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003363:Cost Control / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D006759:Hospital-Physician Joint Ventures / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans