title: A pragmatic guide on how physicians can take over financial control of their clinical practice.
abstract: Control of clinical cost is becoming increasingly important in health care worldwide. Physicians should accept the limitation of resources and take responsibility to improve their clinical cost-reimbursement ratio. To achieve this, they will need basic education in clinic management to control and adjust costs and reimbursement, without impacting professional quality of care. Rational use of diagnostics and therapy should be implemented and frequently verified. Physicians are the only professionals that are able to integrate economics with health care. This is in the best interest of patients and will improve a physician's position, influence, and professional freedom levels within our hospitals.
authors.affiliation: Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria. volkerjacobs@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Volker R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: Thorsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fischer
mesh_terms: D003363:Cost Control / Q000592:standards*; D017408:Guidelines as Topic; D017048:Health Care Costs; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007857:Leadership; D010819:Physician's Role; D010820:Physicians / Q000191:economics*