Care patients receive in physician practices owned by hospitals is more expensive but not higher quality, according to a study in the Journal of General Internal Medicine cited by Medscape.
The study authors analyzed Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas insurance claims from 2014 through 2016.
According to the study, patients pay nearly $300 more per year at hospital-owned practices than at physician-owned practices, but hospital-owned practices only scored higher in one of our five quality measures compared to physician practices.
The study said higher spending stems from greater healthcare use than from prices. The study authors said that with more hospitals buying physician practices, higher cost without improved outcomes is concerning.
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