Consolidation and rising costs is making practicing independently less feasible for physicians.
David Rosenfield, MD, anesthesiologist and interventional pain specialist at Peachtree City, Ga.-based Alliance Spine & Pain, joined Becker's to discuss what this disparity is the biggest threat to physicians.
Editor's note: This response was edited lightly for clarity and length.
Question: What is the biggest threat to physicians right now?
Dr. David Rosenfeld: Many physicians face the challenge of effectively managing their practice’s financial aspects. This includes dealing with insurance reimbursements, understanding complex billing codes, and controlling operational costs. Every year many of us find ourselves working harder and longer hours just to maintain our incomes. The costs of practicing medicine (rent, equipment, employee costs) continue to rise, while reimbursement often declines year over year.
Q: What is the healthcare disruptor affecting physicians the most right now?
DR: The disruptors in healthcare I see having a significant impact in the near future is artificial intelligence. AI is being used and will continue to expand being used for the purpose of clinical documentation. Many administrative functions (precertification, prior authorization, appeals) and general paperwork processing can be made less burdensome to the clinician via the use of AI. AI will likely be used even more in early disease detection, drug development, and improving diagnostic accuracy.