Be on the lookout for more consolidation
Independent radiology practices may want to buckle up—the shift from volume to value and increasing consolidation of payors are pushing small practices toward mergers or acquisitions, according to the American College of Radiology (ACR). The benefits can outweigh the drawbacks in many situations, but some practices will be always be reluctant to give up their independence.
"Generally, the perception among radiology practices is that bigger is better," says W. Kenneth Davis Jr., partner in the Chicago office of law firm Katten Muchin Rosenman, which has been involved in dozens of radiology practice mergers over the years. "The thinking is the larger your group, the greater your ability to access new business sources and new opportunities to read films."
However, combining cultures and identities can lead to tensions surreoudning the loss of control, sharing resources, and doing things in a way they unaccustomed to in the past.