Radiologists bucking industry trends in ownership structure

Radiologists were found to be consistent outliers in a study of physician practice arrangements conducted by the American Medical Association, holding higher-than-average rates of physician ownership and working in single-specialty practices more often than other physicians. Industry trends and consolidation pressures have caused the rate of physician ownership to drop below 50 percent for the first time, although radiology is an exception.

Some 56.3 percent of radiologists owned at least part of their specialties, surpassed only by surgical sub-specialties with 59.3 percent. The national average is 47 percent and trending downward, but there's plenty of incentive in offering equity to doctors according to Radiology Partners (RP) Chief Operating Officer Anthony Gabriel, MD. 

"Having a significant number of physicians that are owners of the practice drives a sense of shared commitment to the practice, particularly when it comes to performing non-RVU activities that are so important to the overall success of a practice," said Gabriel. "That's why over 60% of the radiologists at RP are owners."

While most specialties reported between 41 and 51 percent of physicians working a single specialty practice, radiology clocked in at 58.4 percent.

"A single specialty practice can focus intensely on doing one thing exceptionally well," said Gabriel. "For an area like radiology, where there is so many specialized needs (PACS, natural language processing of reports, teleradiology services, demand for rapid turn around 24/7) that don't exist in other spaces, this is even more important. Although there may be some clinical synergy between some specialties, such as ER and Hospitalist medicine, the addition of radiology to that mix typically doesn't add to the quality of the radiology service delivered to the referring physicians and patients."

Read more about national trends in physician ownership and practice structure at Health Exec.