Physician and nonphysician managers as decision makers: are the differences justified or just an illusion?

If the cost of health care is to be curtailed, it is necessary to understand physician behavior and decision making. Not only is physician decision making critical from a clinical perspective, but, as the number of physician executives increases, they must be able to integrate their clinical expertise and management skills into the business context. This article explores differences in decision making methods between physician and nonphysician managers.