How not to lose your private patients to corporate choices

The prospect of losing employed patients to their employer's choice of a less costly alternative medical care system threatens private practitioners throughout the country. The author describes how he helped organize and market on HMO that was sufficiently attractive to be selected by the major local industry in his area. Two key features of the cost-effectiveness of this plan are use of primary care physicians as gatekeepers, and reimbursement of this specific group by capitation. The HMO seems to be satisfying both the patients and the participating physicians.