Virtual partnerships: aligning hospital and surgeon incentives

Payment schemes exist for health care in the United States that are perverse and, in many cases, antithetical to the goals of all concerned. A fundamental reorganization will be required if care is to be broadened and sensible economies achieved.

For some time, we have experimented intellectually with reorganization of the specialist/hospital axis in contemporary medical care, seeking a more functional relationship among the parties (ie, doctors, nurses, hospitals, and their patients).

A virtual partnership between surgical specialists and the hospital provides many of the favored factors for productive and mutually respected care for patients with a feasible method for limiting costs.

A virtual partnership, as exemplified for 3 major surgeries, could create a relationship that benefits the patient, the surgical specialist, the hospital, and the ethical payer.