Gauging the financial impact of physicians on hospitals

A study evaluated the impact of physicians on hospital finances in four basic areas of physician care: primary care, medical specialties, surgical specialties, and other specialties. The study highlighted inherent differences in the activity and revenue-generating patterns of physicians to provide insight into the financial implications of the clinical enterprise. The findings offer a useful perspective on hospitalist programs, particularly regarding the point at which a hospitalist program is likely to be financially self-sustaining. Such data could be used to determine the number of physicians needed to support a new or expanded clinical service.