Gastroenterology Practice Consolidation Between 2012 and 2020.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare economics
• Medical practice management
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Physician practice consolidation is a growing trend across medical specialties.
• Data on gastroenterology practice consolidation is limited.
• Understanding this trend is crucial for the specialty.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the extent of practice consolidation in gastroenterology.
• To analyze changes in gastroenterology practice size between 2012 and 2020.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Physician Compare database for individual and group-level data.
• Collected information on provider numbers and locations per group.
• Employed Cochran-Armitage tests to compare practice sizes in 2012 and 2020.

Main Results:

• The number of gastroenterology practices decreased from 4517 in 2012 to 3865 in 2020.
• Physicians in small groups (<9 providers) decreased by 23.9%.
• Physicians in large groups (100+ providers) increased by 16.8% during the study period.

Conclusions:

• Significant consolidation in gastroenterology has occurred nationwide.
• Consolidation is driven by various factors including policy, acquisitions, and economic benefits.
• The impact of this consolidation on patient care and physician well-being requires further investigation.