Optimizing primary care services.

One of the most recent and pervasive trends in healthcare is the restructuring of primary care. In many markets, the solo family practice physicians increasingly family practice physician is a thing of the past. Primary care physicians increasingly are aligning themselves with larger players such as multispecialty groups, hospitals, health plans, or practice management companies. This article draws on the authors' research into 20 healthcare systems in various stages of development as well as their own consulting experience to answer several questions: Why is the establishment or purchase of primary care physician practices an exploding national trend? What are the pros and cons of this approach? Is it better to purchase existing practices or establish new ones from the ground up? What are the pros and cons of virtual integration (affiliation without purchase) versus other forms of integration?