Physician practice management companies.

Physicians are increasingly courted by insurers and hospitals as partners for integrated delivery systems. A new integrative option has emerged for physicians--the physician practice management company (PPMC). PPMCs have formed in response to several supply and demand factors. They hold out great promise for physicians, but closer scrutiny suggests that this promise has not yet been realized. PPMCs warrant managerial and research attention due to their contracting potential as physician networks in dealing with employers and payers.