Despite the continued momentum toward accountable care organizations (ACOs), only 60 percent of physicians answering a recent survey from staffing company LocumTenens.com said they're willing to participate them. The remaining 40 percent of the 1,416 respondents said they would not be willing to participate, according to the report.
Primary care physicians were the most willing to participate in the new model, Medical Economics noted, while specialists expressed willingness to participate in the following descending order:
• Anesthesiology: 73 percent
• Primary care: 61 percent
• Psychiatry: 60 percent
• Surgery: 55 percent
• Radiology: 55 percent
• Emergency medicine: 44 percent
Among doctors who were willing to enter an ACO, most said they'd prefer to do so with Medicare (41 percent), followed by commercial payers at 24 percent, and Medicaid at 12 percent.
The report also highlighted physicians' mistrust and ambivalence toward ACOs.
"Physicians indicate clearly that they are willing to share risk but do not want to be held accountable for the variables beyond their control, such as patient responsibilities, hospital care, etc.," said Charles R. Evans, president of the International Health Services Group and senior advisor at Jackson Healthcare.
"They also reflect a concern that these accountable care models are first steps in what will ultimately result in their losing control of the care of the patient," he added.
To learn more:
- see the article from Medical Economics
- read the report (.pdf) from LocumTenens.com