Physician Employment Eclipses Practice Ownership: The Ongoing Trend and Its Effect on Family Medicine

In 2016, for the first time, less than one-half of practicing physicians had an ownership stake in their own practices. The most recent American Medical Association Physician Practice Benchmark Survey reveals that this trend continues. More physicians are identifying as employees instead of owners, with family physicians being the second most likely specialty to be employed. This trend has significant implications for reimbursement and practice patterns, and potential impacts on physician burnout if scope is limited by employers.