In the News: Venture Will Limit Choice

In an op-ed in the Argus Leader (Sioux Falls, S.D.), R. Blake Curd, MD, a clinical assistant professor with the University of South Dakota School of Medicine and director of Physician Hospitals of America, hits out at a proposed joint-ventured ASC between Avera McKennan Hospital and University Health Center in Sioux Falls.

The problem, writes Dr. Curd, is that while Avera McKennan has long supported physician independence and built reciprocal relationships with physicians in the community, Sanford Health, which runs University Health Center, "has favored an integrated system consisting of physician employment and tight control with internal self-referral of patients within its employed physician ranks."

He continues:

"Reports and memoranda now seem to indicate Avera McKennan's belief that the Sanford Health approach must be adopted for continuing financial success. This is a problem for those of us who will require healthcare in the future and its ramifications should be considered carefully.

Patients will have option A or option A. Patient choice will be limited, and doctor-patient relationships will be changed."

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