Only 24% of independent physician practices report high or complete visibility into where they’re losing revenue, according to a new report from healthcare technology company Veradigm, which surveyed 360 independent practice leaders in March 2026.
Here are five things to know:
1. Fifty-four percent of respondents say financial pressure increased over the past 12 months. For larger practices, those with more than 40 clinicians, 82% reported increased financial pressure, and 60% called that increase significant. At the same time, fewer than half of practices describe their monthly revenue or cash flow as highly predictable.
2. Sixty-nine percent of respondents say they’re highly confident their practice will remain independent over the next three to five years, yet 94% have been approached about acquisition or consolidation in the past two years, and more than a third fielded those overtures four or more times. Additionally, 62% engaged in some level of discussion, and 26% advanced to serious negotiations before deciding to stay independent.
3. The top three threats to long-term independence are all operational, according to the report. Forty-six percent cited rising operating costs, 39% said administrative and regulatory burden and 38% said reimbursement pressure.
4. Claim denial volumes are rising too, with 48% of practices reporting an increase. Denial drivers are spread broadly across the entire revenue cycle rather than concentrated in a single area. Eligibility or coverage issues account for 39% of denials. Coding errors or mismatches hit 38%. Missing or incomplete claim information, prior authorization issues and payer policy changes each land around 34%. Seven of nine denial categories cluster within a narrow range of 25%-39%.
5. According to the report, the most operationally damaging pattern in the data is timing. Most practices aren’t identifying revenue cycle problems in real time. Issues surface after financial impact has already occurred, and resolution often takes additional days to weeks after that. The report describes this as a “reactive operating model” that limits a practice’s ability to intervene proactively and contributes to ongoing variability in financial performance.
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