Pharmacy Daily | Practice ownership a burden for GPs

DECLINING numbers of GPs are involved in practice ownership, with factors including management responsibilities and a lack of work-life balance making it unattractive, a study reveals.

Research published in the Medical Journal of Australia (MJA) found one-in-four GPs were practice owners in 2020, down from 35% in 2008, with 60% of GPs reporting they are "not at all interested" in ownership.

The authors noted that since the late 1990s the organisational structure of general practice in Australia has changed considerably, with reforms to the health system, practice cost increases and incentives, driving mergers of small-scale clinics.

The study reported that commercial ownership models have emerged, ranging from ownership by other health professionals to corporate groups of publicly listed companies, "with shareholders having little or no involvement in patient care or practice management".

"Corporate business models may have clear advantages for GPs, including financial security and a better work--life balance, and they might benefit patients as they offer a range of onsite medical services and extended opening hours," the authors said.

"However, concerns have been raised about the consequences of growing practice sizes and corporateowned general practices, in particular regarding corporate obligation to deliver revenue to their shareholders who do not participate in any aspect of patient care, putting profits before patient care.

"While there is little Australian evidence that worse clinical care is delivered in privately or corporateowned general practices, there is also no evidence that care is better.

"Hence, if general practice in Australia is to navigate the future changes in practice size, ownership and increasingly colocated service organisation, more Australian research and potentially regulation are needed to track and control what this means for patient care in terms not only of patient experience but also for health outcomes in general practice."