Private Equity in Physician Practices: The Cost to Care

Another day, another study confirming what many of us in healthcare already know: when private equity takes over physician practices, patient care suffers, clinician morale plummets, and turnover skyrockets.

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The latest research featured in FierceHealthcare highlights how physician turnover jumps significantly after PE acquisition. The reason? Short-term financial gains are prioritized over long-term sustainability, leading to cost-cutting measures, unrealistic productivity demands, and a loss of autonomy for clinicians. This creates a cycle of burnout, disengagement, and ultimately, an exodus of skilled professionals from these practices.

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At Meroka, we are on a mission to protect independent physician practices from the pitfalls of consolidation. We believe in long-term support and that doctors—not investors—should be in charge of patient care. By providing support, infrastructure, and an ownership model that values clinicians, we’re building a future where private practice thrives, not just survives.

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Physicians deserve better. Patients deserve better. Healthcare should be led by those who practice it, not those who profit from it.