Hospital-physician relations--a response

Howard and Bujak concur that there has been substantial upheaval and change for all involved in healthcare delivery over the last two decades. However, the two lead articles present somewhat different perspectives on how these changes have affected the relationship between physicians and the hospital administration as well as the expectations of the facility and the profession. Both Bujak and Howard are partially right in their observations and conclusions. However, there are a number of clear examples where partnerships between hospitals and physicians have been successful, and as a result, patients have directly benefited. Triad Hospitals and their physician leadership group and the Organized Medical Staff Section of the AMA are examples of outstanding physician-hospital collaborations.