insights

Over the last two decades, clinician group practices in the US have grown and changed significantly in terms of health professional team composition.¹ Whereas in the past, physicians were largely self-employed or part of small practices, today, many clinicians are employed by healthcare organizations in large group practices or, increasingly, in mid-sized, single-specialty groups.¹

The reasons behind the movement toward group practices, such as profitability, lifestyle, and improved quality of patient care, have been well documented in the medical literature.² Only about 31.4% of physicians identified as independent practice owners or partners in the 2018 Survey of America’s Physicians. In contrast, almost one-half (49.1%) of the over 8,700 physicians surveyed by the Physicians Foundation and Merritt Hawkins identified as hospital or medical group employees.³

In the following video, IFM certified practitioner David Brady, ND, talks about what it’s like to practice Functional Medicine in a group setting.

Dr. Brady is a licensed naturopathic medical physician in Connecticut and Vermont. He is one of the foremost authorities on properly diagnosing and treating fibromyalgia and has been featured on Dr. Oz and NPR. Dr. Brady has also had his work published in peer-reviewed medical journals, including Open Journal of Rheumatology and Autoimmune Diseases and Integrative Medicine: A Clinician’s Journal.

Having witnessed his mother suffer through the medical system, Dr. Brady is uniquely passionate not only as a doctor but also as a patient advocate, ensuring that patients receive compassionate care and meaningful results. “I think, in the IFM paradigm, it’s essential to get to know that patient; to connect with them and to really get a detailed history on where it all started,” says Dr. Brady. “So I will learn the antecedents and triggers, and all parts of their chronic disease process.”

For more articles about clinicians practicing Functional Medicine, please read the following IFM-authored articles:

Swathi Rao, PA-C, and teaching kitchens

Pioneers in telemedicine: Susie Larson, MD

Practice Spotlight: Jane Murray, MD

References

1. Kash B, Tan D. Physician group practice trends: a comprehensive review. J Hosp Med Manag. Published online March 21, 2016. doi:4172/2471-9781.100008
2. The Physicians Foundation. 2014 Survey of America’s physicians: practice patterns and perspectives. Published September 16, 2014. Accessed November 20, 2019. https://physiciansfoundation.org/focus-areas/2014-survey-of-americas-physicians-practice-patterns-and-perspectives/
3. The Physicians Foundation. The Physicians Foundation 2018 physician survey. Published September 18, 2018. Accessed November 20, 2019. https://physiciansfoundation.org/research-insights/the-physicians-foundation-2018-physician-survey/