Director John Trusler Speaks to the Hartford Business Journal on Pandemic Fueled Physician Consolidation Trend

Excerpt posted originally in the Hartford Business Journal

"Certified Public Accountant John Trusler, a director at Hartford-based accounting firm Whittlesey, said the most active physician group purchasers have been the state’s three largest health systems: Trinity Health Of New England, Yale New Haven Health and Hartford HealthCare.

“[Doctors] view it as a way to get away from the administrative responsibilities and to let someone else do that,” he said.

Things like investing in electronic health records and keeping up with HIPAA privacy rules are complicated for small groups without a lot of resources, he said.

“Billing is complex and human resources as well,” Trusler added. “And, finding the talent and maintaining staff is also tough these days.”

In addition, Trusler said, with a larger system, physicians have more negotiating power with insurance companies.

“When I speak to them, they are telling me that there is that burnout factor of trying to manage all of the administrative responsibilities and, instead, they want to focus on seeing their patients,” Trusler said."

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