About the Event

In recent years, the U.S. healthcare system has experienced a significant increase in vertical integration, including hospitals acquiring physician practices, health systems expanding into outpatient services, and private equity firms driving vertical integration across various sectors. These trends have contributed to changes in the organization and delivery of care, with implications for healthcare spending, access, and quality. Vertical integration has raised questions about its impact on competition and costs, particularly in markets with concentrated hospital ownership. 

The corporatization of physician practice markets, driven by integration and investment, has introduced new dynamics into healthcare, including shifts in provider autonomy and operational priorities. Researchers at the Brown University School of Public Health’s Center for Advancing Health Policy through Research (CAHPR) are studying these trends to better understand their effects on spending, access, and quality. Ongoing research aims to provide evidence on how these changes shape the healthcare landscape and their implications for patients and providers.

Key topics to be explored:

• The growing prevalence of vertical integration and its impact on market competition
• How integration affects healthcare costs, provider autonomy, and access to care
• Policy strategies to address challenges posed by vertical integration and consolidation