Reviews and Notes: Physicians and Management in Health Care

Physicians and Management in Health Care

Montague Brown. 231 pages. Frederick, Maryland: Aspen; 1993. $34.00.

An example of the type of material covered in this book is the chapter "Lessons Learned Hiring HMO Medical Directors," which reveals that the most important qualities for these positions—suggested by a survey of medical directors—include 5 years of clinical practice and a willingness to be different. In the section on Practice Issues, a chapter titled "Physician Satisfaction in a Major Chain of Investor-owned Walk-in Centers" suggests that there is good news and bad. Although more than half of physicians working in walk-in centers believed that "their administrative requirements did not interfere with patient decisions and their judgment was not questioned," they also generally agreed that too much emphasis was placed on revenue generation. Only about three fourths were satisfied with their earnings. A good primer for physicians with no experience in these matters.