Industry Overview
Health care has come a long way since the ancient Egyptians. The Health Care industry today is the fastest growing industry. Billions of dollars are spent annually on treatment and medications.
The two categories of physicians are Doctors of Medicine and Doctors of Osteopathy. Both require the same education. Osteopathy incorporates the holistic and homeopathic along with traditional methods of diagnosis and treatment. Within those two categories there are the specialized fields, such as obstetrics, cardiology, neurology and dozens more.
New York doctors can avail themselves of some of the top ranked hospitals in the world for the latest research. Doctors in Boston have one of the highest ranked hospitals in the country for health care innovations. Doctors today prefer to be associated with groups. Private practice means several doctors together, possibly outsourcing the administrative areas of work, such as billing.
The American Medical Association, the premier organization overseeing the medical profession, estimates that there are more than 814,000 doctors in their database.
Industry Trends
Specialization is a staple in certain areas of medicine, such as heart disease or cancer. Many doctors are also involved with research in these areas.
The advent of the walk-in clinic provides emergency medical services outside of a hospital, which many clinics are affiliated with. This type of care facility is less expensive than the ER and is open 24/7. Even drug store chains and some major retail chains are opening their own walk-in clinics.
According to a survey of 10,000 doctors taken by Merritt, Hawkins & Associates, the Family Practice format of health care has become the favorite of patients, with more doctors opening their offices under this umbrella.
Recognizable Brands
The most recognized clinics nationally are those associated with major hospitals, including drug chains and retailers, such as Walgreen’s and Wal-Mart.