As independent physician practices have dwindled in the last decade, autonomy has emerged as a central concern in the physician workforce.
Here are three ways physicians are reclaiming their autonomy in 2025:
1. Michael Gomez, MD, NICU medical director of Orlando, Fla.-based Pediatrix Medical Group, told Becker's the key to physicians reclaiming autonomy is to "find time and resources to develop all the other skills needed to perform well in healthcare." While some physicians have an intuitive understanding for the business side of healthcare, most medical schools do not provide business acumen. This led Dr. Gomez to make the "calculated risk" of earning his graduate degree in healthcare administration.
"These studies equipped me to communicate effectively with administrators and get the resources I needed," he said. "Many administrators appreciated my understanding of both medicine and business, which helped me gain their attention and support."
2. Becker's has recently reported on five organizations that aim to launch or support physician practices through a range of innovative financing models with a focus on independence.
3. Some physicians have transitioned their practices into direct-pay models, like Susan Baumgaertel, MD, an internal medicine physician based in Seattle. She worked for a multispecialty physician practice for 25 years until 2021, after the clinic was purchased by Optum.
She now runs myMDadvocate, which serves as a multifaceted telemedicine and healthcare navigation hub.
"I feel like many [physicians] are unaware or just feel frozen, and they don't know what their next steps might be if they want to kind of pivot in their career," she told Becker's. "[I]t doesn't mean abandoning medicine, [it] just means doing it a different way."
Dr. Baumgaertel bills for her time at her practice, likening her business model to that of a lawyer billing for hours worked. She had initial concerns that her model would only be accessible to a wealthier clientele, as her services are not covered by insurance. Instead, she has found that patients across a range of income levels deeply value having consistent access to a trusted physician — without all of the administrative hurdles that tend to plague physician-patient relationships today.