A new Annals of Internal Medicine study reports that hospitals acquired by private equity firms see sharp cuts in staffing and salaries — and a rise in emergency department deaths and patient transfers. Earlier analyses show higher infection rates, more adverse events, and higher costs across private-equity-owned facilities, with no consistent improvements in care.
Frontline physicians warn profit-first staffing models are replacing physician-led groups with cheaper labor, jeopardizing patient safety and accelerating burnout. Advocacy groups, including Take Medicine Back and the Association for Independent Medicine, are now pushing state-level action to restore physician control and enforce corporate practice of medicine laws.