Private practice is an attractive option for physicians seeking the freedom and independence to practice in a setting that allows them to provide personalized medical care for their patients, and is inclusive of practice owners, employed physicians, and independent contractors.

It takes astute clinical judgement, effective collaboration with colleagues, and innovative problem-solving to succeed in an independent setting that is often fluid, and the AMA offers the resources and support physicians need to both start and sustain success in private practice.

Private practice is an important part of the health care delivery landscape but has been under intense pressure for several years. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing concerns of physician practice owners but has also created opportunities to change and improve health care delivery to patients.

Resources on topics ranging from workflow and payment to telemedicine and team-based care, among others, are available to help private practices navigate their current environment. Check out the AMA STEPS Forward® Private Practice Playbook to learn more.

AMA conducts research to better understand the attributes of high performing small physician-owned practices and highlights their unique needs so lessons learned can be translated into tools and resources.

AMA conducted a landscape analysis and is involved in ongoing research focused on the benefits, challenges and opportunities of private practice.

The AMA partnered with Mathematica in 2020 and 2021 to define, analyze and assess the factors that create and sustain high-performing, physician-owned private practices. This report showcases the findings (PDF) from this qualitative research and provides valuable insight into the nature of high-performing private practices, advantages and challenges to private practice, and the changes that physicians in private practice foresee. The report concludes with evidence-based recommendations for future research, training, policy and practice.