The shift from physician-owned to corporate-owned care has drawn intense scrutiny due to several documented trends:
This feature explores the evolving landscape of private equity (PE) acquisitions in the medical sector as of 2026. private equity firms buying medical practices
: Firms centralize "back-office" functions (billing, HR, payroll), allowing doctors to focus theoretically on clinical care. The shift from physician-owned to corporate-owned care has
: Most deals are now "bolt-ons"—small practices acquired to expand existing large platforms—which often fall below federal reporting thresholds, leading to "stealth consolidation". 2. The Driver: Why Doctors are Selling private equity firms buying medical practices