Physicians, hospitals form alliances to ease contracts

IPAs, PHOs offer one solution to health’s new era

New forms of physician alliances have sprung up in recent years, as doctors grapple with the changing economics of medical care.

In Northern Colorado, both individual practice associations and physician hospital organizations have been developed to unite physicians in contracting with health-care organizations.

United Physicians of Northern Colorado, a 2-year-old IPA, is dominated by primary-care physicians, said Dr. Donald Wells, medical director of the group.

“The majority of us are family physicians, general internists and pediatricians,” he said.

About 50 percent of the United Physicians group consists of primary-care doctors and 50 percent specialists.

“We are…