Hospital Affiliation
What is a hospital affiliation?
A hospital affiliation is a relationship between physicians, their practices, and hospitals. Physicians are often affiliated with multiple hospitals within the same region, allowing them to perform certain operations and procedures at these hospitals.
There are many forms in which these affiliations may manifest, including contractual arrangements or highly integrated models. Some affiliations offer physicians more independence than others.
A hospital may also be affiliated with another hospital, sometimes worldwide. This allows for greater medical knowledge and more thorough patient care as a specialized hospital can provide guidance—or even administer direct services—to small- and medium-sized companies.
How do hospital affiliations influence healthcare?
Since physicians may practice and admit patients to any affiliated hospital, the quality of their affiliated hospitals can influence a patient’s choice of doctor. Even more, a patient may be willing to travel to a farther hospital if they have a higher degree of success with a particular procedure or treatment plan.
In addition to influencing from whom a patient may choose to seek care, affiliations between certain hospitals can improve patient care in locations where hospital quality is lower, as the partnered hospital can provide guidance and services. This can be especially beneficial for rural hospitals, where patients may not be able to travel elsewhere for their care.