Current and future directions for hospital and physician reimbursement. Effect on the academic medical center

Profound changes are occurring in the health care system, including a surfeit of physicians, cost containment, and competition. This article addresses the effects of these changes on the academic medical center. It recommends that the faculty of the future will be of two types--clinician-teachers and researcher-teachers--and outlines the qualifications of these faculties. It recommends a proper reward system for clinician-teachers, the reintroduction of part-time faculties, and careful retrenchment in medical school class size and house staff. It calls for teaching hospitals to improve their physical plants and control costs by phasing out programs that are not cost-effective. Universities should consider divesting themselves of university-owned teaching hospitals. Most importantly, local, state, and federal governments and the public must develop a more supportive attitude toward the needs of medical education.