Where We Stand
Section: Professional Standards
Policy: Physician Ownership

Physician Ownership

OMA policy on physician ownership of health care facilities is as follows:

A physician may own or have a financial interest in a for-profit hospital, nursing home or other health facility, such as a freestanding surgical center or emergency clinic.  However, the physician has an ethical obligation to disclose his ownership of a health facility to his patient, prior to admission or utilization.

Under no circumstances may the physician place his own financial interest above the welfare of his patients.  The prime objective of the medical profession is to render service to humanity; reward or financial gain is a subordinate consideration.  For a physician to unnecessarily hospitalize a patient or prolong a patient's stay in the health facility for the physician's financial gain would be unethical.

If a conflict develops between the physician's financial interests and the physician's responsibilities to the patient, the conflict must be resolved to the patient's benefit.

Adopted at the annual House of Delegates, 1983.
Reaffirmed at the annual House of Delegates, 2011.