Summary
Managed care has profoundly changed the health care system. Institutional downsizing, mergers, and acquisitions have occurred throughout the health care system and managed care organizations have deeply penetrated the health care market. With remarkable rapidity, these changes have put substantial pressures on private practitioners and are reshaping the focus and organization of private practice. Unfortunately, many practitioners lack a differentiated understanding of the practice implications of these changes, as well as practical strategies around which they might reorganize their professional practice. This paper examines the relationship between managed care and professional practice, providing the practitioner with a brief overview of key themes and ten foci around which service delivery can be reorganized.