More than 50% of hospitals plan to acquire a physician practice this year, compared to 44% last year, according to a new worldwide survey from healthcare staffing company Jackson Healthcare. Driving the decision to acquire practices is the need to build, or maintain, a competitive advantage and attract physician recruits. Specific targets for acquisition include family practice, general internal medicine, ob-gyn, and other primary care providers, according to the survey.

Understanding value: A recent special report, Physician Practices: Key Value Drivers in a Changing Environment, discusses the drivers of physician practice value, poses critical questions to ask and analyses to undertake for a successful acquisition, and shares lessons learned from industry peers.