PRIVATE PRACTICE, REAL MOMENTUM
Why Patients Are Leaving Hospitals for Private Surgical Practices
The shift isn’t subtle anymore. More and more patients are actively choosing private practices over hospitals for their surgical care — and not because of marketing, convenience, or trend.
They’re leaving because something’s broken.
They’re staying because something finally makes sense.
The Problem With the System
Hospitals serve an essential role in emergencies and trauma care. But for elective procedures, patients are tired of waiting. They’re tired of getting routed through layers of schedulers, delays, and vague answers. They’re exhausted by the feeling that they’re simply part of a system — not a person within it.
A 2022 patient experience survey found only 12% of respondents viewed U.S. hospital systems favorably. And a separate poll revealed that 38% of patients prefer independent physicians, citing stronger trust, more direct communication, and clearer care plans. These numbers don’t surprise anyone who’s listened carefully in clinic.
What Patients Actually Want
They want:
Access, without the bureaucracy
A relationship, not a rotation of strangers
Clarity, not a cascade of unclear referrals and ambiguity
A frustrated patient recently came to my office after seeing multiple specialists over several months for his heartburn. No clear diagnosis, no unified plan, and certainly no peace of mind. After just 30 minutes together, we had answers, a mutual understanding, and a surgical plan — one that made sense to him. He left with something simple: clarity.
A Return to Human Care
This isn’t just about medicine. It’s about momentum. When patients feel heard, respected, and engaged, the rest follows: better adherence, better outcomes, better relationships. That’s what private practices can provide — not by shortcutting the work, but by removing the noise.
And it’s not just patients who benefit. Physicians do too. Momentum in practice isn’t about volume — it’s about alignment. With values, with clarity of purpose, and with each other. That’s hard to find in a rigid system designed around throughput instead of thoughtfulness.
Hospitals aren’t the villain here. But they’ve become the default — and defaults deserve to be questioned.
Private practice works because it returns agency to the physician and the patient alike. It encourages a different type of care provision — one based on humility, clarity, and shared direction. That kind of momentum matters more than outcomes alone, because the improved outcomes naturally follow.
Thinking About the Next Step?
If you’re a patient navigating a fragmented system, or a provider watching your patients slip through its cracks, know that there are alternatives. The best surgical care doesn’t always require a hospital badge — sometimes, it just requires a better conversation.
