Physicians: Residents are not required to register with a GP, and generally have free choice among selfemployed
GPs, unless enrolled in certain managed care plans. In 2012, 39 percent of doctors in the outpatient
sector were classified as GPs. Apart from scale of charge measures (see below) there are no specific financial
incentives for GPs for taking care of chronically ill patients. And no reforming efforts are under way on the
national level to engage GPs in “bundled payments” to coordinate care for such types of patients (e.g., diabet-
122 The Commonwealth Fund
ics). Outpatient care tends to be physician-centered, with nurses and other health professionals playing a relatively
small role. In 2012, solo practice was the reality for around 60 percent of the physicians.