NEJM Interviews NEJM Interview: Jane Zhu on a new Oregon law that aims to address corporate control in medicine.
Nov 19, 2025
Jane Zhu, an associate professor at Oregon Health and Science University, discusses Oregon's groundbreaking SB 951 law aiming to reduce corporate control in healthcare. She highlights concerns over the rapid corporatization of medical practices and the influence of profit motives on patient care. Zhu details the law's restrictions on management service organizations and operational control tied to corporate ownership. While supporters believe it safeguards physician autonomy, she acknowledges criticisms regarding potential risks for small practices and advises additional measures to curb hospital consolidation.
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Rapid Consolidation Of Physician Practices
- Physician practices have rapidly consolidated and less than half remain independently owned today.
- This shift raises concern that corporate owners can unduly influence clinical decision making and physician autonomy.
States Filling A Federal Enforcement Gap
- Federal enforcement tools exist but have been limited, pushing states to act on corporate ownership.
- Many state efforts have focused on transparency, reporting, and transaction oversight so far.
MSOs Exploit Dormant Corporate Practice Laws
- Traditional corporate practice of medicine laws exist but have been dormant and easily circumvented.
- Modern corporate structures, like MSOs, exploit loopholes to control practices without directly employing physicians.