This means they buy and sell stocks in their company through the stock market, and can attract providers to their services through stock offerings. There also are approximately 60 other PPMCs, organized by alliances of investors and physicians, which are private or not yet participating in the stock market. MedPartners and PhyCor are the largest PPMCs, both of which are publicly held. InPhyNet Medical Management, FPA Medical Management and OccuSystems. Many physicians who are not interested in the business side of their practice seek relief from administrative burdens and are eager for more time at their clinical practice.
Some physicians also are interested in selling out prior to retirement.
PPMCs offer a variety of services to physician practices for a price, but not all of PPMCs offer the same services. These services can include the supply of capital for growth of the practices and networks, access to sophisticated information systems, access to managed care contracts, contract negotiation expertise, administrative services, management services, practice management expertise, marketing services and opportunities to share resources with larger networks of practices. PPMCs generally look for high-quality providers who are in a position to hold a significant share of a given market and remain profitable over time. The PPMC, generally, buys a practice's equipment and accounts receivables with cash, stocks or notes, and assumes clinic liabilities in exchange for a share of practice revenue for an extended period of time plus an annual management fee. Usually, the PPMC sets up a local governing board or executive committee comprised of representatives of the PPMC and physicians from the practice.