For years, healthcare has treated physician practice as a binary choice. Become employed by a health system or remain independent. Join private equity or stay private.
The debate has shaped countless boardroom discussions and physician recruiting conversations. It has also fueled growing uncertainty about what the future of medicine will look like.
Marc Levine, MD, believes the answer may not lie at either extreme.
As he begins his tenure as chair of orthopedics at Neptune, N.J.-based Jersey Shore University Medical Center and regional chair of orthopedics for Manahawkin, N.J.-based Hackensack Meridian Health’s Southern Region, he sees an opportunity to build something increasingly rare in healthcare: a model where independent physicians and health systems grow together.
“This model is going to be an excellent model for physicians to participate and serve patient care, have good lifestyles and benefit hospitals,” Dr. Levine told Becker’s. The opportunity spans one of New Jersey’s largest healthcare networks. Jersey Shore University Medical Center serves as the region’s level 1 trauma center and anchor institution, supported by four additional hospitals throughout the region.
What makes the structure notable is that much of its orthopedic care is delivered by independent physicians who maintain close relationships with the health system.
At a time when healthcare continues moving toward consolidation, Dr. Levine sees that as a competitive advantage.
The model he believes healthcare is moving toward
The conversation around physician practice often focuses on ownership. Dr. Levine believes it should focus on alignment.
“I think that the future of medicine, and we’re seeing it now, is largely going to rely upon this type of regional delivery of care,” he said. For him, the question is not whether hospitals will remain important. They will. The question is how physicians choose to participate within those systems.
Over the last decade, healthcare has experimented with nearly every possible model. Full employment. Independent practice. Private equity-backed groups. Vertically integrated organizations. Dr. Levine believes another path is emerging. “Hospital systems aren’t going anywhere,” Dr. Levine said. “The future depends on building stronger partnerships between physicians and hospitals that improve care for patients.”
That philosophy is informed by experience. Throughout his career, Dr. Levine has worked in private practice, held leadership positions within hospital systems and served in organized medicine at the state and national levels. Few physician leaders have spent as much time operating in both worlds.
As a result, he understands why independent physicians remain attractive partners for health systems.
Private practitioners, he said, bring a different mindset. “They’re running businesses and they want to be productive.” For hospitals facing growing demand, workforce shortages and financial pressure, that entrepreneurial energy can be an asset rather than a challenge.
Building a destination for physicians
Most healthcare organizations focus heavily on attracting patients. Dr. Levine believes the first challenge is attracting physicians.
He used a sports analogy to describe this. A health system can build state-of-the-art facilities. It can invest in technology. It can create sophisticated infrastructure. But none of those investments matter without talented clinicians. “You can build a beautiful arena,” he said. “But if you don’t have Michael Jordan or Jalen Brunson coming to play, you’re not going to fill the seats.”
The comparison reflects how he views his new role. Not as a traditional administrator. More like a general manager. His goal is to create an environment where surgeons want to build their careers. “I kind of look at myself as a general manager of a sports team,” he said. That means understanding the needs of both physicians and health systems and finding ways to align them. It also means recognizing that physician satisfaction has become a strategic priority rather than simply a cultural one.
Why physician satisfaction matters more than ever
Healthcare leaders often talk about patient satisfaction. Dr. Levine believes physician satisfaction deserves equal attention.
“I’ve spent my career fighting for physicians,” he said. The statement reflects decades of leadership experience, including serving as president of the Medical Society of New Jersey, president of the Eastern Orthopaedic Association and a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Board of Councilors.
Those experiences shaped a belief that physician well-being and patient care are inseparable. Organizations that support physicians ultimately create better experiences for patients, he argues. At Hackensack Meridian Health, he sees evidence of that philosophy throughout the system.
“What I’ve seen is that physicians are valued, they’re appreciated,” he said. The commitment extends beyond rhetoric. It includes investments in staffing, operational efficiency and technology that reduce friction in physicians’ daily work.
One example immediately stood out to him. The orthopedic service operates with physician assistant coverage around the clock. “We have 24-hour, seven-day-a-week physician assistants on the orthopedic floor,” Dr. Levine said. The arrangement improves responsiveness for patients while reducing unnecessary burdens on surgeons. “It increases physicians’ lifestyle as well as increases patient satisfaction,” he said.
In an era when physician burnout remains a national concern, Dr. Levine believes those operational decisions matter. Increasingly, they may determine where physicians choose to practice.
The culture that attracted him
When Dr. Levine describes Hackensack Meridian Health, one phrase comes up repeatedly. A culture of yes. The concept is simple. Instead of focusing on why something cannot be done, leaders focus on how to make it happen. “We try to accomplish and provide things that may not seem possible,” he said.
For Dr. Levine, that mindset extends beyond leadership meetings. It influences how organizations approach innovation, collaboration and patient care. He believes cultures built around inclusiveness and problem-solving create stronger environments for both physicians and patients.
“I think that a culture of inclusiveness, collaboration and valuing people’s roles leads to excellent patient care as well as physician satisfaction,” he said.
Beyond orthopedic growth
Expanding orthopedic services remains a priority. But Dr. Levine sees the opportunity as much larger. One of the health system’s strategic goals is expanding medical education, residency training and research throughout the region.
He also pointed to Hackensack Meridian Health’s Center for Discovery and Innovation, which connects clinicians, researchers and industry partners to accelerate new ideas.
For Dr. Levine, the strongest healthcare organizations do more than deliver care. They train future physicians, generate new knowledge and create environments where innovation can flourish. Those investments, he believes, will help define the next generation of orthopedic programs.
What success looks like
Ask Dr. Levine what he hopes people will say a few years from now, and his answer is not centered on market share or procedural volume. He talks about relationships. Growth in patient care. Growth in education. Growth in collaboration. Most importantly, growth in trust between physicians and the health system.
The healthcare landscape will continue changing. New business models will emerge. Consolidation will continue. Economic pressures will persist. Through it all, Dr. Levine believes one principle will remain constant. Physicians are still the foundation of healthcare.
“When you do the best you can for physicians,” he said, “you do the best you can for patients.”
As he begins leading orthopedics across Hackensack Meridian Health’s Southern Region, that philosophy may prove to be his most important strategy of all.
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