Disclosure and apology post-adverse event are key risk reduction strategies for physicians.

In order to avoid significant tax penalties, physician employment contracts and other agreements may need to be amended before the end of this year.

Medicare’s rules on reassignment of payment are another set of hurdles that must be overcome by physicians and physician groups in attempting to ensure that they are paid correctly in the Medicare program.

While for the immediate future these rules impact hospital payments, physicians play an important role in hospital compliance. Physicians also must stay alert for the inevitable use of these payment rules in the medical malpractice arena.

New forms of affiliations between hospitals and physicians are emerging that bear little resemblance to the 1990s style practice purchases. Here are two of the latest models.