A powerful shift is reshaping hospitals nationwide: physicians are no longer just clinical leaders; they’re becoming financial stewards. Today’s physicians are increasingly engaged in patient outcomes and their organizations’ financial health, bridging the gap between clinical excellence and revenue integrity.
For years, Physician Advisors were considered adjacent to hospital leadership — valuable but not essential for decision-makers focused on revenue cycle performance. Most operational decisions flowed through the director of case management or utilization management, who reported to finance leaders, not the CMO. Physicians, meanwhile, were expected to stay in their lane: care delivery.
But today? The landscape looks very different.
The shift was undeniable at the recent National Physician Advisors Conference (NPAC). “It was so obvious,” said Tim Brundage, MD, CEO of Brundage Group. “The physician minds were directly connected to the revenue minds. Doctors had a direct line to the hospital’s revenue power plant.”
Physician Advisors are increasingly becoming key influencers in the healthcare business. They report to CFOs, help shape utilization strategies and are called on to bridge the gap between documentation, compliance, and financial performance. This isn’t a subtle change; it’s an organizational power shift.
“We used to attend conferences like NPAC with the sense that there weren’t decision-makers there,” Dr. Brundage recalled. “Physicians were in the service industry, and the business of healthcare was happening around them, not through them. That’s no longer the case.”
A New Generation of Business-Minded Physicians
Today’s Physician Advisors are embracing the economics of healthcare. They’re earning MBAs to run hospital systems. They’re learning from business schools, not just medical journals. And they’re becoming vital to organizations that want to succeed in a system defined by complexity and cost.
“”There have always been doctors who aspired to be the CEO, “but now we’re seeing more who want to understand the revenue cycle, who want to be involved in improving the bottom line.”
Why External Partners Matter
While internal Physician Advisor programs are gaining traction, most hospitals’ internal PA programs aren’t mature yet. Many still run with fractional FTEs — 0.2 or 0.3 FTE Physician Advisors spread across five or six individuals who are still managing clinical duties. That’s enough to contribute but not enough to lead consistently.
Internal teams are pulled in multiple directions, rounding one minute and answering UM questions the next. Their focus is fragmented, and incentives prioritize clinical flow over financial accuracy.
Brundage Group offers a more strategic approach.
Our Physician Advisors are singularly focused on outcomes. With thousands of case reviews and proprietary analytics, they drive faster escalations, stronger documentation, and measurable revenue gains. We don’t just fill gaps, we strengthen programs, support internal teams, and help hospitals lead confidently.
“We support hospitals through the build-out phase,” said Dr. Brundage, “but also long after. Whether it’s supporting the internal team or handling transactional reviews, we’re there to help them succeed.”
The Bottom Line
Physician Advisors are no longer just clinical voices in administrative conversations; they’re becoming business leaders with a seat at the table. The power dynamics are shifting. As hospitals evolve, those prioritizing expert Physician Advisors will be better equipped to survive and thrive.
