"When Idaho's largest hospital system bought the state's largest doctor practice in 2012, the groups expressed hope that the deal would spark a revolution in delivering better-quality care.... Despite St. Luke's good intentions, the judge worried that the merged entity would be so dominant that it could raise prices at will. He suggested that hospitals could work with doctors to deliver more efficient care without buying them out. Similar arguments are being raised in other areas, including Boston, Pittsburgh and Northern California, where hospital systems have gained strength through acquisitions of doctors' practices and other hospitals at a time of rapid consolidation."  MORE >>