Med spas together with hospital systems have started compressing private practices; Dr. Meegan Gruber urges patients to prioritize safety.
TAMPA, FLORIDA / ACCESS Newswire / August 13, 2025 / Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon Dr. Meegan Gruber, MD, PhD, has launched an alert about the fast transformation of private practice ownership from physicians to large hospital systems and fast-growing med spas. The AMA conducted a benchmark survey which revealed that private practice physicians decreased from 60.1% in 2012 to 42.2% in 2024. Patients require ongoing medical care with personal physician supervision. The current market dynamics override medical expertise when it comes to determining both the delivery sites and methods of aesthetic care, according to Dr. Gruber.
The medical landscape has transformed into a hospital and corporate employment-based structure -- a national analysis by the Physicians Advocacy Institute and Avalere found hospital and corporate employment rates reached 77.6% by January 2024. The same study indicates hospital employment increased to 55.1% while corporate employment reached 22.5% because of intense consolidation, which weakens patient-physician decision-making.
Med spas have both proliferated in numbers and generated substantial revenue growth during the same period. Medical spas in the United States now operate above $17 billion annually while their market grows at a rate exceeding $1 billion yearly, according to the American Med Spa Association. The American Med Spa Association reports that the medical spa industry now generates $17 billion in revenue annually and adds $1 billion each year to its market value. New medical spa establishments increased by 18% during 2023, according to recent data. Medical standards that lack uniformity will produce inconsistent treatment results according to Dr. Gruber. Multiple states experienced hospitalizations because federal investigations revealed multiple cases of counterfeit botulinum toxin and mishandled injections in non-regulated medical settings.
Price and convenience will never replace the importance of medical training and established protocols, according to Dr. Gruber. Patients should verify the identity of the procedure performer and the supervising physician's board certification and confirm emergency readiness at the facility. She suggests patients check for ABMS-recognized board certification in plastic surgery and insist on meeting the surgeon personally and verify where they source injectables.
Dr. Gruber provides awake surgery under local anesthesia to qualified candidates as an option that reduces general anesthesia exposure and enables real-time team communication. She stated that the patient needs to be the correct choice while the procedure needs to be appropriate for the patient and the treatment must occur in an appropriate environment.
At Gruber Plastic Surgery patients can discover more information about physician-led care that maintains continuity and learn about awake surgery and schedule a safety oriented consultation by contacting us.
About Gruber Plastic Surgery
Gruber Plastic Surgery, located in Tampa, FL, is led by Dr. Meegan Gruber, Ph.D., board-certified plastic surgeon renowned for her pioneering work in awake plastic surgery. Dr. Gruber, also the star of "Awake Surgery," which you can stream today on TLC GO, HBO MAX, Hulu, Discovery+, and other streaming platforms, integrates advanced techniques and cutting-edge technology to deliver safe, comfortable, and natural-looking results with minimized recovery time. Specializing in awake surgeries, the clinic offers a range of state-of-the-art procedures. Dr. Gruber is committed to innovation and education, ensuring precision and safety in every treatment, while enhancing patient confidence through individualized care and surgical expertise.
Contact Information
Jay Saint
info@drmeegangruber.com
888-400-0086
SOURCE: Gruber Plastic Surgery
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View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/healthcare-and-pharmaceutical/private-practices-are-being-squeezed-by-med-spas-and-hospital-systems-1060150
