Doctors bring in a lot of money for hospitals

Doctors are generating a lot of revenue for hospitals — much more than those doctors receive in salary, according to a recent survey by physician staffing firm Merritt Hawkins.

Why it matters: It's easy to see why hospitals view acquiring physician practices as a lucrative opportunity — which hospitals are doing at a rapid pace.

• "This is [a] good reminder that doctors are the gateway to the rest of the health care system. It's doctors that make the decisions about whether people get admitted to the hospital, or get a lab test, scan, or prescription," the Kaiser Family Foundation's Larry Levitt said.

Go deeper: A recent survey by the American Medical Association found that for the first time ever, the U.S. has more physicians who work as employees than those who run their own practice.