Exactly the same thing happened here in Maryland, John. The primary care providers were all told "you better sell your practice now; if you don't take money for it ASAP, you will miss your only opportunity to cash-in, and even to survive". The obituary for the solo and small practice was written. Then it all fell apart. The hospitals realized that doctors don't always make good corporate employees. My favorite story of lament from a hospital practice administrator "When Dr. X. ran his own practice, he could tell you the grade of copy paper in his copiers and the cost per ream. Not that we run his practice he has no idea; but he knows he wants new machines". The exact same hospitals that were buying practices in the early '90's are doing it again, under the guise of forming ACO's. Hopefully the end result will be just the same and we can ride it out. Of course this time the feds seem to be pushing this model....
