1.   The HMOs offer a physician group an exclusive contract to take care of a large volume of patients.

2.   Among physician groups in Los Angeles, patients gave the highest marks to the Cedars Sinai Medical Group in Beverly Hills.

3.   And consumer advocates and physician groups are advising overweight people to carefully consider the possible adverse effects of the drug.

4.   And other ideas include creating physicians groups that would split up money and responsibilities, or creating specialized centers for specific medical conditions such as abdominal pain.

5.   Another strain on HMO finances has been acrimonious negotiations with hospitals and physician groups.

6.   Both Phycor and Medpartners have been growing by making deals with physician groups to take over their business functions and represent them in negotiations with the health insurers.

7.   A physicians group is releasing new guidelines for asthma treatment.

8.   Brin said physician groups would still need access to capital to grow and consolidate, as companies like Medpartners had promised.

9.   But in this case, physicians are told no by members of their physician group, not a nurse or medical director from a faraway insurance company.

10.   Doctors and hospital administrators say that managed-care companies avoid contracts with physician groups that specialize in costly patients.