Growing Dissatisfaction

A new national survey indicates primary care physicians are so frustrated by the hassles of medical practice that nearly half plan to stop practicing or reduce their patient loads in the near future.

This study found 78 percent of physicians believe there is a shortage of primary care doctors and 49 percent said that over the next three years they plan to reduce the number of patients they see or stop practicing entirely.

In that same time frame, other physicians said they would:

• Retire (11 percent)


• Work in a non-clinical setting (13 percent)


• Cut back on patients seen (20 percent)


• Work part-time (60 percent)

This recent survey confirms the 2005 ISMA-commissioned study that stated nearly half of ISMA members who responded that they would retire early, relocate to practice in another state or do something else because of an ever-challenging practice environment.

If physicians hold true to their word in the survey, things could get a lot worse for access and care.

This particular study was based on nearly 12,000 responses nationwide and other interesting statistics from the study revealed:

• 63 percent of doctors said non-clinical paperwork caused them to spend less time with patients.


• 94 percent said time they devote to non-clinical paperwork in the last three years has increased.


• 82 percent said their practices would be “unsustainable” if proposed cuts to Medicare reimbursement were made.


• 33 percent had closed their practices to Medicaid patients and 12 percent closed to Medicare patients.


• 45 percent would retire today if they had the financial means.


• 76 percent said they were either at full capacity or overextended and overworked.

So the question always comes up as to why physicians stick with it? The study found that physicians rated patient relationships highest on the list of things they find satisfying about medicine.

The study also found that more than 84% of physicians have made the same or less for the previous 3 years with the majority taking home less income all while working harder.