Physician survey
In another recent survey conducted by physician recruiting firm Merritt-Hawkins for The Physicians’ Foundation there is more distressing news that is being cited by more news organizations. This survey (find the complete document here) was funded by a grant and was mailed to every primary care physician in the nation, as well as many specialty doctors.
This survey was broken down by states and it confirmed findings of the ISMA in its member surveys of 2004 and 2005 regarding a looming physician shortage.
This administration’s ambitious goals of expanding access through universal health care will have to deal with the harsh reality that there will not be enough doctors to handle the increased number of patients.
Physician respondents reported widespread frustration because of increased time dealing with non-clinical paperwork, difficulty obtaining reimbursement and burdensome regulations. If these issues aren’t addressed and you add a lot more patients into the system, it will get a lot worse.
Physicians did not join the profession to fill out forms or spend long hours on hold trying to pre-certification, prior authorizations for medications or arguing about a needed test with some high school educated person working at the insurance company.
Physicians are tired of playing games with insurance companies and we are seeing many leaving the profession earlier and earlier.
Some of the survey results are as follows:
• 78% of respondents believe the U.S. has a shortage of primary care doctors.
• 49%, more than 150,000 doctors nationwide said in the next three years they plan to reduce their patient loads or stop practicing.
• 60% of doctors would not recommend medicine as a career.
• 94% said the time they spend on paperwork has increased in the last three years.
• 82% said their practices would be “unsustainable” if proposed cuts to Medicare pay are made.
This survey was broken down by states and it confirmed findings of the ISMA in its member surveys of 2004 and 2005 regarding a looming physician shortage.
This administration’s ambitious goals of expanding access through universal health care will have to deal with the harsh reality that there will not be enough doctors to handle the increased number of patients.
Physician respondents reported widespread frustration because of increased time dealing with non-clinical paperwork, difficulty obtaining reimbursement and burdensome regulations. If these issues aren’t addressed and you add a lot more patients into the system, it will get a lot worse.
Physicians did not join the profession to fill out forms or spend long hours on hold trying to pre-certification, prior authorizations for medications or arguing about a needed test with some high school educated person working at the insurance company.
Physicians are tired of playing games with insurance companies and we are seeing many leaving the profession earlier and earlier.
Some of the survey results are as follows:
• 78% of respondents believe the U.S. has a shortage of primary care doctors.
• 49%, more than 150,000 doctors nationwide said in the next three years they plan to reduce their patient loads or stop practicing.
• 60% of doctors would not recommend medicine as a career.
• 94% said the time they spend on paperwork has increased in the last three years.
• 82% said their practices would be “unsustainable” if proposed cuts to Medicare pay are made.
Labels: medical care, survey
posted by Anonymous at 5:41 AM
2 Comments:
Things are tough all over--and for most people, tough at a much lower income level. Suck it up and quit whining all the time. It is getting soooo tiring.
Well Anonymous you are going to have to suck it up too because our healthcare is going to suck.
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