80% of US Doctors feel they are over-extended or at Full Capacity
The Hire Connection found a survey of 20,000 physicians conducted by The Physicians Foundation, that shows that the vast majority of doctors are overworked or at their full capacity. This nonprofit organization seeks to advance the work of practicing physicians and facilitate delivery of healthcare to patients. THC wanted to share some data and information on this startling statistic!
Forty-four percent of physicians surveyed plan to take steps that would reduce patient access to their services, including cutting back on patients seen, retiring, working part-time, closing their practice to new patients or seeking non-clinical jobs, leading to the potential loss of tens of thousands of full-time-equivalents (FTEs).
As the ranks of Medicare and Medicaid patients increase – in 2011, more than 75 million baby boomers began turning 65 and qualifying for Medicare – and millions of new patients are insured through the Affordable Care Act, patient access to care could pose significant health delivery and policy challenges.
Some Key findings from the report
- 81% of physicians describe themselves as either overextended or at full capacity, up from 75%in 2012 and 76% in 2008. Only 19% say they have time to see more patients.
- 44% of physicians plan to take one or more steps that would reduce patient access to their services, such as cutting back on patients seen, retiring, working part-time, closing their practice to new patients, or seeking a non-clinical job, leading to the potential loss of tens of thousands of full-time-equivalents (FTEs)
- 72% of physicians believe there is a physician shortage, that more physicians should be trained, and the cap on funding for physician graduate medical education be lifted.
- 24% of physicians either do not see Medicare patients or limit the number of Medicare patients they see.
- 46% of physicians give the Affordable Care Act a D or F grade, while 25% give it an A or B.
So what?
The predicted doctor shortage for the US is now a reality. The aging baby boomer population, the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, and now the steps that physicians are taking to reduce patient access is troubling.
Hospitals, clinics, behavioral health centers, LTACs, private practice groups, FQHC’s and their decision makers will be finding an increasingly challenging environment to recruit top talent. In addition, retaining that talent may also become an issue as physicians are feeling overworked. Add in Obamacare and the implementation of ICD-10, and decision makers need more help that ever finding the physicians they need to stay competitive.
The Hire Connection offers one of the most unique approaches to retain medical recruiting. Our approach has provable success and we even offer a money back guarantee for our recruiting services. Give us a call or send us an email...we work very hard in this competitive and challenging environment to find your perfect candidate.
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