More than 40 percent of docs report work dissatisfaction

(HealthDay)—Many physicians are dissatisfied and are unlikely to recommend the medical profession to young people, according to a report published by Jackson Healthcare.

Researchers from Jackson Healthcare conducted a national survey from March 7 to April 1, 2013, involving 3,456 physicians to investigate the problems driving physician discontent.

Forty-two percent of respondents reported being dissatisfied and 59 percent reported being unlikely to recommend the medical profession to young people. Compared with 2012, in 2013, more physicians were employed by hospitals and a decline was noted in solo practitioners. The reasons for leaving private practice included high overhead costs, administrative hassles, and reimbursement cuts. Most physicians reported working 10 hours per day, with 82 percent working between eight and 12 hours. Eighty percent of physicians reported doing on-call shifts. Of the respondents, 77 percent reported having definite plans to practice medicine in the next year, a significant decrease from 86 percent in 2012, and the remainder planned to or was considering leaving medicine. In 2013, the top reasons for leaving medicine included burnout (60 percent), not wanting to practice in an era of health care reform (58 percent), and economic factors (50 percent).

According to the researchers, "it's no surprise that the more hours a physician reported working, and the fewer support staff to which they had access, the greater their dissatisfaction and the more likely they were to consider exiting the medical field."