Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/975711
DIFFICULT Y BAL ANCING HOME AND WORK LIFE IS AMONG THE KE Y FACTORS THAT HAVE MANY PHYSICIANS CONTEMPL ATING REDUCING THEIR HOURS OR LE AVING MEDICINE ALTOGE THER, ACCORDING TO A RECENT STUDY IN MAYO CLINIC PROCEEDINGS. BURNOUT AND DISSATISFACTION WITH EHR ALSO PL AY A SIGNIFICANT ROLE, ACCORDING TO RESE ARCHERS. NE ARLY 7,000 PHYSICIANS in clinica l practice a c r o s s n u m e r o u s s p e c i a l t i e s r e s p o n d e d t o the sur vey. A mong the major f indings: + Approx i m at ely 20 percent sa id t hey wou ld def initely or probably cut back on their clinica l work hours during the following yea r. + A lmost 27 percent sa id they would likely or def initely leave their practice within two yea rs. + A mon g t h at lat t er g roup, 1 26 phy si- cia ns — representing about 1.9 percent of the tota l 7,000 — sa id they pla nned to leave practice entirely a nd follow a different ca reer path. The media n a ge of respondents wa s 56, a nd a majority were in private practice. Two-thirds were men. Respondents worked an average of 52.2 hours per week. "If physicians follow through on these intentions, it could profoundly worsen the projected shor tage of US physicia ns," the authors of the study write. A 2017 study by the A ssociation of A merica n Medica l Colleges estimated that the shor tfa ll of p h y s i c i a n s i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s c o u l d exceed 100,000 by 2030. ■ anatomy of a PHYSICIAN SHORTAGE BY STEVE BARRETT WHEN SOMEBODY SAYS, "IT'S NOT ABOUT THE MONE Y," IT'S USUALLY ABOUT THE MONE Y, THE OLD JOKE GOES. BUT WHERE A resident's initial employ- ment contract is concerned, it is not a ll about the money — at least not in the narrow sense of compensation, accord- i n g t o A l l a n Ph i l l i p s , a C e r t i f i e d F i n a nci a l Pl a n ner w it h Na s hv i l le, Te n n e s s e e - b a s e d T a y l o r We a l t h Solutions a nd author of The G uide to Income Protection for Medical Residents, Fellows & New Practicing Physicians. " Your fi rst contract will set the stage for your fi nancial future," Phillips writes on t he website for A M A Insu ra nce. "Understanding your contract beyond compensation is critica l." Some key considerations Ph i l l ips highlights: + Does the employer pay for your basic liability insurance? + Will the employer pay for tail coverage to protect you against claims that may arise after you no longer work at the facility? + Is reimbursement available for licen- sure fees? + Who pays the costs of continuing medi- cal education? + Is suppor t provided for student loa n repayment? State medica l associations or a physi- cia n mentor ca n put you in touch with a good at torney to help you a ssess a n employ ment contract, Phi llips notes. He empha sizes t hat it is essentia l to s e e k ou t s u c h h e lp r a t h e r t h a n go it a lone. F u r t her, he recom mend s rea d i n g e-books from the A M A rega rding lega l considerations, work ing conditions, compensation a nd benef its, a nd other contract-related issues. ■ First Employment Contracts Need Thorough Vetting BY STEVE BARRETT M D N E W S . C O M /// M D N E W S M I D ž P E N N ■ 2 018 1 3