Young docs cynical about healthcares future, concerned about reform
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The survey of physicians 40 years of age and younger, conducted by Medical Marketing Research on behalf of The Physicians Foundation, found that almost half of the 500 doctors surveyed believe the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) will negatively impact their practice. Twenty-three percent think the 2010 healthcare reform law will have a positive impact on their practice.
Among the three practice types surveyed—primary care physicians, medical/surgical office-based specialists and hospital-based specialists—primary care doctors were the most optimistic about the effect of the PPACA.
Other reasons for pessimism among the physicians were declining reimbursement for doctors, rising costs and a decrease in incomes.
Included in the report were specific responses to open-ended questions. When asked for reasons to feel pessimistic about the future of the U.S. healthcare system, many physicians cited government intervention as a cause for concern. “Government controlled healthcare will be the downfall,” read one response. Another physician said, “The current administration is only concerned with money and maintaining their power and socialism.”
Other responses included in the report argued that too many decisions are made based on the bottom line, rather than quality patient care. One doctor said, “Physicians have no say, rather insurance companies dictate care. The focus is saving money for insurance companies not patient care.” Another complained that, “Large amounts of money are being spent on things outside of actual healthcare; CEO bonuses, pharmaceuticals, malpractice insurance premiums, lawyers, etc.”
The report was not all doom and gloom. While they may have a pessimistic view of the future, the vast majority of physicians in the survey were satisfied with their current practice, and 35 percent said they were “highly satisfied.” Most expected to be with their current practice or with their current arrangement for eight years or more, and 39 percent said they aspired to some form of ownership position, either solely or as a partner, in the future.
Twenty-two percent said they were optimistic about the future of the U.S. healthcare system, though only 4 percent were highly optimistic. About one-fifth held a neutral opinion of the future.
Unlike the explanations for pessimism, where PPACA or government-related concerns stood out, there was not one prominent reason for optimism. Of those who had a positive outlook, 10 percent said they believed there would be “better patient care” in the future, 9 percent were hopeful because healthcare would be more accessible and 15 percent either had a undefinable feeling of optimism or felt the system was generally moving in the right direction.
Not all the reasons for optimism were so sunny, however: 9 percent said they were optimistic about the future because “things couldn’t get any worse.”
Evan Godt, Writer
Evan joined TriMed in 2011, writing primarily for Health Imaging. Prior to diving into medical journalism, Evan worked for the Nine Network of Public Media in St. Louis. He also has worked in public relations and education. Evan studied journalism at the University of Missouri, with an emphasis on broadcast media.