The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has put increased pressure on the country's physicians and has driven one-third of them to consider quitting the profession, according to a new study by CompHealth, a national healthcare staffing company.
While the healthcare reform law has meant almost 17 million Americans have gained health insurance coverage since its passage in 2010, the ACA has also flooded the healthcare system with new patients seeking physicians. The result has led to many frustrated physicians, who have less time to spend with patients, reduced compensation and more paperwork, the study found.
Thirty-six percent of all physicians surveyed are more inclined to leave medicine due to passage of the ACA, a number that jumped to 45 percent of private practice physicians, according to the research. The study surveyed about 1,000 physicians across the U.S., including those in private practice, hospital-based practice and other practice types, in December 2015.
Some of the key findings of the study include:
- Nearly half (47 percent) of respondents said the ACA has improved access to healthcare and insurance
- Forty-four percent said the ACA has had a neutral effect on the quality of care
- Forty-four percent said they spend less time with their patients since ACA implementation
- Nearly 70 percent said they spend too much time entering data and 59 percent said they spend too much time doing paperwork
- Seventy-six percent of all physicians, and 86 percent of private practice physicians, said they are not properly compensated for their time by ACA reimbursements
- Thirty-eight percent of physicians said their salary decreased after passage
Just more than half of physicians (51 percent) view the ACA unfavorably, with 61 percent of physicians in private practice taking that view. "With the country facing an increasing shortage of physicians, it is crucial that we find ways to keep doctors in medicine," said Melissa Byington, president of CompHealth, in an announcement about the study.
Dissatisfied with working conditions and declining income, 40 percent of physicians have chosen to supplement their income with secondary jobs including locum tenems, moonlighting and consulting, the survey found.
While the ACA has created challenges, physicians also recognize the positives of improved access to care and preventive care for patients.
To learn more:
- read the report (.pdf)
- find a study announcement