The New Normal: The Physician as an Employee-Where Are We Now, and How Did We Get Here?

Where Are We Now, and How Did We Get Here?

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The session discusses the evolution of physicians becoming employees due to factors like stagnant fees and reimbursement cuts for office-based imaging. This trend has led to 89% of physicians being hospital-employed. While employment may provide higher reimbursement per RVU, it can lead to burnout and conflicts with decreased autonomy and moral injury. Employed physicians report more negativity towards work and lower empathy for patients. The session highlights issues like lack of respect, autonomy, and insufficient compensation, as well as restrictive covenants and sham peer reviews. These challenges underscore the need for advocating for better conditions in physician employment.

Asset Subtitle

Arnold H. Seto, MD, MPA, FSCAI

Keywords

physician employment

burnout

autonomy

moral injury

physician compensation