32% fewer emergency physicians are happy outside of work compared with pre-pandemic
Also: Hospital crowding in Syracuse, legalizing physician ownership of hospitals, and a widening pay gap between health system CEOs & nurses.
Top of the Week
We knew that emergency medicine ranks at the top of specialties for post-pandemic burnout. Detailed stories have been written about this trend:
65% of emergency physicians report being burned out (Medscape, Jan 2023)
“Physician Burnout Has Reached Distressing Levels, New Research Finds” (NYTimes, Sept 2022)
“The lowest satisfaction rates were found for emergency medicine” (Clinical Advisor, Sept 2022)
However, EM’s post-pandemic distress appears to apply outside of the hospital too. Medscape released a survey that included a question about happiness outside of work. Prior to the pandemic, 87% of emergency physicians responded that they were happy or very happy. In the 2022-23 survey, only 55% of EPs said they were happy or very happy outside of work. 66% of EPs who responded that they felt depressed said that “job burnout” contributed significantly to their depression.
Such a heightened level of dissatisfaction will require a systemic approach to resolve. Per a recent study of physicians in New York and New Orleans who cared for COVID patients during the first pandemic wave, “Going forward, hospitals should continue to listen to the frontline for insights about work environments that support clinician integrity and wellbeing and promote better outcomes for patients.”
EM Practice
Article about the dire state of ED crowding and boarding in Syracuse, NY emergency departments. “‘I pray every day that we will never have to return to the emergency room,’ said Beatrice Smith, Carapella’s wife… Syracuse hospital ERs are in crisis. They’ve become parking lots of sorts for patients.”
“An emergency room doctor who was fired after he publicly criticized the coronavirus preparations at his hospital in Washington is suing for wrongful termination.”
House of Medicine
Senator James Lankford (R-OK) reintroduced “the Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act, which removes the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) ban on the creation and expansion of new physician-owned hospitals (POHs) and allows POHs to participate in Medicare and Medicaid.” Per AMA President Jack Resneck Jr., MD.: “Physician-led hospitals meet community needs by focusing on the most important relationship in health care—the patient-physician relationship. Yet, the combination of current law and hospital consolidation is making these success stories rare. We welcome Sen. Lankford’s bill that would re-introduce competition and protect compassionate healthcare delivery. After witnessing hospital closures—especially in rural areas—patients must wonder what Congress is doing about it. It’s good to see Senator Lankford has provided an answer that Congress should pass this year.”
Amazon’s healthcare footprint is growing rapidly. (Modern Healthcare)
Hospitals & Health Systems
“Rural hospitals are shuttering their maternity units. Citing costs, many hospitals are closing labor and delivery wards, expanding so-called maternity care deserts.” (NYTimes)
Trinity Health’s MercyOne is merging with Genesis Health System.
“Orlando Health reveals overall gain of almost $265M amid strong revenue numbers.” (Becker’s) Indiana University Health posted a $715M net loss in 2022.
Sullivan Cotter hospital survey: “Base payroll expense, when adjusted for growth in headcount, has increased by 7.1%” in 2022 vs 2021.
The American Hospital Association sent a letter to the FTC arguing against the proposed ban on noncompete agreements for healthcare workers.
Nursing & Allied Health
“The pay gap between hospital CEOs and nurses is expanding even faster than we thought.” (Vox)
Fortune article about the nursing shortage. “The nursing shortage is the most visible example of the enormous labor shortages across care economy careers. But the problem is much bigger. Care workers–physicians, home health aides, early childhood care workers, physician assistants, and more–face critical challenges as a result of America’s immense care gap that may soon touch every corner of the American economy.”
The Dispo
Dr. Glaucomflecken’s comedic take on physician non-compete contract clauses.