80 hours work week:Physicians are voting with their feet into early retirement

renerian, BSN, RN · Oct 18, 2002

Thanks for posting that Karen. Good article.

renerian

Glad2behere · Oct 18, 2002

Nice article Karen,

Maybe the grass isn't always greener.

Or everyone is broke on their own level.

SharonH, RN · Oct 18, 2002

Very interesting article, thanks NRSKaren for posting it.

I found the following paragraph very interesting:

Hospitals should be in service to their physicians. Indeed, the only reason the hospital exists is because a physician reaches a diagnostic conclusion that his or her patient would be safer in the hospital rather than at home. The assets of the hospital need to be leveraged to help physicians get through their day in a less frazzled way. Just by way of example, hospitals should be helping their affiliated physicians with recruitment, physician practice support, assistance in health insurance contracting, marketing, group purchasing opportunities and others.

At my hospital, the culture of physician superiority and worship has already been implemented. At our big "customer service" pow-wow we were all forced to attend a few weeks back, we were told that physicians were our customers because after all they can choose to admit their patients to other hospitals. (translation: kiss their orifices because they bring in the bucks) I also find it interesting that there was no mention of nurses or the shortage affecting the physician work environment, they just don't get it do they?

I can understand their frustration to a point. The malpractice insurance issue alone is tragic and symptomatic of the litigious society we live in. But everybody, including the physicians, can take the blame for that.

A co-worker and myself were discussing the issue of physician money just yesterday. She told me that one of the docs she used to work with turned into such a jerk as the years went by and she confronted him at one point and told him if he was so burnt out he needed to quit. He said that he couldn't, he had the kids in private school, the country club membership, they just bought a bigger house, and the wife was pressing him for a big vacation every year.

With the many Americans facing layoffs and the average physician income still way above what the rest of us enjoy, I think they are off the wall to complain the way they do. But then again, why should they give up the prestige and the money they have always enjoyed unopposed? Will somebody pass a hat?

fergus51 · Oct 18, 2002

The only reason for a hospital is to provide patients with nursing care. Otherwise docs would still be doing house calls.

-jt · Oct 19, 2002

and why is that, pray tell? Because of the NURSING care.

Im so aggravated with this article Im going to have to write the guy & tell him he could substitute the word NURSES where physicians are because the only difference between what is happening to the MDs & what is happening to us is the way the adminsitration & the media (like him) respond to it.

-jt · Oct 19, 2002

oops... I thought that was a newspaper article. I just noticed its a hospital CEO who wrote it in a hospital news publication! Oh well... good... if hes a CEO, he needed to hear what I had to say anyway. lol!

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Oct 19, 2002

JT:

I also was offended by the "Lord Physican" tone.

Having attended a recent seminar on Values in Practice it was refreshing to hear that the focus long term will be put back on EMPLOYEES in all departments.

CEO of one hospital was appalled the NURSES "who we really need" were leaving due to the behaviour of ONE physicin that had been going on for years. Strong emphasis on non-hostile work environment---well this Doc thought the rules didn't apply to him. CEO brought issue to Medical Director and Medical committee. Doc put on probation and was asked to leave despite bring in large volume of patients. It was good to hear the public support.

Will have to compose thoughts.

rncountry · Oct 19, 2002

Julie, exactly.

jnette, ASN, EMT-I · Oct 19, 2002

Go GET 'em, JT !!!!

oramar · Oct 19, 2002

Did you read that part about, "what other healthcare member has only experienced a 21% increase in income in past 10 years?" Gag me with a spoon. Many nurse who left bedside in last 2 or 3 years did so because of zero income growth in past 10 years, 21% income increase indeed. My heart bleeds, lets have pity party. Seriously, I don't want to experience a physician shortage, I have been though them before and it unhealthy. However, I personally think this is a play to get medicare to back off of it's upcomming cuts. Go ahead and do that, I don't mind but don't ask me to pity physcians with their 1/2 million dollar homes and kids in private schools. Oh by the way, they get the safest parking spots to park their BMWs and Mercedes in while nurses walk through dark alleys.