“Time with patients, influence over the practice environment, and a stable revenue stream make physicians happy. The study also indicated that physicians still experience moments of joy when interacting with their patients.”
when factoring in the economic uncertainty posed by health system reform.
“Most issues in our small practice revolve around appropri- ate distribution of resources and staff due to increasing re- quirements on our practice. Meaningful use, Physician Qual- ity Reporting System requirements, and the Patient-Centered Medical Home model are all concepts primary care physicians have always tried to implement in our daily practice. The over- all concepts of data gathering certainly will help our patients, but it is difficult to carry out completely at times due to the lack of resources,” he said. Parkway Primary Care’s small size also makes it difficult to effectively negotiate higher payment rates with insurance companies, Dr. Keller says.
Still, doctors in physician-owned practices or partnerships
are more likely to be satisfied than those in practices owned by hospitals or corporations, according to the study. TMA Practice Consulting offers help for physicians who wish to keep or open their own practices. To inquire about practice setup services, call (800) 523-8776, or e-mail
practice.consulting@texmed .org. Additional information is available online, www.texmed .org/
services.aspx. Other findings from the study include:
• Excessive productivity quotas and limits on time spent with 18 TEXAS MEDICINE January 2014
each patient are major sources of physician dissatisfaction. The cumulative pressures associated with workload were described as a “treadmill” and as being “relentless,” senti- ments especially common among primary care physicians.
• Physicians describe the cumulative burden of rules and regulations as overwhelming, draining time and resources from patient care.
It’s important to note the indicators of professional satisfac- tion that emerge from the study, Dr. Annis adds. “Time with patients, influence over the practice environ- ment, and a stable revenue stream make physicians happy. The study also indicated that physicians still experience moments of joy when interacting with their patients,” he said. Perceptions of collegiality, fairness, and respect are key fac- tors affecting physician professional satisfaction. Within the practices RAND studied, frequent meetings with other doc- tors and other health professionals fostered greater collegiality and satisfaction. Researchers say physicians report being more satisfied when their practices give them more autonomy in structuring clinical activities, as well as more control over the pace and content of patient care. Texas physicians mostly agree with the opinions in the AMA
survey, but they have somewhat different concerns. Every two years, TMA surveys Texas physicians to identify emerg-
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