Most physicians dislike working conditions

CHICAGO, July 9 (UPI) -- Adverse work conditions may be to blame for the decline in number of primary care physicians nationwide, U.S. researchers said.

"Unfavorable work conditions are associated with stress, burnout and intent to leave for primary care physicians," study author Dr. Anita Varkey of the Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine said in a statement. "These factors contribute to poor job satisfaction, which is among the reasons we are seeing a decrease in the number of primary care physicians."

There are not enough primary care physicians to meet current needs and the Association of American Medical Colleges estimates the overall shortage of doctors may grow to 124,400 by 2025, Varkey said.

Data for the study were collected from 422 family practitioners and general internists and 1,795 of their adult patients with diabetes, hypertension or heart failure at 119 clinics in New York and the Midwest.

The study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, said more than half of the physicians reported time pressure during office visits, 48 percent said their work pace was chaotic, 78 percent noted low control over their work and 26.5 percent reported burnout.

"These findings suggest that a chaotic clinic environment may further exacerbate this problem and potentially lead to lower quality of patient care due to physician turnover and lack of continuity in care," Varkey said.