As financial pressures mount, healthcare employers are taking aggressive steps to rein in expenses, according to Medscape’s “Cost Oversight at Medical Providers” report published Sept 16.
Medscape surveyed 1,007 physicians across 29 specialties to gauge how cost-cutting efforts are shaping their work.
Here are the specific cost containment efforts employers are trying:
- Reduced support staff (unfilled positions, combined jobs, layoffs): 49%
- Reduced overhead spending (rent, utilities, office supplies): 39%
- Leverages technology (EHR, telehealth, AI): 39%
- Reduced nurse and PA staff (unfilled positions, combined jobs, layoffs): 30%
- Frozen or capped pay raises: 30%
- Reviewed space utilization/downsized offices: 28%
- Reduced physician staff (unfilled positions, combined jobs, layoffs): 25%
- Automated processes like payables, receivables, financial clearance: 23%
- Outsourced services like billing, coding, call center: 22%
- Cut employee benefits: 20%
- Other: 3%
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