"The trends reported by AMGA members are accompanied by their insights about how they are implementing retention strategies," says Donald W. Fisher, PhD, AMGA’s president and CEO. "They also report clinical models that utilize hospitalists, physician assistants and nurse practitioners to continue to improve access and quality care for their patients in a time of shortage."
Here are five interesting findings from the 2007 Retention Survey.
1. There has been an increase in the percentage of physicians practicing part-time from 13 percent in 2005 to 19 percent in 2007.
2. Of the physicians practicing part-time, 83 percent practice more than half of a workweek and 45 percent practice at least three-quarters of a workweek.
3. Ninety-five percent of respondents believe that mentoring increases retention, and 56 percent assign a mentor to newly recruited physicians.
4. Groups who assign mentors are strongly committed to mentoring as a retention strategy, with 83 percent somewhat or very likely to continue the mentor program and 79 percent somewhat or very likely to expand it.
5. The use of mentors is expected to become more widespread, with 62 percent of respondents who reported that they do not assign mentors expect that they are somewhat or very likely to start.
"It is important to attract and keep physicians by fostering a culture where communication is open, expectations are clear and mentoring is provided," says Joseph Scopelliti, MD, president of the Guthrie Clinic in Sayre, Pa.
Download a copy of the survey.
