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If your data are true that physicians are working less, I argue that “increased” remuneration over time is not the explanation. Physician income is not keeping up with inflation.(1) Finding support staff is very difficult and many allied personnel do not want to commit to long shifts. For a physician to consistently work greater than 8-hour days and weekends requires paying staff overtime. The additional office expenses incurred, and the lack of available experienced staff may be a major factor explaining why physicians are not working longer hours.
The average age of physicians in Canada steadily increased during the study period. From Statista, in 1988 the average Canadian physician was 45.3 years old. but 49.3 years in 2022.(2) One would not expect older physicians to work as long hours.
I disagree with the statement “by the end of 2020, physicians’ work hours had returned to pre-pandemic levels”: Physicians were asked to reduce their patient lists during COVID and only see patients with more urgent problems, and to facilitate social distancing. The COVID vaccine was not widely distributed until around Dec 14, 2000. Many surgeons could not access their elective operating room time until mid-2021 or beyond.
Since graduating 35 years ago, I have spent more and more time on practice administration each year, on tasks like annual hospital recredentialing. The requirement for continuing medical education has become more stringent with time. Many patien...
Show MoreCompeting Interests: None declared.References
- 1) https://www.cfpc.ca/en/policy-innovation1. /health-policy-goverment-relations/cfpc-policy-papers-position-statements/remuneration-compensation-position-statement
- 2) https://www.statista.com/statistics/496675/physicians-average-age-by-type/