Marks for PennsylvaniaSeventy percent of specialists said that they would be very or somewhat likely to recommend their specialty to someone graduating from medical school today, but only 15 percent were willing to recommend practicing in Pennsylvania. Nearly half responded that they were not at all likely to recommend Pennsylvania. Specialists who had strong personal ties to the state (either grew up or attended medical school in Pennsylvania) were no more likely than those who did not to recommend practicing here.
SqueezeRising liability insurance premiums and static or declining reimbursements are putting physicians in an income bind. Specialists surveyed who felt heavily burdened by malpractice insurance costs were least likely to report satisfaction with their practice.
Fraying Relations with PatientsLiability pressures may affect physicians’ satisfaction and the quality of care by impinging upon the physician/patient relationship. Just over half of surveyed specialists denied that malpractice concerns made them less candid with their patients, but a sizable minority felt that they did. Physicians who felt “wounded” by the malpractice system and those with high premium burdens were significantly more likely to report such changes in patient relations.
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