Every two years, the Physicians Foundation conducts a national survey of physicians to provide policy makers, healthcare influencers, media and other stakeholders insights into the state of the medical profession and the most pressing challenges facing the U.S. healthcare system.  The 2014 survey polled more than 20,000 physicians on a range of issues, including professional morale, doctor shortages, Medicare / Medicaid participate rates, EMR patterns and more. Find below the executive summary and a link to the complete research report.

Survey of 20,000 U.S. Physicians Shows 80% of Doctors are Over-Extended or at Full Capacity, Demonstrating Growing Challenges for Patient Access

Executive summary: U.S. patients are likely to face growing challenges in access to care if shifting patterns in medical practice configurations and physician workforce trends continue. This is one of the key findings of a major new survey of 20,000 physicians commissioned by The Physicians Foundation.

According to the research, titled “2014 Survey of America’s Physicians: Practice Patterns and Perspectives,” 81 percent of physicians describe themselves as either over-extended or at full capacity, while only 19 percent indicate they have time to see more patients. Forty-four percent of physicians surveyed plan to take steps that would reduce patient access to  their services, including cutting back on patients seen, retiring, working part-time, closing their practice to new patients or seeking non-clinical jobs, leading to the potential loss of tens of thousands of full-time-equivalents (FTEs). As the ranks of Medicare and Medicaid patients increase – in 2011, more than 75 million baby boomers began turning 65 and qualifying for Medicare – and millions of new patients are insured through the Affordable Care Act, patient access to care could pose significant health delivery and policy challenges.

To access the full research report, please click here.