Radiologist Salary Survey Shows Fear of Universal ...( Average Radi...),Health

Average Radiologist Salary Increased in Annual LocumTenens.com Survey

Alpharetta, Ga. (Vocus) November 20, 2008 -- Already handicapped by closer third-party-payer scrutiny of rising imaging costs, many radiologists fear the additional, potential effect of universal healthcare coverage on their medical practices. More than half (52 percent) of radiologists responding to a recent radiologist salary survey conducted by physician recruiting firm LocumTenens.com said universal healthcare would negatively affect their personal incomes.

Among almost 200 radiologist salary survey respondents, 39 percent indicated such a policy would have no effect on their earnings. Only 9 percent thought universal healthcare would positively affect their personal incomes.

"Radiology practices today are being threatened from all sides," LocumTenens.com Vice President-Radiology Katie Thill said. "Perhaps more than any other specialists, radiologists are being squeezed between payers' need to control costs and skyrocketing practice expenses caused by everything from innovative technology to defensive medicine."

Among radiologist respondents to a healthcare reform survey conducted earlier this year by LocumTenens.com, 42 percent offered negative comments about universal healthcare's potential effect on physicians' practices. For example:

• "... The practice of medicine will become increasingly punitive and will make less sense personally and financially ..."
• "It would further distance delivery of medical care from its associated costs. Our current health care delivery system represents the an
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