The Economy Plus Flexibility Keep Physicians i...( Medical Groups Are Favorably...),Health

Medical Groups Are Favorably Managing Turnover According to Cejka Search and AMGA Survey

ST LOUIS, April 15 /PRNewswire/ -- One silver lining to the current economic crisis is that physicians appear to be putting off retirement, for now. However, with the physician shortage intensifying and an eye toward the future, medical groups are sharpening their competitive edge in finding and keeping physicians through flexibility, incentives and retention initiatives.

These and other findings as reported in the 2008 Physician Retention Survey from the American Medical Group Association (AMGA) and Cejka Search, demonstrate that medical groups across America are getting better at anticipating their turnover rates and actively addressing the causes of turnover.

Top findings include:

• Survey respondents reported a 6.1% turnover rate in 2008, compared to 6.7% from the 2006 Retention Survey
• Turnover was 5.9% among full-time male physicians and 6.6% among female physicians
• Fit and family were top reasons for turnover: 50% cited "poor cultural fit with the practice" and 32% indicated "relocation to be closer to family" as the most frequently mentioned reasons for leaving the practice voluntarily
• Nearly two-thirds (62%) believed physicians are delaying retirement due to the economy

Flexibility can keep physicians working

• Nearly half (48%) agreed that part-time options encourage physicians to stay while meeting family or personal needs, and 49% found that part-time options enable physicians to delay retirement
• Almost three-quarters (73%) of respondents offer pre-retirement physicians reduced hours, 56% allow for no call responsibility and 20% allow for specialization with certain patient groups

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