Trends in changing practice demographics, issues mirrored in AAO survey
Among the trends from a membership survey conducted by the American Academy of Ophthalmology are an increase in part-time practice and greater diversity. However, many share similar concerns about upheavals in health care.
Take-home message: Among the trends from a membership survey conducted by the American Academy of Ophthalmology are an increase in part-time practice and greater diversity. However, many share similar concerns about upheavals in health care.
By Nancy Groves; Reviewed by Tamara R. Fountain, MD
Chicago-A snapshot of today’s ophthalmologists would capture a more diverse group than several years earlier, greater interest in part-time practice, and general satisfaction with their career choice.
Responses to the most recent
“A lot of things were the same, but a lot of things are changing, and one area in particular was part-time positions,” said Dr. Fountain, membership secretary, AAO, and professor of ophthalmology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago.
The survey was mailed to 3,000 members; about 900 responded. According to the responses, 22% of AAO members practice part-time.
“That might seem like a small number, but when you look at trends, the number almost doubled between the last time we took the survey in 2011 and 2013,” she said.
The average physician workload is 45 hours per week, whereas part-time physicians-who are more likely to be general ophthalmologists-work about 25 hours per week. They’re also more likely to be either solo practitioners or in small groups of 2 to 5 doctors. Part-time practitioners are keeping busy, however.
If the average ophthalmologist sees 110 patients per week, the average part-time clinician sees 77 patients, Dr. Fountain said.
“They’re more productive because the part-timer is working about 55% of the time but seeing about 70% of the patients,” she explained. “They’re more likely to see routine patients as opposed to problem-focused patients, and they do about half the number of surgeries. If the average practice has 6 doctors in it, people who work part-time come from slightly smaller practices.
Internal server error