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Medical groups are helping physicians delay retirement, says AMGA

Medical Staff Leader Connection, March 18, 2009

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More medical groups are offering part-time schedules or decreased responsibilities to keep veteran physicians on staff, according to the 2008 Physician Retention Survey conducted by the American Medical Group Association (AMGA) and Cejka Search. Of the 50 respondents whose medical groups collectively employ nearly 10,000 physicians, 73% offer physicians nearing retirement reduced hours, 56% relieve these physicians from call duty. Other pre-retirement retention strategies include allowing physicians to specialize within certain patient groups, offering extended vacations, and providing physicians with the flexibility to modify their job descriptions.

Delaying retirement has the potential to benefit both physicians and medical groups/hospitals. Like most Americans, physicians have seen their retirement savings dwindle, so they may not be able to retire as soon as they had planned. However, age and life circumstances may not allow them to maintain a full-time schedule.

Hospitals and medical groups could also benefit from maintaining veteran physicians in the midst of a physician shortage as these physicians may be able to cover scheduling gaps. In addition, by retaining pre-retirees on a part-time schedule, hospitals may be able to offer younger physicians who demand a greater work-life balance more appealing benefits, such as shorter shifts or more time off.

However, if a hospital or medical group chooses to retain aging physicians, it must be vigilant in assessing these physicians’ competence through OPPE, FPPE, various delineations of privileges, and an overall policy addressing the privileging of low-volume and no-volume practitioners. An aging practitioner policy is also helpful. (Download a sample aging practitioner policy.)

Best regards,

Liz Jones
Associate editor



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