Physician Environment Poll Results: 71% Would Take a Pay Cut for a Better Place to Work

Last week I presented a poll in multiple locations on social media asking doctors this question:

Physicians: would you work for 15-20% less if your environment was awesome (feel valued, great physician community, great staff, doctor’s lounge, a physician liaison, etc)?

I had 280 responses and 199 of them said……YES. That’s 71%. 

I took a lot of crap for asking this question. 

• People were worried that administrators would use this against them. 
• They felt hospitals should make the environment better anyway and not touch our pay.
• This poll makes us look weak.
• A better environment would make doctors produce more and get paid more. The poll makes no sense. 

I also heard from many who have taken pay cuts to work in places where the environment was incredible and they feel it was really worth it (ex. New Zealand).

We all look at things differently and you can see the results of this poll any way you want. Here is my take:

The physician work environment is SOOOO crucial that doctors would actually take less income to be in a happier place.

Do not get me wrong. This does not mean we should take a penny less!!! All it means is that poor working conditions are taking their toll on doctors and that hospitals and administrators MUST put a priority on fixing the physician work environment in order to stave off burnout and retain their doctors. 

And here is a little secret. This is why Direct Primary Care is so successful because doctors control their environment and are extremely happy. 

What do you think?