This comes from the New England Journal of Medicine* (Correction/clarification below), writing about the Medicus Firm Physician Survey. Here are a few highlights:
62.7% of physicians feel that health reform is needed but should be implemented in a more targeted, gradual way, as opposed to the sweeping overhaul that is in legislation.
Obstructionists!
46.3% of primary care physicians (family medicine and internal medicine) feel that the passing of health reform will either force them out of medicine or make them want to leave medicine.
And, since the public option is being bandied about once again, perhaps as part of reconciliation:
72% of physicians feel that a public option would have a negative impact on physician supply, with 45% feeling it will “decline or worsen dramatically” and 27% predicting it will “decline or worsen somewhat.
Correction/clarification: The New England Journal of Medicine has posted a clarification of the provenance of this survey, here. Although it appeared on an NEJM website, it was not an official NEJM publication. It was rather from an advertiser newsletter that runs with NEJM, which features research from firms involved in physician employment. I attributed the figures to the Medicus Firm Physician Survey but NEJM's clarification makes clear the Journal never actually wrote "about" them, as I wrote. I should have just cited the figures without the New England Journal of Medicine reference, as it appears they didn't appear in the Journal's pages. Honest mistake, but apologies for it, everyone.
