Despite rise in salaries, more than half of hospitalists unhappy with pay

CHALFONT, Pa. - Nov. 19, 2013 - PRLog -- While hospitalists continue to see rapid growth in their compensation, more than half say they’re dissatisfied with their pay package.

According to data from the 2013 Today’s Hospitalist Compensation & Career survey, average compensation for hospitalists grew by 9% in 2013 to a mean of just over $241,000. Compensation for full-time hospitalists treating only adult patients grew by 7% to a mean of just over $251,000.

This year’s survey asked a series questions designed to gauge how satisfied hospitalists are with their compensation. Despite the steady rise in pay hospitalists have seen over the years, just over half—54%—say they’re dissatisfied with their compensation. When asked why, respondents said they work too many hours, that they’re underpaid compared to other comparable specialties, and that new responsibilities have been added to their jobs for which they’re not being compensated.

The sixth annual Today’s Hospitalist Compensation & Career Survey includes responses from almost 800 hospitalist physicians on over 70 questions, ranging from salary and incentives to shift length, patient volume, and career satisfaction. Results from the survey are being published in a special issue of Today’s Hospitalist magazine, with additional data from the survey receiving in-depth coverage throughout the year.

Almost 100 charts have been published online at http://www.todayshospitalist.com/. These charts break down data from the survey by type of hospitalist (adult vs. pediatric patients), type of employer (hospital vs. private group), geographic location, and more.

For the first time, full survey results are also available in spreadsheet form on a CD. This allows users to analyze data and generate additional charts that are customized to their specifications.

As this specialty matures and workloads stabilize, physicians report high levels of career satisfaction (65% very satisfied, 28% somewhat satisfied, only 7% unsatisfied). The typical adult hospitalist has been in their current job for 7.2 years, and plans to continue working as a hospitalist for another twelve years.

“Our survey shows that hospital medicine is thriving despite what could be viewed as a harsh economic climate for health care,” said Edward Doyle, Editor and Publisher of Today’s Hospitalist magazine. “Hospitals are feeling pressured financially, but they continue to reward hospitalists individually. That speaks volumes about the key role that hospitalists play in the facilities where they work.”

Today’s Hospitalist reaches more than 25,000 hospitalists every month. The magazine features articles on clinical topics, business trends, and career issues for hospitalists.

For more information, contact Edward Doyle at edoyle@todayshospitalist.com.