Business
MGMA releases report on physician relocations
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted July 6, 2009
In 2008, before the recession had fully hit, doctors just out of residencies were more likely to move to North Carolina and Illinois, and those with more experience preferred Florida and Texas, according to a new report by the Medical Group Management Assn. in collaboration with the National Assn. of Physician Recruiters.
Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania lost physicians, but the number of doctor jobs increased in Virginia and Florida, according to the report issued June 17.
The authors suspect that experienced physicians may be moving to Florida and Texas because these states do not have income tax.
"[This] could add a significant amount to a physician's income -- especially now, when physicians experience consistent financial burdens from managed care and reduced Medicare/Medicaid payments," said Martin Osinski, immediate past president of the National Assn. of Physician Recruiters.
The "Physician Placement Starting Salary Survey: 2009 Report Based on 2008 Data" also found that newly trained doctors landing jobs in emergency medicine, infectious disease and hematology/oncology were receiving higher salaries than in the past. Starting salaries were highest for those entering hospital-based practices.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/07/06/bibf0706.htm.