Study: Delivering high-quality care drives physician job satisfaction

The ability to provide high-quality healthcare is a primary driver of job satisfaction among physicians, whereas obstacles to quality patient care are a source of stress, according to a recent study by the RAND Corporation. Researchers gathered data from 30 physician practices in six states, using a combination of surveys and interviews addressing such areas as physicians' perceptions of the quality of care, use of electronic health records, autonomy, practice leadership, and work quantity and pace.

Physicians, especially those in primary care, were frustrated when demands for greater quantity of care limited the time they could spend with each patient. Electronic health records were a source of both promise and frustration, with major concerns about interoperability between systems and with the amount of physician time involved in data entry. Few physicians were dissatisfied with their current levels of income, but income stability was an important contributor to overall professional satisfaction.