Study: Younger and female physicians working less

The workload of Canadian general and family practitioners (GP/FP) under age 55 has declined in the past decade while the workload of GP/FPs over age 55 has increased, relative to their same-age peers 10 years prior, according to a recent study. Changing demographics of Canadian GP/FPs, including younger and more female practitioners, could have broad implications for service volumes in the future.

GP/FPs under age 35 provided 18 percent fewer office assessments in 2001 compared to their same-age peers in 1992, GP/FPs ages 35-44 provided 23 percent fewer than their same-age peers ten years previously, and GP/FPs 45-54 provided 12 percent fewer office assessments. Meanwhile, GP/FPs ages 55-64 provided 11 percent more, and those age 65 and older provided 45 percent more, according to the study published in the November/December issue of Health Affairs.

Female GP/FPs, who represent a growing proportion of the workforce, have reduced their workloads more drastically over the past 10 years than their male peers. Between 1992 and 2001, female GP/FPsreduced their workloads by 6.1 percent, compared to a 0.1 percent decline for male GP/FPs. In 1992, female GP/FPs held workloads equivalent to 74 percent of male GP/FPs. In 2001, that percentage had declined to 68 percent.

"The fact that older GP/FPs carry ever-increasing workloads is cause for concern, as more physicians retire each year than was the case in earlier periods, and each retiree carries a workload volume that is larger than . that of each new physician," the study authors reported.

"Consequently, the coming wave of physician retirements could cause unprecedented annual rates of shrinkage in GP/FP service volumes."

Source: Health Affairs 25, no. 6 (2006): 1620-1628.