What could possibly be worse for patients as the current state of reform (tune in tomorrow) is more uncertain than ever? According to a JAMA study [PDF], the fact that more physicians are cutting hours — not just primary care docs, but most physician demos across most specialties. Reasons are myriad, but the one essential kernel remains: the increasing layer of oversight (administrative and managed care constraints) has slowly but steadily gained a prominent foothold into how much time a physician can actually devote to seeing patients. According to one family physician

“It added five or six years onto my practice life – and I love what I do,” [Virginia family physician] Dr. Ellington said. “I couldn’t have continued to do what I was doing. I couldn’t do it physically, emotionally and financially. It had become overwhelming.”

And it will only get worse — at the very least for the primary care physician who is already burdened with heavier admin and paperwork hassles, lower pay, increasing patient loads, and lower Medicare reimbursement schedules. | LINK

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