70% of radiologists and other docs surveyed say culture is as important as money
About 70% of radiologists and other physicians surveyed believe workplace culture is as important as compensation, according to new data from Medscape.
That’s compared to 18% who value money more than culture and 13% who believe pay is most important. Male doctors were more likely to value salary highest, while physicians under 45 hold culture in greater regard. Those over 45 were somewhat likelier to find the two equally important, the news outlet reported.
The findings are based on a survey of 1,240 physicians across about 30 different specialties including nearly 40 radiologists.
“Compensation is important for attracting top talent, but workplace culture is just as crucial for keeping them,” Kristopher M. Day, MD, a surgeon with Pacific Sound Plastic Surgery in Bellevue, Washington, told Medscape. “While salary used to be my top consideration when evaluating job offers, these days, work environment and company values also factor heavily into my decision-making.”
About 38% of those surveyed said they believe that the quality of workplace culture is declining. Nearly half (47%) said it is “holding steady,” while 16% think it’s improving. One physician who fell into the latter category cited workplace initiatives such as regular team-building sessions, open forums to gather feedback, and flexible work schedules.
Some in the industry have claimed building a supportive culture is difficult, given rising patient volumes, workplace shortages and onerous insurance requirements. However, physicians surveyed disagree. About 82% of those who responded believe a supportive culture is “absolutely practical,” compared to 7% who do not and 11% who are unsure.
When asked for elements that make for a healthy culture, radiologists and other docs said “commitment to work-life-balance” was most important, at 54%. Other popular answers included “physician autonomy over patient care” (52%), positive atmosphere (46%), “management treats staff well” (40%) and “physicians consulted on organization and policy decisions” (35%).
“A positive environment is essential for maintaining high job performance and satisfaction,” Ozan Toy, MD, CMO of Maryland-based Telapsychiatry, told Medscape. “In general, if I feel valued at work and have the autonomy to work in a way that is empowering, then I am much more likely to stay in that job in the long run.”
Conversely, when asked where employers need to improve in creating a strong culture, “consulting physicians on organization and policy decisions” was the No. 1 answer at 42%. Commitment to work-life balance (38%), how management treats staff (37%), maintaining a positive atmosphere (32%) and teamwork (20%) rounded out the top 5.
About 62% of radiologists and other physicians said culture is “very important” when they are mulling a job offer. That’s compared to 31% who said it is “important,” while 0% believe it is “not at all important.”
Medscape conducted the five- to seven-minute online survey between January and March, targeting U.S. practicing physicians who are employed. Read more about the results, published Aug. 23, here:
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.