Physician shortages are impacting medical systems nationwide. 

The athlete-to-physician pipeline is not an uncommon one, with several football players and sports stars going on to attend medical school. 

Hospitalists earned an average of $321,000 in 2023, up just $5,000 from the year prior, according to Medscape's 2024 "Hospitalist Compensation Report," published July 26. 

Almost 30% of physicians are not at all supportive of accepting additional Medicaid patients into their practice, according to Medscape's 2024 "Doctors Evaluate Medicare and Medicaid Report," published July 12. 

For some physicians, the fear of losing their job can lead to hesitation in speaking out on issues of safety, harassment or fraud. And, according to a July 24 blog post from the American Medical Association, this fear is often justified, as physicians can suffer personal and professional consequences for raising workplace concerns. 

From 2013 to 2023, the U.S. saw an approximately  67% increase in the number of medical malpractice verdicts awarding $10 million or more. 

Carla Braxton, MD, was named as director of physician professional development at the Houston Methodist Physician Organization.

Improving the practice of medicine for physicians has been a priority for many in the healthcare industry — and efforts are finally beginning to pay off.

On July 10, CMS proposed changes to physician payment policies and The Medicare Merit-based Incentive Payment System MIPS program. 

A 2023 report from insurer Humana found that the number of patients receiving care under value-based models has increased by 2.3 million in the last decade. This increase poses the question of whether it has the potential to overtake the fee-for-service model as the most common care method in the industry.

Niagara Falls, N.Y., has picked up two new physicians in 2024 through its recruitment incentive program, according to a July 22 report in the Niagara Falls Review, 

A team at the University of Illinois (Champaign) is developing a series of virtual reality training modules  designed to improve cultural competency between physicians and patients, according to a July 22 report from WCIA.com

Approximately one-third of practicing physicians are considering either leaving the field or reducing their work hours, according to a July 23 report from the American Medical Association. 

On July 10, CMS proposed a 2.8% conversion factor reduction in its 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. 

Artificial intelligence is being used across the medical industry, from assisting with highly complex procedures to improving diagnostic accuracy. It could also be a powerful tool in the fight against physician burnout. 

Resident physicians are often expected to reside in the hospital and put in long hours for considerably less pay, based on the notion that they are training within  their respective fields. But with inflation and labor shortages on the rise, could these expectations be harming residents? 

Here are three recent settlements involving physicians, as reported by Becker's since June 7:

Former Tappahannock, Va., clinic founder and physician James Joseph Ledwith Jr., MD, died July 9 from complications following a bicycle accident on June 19, River County News reported. He was 66.

Among the biggest challenges facing physician-owned practices today include the rising cost of operations and the imminent threat of consolidation. 

West Virginia University Medicine’s Thomas Hospital (South Charleston) has appointed Michael Sitler, MD, as their vice president and chief medical officer, effective July 15.