Provider compensation on the increase but primary care docs still lag specialists

MGMA's findings are in line with other recent surveys. Medscape said physician pay was up 4% this year and has risen 20% since 2015.

 

"These compensation specifics allow medical practices to remain competitive and informed on the ever-evolving trends that continue to occur in the healthcare industry," Halee Fischer-Wright, president and CEO of MGMA, said in a statement. "The increases we are seeing are driven not only by supply and demand but also by an increase in productivity. Practices are staying ahead of the curve by monitoring these trends and in this case, offering higher wages and more incentives to attract and retain the talent they need."

 

Some hospital workers, however, have protested what they say are unacceptable contracts. Nurses throughout the country have staged or threatening strikes. Several health systems have made plans to raise their minimum wages to $15, as have companies in other industries.

 

Primary care compensation continues to lag behind specialty pay, despite a doctor shortage that is mostly felt in the primary care area. The Association of American Medical Colleges has warned the country will be short by as many as 55,000 PCPs in 2032.