Status Update: The Physician Workforce

We hear often from members about COVID’s economic impact on physicians. Considered the foundation of healthcare, physicians have been hit hard this year with furloughs, pay cuts, and layoffs.

These trends add to the burden of restrictive covenants and the ongoing wave of merger and consolidation throughout healthcare. Employed physicians describe a tinderbox of frustration at their institutions.

This week's newsletter focuses on workforce issues, and we hope the content provides you valuable insights. We are also calling for members to serve on our newly formed Physician Workforce Committee to recommend specific member programs and advocacy needs, such as salary data specific to the Chicago area, contract review service, and compensation and benefit analysis.

The Committee will also make policy recommendations for legislation and regulatory reform. Physicians interested in serving on the Workforce Committee or who would like more information should contact Ruby Bahena at CMS by clicking below.

COVID-19 UPENDS PHYSICIAN COMPENSATION

What used to be surprising may now sound more familiar; a pay cut, a cut in hours, even an unpaid furlough. At least one in five U.S. doctors have been hit with some form of pay cut during this year’s pandemic as COVID-19 sweeps across the country, and compensation may continue to be negatively impacted into 2021.

The impact on physicians is clearly transformative, but it can also vary tremendously across specialties and localities. Click below to read more about these impacts and where Chicagoland physicians see it the most.

COVID-19 HITS PHYSICIAN EMPLOYMENT

COVID-19 has caused a contraction in physician jobs in Chicago and across America. While the pandemic may well revolutionize the way health care is delivered in the long run, physicians in the 2020 job market may feel like they’ve

dropped into a game of musical chairs.

With 20% of American physicians having lost their jobs or furloughed to some extent as a result of the lockdown, the effect on physician jobs is clearly at a critical inflexion point.

PPE RESERVED FOR CMS MEMBERS THROUGH PPE PURCHASING PROGRAM

CMS has partnered with Professional Medical, Inc. (ProMed) a local company, to offer a special program for members to purchase PPE and other products at competitive prices. As COVID-19 cases continue to rise, we have reserved PPE inventory just for our members.

-All products are pristine, direct from manufacturers and of the highest quality available.

-Product availability and pricing is updated several times per day.

-Prepaid credit card 3% fee is waived for CMS members.

-Orders of $600 or more (stock items) will NOT incur a freight charge.

-Order handling charges are waived for CMS members.

FOR PRODUCT INFORMATION, PRICING OR TO ORDER, CONTACT:

Dena Trudeau

Director of Customer Service

dtrudeau@promedsupply.com

(815) 740-7528

COUNCIL MEETING IN REVIEW

The Chicago Medical Society Council met virtually on Oct. 20 for an evening of policy and education.

Infectious disease expert Michael Lin, MD, MPH, of Rush University Medical Center, updated members and guests on COVID-related issues in the Chicago area, with an information-packed presentation.

Emergency medicine specialist Terry Vanden Hoek, MD, of the University of Illinois at Chicago, demonstrated how UIC is combining remote monitoring technology with artificial intelligence to keep an eye on patients and frontline healthcare workers at risk of developing COVID-19.

Read more about the resolutions that passed and view Dr. Lin's presentation by clicking below.