Primary Care Physician Turnover Costs Payers Almost $1 Billion Every Year

Turnover among primary care physicians (PCPs) cost public and private payers $979 million annually, according to a study led by the American Medical Association (AMA). About 27% ($260 million) of the costs are attributable to physician burnout. In the first year after losing their PCP, Medicare beneficiaries incur higher costs of about $189 per person, and non-Medicare beneficiaries incur higher costs of about $61 per person.

PCP turnover occurs for many reasons such as seeking a new practice, leaving medicine for another career or retirement, or taking an administrative role. Burnout is defined as a work-related syndrome characterized . . .