PHYSICIAN JOB-SATISFACTION - DEVELOPING A MODEL USING QUALITATIVE DATA

The purpose of this study was to develop a current and comprehensive m odel of physician job satisfaction. Information was gathered by (1) an alysis of open-ended responses from a large group practice physician s urvey in 1988, and (2) analysis of focus group data of diverse physici an subgroups from 1995. Participants were 302 physicians from large-gr oup practices and 26 participants in six focus groups of HMO, women, m inority, and inner-city physicians, Data were used to develop a compre hensive model of physician job satisfaction. The large group practice survey data supported the key importance of day-to-day practice enviro nment and relationships with patients and physician peers. Future conc erns focused on the effect of managed care on the physician-patient re lationship and the ability of physicians to provide quality care. Focu s groups provided contemporary data on physician job satisfaction, rei nforcing the centrality of relationships as well as special issues for diverse physician subgroups of practicing physicians. New variables t hat relate to physician job satisfaction have emerged from economic an d organizational changes in medicine and from increasing heterogeneity of physicians with respect to gender, ethnicity, and type of practice . A more comprehensive model of physician job satisfaction may enable individual physicians and health care organizations to better understa nd and improve physician work life.