Research links practice changes to clinical workload, with turnover rates varying by gender, location, and academic status.
Practice turnover among radiologists increased 61% between 2013 and 2022, with clinical workload playing a key role in job change decisions, according to new research from the Harvey L. Neiman Health Policy Institute.
The study, published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology, analyzed data from 39,439 radiologists covering 280,692 practice years. After adjusting for radiologist and practice characteristics, researchers found that the likelihood of a radiologist changing jobs in a given year was about twice as high during the 2020-2022 period compared to 2013.
“This doubling over a short time period is remarkable,” says Eric Christensen, PhD, research director at the Neiman Institute and senior author of the study, in a release.
Gender and Location Affect Turnover Rates
The analysis revealed significant differences in turnover patterns across demographic groups. Female radiologists showed 6% higher turnover odds compared to males, while radiologists in metropolitan areas had 12% higher turnover rates than those in non-metropolitan locations. Academic radiologists demonstrated 9% lower turnover rates compared to their non-academic counterparts.
“The effects of gender, practice location, and academic status are co-mingled. Academic practice was associated with lower turnover, despite the fact that academic practices are disproportionately female and in metropolitan locations—two factors predicting higher turnover,” says Jay Parikh, MD, professor in the Division of Diagnostic Imaging at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and lead author of the study, in a release.
Workload Shows Complex Relationship with Job Changes
Researchers identified a “tipping point” in the relationship between clinical workload and turnover rates. The study found that turnover rates decreased as radiologist workload increased up to 12,940 work relative value units (wRVUs), after which additional workload increases correlated with higher turnover.
“It may be that, at lower workload levels, a radiologist’s job satisfaction increases as workload increases making the job more engaging and financially rewarding. However, there are limits—consistent with the concept of a tipping point—where the disadvantages of additional work outweigh the benefits,” says Parikh in a release.
The optimal workload threshold differed significantly between practice settings. Academic radiologists reached their tipping point at 8,820 wRVUs, approximately one-third lower than non-academic radiologists at 13,380 wRVUs.
“Our results do not inform why this difference exists, but perhaps increasing clinical demands that crowd out teaching and research may reduce the appeal of academic practice,” says Christensen in a release.
The findings come as radiology practices face ongoing workforce shortages and growing concerns about burnout among practitioners. The research provides data for health systems working to improve radiologist retention and maintain stable imaging services.
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