An analysis of Medicare data reveals rising workforce exit rates between 2014 and 2022, with notable disparities among different practice types.
A new study from the Harvey L Neiman Health Policy Institute found that attrition from the radiology workforce is increasing, with significantly higher rates observed among subspecialists versus generalists and nonacademic versus academic radiologists.
The study, published in the American Journal of Roentgenology, analyzed Medicare claims data from 2014 to 2022 and found that the unadjusted attrition rate for all radiologists more than doubled, increasing from 1.1% to 2.5% over the study period. Attrition also increased for both subspecialists (1.4% to 2.7%) and generalists (0.9% to 2.2%), as well as for academic (1.0% to 2.0%) and nonacademic radiologists (1.1% to 2.7%).
“Overall, and for every subgroup of radiologists we studied, we found that radiologist attrition increased over the study period,” says Eric Christensen, PhD, research director at the Neiman Institute and lead author of the study, in a release. “While our study doesn’t answer why attrition increased, COVID-19 is a likely factor, and factors such as increasing imaging volumes, growing expectations of non-clinical tasks, and loss of practice autonomy can contribute to radiologist burnout.”
Disparities in Attrition Rates
The analysis revealed that the odds of leaving the workforce were 37% higher among subspecialists compared to generalists. Researchers suggest this difference may be linked to the specific demands of subspecialized practice.
“This substantially higher attrition for subspecialists can seem counterintuitive, but the narrow focus and higher case complexity and call responsibility may increase stress,” says Jay Parikh, MD, professor in the division of diagnostic imaging at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, in a release.
Similarly, the study found the odds of attrition were 34% higher among nonacademic radiologists than their academic counterparts.
“While our study does not explain the cause of this difference, the results suggest that the stressors facing academic and nonacademic radiologists differ, and other studies have found a higher prevalence of burnout in private practice than academic settings,” says Christensen, in a release.
Implications for Practice Leaders
The findings highlight the need for tailored retention strategies, as trends toward subspecialization and practice consolidation could worsen the current radiologist shortage.
“It is important for practice leaders to recognize there is not only increased attrition but that attrition differs between subspecialists and generalists and by academic status so that they can identify local solutions to minimize attrition,” says Parikh, in a release. “Further, the present radiologist shortage may be exacerbated by trends towards increased subspecialization and practice consolidation in radiology, which our study shows have secondary effects in the form of higher attrition.”
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