Next Generation of U.S. Doctors Sees Gloomy Future

A majority of young doctors feel pessimistic about the future of the U.S. healthcare system, with the new healthcare law cited as the main reason. Nearly half of the 500 doctors surveyed think the Affordable Care Act, President Obama’s policy achievement, will have a negative effect on their practices, compared with 23% who think it will be positive. Of the 57% of young doctors who are pessimistic, 34% cite the new healthcare law or regulations as the reason for pessimism. Other reasons include declining reimbursement for doctors and a decrease in incomes. Twenty-one percent of the doctors, who were all under the age of 40, said they were neutral about the future of U.S. healthcare, while 22% were optimistic. The reasons for optimism included better patient care and that the U.S. was moving in the right direction with its healthcare system. The doctors were randomly selected in December 2011 from an online database by Medical Marketing Research, which conducted the survey online. Half of physicians were in primary care, 175 were specialists in offices and 75 were specialists in hospitals.