Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1169964
105 FINANCE CMO / CARE DELIVERY More minorities are graduating med school, but disparities persist By Gabrielle Masson T he number of nonwhite students graduating from medical schools has increased since 2002 but black, Hispanic and American Indian stu- dents are still underrepresented, according to a study published Sept. 4 in JAMA Network Open. For the study, researchers analyzed data from the Association of American Medical Colleges on self-re- ported race/ethnicity and sex of medical school ap- plicants and graduates from 2002-17. Researchers found students from minority racial/ ethnic groups are still underrepresented in medical schools, and the physician workforce still does not represent the demographic characteristics of the U.S. population. Numbers of black, Hispanic and Amer- ican Indian or Alaska Native medical school gradu- ates increased from 2002-17, but at a rate slower than their white counterparts. The number of black female applicants also decreased during the study period. Despite the Liaison Committee of Medical Education's launch of diversity accreditation guidelines in 2009, un- derrepresentation of minority racial/ethnic groups has not changed significantly, study authors concluded. n 10 metro areas with smallest, largest gender wage gaps for physicians By Emily Rappleye M ale physicians earned $1.25 for every $1 earned by female physicians in 2018, according to data from Doximity, a social network for physicians. Despite this significant wage gap, Doximity data suggests the pay differential may be narrowing. The physician gen- der wage gap was 27.7 percent in 2017, 2.5 percentage points higher than in 2018. Using self-reported compen- sation data from 90,000 U.S. physicians who practice at least 40 hours per week, Doximity mapped the physician gender wage gap by metropolitan statistical areas. Here are the top five metro areas with the smallest gender wage gap for physicians in 2018, according to Doximity: 1. Birmingham, Ala. — Female physicians earn 9 per- cent less than their male counterparts 2. Bridgeport, Conn. — 10 percent 3. Milwaukee — 14 percent 4. Seattle — 15 percent 5. Jacksonville, Fla. — 16 percent Here are the five metro areas where the gender wage gap for physicians was largest in 2018, according to Doximity: 1. Louisville, Ky. / Jefferson County, Ind. — Female phy- sicians earn 40 percent less than their male coun- terparts 2. New Orleans — 32 percent 3. Austin, Texas — 31 percent 4. Hartford, Conn. — 31 percent 5. Dallas — 31 percent n Maine system slashes physician turnover rate after exodus By Mackenzie Bean L ewiston-based Central Maine Healthcare has seen a substantial drop in physician turnover since facing a mass exodus in the sum- mer of 2018, reported the Sun Journal. e hospital lost about 81 of its 300 physicians, marking a 27.1 percent turnover rate for the 2017-18 fiscal year. e resignations followed a systemwide vote of no confidence in Central Maine Healthcare CEO Jeff Brickman in July 2018. Physicians expressed concerns about Mr. Brickman's leadership style, along with ongoing fiscal issues and service cuts across the system's three hospitals. Many physicians who took issue with management changes opted to re- tire early last year, which contributed to the high turnover rate, according to Michele Talka, vice president and chief human resources officer for the health system. e remaining physicians had their concerns addressed by management. In the past year, Central Maine Healthcare has hired 118 physicians, phy- sician assistants and nurse practitioners, along with 134 nurses — more than the previous two years combined. Ms. Talka said the new physicians are OK with the administration and associated changes to employee contracts and EHR system. In August 2019, the health system reported a physician turnover rate of 4.2 percent. n