Despite hassles, Massachusetts docs satisfied

Although critical shortages of primary care physicians continue in Massachusetts, more doctors expressed satisfaction with their practice environment than dissatisfaction, according to the Massachusetts Medical Society.

The society's Physician Workforce Study, released in October, showed a fifth consecutive year of shortages of primary care physicians, with half of primary care practices closed to new patients. Shortages existed in 10 of 18 physician specialties across the state, and community hospitals continued to be the most affected by persistent physician shortages.

However, more physicians (43%) expressed satisfaction with the practice environment than not (41%). More physicians expressed displeasure with the tradeoff between patient care and administrative tasks. More than half (51%, up from 44% last year) of all practicing physicians expressed displeasure with the abundance of administrative measures.