Of active physicians in the U.S. in 2021, 46.7 percent were 55 or older, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges' "2022 Physician Specialty Data Report."

State auditors say they were blocked from completing a thorough audit of the North Carolina Medical Board's investigations into physician misconduct, public radio station WUNC reported Jan. 12.

Sports medicine as a specialty grew significantly from 2016 to 2021, while pulmonary disease fell most, according to the Association of American Medical College's "2022 Physician Specialty Data Report."

Albuquerque, N.M.-based Presbyterian Healthcare Services has selected a Tacoma, Wash.-based national staffing company to provide emergency department and hospital medicine physician and advanced practice provider services for its Santa Fe (N.M.) Medical Center, the Albuquerque Journal reported Jan. 11.  

The University of California's health system is renewing contracts with hundreds of outside hospitals and clinics, many with religious affiliations, and some of its physicians and faculty fear they could be barred from providing some forms of treatment to patients, the Los Angeles Times reported Jan. 11.

Black medical residents are much more likely to have any type of debt than other racial and ethnic groups, according to a new report from Health Affairs.

A study led by two economists suggested nurse practitioners may be less productive than physicians in the emergency department setting.

CMS is funding the creation of 200 new residency spots at 100 U.S. teaching hospitals located in underserved communities. The goal is to help bolster the healthcare workforce in these areas and increase patients' access to care, the agency said Jan. 9.

The American Medical Association and other groups are pushing back on the instant test results rules, saying they can harm the physician-patient relationship and have unintended consequences, Politico reported Jan. 9.

A survey found 71 percent of female physicians delay childbearing due to career goals and concerns.

The American Medical Association plans to focus on reducing inbox burden as a way to combat physician burnout this year, according to the organization's vice president of professional satisfaction. 

COVID-19 is still causing hundreds of deaths a day and tens of thousands of hospitalizations. Still, myths and misinformation about the disease, vaccines and treatments are rampant, fueling growing frustration among overburdened healthcare providers, according to a Dec. 28 report from The New York Times. 

Bolek Payan, MD, from Leoni Township, Mich., was found dead in a frozen pond on Dec. 27 after a five-day search, ABC affiliate UpNorthLive reported.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court will determine whether a court can compel a hospital to provide ivermectin as treatment for COVID-19.

State Sen. Joanne Comerford said she will sponsor a bill in January to allow someone with a terminal diagnosis of six months or fewer to receive physician assistance with death, Connecticut Public reported Dec. 23.

A recent study found physician work hours dropped by 7.6 percent in the last two decades, mostly due to a decrease among male physicians, especially fathers; however, work hours for mother physicians increased by 3 percent.

Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane, Wash., is restructuring its psychiatric inpatient department and services, affecting some physicians, the hospital confirmed to Becker's.  

On the surface, one might expect physicians to follow prescription drug guidelines more closely than the general public. A new study suggests the opposite. 

Congress released omnibus legislation to fund the government through September, and the bill includes CMS physician fee cuts, according to The Washington Post.

Health systems should review their physician practice acquisition playbook to ensure best practices are being followed in order to reduce execution risk, minimize transaction costs, and establish successful, long-term partnerships with providers.