About 82% of employed physicians nationwide work for corporate entities, and nearly 75% have only experienced this model, a Physician Advocacy Institute report found.
The “2026 Employed Physician Survey” canvassed more than 1,000 U.S. physicians employed by hospitals, health systems or other corporate entities like health insurance companies.
Here are six key findings:
1. Nearly half of physicians (47%) reported feeling frequently pressured to prioritize patient volume over optimal care, and 73% reported patients cannot get timely care.
2. More than half of physicians report facing corporate barriers to referring patients out-of-network (63%) and feel pressured to keep patients within their health system (59%).
3. Nearly 90% of physicians claimed to be satisfied with the quality of care they provide but also reported faulty medical equipment in the past year.
4. Among physicians, 72% have only experienced the corporate ownership employment model and 28% practiced in a physician-owned setting before their current employment.
5. Forty-four percent of physicians are actively looking for a new job. Among those who practiced in a physician-owned practice, 35% reported lack of clinical autonomy as a reason for considering a new job.
6. Nearly 90% of physicians reported some level of burnout and. Midcareer and younger physicians reported more symptoms of burnout.
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