A September 2026 survey by the Physicians Foundation reveals that nearly half of U.S. physicians considered or made major career changes in the past year due to well-being concerns. While burnout has dipped slightly from pandemic highs, 55% of doctors still report regular burnout symptoms. The distress is particularly acute among employed physicians, who face strict corporate productivity metrics. This shift comes as corporate employment of doctors rose from 25% in 2012 to over 80% in 2025.
Physician burnout rates
- ▪The September 2026 Physicians Foundation survey indicated that primary care physicians are more likely than specialists to cite administrative burden as a key factor contributing to emotional distress.
- ▪The September 2026 Physicians Foundation survey found that 55% of physicians regularly experience symptoms of burnout, though overall burnout levels have dipped slightly from pandemic highs.
- ▪A Physicians Foundation survey of 1,000 doctors published in September 2026 found that 55% of physicians experienced debilitating stress in the preceding year.
- ▪According to the September 2026 Physicians Foundation survey, female doctors report more frequent feelings of burnout than male doctors, and physicians younger than 45 report higher distress levels than older physicians.
Career change considerations
- ▪A Physicians Foundation survey of 1,000 doctors published in September 2026 found that nearly half of physicians made or considered major career changes due to well-being concerns in the preceding year.
- ▪The September 2026 Physicians Foundation survey found that nearly four in 10 responding physicians declined additional responsibilities or leadership roles due to well-being concerns.
- ▪The September 2026 Physicians Foundation survey reported that physicians are reducing clinical hours or retiring earlier than planned due to well-being concerns, with employed and younger physicians more likely to consider changing employers.
Employed versus independent physicians
- ▪Employed physicians are more likely than independent physicians to report having only some say in the number of patients they are expected to see daily, according to the September 2026 Physicians Foundation survey.
- ▪Employed physicians are more likely than independent physicians to cite excessive workload, organizational policies, and strict productivity expectations as top contributors to anxiety and hopelessness, according to the September 2026 Physicians Foundation survey.
- ▪The September 2026 Physicians Foundation survey found that employed physicians fare worse across most well-being metrics compared to independent physicians.
Corporate healthcare consolidation
- ▪Dr. Gary Price, president of the Physicians Foundation, stated that corporate control in healthcare is exacerbating physician wellness struggles through performance metrics that pressure doctors to see more patients in less time.
- ▪Data commissioned by the Physicians Advocacy Institute shows that more than 80% of doctors were employed by hospitals, health insurance companies, and other businesses in 2025, compared with 25% in 2012.
Physician advocacy efforts
- ▪The Physicians Advocacy Institute has called for lifting restrictions on physician-owned hospitals to address the impacts of corporate consolidation.
- ▪The American Medical Association stated that corporate involvement in healthcare can damage patient-provider relationships and erode the quality of care.
Policy responses to consolidation
- ▪The American Hospital Association argued that the shift toward corporate employment reflects physicians' desire for support and stability rather than aggressive corporate consolidation.
- ▪United States lawmakers introduced a bill in 2025 to lift restrictions on building physician-owned hospitals in rural areas, though the bill has not advanced past committee referrals.
Debatable claims
- ▪The shift toward corporate physician employment is driven by aggressive consolidation
- ▪Corporate ownership of medical practices harms the quality of patient care
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