Physician perceptions of recruitment and retention factors in an area with a regional medical campus

Abstract

Background:The factors that influence physicians to establish and maintain their practice in a region are variable. The presence of a regional medical campus (RMC) could influence physicians' choice. The objective of this study was to explore the factors influencing physician recruitment and retention, and in particular the role of a RMC, in a region of Quebec. Methods:A literature review of factors influencing physicians to stay in a rural area was conducted in order to create an interview guide. Questions were divided into sections: general information, family situation, medical training, career choice, current practice, intent to stay in the region, and impact of the RMC. Thirteen semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with practicing physicians. Data were analyzed using QDAMiner.Results: Recruitment factors were divided into six major themes: type of practice, spousal interest, opportunity for teaching, training in a region, workforce planning, and quality of life. Participants identified positive and negative factors associated with retention. In both cases, family and quality of work environment were mentioned. The RMC was perceived as having important impacts on the quality of professional life, research, medical practice, and regional development. Conclusion:This study highlights the role of RMCs in physician recruitment and retention via multiple impacts on the quality of practice of physicians working in the same area.Canadian Medical Education Journal 2018, 9(1), Special Issue e75 _______ Contexte: Les facteurs influençant les médecins à s'établir et à rester dans une région sont variables. La présence d'un campus médical régional (CMR) pourrait influencer ce choix. L'objectif de cette étude était d'explorer les facteurs de recrutement et de rétention influençant les médecins ayant choisi de pratiquer dans la région du Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean au Québec, en particulier le rôle du CMR.Méthodes: Une synthèse de la littérature a permis d'identifier différents facteurs influençant les médecins dans leur choix de lieu de pratique. Un guide d'entrevue a été élaboré à partir de ces facteurs. Les questions étaient séparées selon les sections suivantes: informations générales, situation familiale, études médicales, choix de carrière, pratique actuelle, intention de rester dans la région, impact du CMR. Treize entrevues semi-dirigées individuelles ont été réalisées avec des médecins en pratique. Les données ont été analysées avec QDA Miner. Résultats:Les facteurs influençant le recrutement étaient séparés en six thèmes majeurs : type de pratique, intérêt du conjoint, opportunité d'enseigner, formation en région, planification gouvernementale des effectifs médicaux et qualité de vie. Les participants ont identifié des facteurs de rétention négatifs et positifs. Ceux-ci concernaient la famille et la qualité de l'environnement de travail. D'après les participants, le CMR avait un impact direct sur la qualité de la vie professionnelle, la recherche, la pratique médicale et le développement régional. Con...

Income, workload, and any other factors associated with anticipated retention of rural doctors?

“…Another inconsistency may also be due to the sample size of doctors in our study considering marriage. Spousal influence is considered to play a significant role in the recruitment and retention of physicians, as shown in previous studies (Cameron et al, 2012;Giberson et al, 2016;Russell et al, 2018;Levesque et al, 2018). We observed that significant differences in the anticipated retention rate were introduced because of marriage in univariate analysis, but they failed to affect the binary logistic regression model.…”

“…A high turnover rate is not conducive to the formation of a stable doctor-patient relationship, which further affects the quality of medical treatment. It has been reported that various combinations of recommendations, such as the establishment of regional medical campuses (Levesque et al, 2018;William et al, 2015) and integration into the local community (Cutchin et al, 1994;Morken et al, 2018), have been implemented in many countries. The setting up of fitness equipment and entertainment facilities (Cameron et al, 2012), education of family physicians in community-based programs (Gruca & Nelson, 2017), and investment in telehealth technology have facilitated the improvement in communication in remote communities (Larsen et al, 2017).…”

Factors Influencing In-State Retention Rates of Graduating Residents From Penn State College of Medicine Compared to National Average Retention Rates

“…Factors guiding retention rates include personal, family, and professional factors [4]. Quality of life, proximity to family, and quality of work environment are positive factors that influence physician retention rates.…”