Trend Towards Fewer Self-Employed Physicians Save

A nationwide survey study analyzed healthcare provider (HCP) employment type (self-employed, employed by private sector, or employed by government) and annual labor earnings (2001 to 2015) and found that the health care landscape is changing with few self-employed practitioners and more being larger organizations. 

The American Community Survey studied 175,714 that included included 99 077 physicians, 20 008 dentists, 26 143 pharmacists, 4238 optometrists, 6076 chiropractors, 1164 podiatrists, and 19 008 physical therapists who worked at least 40 weeks per year and 20 hours per week.

The percentage of self-employed physicians decreased from 35.2% in 2001-05 to 24.7% in 2011-15. Downwar trends were also seen for dentists.  The gap in earnings between these professionals and those employed by organizations either narrowed or reversed.