Thursday, April 06, 2000

Public overestimates doctors' wages: poll

Tom Arnold
National Post

Ontario residents believe family physicians earn much more money than they actually make, a new survey suggests.

In a random poll of 505 Ontario residents, respondents indicated doctors earned an average of $106 per visit for treating such ailments as abdominal pains, coughs or headaches.

"That is 300% more than what family physicians actually receive," said Dr. Sharla Lichtman, a family physician in Thornhill who is also president of the 3,000-member Coalition of Family Physicians of Ontario. "The Ontario public has a startling lack of awareness with regard to what family physicians are paid for the services they provide.

"Family physicians actually receive $26 for conducting an examination for someone presenting themselves with chest pain or abdominal pain."

Just 10% of those surveyed said they believed physicians received less than $40 per service.

"Family physicians believe they are not being fairly compensated," said Dr. Lichtman.

The survey, which was paid for by the Coalition and conducted by Northstar Research Partners between March 24 and March 29, has a margin of error of 4.4 percentage points, 95 times out of 100.

The study also suggests that Ontario residents have a "somewhat favourable" impression of the province's health care system. Still, one in six surveyed said they were "very unhappy" based on their own personal experience.

Among other findings, the survey concluded that respondents believe family physicians earn $153 for conducting physical examinations. Doctors actually receive $48.41.

"That is a 200% difference," said Dr. Lichtman.

"Patients have no concept what their physicians have been making," she added. "I think this is the first step to dispelling the myth that doctors earn too much."

She said the results also suggest that two-thirds of Ontarians believe physicians are paid when they make referrals to specialists. They are not.

"We go through charts, write letters, fax files and make appointments ... We get zero for that service."

The issue is a key one because the Ontario government is now embroiled in negotiations with the Ontario Medical Association over a new fee structure for doctors.

According to the survey, more than 50% said that a 2% increase would be appropriate. However, after being told that the fee schedule for family doctors has risen 3.25% since 1992 while the rate of inflation has climbed by 10.5% over the same period, a little more than one-half of respondents said the increase should be at least 5%.

On average, family physicians billed about $167,000 in 1998-1999. From that salary, they must cover overhead costs, including rent, office expenses and salaries of their staff.