Preferences of physicians for public and private sector work

Abstract Background The public-private mix of healthcare remains controversial. This paper examines physicians’ preferences for public sector work in the context of dual practice, whilst accounting for other differences in the characteristics of jobs. Methods A discrete choice experiment is conducte...

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Main Authors: Anthony Scott, Jon Helgeim Holte, Julia Witt
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2020-08-01
Series:Human Resources for Health
Subjects:
Online Access:http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12960-020-00498-4
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author Anthony Scott
Jon Helgeim Holte
Julia Witt
author_facet Anthony Scott
Jon Helgeim Holte
Julia Witt
author_sort Anthony Scott
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background The public-private mix of healthcare remains controversial. This paper examines physicians’ preferences for public sector work in the context of dual practice, whilst accounting for other differences in the characteristics of jobs. Methods A discrete choice experiment is conducted with data from 3422 non-GP specialists from the Medicine in Australia: Balancing Employment and Life (MABEL) panel survey of physicians. Results Physicians prefer to work in the public sector, though the value of working in the public sector is very small at 0.14% of their annual earnings to work an additional hour per week. These preferences are heterogeneous. Contrary to other studies that show risk averse individuals prefer public sector work, for physicians, we find that those averse to taking career or clinical risks prefer to work in the private sector. Those with relatively low earnings prefer public sector work and those with high earnings prefer private sector work, though these effects are small. Conclusions Other job characteristics are more important than the sector of work, suggesting that these should be the focus of policy to influence specialist’s allocation of time between sectors.
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spelling doaj.art-cda6c17a4dc749cf86ef68953334ad182022-12-22T00:15:46ZengBMCHuman Resources for Health1478-44912020-08-0118111010.1186/s12960-020-00498-4Preferences of physicians for public and private sector workAnthony Scott0Jon Helgeim Holte1Julia Witt2Melbourne Institute: Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of MelbourneFAFO Institute for Labour and Social ResearchDepartment of Economics, University of ManitobaAbstract Background The public-private mix of healthcare remains controversial. This paper examines physicians’ preferences for public sector work in the context of dual practice, whilst accounting for other differences in the characteristics of jobs. Methods A discrete choice experiment is conducted with data from 3422 non-GP specialists from the Medicine in Australia: Balancing Employment and Life (MABEL) panel survey of physicians. Results Physicians prefer to work in the public sector, though the value of working in the public sector is very small at 0.14% of their annual earnings to work an additional hour per week. These preferences are heterogeneous. Contrary to other studies that show risk averse individuals prefer public sector work, for physicians, we find that those averse to taking career or clinical risks prefer to work in the private sector. Those with relatively low earnings prefer public sector work and those with high earnings prefer private sector work, though these effects are small. Conclusions Other job characteristics are more important than the sector of work, suggesting that these should be the focus of policy to influence specialist’s allocation of time between sectors.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12960-020-00498-4Public sectorDual practicePhysiciansDiscrete choice experimentsRisk aversion
spellingShingle Anthony Scott
Jon Helgeim Holte
Julia Witt
Preferences of physicians for public and private sector work
Human Resources for Health
Public sector
Dual practice
Physicians
Discrete choice experiments
Risk aversion
title Preferences of physicians for public and private sector work
title_full Preferences of physicians for public and private sector work
title_fullStr Preferences of physicians for public and private sector work
title_full_unstemmed Preferences of physicians for public and private sector work
title_short Preferences of physicians for public and private sector work
title_sort preferences of physicians for public and private sector work
topic Public sector
Dual practice
Physicians
Discrete choice experiments
Risk aversion
url http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12960-020-00498-4
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