2009 SDCMS Physician Workforce and Compensation Survey

In 2002, the San Diego County Medical Society (SDCMS) conducted San Diego County’s first Physician Workforce and Compensation Survey — a paper survey mailed to all physicians in the county for whom we had an addresses. The 2002 results provided us and local healthcare policymakers with the first insights into physician attitudes toward their work and their workplaces. Our 2002 survey quantified San Diego County’s physician compensation environment as well.

In 2005 we conducted our second Physician Workforce and Compensation Survey, which, unlike the 2002 survey, was an electronic survey sent to all physicians in the county for whom SDCMS had a valid email address. In 2007 we conducted our third survey, which contained all of the questions included in our 2005 survey plus two questions on physician on-call behavior and several questions on County Medical Services reimbursements.

In October, November, and December of 2009, we conducted our fourth survey, using the identical questions as the 2007 survey and an online surveying tool. With 580 physicians responding — a significant increase over the previous two — we are able to claim a confidence level of 95% with a margin of error of +/– 4%. The preponderance of respondents were SDCMS members; however, the distribution of respondents was consistent with San Diego County’s 6,500-plus physician community across modes of practice, geography, gender, and primary/specialty care.

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