Texas doctors say their revenue has dropped by at least 50% since the pandemic, survey data shows

by Raga Justin, Texas Tribune


As both a health care worker and a small-business owner, the coronavirus pandemic hit Austin pediatrician Ari Brown especially hard.

“The public perception of health care right now is: You guys are inundated, and it’s like being in ‘Grey’s Anatomy,’” Brown said. While that was true for hospital and emergency room doctors, she said, for independent medical practices, “there was this abrupt halt in business as usual.” Even with a swift rollout of telemedicine, her patient volume dropped by at least 50% for two months.

To cope with the resulting cash crunch, Brown reduced her employees’ hours, began calling patients to remind them of mandatory vaccinations and met families in the parking lot for check-ups. She hasn’t taken a paycheck since March 15.

An unlikely casualty of the coronavirus pandemic, independent medical practices are experiencing severe financial strain, according to a Texas Medical Association survey of physicians released Wednesday. The survey analyzed responses from 1,548 Texas physicians and found that 68% of practicing physicians have had to cut work hours, while 62% have had their salaries reduced.

Read more: https://www.texastribune.org/2020/05/20/coronavirus-texas-doctors-revenue-drop/