LFC physician survey finds two-thirds of respondents considering leaving New Mexico; malpractice concerns and burnout cited
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Summary
An LFC survey of about 1,200 licensed physicians found 65% are considering leaving the state; top reasons cited include punitive-damage risks and malpractice insurance, burnout, and quality-of-life factors. LFC did not recommend policies in the brief but offered data and an interactive dashboard for further review.
LFC staff presented results of a physician survey to the committee, reporting widespread concern about workforce losses and the impacts of shortages on care. "Sixty-five percent of New Mexico physicians who were surveyed are currently considering leaving the state to practice elsewhere," said Dr. Allegra Hernandez, who led the briefing.
The survey, fielded to roughly 17,000 licensed physicians with about 1,200 respondents, carried an estimated 3.5% margin of error at a 99% confidence level, Hernandez said. Respondents reported that provider shortages contribute to burnout (74% reported burnout attributed to shortages), delays in care (94%), and reductions in quality of care (84%). When asked why they were considering leaving, respondents most commonly cited concerns about punitive damages and high malpractice insurance costs.
Hernandez emphasized the brief was descriptive, not prescriptive. "This brief does not recommend any policy options," she told the committee; the survey was designed to provide a snapshot of physicians’ experiences and priorities. The dashboard LFC staff built shows specialty-level pay comparisons and trends; Hernandez said it indicates significant pay increases in recent years for some specialties and that compensation alone is not the only driver of departures.
Committee members sought more disaggregated data. Several lawmakers asked for breakdowns by employment setting (hospital-employed vs. private practice), by rural versus urban practice, and by specialty and insurance-cost exposures — all factors that could change the interpretation of why specific groups of physicians are leaving. Hernandez acknowledged the survey sample skewed older and that the brief did not disaggregate by employer type or location; she said LFC will provide additional analysis and conduct follow-up roundtables with UNM and other stakeholders to probe solutions.
What happens next: LFC staff will provide supplementary data on specialties, compensation, and possible ties to malpractice or insurance cost burdens where available, and will coordinate stakeholder roundtables to explore potential policy responses.