Time clock requirements for hospital physicians. Issue 6 (June 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Shapira, Chen; Vilnai-Yavetz, Iris; Rafaeli, Anat; Zemel, Moran
• Is Part Of: Health policy. Volume 120:Issue 6(2016)
• Page Start: 690
• Page End: 697
• Publication Date: 2016-06
• Subjects: Clocking in -- Time clocks -- Hospital physicians -- Sense of calling -- Quit intentions; Medical education -- Periodicals; Medical policy -- Periodicals; Delivery of Health Care -- Periodicals; Education, Medical -- Periodicals; Health Education -- Periodicals; Health Planning -- Periodicals; Public Policy -- Periodicals; Enseignement médical -- Périodiques; Politique sanitaire -- Périodiques; Medical education; Medical policy; Periodicals; Electronic journals; Electronic journals; 362.1
• DOI: 10.1016/j.healthpol.2016.04.013
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0168-8510

Abstract

Highlights: 676 physicians in 42 hospitals reacted to a requirement to punch a time clock. There were strong negative reactions to the clock and policy makers. Positive correlation of sense of calling with negative reactions to clock. Overall sense of calling of physicians remained high and quit intentions were low. Professionalism can buffer against negative effects of unpopular policies. Abstract: An agreement negotiated following a doctors' strike in 2011 introduced a requirement that physicians in Israel's public hospitals clock in and out when starting and leaving work. The press reported strong negative reactions to this policy and predicted doctors deserting hospitals en masse. This study examines physicians' reactions toward the clock-in/clock-out policy 6 months after its implementation, and assesses the relationship between these reactions and aspects of their employment context. 676 physicians in 42 hospitals responded to a survey assessing doctor's reactions toward the clock, hospital policy makers, and aspects of their work. Reactions to the clock were generally negative. Sense of calling correlated positively with negative reactions to the clock, and the latter correlated positively with quit intentions. However, overall, respondents reported a high sense of calling and low quit intentions. We suggest that sense of calling buffers and protects physicians from quit intentions. Differences in reactions to the clock were associated with different employment characteristics, but sense of calling did not vary by hospital size or type or by physicians' specialty. The findings offer insights into how physicians' working environment affects their reactions to regulatory interventions, and highlight medical professionalism as buffering reactions to unpopular regulatory policies.