A recent study underscores the escalating trend of physician strikes in the U.S., advocating for critical reforms.
- A new Perspective article in The New England Journal of Medicine, led by researchers at the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, explores the growing trend of physician strikes worldwide.
- It is among the first studies to highlight international lessons for balancing physician collective bargaining rights with the need to protect patient care in the U.S.
- The study emphasizes the urgent need for regulatory reforms to address the rise in physician strikes and to ensure the long-term sustainability of the healthcare system.
Physician Strikes and Policy Analysis
A new Perspective in The New England Journal of Medicine, authored by researchers from the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute and a collaborator from Harvard Law School, calls for urgent regulatory reforms to address the growing prevalence of physician strikes in the United States. The article provides an in-depth analysis of this rising trend and presents a framework for U.S. policymakers to adopt lessons from international best practices.
Titled “Striking a Balance — Advancing Physician Collective-Bargaining Rights and Patient Protections,” the paper was published in the January 11 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine.
Global Trends in Physician Strikes
Over the past two years, there have been significant physician strikes around the globe, including three physician strikes in the U.S. in the last year, with potentially more strikes anticipated in the coming years. Concerns about higher workload, lower compensation, and increased financial pressures have contributed to the rise in unionization among medical residents, fellows, and attending physicians.
The Perspective documents the significant rise in physician strikes globally, citing notable examples from South Korea, France, and the U.K. “Physician strikes are a growing reality that we can no longer ignore,” said lead author Tarun Ramesh, research fellow at the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute. “We examined the impacts of these strikes on healthcare delivery and patient outcomes with the goal of finding potential solutions that, if implemented, can support all sides during times of unrest.”
Proposed Solutions for Managing Strikes
To address the challenges posed by physician strikes, the authors propose several actionable solutions:
- Address Regulatory Gaps: Despite the growing risk of strikes, the U.S. lacks comprehensive regulations to manage them. Policies mandating minimum staffing levels during strikes are critical to ensuring patient safety, as demonstrated by successful models from countries like France and Italy.
- Reduce Legal Challenges: Current U.S. labor laws exclude many physicians from unionizing. Modernizing these laws can empower more physicians to negotiate better working conditions without compromising patient care.
- Prevent Punitive Actions: Protecting striking physicians from punitive actions to align with International Labor Organization guidelines can protect employee–employer relations, public confidence in the medical system, and physicians’ working conditions.
- Engage Stakeholders: Involve key stakeholders such as hospitals, healthcare systems, the American Medical Association, and State Medical Boards in developing and implementing these policies.
“Our findings underscore the urgent need for regulatory reforms to balance the rights of physicians with the imperative of patient safety,” said Hao Yu, senior author and Harvard Medical School associate professor of population medicine at the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute. “By learning from international examples, we can develop policies that protect both healthcare providers and patients.”
Reference: “Striking a Balance — Advancing Physician Collective-Bargaining Rights and Patient Protections,” by Tarun Ramesh, Carmel Shachar and Hao Yu, 11 January 2025.
DOI: 10.1056/NEJMp2411647
