1600 FRONTLINE DOCTORS SEEK TO UNIONIZE TO BOLSTER PATIENT CARE

BUFFALO, N.Y., Feb. 23, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- More than a thousand frontline doctors in New York and California say their ability to deliver quality patient care is suffering amid burnout caused by poor working conditions, low wages, excessive workloads, and unaddressed mental health needs—a major cause of soaring doctor suicides.

As a result, doctors at Loma Linda University Health outside Los Angeles, and University at Buffalo in upstate New York—a combined 1,600 physicians—filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board to form a union with the Union of American Physicians & Dentists (UAPD). The action comes during the 6th Annual "Thank a Resident/Fellow" Week in which the doctors are celebrated for their hard work.

"How can anyone expect good quality care when these two health systems show no concern for their own providers," said Dr. Stuart Bussey, an M.D. in private practice and president of UAPD. "This has got to change."

About 800 doctors at each health system face similar concerns. Both came under intense pressure during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and emergency room patient volumes continue to run high. Meanwhile, providers say that health systems like these continue to layer additional demands on them as they work in difficult conditions.

In Buffalo, the intensity of last year's mass shooting and major blizzard in January have doubled those pressures. Doctors working at seven hospitals affiliated with University at Buffalo say while life is slowly returning to normal, the delivery of healthcare remains in crisis mode.

At Loma Linda, the hardships are just as real. Among the top concerns is scheduling doctors to work concurrent shifts of up to 120 hours per week, leading to grueling work conditions that undermine patient care. Along with failing to provide a safe space for doctors to sleep in the hospital when they are required to remain overnight. The practice has resulted in some providers sleeping on the floor or in a closet.

"This is how we are treating doctors in 2023," Bussey explained.

Recent studies show that these growing demands on frontline physicians have caused doctor suicides to spike. Today, doctors face the highest suicide rates among all professions and are double the national average.

About the Union of American Physicians & Dentists
The Union of American Physicians & Dentists (UAPD) has organized physicians and providers since 1972. With more than 5,000 members in California, New Mexico, and Washington State, UAPD is the largest union of licensed physicians and advanced practice clinicians nationwide. Members work for state and county governments, large healthcare organizations and nonprofit health systems, as well as providers in private practice. Learn more at www.uapd.com.

Contact Information:
Vivi Le
Communications Manager
Union of American Physicians & Dentists
(714) 552-9841
[email protected]

SOURCE Union of American Physicians and Dentists