Factors identified with higher levels of career satisfaction of physicians in Andalusia, Spain
The satisfaction of physicians is a world wide issue linked with the quality of health services; their satisfaction needs to be studied from a multi-dimensional perspective, consid ering lower- and higher-order needs. The objectives of this study were to: i) measure the career satisfaction of physicians; ii) identify differences in the dimensions of career satis faction; and iii) test factors that affect higher and lower-order needs of satisfaction among physicians working in Andalusian hospitals (Spain). Forty-one percent of 299 eligible physicians participated in a study conducted in six selected hospitals. Physicians reported higher professional, inherent, and perform ance satisfaction than personal satisfaction. Foreign physicians reported higher levels of personal and performance satisfaction than local physicians, and those who received non monetary incentives had higher professional and performance satisfaction. In conclusion, physicians in the selected Andalusian hospi tals reported low levels of personal satisfac tion. Non-monetary incentives were more rele vant to influence their career satisfaction. Further investigations are recommended to study differences in the career satisfaction between foreign and local physicians.
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