A B.C. study suggests patients having trouble finding doctors and specialists will see the problem exacerbate in the coming years, revealing that about 40% of doctors in the province are at - or near - the average age that doctors retire, 65.1. The study also shows 40% of doctors reduce their workload at least 10% in the three years before they retire. Additionally, female physicians tend to retire four years before male doctors, and on average, rural doctors retire 2.3 years earlier. The study's lead author says that while most doctors operate their practices within the fee-for-service model, different models of payment may encourage more doctors to work longer. The study encourages policy-makers to focus on flexible or reduced work hours to maintain an adequate supply of physicians and to reduce burnout.
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