University at Buffalo resident doctors have hit the picket line as part of a four-day strike at most local hospitals. WBFO spoke with their union’s national president on what has led them to this “last case” scenario – and what it means for local healthcare.
Hospitals are filled with many doctors, but not all doctors are the same. You have attending physicians, fellows, heads of department, and of course, residents.
“They’re the lynchpin of hospitals. They take care of the patients every step of the way from point of contact, histories, and physicals through to surgeries," said Dr. Stuart Bussey, President of the Union of American Physicians and Dentists. "They’re liable as well as the attending’s for anything bad that happens. But most of the work I dare say, falls on the shoulders of residents."
For the longest time, they lacked that title and opportunity.
"They used to be called students," the union president said. "But in 1999 the NLRB [National Labor Relations Board] made a decision that they are employees, and entitled to the benefits of employees.”
Dr. Bussey said it's not just salary – but those benefits that are a major reason why UB resident doctors are striking.
“Health benefits, retirement, teaching stipends, meal stipends, and the things that other residency programs already have," he said. "They just want the same thing that you know, Rochester, and SUNY Albany have.”
Part of the problem Bussey said – is how residents are employed. Not through the university where they take their classes – or the hospital systems where they care for patients – but through a private company, University Medical Resident Services.
“We want to see the books, they don’t show us the books. And we want to know the rationale why they don’t have the money or why they won’t even address it," a frustrated Bussey said. "We are tired of dancing around a ten-headed organization, we want to talk to one person with one authority.”
UMRS in a statement says they’ve proposed salary increases which are “virtually the same” as the union had proposed. Current salaries average around $60,000 a year for 80-hour work weeks. The union argues that equates to less than the hourly minimum wage.
A spokesperson for UB’s Jacobs School of Medicine said the school “continues to support and advocate for salary increases for medical residents and improvements to their educational and working conditions.”
Working conditions Bussey believes are part of the reason why mental health among doctors is so low — citing Center for Disease Control and National Institutes of Health research that shows medical doctors lead occupations in suicide rates.
“Doctors are perfectionists, residents have a lot of stressors. A distressful 3, 4, 5-year period of your life," he said. "Why make it harder with no healthcare benefits, a measly paycheck, and no voice? You know modern sweatshop, whatever word you want to use here, I’ll use it.”
