The American Medical Association (AMA) and Atalan are combining resources and launching a new research collaboration focused on advancing understanding of the factors that influence physician retention across U.S. health systems. The PROGRESS Study (Physician Retention, Optimization, and Growth: Real-world Evidence and Sentiment Synthesis) is a multi-site research initiative aimed at helping health systems better understand the conditions that support physician retention, workforce stability, and organizational success.

Read the full AMA and Atalan partnership announcement. 

Through this study, the researchers aim to better understand how physician perceptions align with observed operational patterns.

Perception and Attitudinal Data: The AMA’s Organizational Biopsy® provides a comprehensive assessment and program to support health systems in four domains: 

• Organizational culture
• Practice efficiency 
• Self-care and personal well-being   
• Retention

Operational Data: Atalan’s Clinician Retention Intelligence (CRI) provides predictive insights on key operational measures using non-survey data from the EHR, HRIS, and scheduling systems to detect drivers of retention risk among clinicians in seven domains:

• Messaging and Communication 
• Scheduling Pressure
• Clinical Workload
• EHR and Documentation Burden
• Team Environment
• Personal Characteristics
• Employment Factors

The stakes for improving physician retention are high. Physician burnout remains a significant driver of turnover, creating challenges for patient access, workforce stability, and organizational performance. The AMA estimates that physician turnover can cost organizations between $500,000 and more than $1 million per physician when recruitment, onboarding, lost productivity, and related costs are considered. 

Through the PROGRESS Study, the AMA and Atalan aim to generate evidence to better understand the drivers of physician retention and inform how health organizations support their clinical workforce.