More doctors say government regulations and third-partyinterference are the largest barriers to good health care forpatients, according to the preliminary results of PhysiciansPractice’s 2017 Great American Physician Survey.

The magazine polled 826 physicians and found that 40 percentfeel this way about regulation, compared to 37 percent in lastyear’s survey. In addition, 40 percent give the Trumpadministration a failing grade on health care, while 12percent give it a D; 21 percent give it a C; 18 percent give it aB; and 9 percent give it an A.

In terms of the health policy issues that physicians care about,73 percent say they want protections for patients with pre-existingconditions; 66 percent want regulations for the cost ofmedications; and 51 percent want increased competition among healthinsurers.

Just over half (52 percent) of respondents say they want tocontinue practicing as they do now for the next three years, while21 percent say they plan to retire. Other things the respondentsplan to do include transitioning to a direct-pay practice (6percent); joining an accountable care organization (3 percent);merging with other private practices (3 percent); selling theirpractice and become hospital employed (2 percent); or becoming apatient-centered medical home (3 percent).

Given the chance to go back in time and consider another careerpath, 46 percent say they would do everything roughly the way theydid it the first time; 19 percent say they would choose a specialtythat provides greater work-life balance; 17 percent say they wouldchoose a profession other than health care; 13 percent say theywould choose a more financially lucrative specialty; and 5 percentsay they would choose some other career in health care as anon-physician.

Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of physicians say they would bewilling to go part-time and 57 percent say they wish they workedfewer hours. When asked what they would be willing to sacrifice inorder to work less, 29 percent say money; 16 percent say influenceover management decisions; 10 percent say their future opportunityto become a partner; 10 percent say partnership; 7 percent saybenefits; and 54 percent say nothing — they can’t afford tosacrifice anything to work less.

The full results of the survey will be published later thismonth.