Stratification incompatibility in the social status of doctors in the Russian state healthcare system

Abstract

The article examines the problem of the influence of stratification incompatibility on doctors’ satisfaction with their social status based on a secondary analysis of specialised publications and available statistical data. Using the results of studies devoted to various aspects of doctors’ satisfaction with their social status and work, typical status characteristics of Russian medics are determined, discrepancies between the social significance of their work, efforts expended, and level of material remuneration for labour are revealed. Subjective dissatisfaction of doctors with their income level, confirmed by statistical data, is noted. A contradiction is revealed in the assessment of the prestige of the profession by society and medics themselves which consists in a lower assessment of this indicator by doctors, the reasons for which are excessive workload, transformation of their role from an authoritative expert to a service provider, and formation of a negative image of a medic by the media by focusing public attention on mistakes, failures of doctors, scandals with their participation. Doctors tend to leave low-paid jobs, creating a personnel imbalance in the industry and exacerbating the existing shortage of specialists. To mitigate stratification incompatibility, it is necessary to increase the income level of medics and prestige of the profession, reconsidering their role in society and creating a positive image of both health workers and entire system as a whole.