Sept. 24, 2025

How collective action is shaping physician empowerment and patient care

Physician leader Janet A. Jokela discusses its article "." The piece reflects on the evolution of physician unions since the 1980s, beginning with housestaff associations focused on scut work and duty hours, through the Libby Zion case that...

Physician leader Janet A. Jokela discusses its article "Collective action as a path to patient-centered care." The piece reflects on the evolution of physician unions since the 1980s, beginning with housestaff associations focused on scut work and duty hours, through the Libby Zion case that transformed resident supervision, to today's growing movement of resident and employed physician unions across major institutions. The article explains how administrative burdens, loss of professional autonomy, and physician burnout have fueled interest in collective action not to abandon patients, but to protect their care. Key insights from ACP's policy paper Empowering Physicians through Collective Action include the need to ensure physicians have a voice in governance, safeguard them from retaliation, and prioritize patient access to safe, affordable, high-quality care. Listeners will come away with a deeper understanding of why collective empowerment may ultimately strengthen both physician well-being and the patient-physician relationship.

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