Factors Influencing Physicians' Perceived Compensation Satisfaction in China: Cross-Sectional Study

Physicians' perceived compensation satisfaction enhances work enthusiasm, ensures health care system stability, and inspires health care quality. However, few studies have investigated the combined effect of multiple influencing factors on this perception.

This study investigates the factors influencing Chinese physicians' perceived compensation satisfaction.

A cross-sectional survey was conducted between April and May 2024 to examine physicians' perceived compensation satisfaction, alongside their sociodemographic characteristics and perceived transparency of compensation schemes. A total of 325 valid responses were obtained, with 163 male and 162 female participants. Qualitative comparative analysis was then employed to identify the factors associated with physicians' perceived compensation satisfaction.

The analysis yielded two models: junior physicians' perceptions and senior physicians' perceptions. For junior physicians, compensation scheme transparency contributed to higher perceived compensation satisfaction, regardless of salary or work hours. For senior physicians, two paths contributed to perceived compensation satisfaction: (1) higher salary and compensation scheme transparency and (2) lower salary and compensation scheme transparency combined with a higher technical rank and fewer work hours.

The determinants of perceived compensation satisfaction showed heterogeneity between junior and senior physicians, which underscores the necessity of formulating tiered, targeted compensation packages to improve their perceived compensation satisfaction.