HCPro.com: Physician Compensation & Recruitment

September 2008 (Volume 9, Issue 9)	view entire issue

IPPS, fee schedule contain new Stark changes
CMS issued a slew of changes to the Stark self-referral law in 2007-including the much anticipated Phase III and proposals in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule-leading some in the physician compensation and recruitment industry to declare 2007 the "year of Stark." But those hoping for a break from Stark regulations this year are out of luck. CMS has released several proposals and final rules in this year's physician fee schedule, as well as in the 2009 final inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) rule.

Primary care reports bigger compensation increases than normal as specialists struggle to keep pace with inflation
Although the results of the 2008 MGMA Physician Compensation and Production Survey-one of the most widely used industry surveys and the first released this year-revealed bigger compensation increases than the 2007 survey, the overall physician compensation picture is still one of relative stagnation. However, there was a nugget of good news in the data for primary care physicians. Compensation increases were larger than normal for primary care from 2006 to 2007 (the survey is based on data from 2007) after years of flat or declining compensation, and overall primary care compensation increased at roughly twice the rate as overall specialty compensation.

Low comp creates geriatrician shortage as population ages
With the number of older adults in the United States expected to nearly double by 2030, the need for geriatricians has never been higher. But training new geriatric specialists has rarely been more difficult, due in large part to the specialty's low compensation levels compared to other specialties. In fact, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) predicts an impending healthcare crisis caused by a widening gap between the number of geriatricians needed and the number currently being trained. The IOM report, Retooling for an Aging America: Building the Health Care Workforce, released earlier this year, advocated improving recruitment and retention of geriatric specialists and paying higher salaries.

Recruiters seek efficiency in ailing economy, tight market
Physicians are in high demand, as the much-discussed staffing shortage and an ailing economy affect all parts of the country. Like many others, the healthcare job market is feeling the financial strain, leading the way toward new, innovative recruiting strategies. And it's pushing recruiters to step up their game. Get creative: Develop a more efficient recruitment process to compete In addition to competition, the economy is now playing a major role in the physician recruitment process, says Scott Hurst, director of consulting at Dallas-based Delta Physician Placement.

Other recently-published articles from Physician Compensation & Recruitment:

OIG, CMS promise increased scrutiny. Are you prepared yet?

Low reimbursement depresses compensation

Experts: Economic woes, physician demand, wRVUs to figure prominently in 2009

In debt, heavily recruited, and aware of their value, residents are making their career decisions earlier

High demand, increased procedures drive compensation

Hospitals turn to employment model as on-call solution

Low compensation continues to create challenges

On-call pay trends begin to stabilize, survey finds

Recruiters seek efficiency in ailing economy, tight market

Low comp creates geriatrician shortage as population ages

Primary care reports bigger compensation increases than normal as specialists struggle to keep pace with inflation

IPPS, fee schedule contain new Stark changes

’Float pool’ offers alternative to locum tenens

Choose the right on-call comp model for your hospital

IMG physicians can ease looming shortage

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