2011 Physician Compensation Survey Data: Physicians Practice

Physician's Practice has published their 2011 survey results on physician compensation and how health form effected compensation last year, as well as future projections for how compensation may be directly effected in the years to come. The survey had participation of more than 1,700 doctors in every specialty.

The site has also created slides to determine how physicians are currently faring with the recent government changes implemented last year. They also provide information and guidance on how to cope with shifting reimbursement while maintaining income during transitions.

Access the full report by clicking here: http://www.physicianspractice.com/physician-compensation-survey/content/article/1462168/1979110?pageNumber=2

Physician Employment Outlook: Market Strong for Physicians Seeking Employment

The increase in demand for physicians continues to remain strong; data proves if you are a physician looking for a position it is a buyer's market. The most in-demand specialties continue to be Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine, and Family Medicine physicians, however most all physician specialists will have their choices of employment options.

As always geography is the most limited option when evaluating physician opportunities, the larger and more desirable cities will always offer positions based on supply and demand, and there continues to be significant demand from physicians for bigger metropolitan areas with significant medical and educational presence. 

According to a recent article in Physician's Practice blog site, healthcare employment remains strong for physicians seeking positions, employers seeking physicians have a more tangible struggle identifying talent in such a competitive market. More physician positions are currently opening than physician candidates are available to fill them. Read the full article by clicking here: http://www.physicianspractice.com/blog/content/article/1462168/2073586

Further identifying the shortage, HEALTHeCAREERS released physician posting results from the first quarter of 2012 last week. Their data emphasizes growing evidence of a talent shortage among physicians, as well as nurses and health IT staff. According to the results of physician postings on their sites the healthcare industry continues to face a talent shortage, particularly among physicians and non-entry level nurses. Access the full report by clicking here: http://www.healthecareers.com/accp/article/healthecareers-network-releases-q1-2012-healthcare-jobs-snapshot/170269

Hospital Employment Contracts: Are They as Secure as Physicians Think?

In this healthcare environment where possible new changes in laws and the government could effect the future of healthcare, many physicians are seeking hospital employment to secure their positions. However it is crucial for physicians to have a good understanding of the employment agreement before they sign it to make sure the position is as secure as they think it will be.

In today's American Medical News an article highlights 2 traps in some hospital employment contracts many physican's dont realize until after they have already signed and started: All Physicians Sign the Same Contract and Employment by Hospitals is Less Risky than Private Practice.

Read the full article in American Medical News, or click here: http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2012/04/30/bicb0430.htm

Neurosurgery Market Watch

Third edition of Neurosurgery Market Watch now available online!

Our feature article is an analysis of hospital employment positions for Neurosurgeons. We have a new private practice featured in our practice profile, while health lawyer Roderick Holloman addresses contract and employment challenges in our Legal Corner column. And don’t forget to check out our standing sections, Where the Neurosurgery Jobs Are and the Featured Opportunity.

Click here to read the full issue: http://harlequinna.com/neurosurgery-market-watch/

Avoiding the Wrong Fit: A Physician’s Guide to Evaluating Culture

Assessing a physician opportunity is crucial to ensure a mutually beneficial relationship is established upon signing. Evaluating a group's culture to confirm both parties have the same vision and expectations during the interview process is a very important way to make sure the move is a long-term one.

There are many factors to consider in evaluating a physician job opportunity: community need, support, compensation, the core values of the group, mission, location, etc., however culture is one of the most important considerations.

This article in the New England Journal of Medicine elaborates on exploring the culture of a group during the interview process.


Read the full article by clicking here:
http://www.nejmcareercenter.org/article/5439/avoiding-the-wrong-fit-a-physician-s-guide-to-evaluating-culture/

Increase in Part-Time Physician Employment

While part-time has been a documented increasing trend amongst women physicians, a new study also determines there is an increase in part-time employment from male physicians as well. Some of the largest medical groups are increasing part-time employment for all experience levels of physicians, for both men and women.

The part-time employment situation can be mutually beneficial to both parties; at any stage of their career physicians have more flexibility and quality of life, while hospitals and medical groups have adequate coverage and patient care.

In 2011, part-time physicians represented 25% of the workforce in large groups, up from 13% in 2005, according to the latest physician retention survey conducted by the American Medical Group Association (AMGA) and Cejka Search.

Male physicians account for 62% of physicians in the groups responding to the survey. The percentage of male physicians who are part-time more than tripled from 2005 to 2011, increasing from 7% to 22%. The part-time rate for women physicians increased at a slower clip, from 29% to 44%. The survey shows that 3 in 4 groups offer a 4-day full-time work week.

Large medical groups and hospitals are currently transitioning employment options to attract new physicians and provide more flexible options for existing physicians, thus helping with retention. In 2011, the turnover rate was 6%, which was slightly down from 6.4% in 2005.

In this healthcare environment it is crucial for hospitals and medical groups to remain flexible and offer alternate employment options. Part-time employment is one way to appeal to many practicing physicians at any stage of their career.

Read more at MedScape, or click here:
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/760627

Physician Employment Model Cycles

There is recent press significantly documenting the trend to hospital employment. According to American Hospital Association data analyzed by Medscape Medical News, there is a 34% increase in physician employment by hospitals since 2000. However this trend is not revolutionary, like any sector physician employment also has cycles.

Our physician recruiting firm has absolutely seen an increase in hospital employment positions, however there are still some very strong and successful private practices that are stable, profitable, and offer many of the same appeals as hospital employment: specifically, quality of life. Private practices have a stereotype as physicians working long hours, however there are many private groups that offer shared call and very similar lifestyles compared with hospital employed groups.

Motivators for physicians seeking more private-based models are maintaining their independence, having more control of their income and day-to-day operations, and sometimes frustrations with hospital employed contracts and the feeling that the hospital isn't following through with some of the promises made during negotiations.

Hospital employment remains strong and a mutual choice amongst both physicians and hospitals; however there will always be other employment options in any cycle and economic environment, and there will always be physicians who thrive under a private model.


For more information, check out the article in MedScape Today, or click here:
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/757386

Physician Contract Language: Outside Work Activities

Traditionally many physicians have earned extra income with locums or moon-lighting opportunities. Some physicians have even occasionally or regularly been expert witnesses in trials, or particularly in more saturated and populated areas taken call at multiple hospitals. Many academic and even private based physicians also speak regularly at events.

In the current trend of hospital employment, are these avenues for earning extra income not permitted in the employment contracts? Sometimes in contracts physicians aren't permitted to earn extra income outside what is listed in their employment contracts, or even in more unique situations, sometimes any extra income earned may be the right or need to be shared with the entity that owns the employment contract, such as the hospital that employs the physician. Steven Harris, a partner at McDonald Hopkins in Chicago has recently written an article in American Medical News deciphering the language of outside work in physician employment contracts. According to the article, some employers prohibit engagement in outside activities and services altogether, while others permit certain activities that do not interfere with the physician's day-to-day responsibilities.

The article mentions further that physicians need to be aware of requirements that give the employer the right to approve or reject outside activities, prior to signing any agreement. The physician's desired activities should be specifically identified in the employment agreement as permitted activities, even if the physician does not necessarily plan on outside employment but may wish to in the future.

If an employer does permit the physician to earn income in outside work situations, it's also important to determine if income generated from such activities belongs to the physician or the employer.

The last question is whether outside activities are covered by the physician's liability insurance policy.

The article goes on to explain how important negotiations are before the physician signs; contract clauses describing what the physician can and cannot do outside of the employment relationship are of key importance. It is best to address these issues at the onset of the employer-employee relationship so that all parties are on the same page from the beginning.

Read the full article in American Medical News, or click here:
http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2012/03/05/bicb0305.htm

Recruiting During a Physician Shortage: Play Up Mission

We are in a physician shortage and there has been a lot of media attention on how to attract and retain physicians. However this article we found in NPR brought up a new idea to attract physicians, focus recruitment efforts to new candidates on highlighting missionary work, a reverse-recruitment model.

Hospitals in more rural areas having even more difficulty attracting new physicians have started offering potential candidates up to 8 weeks off to do missionary work overseas. The appeal of mission-based work has been effective with certain candidates, physicians can elect to do missionary work in under-served countries such as Haiti or Mexico.

Under healthcare reform, an estimated 32 million more Americans with health insurance is expected to strain the existing healthcare workforce.

We work with many physician candidates seeking missionary work or short-term locums assignments overseas in countries like Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, and Qatar. However hospitals highlighting these opportunities and providing significant time off for physicians to participate in missionary projects is a forward-thinking, innovative way to attract potential candidates.


Read the full article in NPR, or click here:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/02/02/145860801/how-one-hospital-entices-doctors-to-work-in-rural-america

Private/ Small Physician Practice Confidence Increase

Although hospital employment is rampant and there is a lot of media attention on the increase of hospital employment models, our firm still sees a significant number of private practices thriving in this economic environment as well as candidates seeking private or small group employment models.

We consider this an encouraging sign, and Healthcare IT has recently reported an increase of confidence in private and small group physician practices, attributed to implementing new technology. According to a recent article, 60% of physicians in small or medium-sized practices say technology has made things easier for them, and nearly half say business is better this year compared to last, according to a new survey released today by EMR vendor Practice Fusion.

Among findings from the poll:

-45% of physicians report that their practice is doing better this year compared to last year, while 14% report that their practice is doing worse and 33% report no change. (In the 2011 State of the Small Practice Survey, only 26% reported that their practice was doing better than the year before, while 41% reported doing worse.)
-60% of small practices report that new technology has made things easier.
-89% of doctors report being satisfied or extremely satisfied with their career despite challenges, a 20% increase from the year before.

Most practices ranked insurance and reimbursement as the top negative pressure (69%), followed by patient compliance issues (64%) and practice administration concerns (48 %).

Advancements in medicine (68%), patient compliance (53%) and improvement in the healthcare workforce (51%) were among the positive trends cited by physicians in this survey.

Read the full article at Healthcare IT News, or click here:
http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/buoyed-it-small-practice-confidence