FAQs for Faculty Physicians
Emergency Medicine
On-line documentation will cause a 15% decrease in faculty productivity?
EMR will produce more benefits than barriers.
Can we count on a new "scribe" program to offset productivity deficits?
We will evaluate any and all suggestions.
Which AAMC benchmark is used for target compensation markers?
National (not the lower Regional).
How do we decide Rank?
7-7-7 then evaluation by new Committee.
How does the new incentive pool work?
This is a truly individual pool that has no relationship to co-worker achievement.
If we all succeed in all of our goals and qualify for a 30% incentive, where will the funding come from to cover this?
Goals should be reasonable and additional revenue would result in global achievement.
Will there be a Peds ER benchmark as opposed to a normal ER wRVU benchmark? Can we blend the target for those who cross over into both units?
We will use total ER and evaluate potential changes during 2010.
Concern over a wRVU focus that trumps other mission areas?
Use goal setting to manifest importance of education and research initiatives.
Are benefits based on total compensation or base compensation?
Base with projected incentive.
What is the process for exceptions to the model?
A committee will be formed for review and recommendations.
Concern over bedside time vs. student and resident educational time?
Goal setting will remain out foremost option to manage this issue.
Question related to access to incentive and percentage of clinical time required?
wRVU targets will mirror clinical workload expectations.
Neurology
How do we use subspecialty wRVU benchmarks?
Use departmental baseline in the absence of subspecialty target.
How do I negotiate my wRVU target?
Start with Chair and we expect a committee to review change requests.
Inpatient RVU production is not controllable?
Inpatient RVU production is normally predictable and we will set targets accordingly.
Inter-departmental competition for RVU productivity may represent a concern?
We can manage this with goal-setting.
How does merit play out in the new model?
We will follow CHS guidelines, model plan will trump this process.
How do you manage short or long-term disability and wRVU production?
Unresolved, but we will initiate a fair and globally applicable process.
Do you expect reduction in compensation to impact faculty retention?
We desire an increase in productivity where possible.
How do you manage teaching time in a non-resident setting?
We will acknowledge time spent on other non-clinical goals that may be a part of our incentive process.
Do wRVU's vary by specialty?
No, the same RVU-CPT schedule applies to all service lines.
Orthopaedics
What if our MLP's bill on their own and are not helping the attending of record?
They should not present a RVU hurdle.
Will future faculty productivity reports show the 75th percentile wRVU goals?
Yes.
Private practices get preferential OR times. Can we expect real change?
This will be a key to our success.
It would be helpful to see a wRVU - CPT code crosswalk?
One will be provided and posted on line by Janaury 1.
We are concerned about intra-departmental competition for cases?
Questioned the meaning of a broader CHS incentive for $3 million?
What assurances do we see for Quality vs. Quantity concern?
Quality measures should be part of our individual faculty goal structure
Caution: Be mindful of gaming and OR access trickery?
We will encourage fair play and monitoring/reporting of misbehavior.
How do you manage subspecialty wRVU targets?
We use base departmental target in the absence of other benchmarks.
Can individual goals be shared with colleagues?
Yes, this will be encouraged for some universal desires.
Pediatrics
If incentive compendation is tied to RVU productivity, what is the value of our efforts in Education and Quality?
Both Education and Quality can be personal incentive goals and you would have protected time for each under the clinical orientation assignment.
Do you expect the empasis on RVU production to have a detrimental effect on resident education and other activities?
We expect to continue our focus on quality, education and citizenship with protected faculty time for these goals.
Is it possible to have some incentive based on non-clinical work?
Yes.
It would be helpful to see a wRVU - CPT code crosswalk?
If I achive personal RVU goals but patient satisfaction scores fall, is this a good result?
We remain committed to both productivity and lpatient satisfaction. We expect some goals to focus on patient satisfaction.
PM&R
How do we define other goals - non RVU?
Chair to produce 3-5 each.
Request a one-page summary of the new program?
On-line site to be established.
Do we use Total RVU vs. wRVU?
wRVU.
Is the incentive program a step threshold or a graded variance?
Step.
Will the RVU target change each year?
Varies with MGMA benchmark.
How will inpatient vs. outpatient responsibilites alter RVU target?
We acknowledge that some outreach and other duties render varying RVU opportunities.
Will we still have a merit system?
Varies with CHS policy, model trumps.
Will we have another no-merit year?
Varies with CHS policy, model trumps.
How will we change over from 85-15% to 80-20%?
In 2011 with potential graded dynaimcs.
Will new employees fall into the new program?
We may target growth areas in some cases and ease into the model.
When will we receive individual report cards??
April, 2010.
Model uses 7-year incrementsments. CHS will convene a review committee for future assignment.
