The SullivanCotter survey contains data from 517 organizations covering more than 98,000 health care providers and 240 specialties and positions.
Survey respondents reported a median total cash compensation increases of 4.9 percent for primary care physicians, down from a 5.7 percent increase in 2013.
Survey findings also indicated an increase in the employment of physicians, a rise in the use of advanced practice clinicians and a greater prevalence of quality metrics being used for compensation incentives for physicians in 2014.
Additional highlights from the survey include the following.
- Specialty physicians saw a compensation increase of 1.9 percent in 2014, down from a 3.2 percent increase last year.
- Surgical specialty physicians experienced an increase of 2.5 percent in 2014 compared to 2.3 percent last year.
- A majority of survey respondents, 68 percent, indicated they increased their employed physician and advanced practice clinicians population in 2014.
- Roughly 66 percent of participants plan on increasing the number of employed physicians and advanced practice clinicians within the next year.
- As the healthcare market shifts to value-based care, 39 percent of respondents reported using quality metrics as part of physician incentive compensation, up from 32 percent in 2013.
- Overall, quality incentives make up approximately 5 percent of physician total cash compensation, consistent with survey results from 2013.
More articles on physician compensation:
University Medical Center of El Paso CEO, other hospital executives awarded bonuses months after layoffs
Physician pay hits a plateau: 7 findings about practice & personal income
Is executive compensation aligned with health system strategy? 10 findings
