What compensation strategies are available?
Mr. Hresko says his team has seen a range of compensation plans for cardiology call coverage, including:
• Hourly rates
• Daily rates
• Percentage of Medicare fee schedule
• Guaranteed portion of payment based on work relative value units
• Subsidies for malpractice insurance
How much are cardiologists paid for call coverage?
Mr. Hresko pointed to on-call compensation rates from the most recent Medical Group Management Association survey. In 2012, the average daily on-call compensation rate for subspecialists was as follows:
• $423 for noninvasive cardiologists
• $919 for invasive interventional cardiologists
• $1,058 for cardiovascular surgeons
Aside from physicians, what other staff members should be kept on call?
Mr. Hresko said interventional cardiologists will need support from on-call cath teams to respond to emergent cases, such as ST-elevated heart attack patients. On-call cath teams often include a nurse, radiology technician and one or two cardiovascular scrub technicians, according to Mr. Hresko. Most hospitals use a single overnight team for their cath lab.
More Articles on On-Call Coverage:
On-Call Coverage for Surgical Specialists Drops 10% in 2012
7 New Statistics on Physician On-Call Pay
Per Diem Call Coverage and the Anti-Kickback Statute: What is Compliant?
