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I thought obsolete meant no longer used. Your description above demonstrates the VA is the opposite. They don't have enough psychiatrists.
2015 job Market
- Thread starter keifernny2
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I thought obsolete meant no longer used. Your description above demonstrates the VA is the opposite. They don't have enough psychiatrists.
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I can't quite figure out why... that...... is........
Obsolete can mean that, however that is not only what it means. http://www.thefreedictionary.com/
Many obsolete things remain in use. Daylight saving time for a recent example.
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Average. Shreveport is hurting for psychiatrists which is 3-4 hours away.
What do you mean by average? What would you say the average salary is? Hard to find a sweet community gig? Easy to fill a cash only practice? Cash only suboxone clinic?
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You'll have to do your own leg work. I don't work there, but being a major metropolitan area there will be a lot of people practicing there or wanting to.
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How have the code changes in 2013 affected private practice. AMGA survey has been static over the last 5 years. 75th and 90th percentile have not seen much change even with the cpt code changes. Cash pay practice and the psychiatrist earning above 90th percentile are probably the ones who have seen the change. I see increased demand and openings but it has not translated into higher salary/reimbursement. There are so many variables, including nurse practitioners, primary care providers taking care of patients, insurance and medicare directing the reimbursement that demand does not equal to higher remuneration. Actually higher demand in many cases leads to less time spent with the patient, leading to lower job satisfaction.I am curious to others observations about this.
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A few Kaiser psychiatrists in California have said over the past few years their census have jumped without big salary increases, and they said its untenable and may leave if things don't change.
I assume the code changes would only help doctors in private practice taking insurance or being paid by RVU through employment.
I know a couple of kaiser psychiatrists and they are getting drowned with patients. Ask any kaiser psychiatrist about "access" and pressure to increase hours, extra nights and weekends, not allowing vacations etc. They are under increased scrutiny and had a recent lawsuit against them, the ones bearing the greatest brunt are the psychiatrists.
They pay pretty good actually. I was going to work there. You can easily make 300k+ with a couple of extra shifts by the time you are partner and it is worth more because of all the benefits. Make sure you are super efficient person who likes to use computers and communicate a lot by email/phone. A kaiser psychiatrist not seeing a patient and writing a prescription for multiple years isn't unheard of. Multiple months is the norm.
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All settled in VA job and reporting back as promised.
Job description: supervisor subspecialty clinic, outpatient, no call/weekends, multiple applicants for position, affiliated with academic medical center, in good location in CA.
My experience is things are negotiable at VA, but amount is primarily based on VA location and how difficult it is to fill the particular position. I was able to negotiate a little more than starting offer, but not a whole lot. FYI I'm not a great negotiator. Heard of positions at different VA with higher salary and recruitment incentives, but none high enough that I would consider moving to that site.
Package: $210k salary + 10k recuitment incentive + EDRP eligibility
I'm happy.
Job description: supervisor subspecialty clinic, outpatient, no call/weekends, multiple applicants for position, affiliated with academic medical center, in good location in CA.
My experience is things are negotiable at VA, but amount is primarily based on VA location and how difficult it is to fill the particular position. I was able to negotiate a little more than starting offer, but not a whole lot. FYI I'm not a great negotiator. Heard of positions at different VA with higher salary and recruitment incentives, but none high enough that I would consider moving to that site.
Package: $210k salary + 10k recuitment incentive + EDRP eligibility
I'm happy.
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I don't understand the obsession about the VA jobs on this thread either. I am leaning toward Vistaril on this debate. I am in a big metro area and the VA's are not paying much more than $180k to start off with.
Nevertheless, $180k v.s. $220k is not that much of the difference IF in the former, the job is so cushy that you get to start a small private practice on the side and you can easily make up the $40k per year difference.
If I were to ever work for the VA (which is never), I would only sign up for a cushy job. Otherwise it loses its meaning.
With the change in CPT codes in 2013, it increased psychiatrist pay across the board. Psychiatrist USED to get paid one set of money for medication check, which is the old code of 90862. Now, psychiatrist can get paid based on complexity which is what all the other specialities have been doing for decades, 99213 v.s. 99214 v.s. 99215. Psychiatrist used to get paid base on time (i.e. 90807 is 45 minutes of psychotherapy with medication management) so time is the primary factor. And as you know very well in medicine, time does not pay well (Derm gets paid a lot because they are paid based on procedure, and not time. and their patients are happy even if you only see them for 5 minutes just as long as the procedure done in those 5 minutes address their concerns.)
Nevertheless, $180k v.s. $220k is not that much of the difference IF in the former, the job is so cushy that you get to start a small private practice on the side and you can easily make up the $40k per year difference.
If I were to ever work for the VA (which is never), I would only sign up for a cushy job. Otherwise it loses its meaning.
With the change in CPT codes in 2013, it increased psychiatrist pay across the board. Psychiatrist USED to get paid one set of money for medication check, which is the old code of 90862. Now, psychiatrist can get paid based on complexity which is what all the other specialities have been doing for decades, 99213 v.s. 99214 v.s. 99215. Psychiatrist used to get paid base on time (i.e. 90807 is 45 minutes of psychotherapy with medication management) so time is the primary factor. And as you know very well in medicine, time does not pay well (Derm gets paid a lot because they are paid based on procedure, and not time. and their patients are happy even if you only see them for 5 minutes just as long as the procedure done in those 5 minutes address their concerns.)
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Congrats! Are there any restrictions on moonlighting/PP on side? How much of a "tax" do they take if you want to do anything like this? Don't know much about work restrictions while working for the VA - I know this sort of thing is pretty common on the academic side.
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No restrictions on moonlighting or PP. Was considering job at affiliated academic medical center and they wanted 25-30% whatever I made in PP/moonlighting. Most of my colleagues at VA have PP or moonlighting gig. Definite pro of working at VA if you want to be affiliated with academic medical center and don't want to give up your earnings.
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