How is it?
Any Kaiser Permanente Hospitalist in the house?
- Thread starter Gpan
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I moonlighted as a Kaiser hospitalist...very briefly. The night I had 12 admits in 8 hours was the last time I did it.
That sucks.
Kaiser seems to have a good reputation for whatever reasons. People keep talking about how their pension plan is great and all
So far in my opinion they have 2 things going against them:
1-They pay average to low
2- They locate in California-aka Tax Hell for Doctors
Kaiser seems to have a good reputation for whatever reasons. People keep talking about how their pension plan is great and all
So far in my opinion they have 2 things going against them:
1-They pay average to low
2- They locate in California-aka Tax Hell for Doctors
I have no direct experience working at Kaiser outside of spending some time there during rotations in residency. However, I've seen quite a few ppl go there to do hospitalist after residency. They all seemed pretty happy and with bonuses + benefits, the compensation sounded very good to me... however, I'm biased because I'm a nephrology fellow in SoCal, a terrible market for nephrologists and a lukewarm market for hospitalists.
If I recall correctly, they were telling me that the pay was in the low 200Ks (something like 210-220K/year plus bonuses to get up a bit higher, I think?) The schedule also didn't sound too bad and some of the places had family med residents who would admit with you.
I was trying to get a nephrology position at Kaiser, but no dice (unfortunately, pretty much every non-established non-partner neprhologist in the area had the same idea). Most of the hospitalists and specialists that I know who work at Kaiser seem to be happy... primary care, not so much.
If I recall correctly, they were telling me that the pay was in the low 200Ks (something like 210-220K/year plus bonuses to get up a bit higher, I think?) The schedule also didn't sound too bad and some of the places had family med residents who would admit with you.
I was trying to get a nephrology position at Kaiser, but no dice (unfortunately, pretty much every non-established non-partner neprhologist in the area had the same idea). Most of the hospitalists and specialists that I know who work at Kaiser seem to be happy... primary care, not so much.
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There are also Kaiser hospitals in Oregon and (I think) Georgia.
Talking to some of my friends who work for Kaiser, I think a bit of the bloom that drew people there initially has come off the rose. On the one hand, you never have to worry about your patients not being able to afford the meds and treatments you suggest. On the other hand, one of the benefits of Kaiser was being insulated from the financial aspects of medicine. But they're subject to all the same Meaningless Use CMS crap the rest of us are now.
I still think it's a pretty decent place to work and most of my friends who work for Kaiser still like it (I know 20 or so people from residency and fellowship who work for Kaiser), but IMHO it's not as great a gig as it used to be.
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Kaiser pays very low.
Starting salary for newbie is about 190,000/year and for experienced is 225,000/years.
I am a locum hospitalist and signed a per diem contract with Kaiser but I never take any shift because the rate is too low.
When I signed a contract, it said "salary is negotiable and depends on department, experience..".
I submitted documents for a painful credentialing process, after I got privileges, they asked me to give my available days. I asked how much I would get paid, can you imagine the answer?
It is 85/hour, I got the answer and laughed on the phone.
I did not take any shifts during my privilege time frame, they asked me to renew my privileges and I said No then sent a resign letter.
Starting salary for newbie is about 190,000/year and for experienced is 225,000/years.
I am a locum hospitalist and signed a per diem contract with Kaiser but I never take any shift because the rate is too low.
When I signed a contract, it said "salary is negotiable and depends on department, experience..".
I submitted documents for a painful credentialing process, after I got privileges, they asked me to give my available days. I asked how much I would get paid, can you imagine the answer?
It is 85/hour, I got the answer and laughed on the phone.
I did not take any shifts during my privilege time frame, they asked me to renew my privileges and I said No then sent a resign letter.
Just heard that UCSF system is thinking of doing exactly as Kaiser. Not sure if that's a wise move on their part. Anyways $85 per hr is an insult!!!! They told me I would be starting out around $210K, but not really 7 on 7 off, and cannot moonlight for anywhere else except for Kaiser sister hospitals. Such BS. And they're in CA majority. I said thanks but no thanks lol
I was considering getting credentialed there since they're advertising nearby per diem hospitalist and nephrology spots and were sending out emails... but $85/hr is less than the VA pays for fee basis hospitalist shifts... I can't imagine Kaiser would pay any more for nephrology, unless they're really desparate in Baldwin Park. I'm hoping $85/hr is in NoCal and not SoCal...
At $210K/year full time, at least you get Kaiser benefits... but per diem at $85/hr seems pretty weak. Hopefully that's not a sign of what's to come in CA: they're already going to take a big chunk of my money through taxes and highly inflated property values.
