Implementing incentive-based compensation in academics

[JeSuisPathology]

If you're an academic pathologist, and your department has adopted incentive-based compensation based on RVU calculation, could you please comment on your experience?

What in your view have been the negatives and positives?

How have you handled issues such as autopsies with this system?

I learned some interesting and quite diverse perspectives at USCAP, but of course my interactions in my estimation were relatively limited. I'm hoping you academics will reply- or at the least PM me.

Thank you.

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[caffeinegirl]

JeSuis - tried PM'ing you (starting a conversation) but it didn't work..can you check your settings please?

 

[mlw03]

If you're an academic pathologist, and your department has adopted incentive-based compensation based on RVU calculation, could you please comment on your experience?

What in your view have been the negatives and positives?

How have you handled issues such as autopsies with this system?

I learned some interesting and quite diverse perspectives at USCAP, but of course my interactions in my estimation were relatively limited. I'm hoping you academics will reply- or at the least PM me.

Thank you.

.

Can you explain some of these for those of us who aren't in academia? What does incentive-based compensation mean in the academic world? I'm a government forensic path guy, so this is all new to me, and more interesting than the usual bashing of the pathology job market.

 

[coroner]

...this is all new to me, and more interesting than the usual bashing of the pathology job market.

 

[pathstudent]

Can you explain some of these for those of us who aren't in academia? What does incentive-based compensation mean in the academic world? I'm a government forensic path guy, so this is all new to me, and more interesting than the usual bashing of the pathology job market..

It is a form of fee for service. The higher the quantity of medicine you perform, the more you can make. Each cpt code is assigned a certain Relative Value Unit based on the complexity of the task. So the more cpt codes you bill the higher your RVU will be. You can incentivize physicians by bonusing them if they surpass a RVU goal or reduce their pay in future contracts if they don't hit the mark.

The hard thing about pathology is that our work comes down to us from above. We can't simply be busier because we want to.

It makes sense for surgeons and clinicians. they are incentivized to perform fore surgeries or see more patients because their pay can go up.

It is good because it makes people more productive and increases efficiency. The negative thing is that a higher quantity of medicine isn't always best for society n

 

[gbwillner]

It is a form of fee for service. The higher the quantity of medicine you perform, the more you can make. Each cpt code is assigned a certain Relative Value Unit based on the complexity of the task. So the more cpt codes you bill the higher your RVU will be. You can incentivize physicians by bonusing them if they surpass a RVU goal or reduce their pay in future contracts if they don't hit the mark.

The hard thing about pathology is that our work comes down to us from above. We can't simply be busier because we want to.

This is a fairly good summary. The caveat to the last statement is that as a pathologist you can bring in outside work (bringing new revenue) if you are good enough and well-known enough to have a consult service. I think this is actually where a majority of the incentive based programs are focused.