palliative care lifestyle/salaries

[miacomet]

Hi Palli folks! I am a midcareer EM doc trying to figure out the back half of my career. Wondering what your day is like in palliative care, what the job market is like in NYC, and would love to hear any other thoughts you might have on the field.

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[geripalgal]

Cant speak specifically for ny. For around phili, Full time palliative is about 200k. Job market and outlook is currently good across the country.

 

[Houmd]

Job market is excellent across the board. So many openings, so few palliative physicians. Salary is ~200-240 from what I've seen

 

[QueenJames]

How likely is it to clear 300K+ in hospice/palliative care? thx.

 

[geripalgal]

not easy, unless maybe you are a section/division head.

 

[miacomet]

How much night call is there as a palli attending?

 

[geripalgal]

I take call one in 6 weeks, call is from home, and 99.9% are from our hospice patients. The rare palli calls i received where to schedule a family meeting next day

 

[miacomet]

I take call one in 6 weeks, call is from home, and 99.9% are from our hospice patients. The rare palli calls i received where to schedule a family meeting next day

Thanks GPG! Might I ask you what your day is like, what your salary is, and what part of the country (generally) you are in? How did you pick HPM?

So appreciated. Thank you.

 

[Shufflin]

200K for full-time work plus call? I'm trying to wrap my head around that for a second. Does that not strike you as being on the low end of the physician income spectrum, and that there's room to negotiate?

 

[QueenJames]

Yes palliative care is on the lower side of the spectrum for sure. We are not a specialty that generates revenue so while there is some room to negotiate we are not talking about going above 250. I am in a group practice, so obviously if you are out alone and starting a new program you may be able to ask for more.

(However, If your desire is more income, there are plenty of other fields and specialties to consider - this is one that you really have to love the work that you do)


Also, just fyi i work primarily in hospice and have a young child. I have the flexibility to leave early when needed and work remotley from home, which is hard to find in other specialties. I wouldnt trade that flexibility for any amount of $$ at this point in my life!! (Of note, you cant really work remotley in palliative care).

Any docs out there pursuing opening hospice homes?

 

[geripalgal]

Not any that I know of... i dont know that its possible to offer only inpatient hospice without full spectrum hospice services and still be reimbursed by medicare...

 

[QueenJames]

Another question.

Is it common for a physician to be director of or an employee of more than one hospice facility? The state that I am in fortunately does not worry about "no-compete" clauses in contracts.

 

[formerF1DO]

Another question.

Is it common for a physician to be director of or an employee of more than one hospice facility? The state that I am in fortunately does not worry about "no-compete" clauses in contracts.

May I ask what state that is? Do you know which states do this? Thank you for any guidance.

 

[Phase1Phase2]

Your salary as an EM physician is higher than that of a HPM physician as your hourly wage is higher. EM jobs are generally more intense with the possibility of some procedures and higher risk. This is reflected in hourly wage. In order to replicate your salary, you will have to see patients outside of your primary HPM job.

If you are looking to slow down, you could consider working fewer ER shifts per month. Or if you are set on HPM, pursue a full time HPM salaried position at $200-240,000/year and moonlight with a few ER shifts here or there, which will generate more revenue per hour of work than hospice care.

 

[Pathology_DO]

do week on week off palliative positions exists (like hospitalist)? If so how common is this and what is likely pay?

 

[Frazier]

do week on week off palliative positions exists (like hospitalist)? If so how common is this and what is likely pay?

To answer this question, yes they exist.
They are not very common, but I have seen that arrangement posted before at least once in the past year.
Pay is similar to the expected range.