Improving Dermatology Clinical Efficiency in Academic Medical Centers

Authors

  • K. Jade Kindley University of Virginia Health System
  • Jeremy D. Jackson University of Mississippi Medical Center
  • William Taylor Sisson University of Mississippi Medical Center
  • Robert T. Brodell University of Mississippi Medical Center

Keywords:

clinical efficiency, academic medicine, dermatology, physician motivation

Abstract

Objective: Improve efficiency and profitability in academic medical centers

Methods: Academic medical centers across the United States are experiencing lower payments with increasing work hours and patient volumes for many faculty physicians. Department chairpersons find themselves caught in the middle, trying to improve clinical efficiency and profitability while retaining satisfied physicians. During a meeting with the chairperson, one faculty member reported frustration with the inability to meet targets for incentive pay. He agreed to add six slots to his scheduling template each half day if he could have a second LPN/RN for support. The hypothesis: productivity as measured by charges, work relative value units, and collections would increase and be greater than the cost of the additional employee. Data was collected over eight months, with the physician having one assistant during the first half and two assistants during the second half.

Results: There was a 30% increase in completed visits, 39% increase in wRVU’s, and 33% increase in gross payments received.

Conclusion: This experiment demonstrated that, when allowed to have input regarding structure of their own clinics, physicians are predictably able to see more patients and generate more income.

Author Biographies

K. Jade Kindley, University of Virginia Health System

Resident physician, Department of Internal Medicine and Dermatology, University of Virginia

Jeremy D. Jackson, University of Mississippi Medical Center

Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology

William Taylor Sisson, University of Mississippi Medical Center

Department Business Administrator, Department of Dermatology

Robert T. Brodell, University of Mississippi Medical Center

Chairman, Department of Dermatology

Downloads

Published

2015-10-02

How to Cite

Kindley, K. J., Jackson, J. D., Sisson, W. T., & Brodell, R. T. (2015). Improving Dermatology Clinical Efficiency in Academic Medical Centers. International Journal of Health Sciences, 9(3). Retrieved from https://pub.qu.edu.sa/index.php/journal/article/view/1223

Issue

Vol. 9 No. 3 (2015)

Section

Rapid Communication

License


Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

    1. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.

    1. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.

  1. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).