Doc pay rises with more clinical work at academic centers: MGMA

Physicians in academic healthcare practices reported receiving higher compensation when the majority of their time was spent seeing patients as opposed to conducting research, according to the findings of a new survey.

General internists saw their pay increase by 4% from a median annual income of $173,000 in 2012 to more than $180,000 in 2013 when billable clinical work made up more than two-thirds of their time, according to an analysis by the Medical Group Management Association, an industry organization representing more than 33,000 medical practice administrators and executives. Pediatricians also saw a rise in their median annual compensation in 2013 when billable clinical work made up more than two-thirds of their time, increasing by 7% from $146,000 in 2012 to more than $156,000.

The survey's findings indicated that compensation increases or decreases with time spent conducting research varied across medical specialties. Internal medicine and pediatric physicians saw their pay rise when less time was devoted to research, teaching and administrative duties. The opposite was true among infectious disease specialists and rheumatologists, who saw their annual median income increase by 14% and 22%, respectively, when at least two-thirds of their time was spent on research.

Both specialties reported decreases in compensation when more time was spent doing clinical work. One possible explanation is that these physicians are more likely to be working under compensation plans that include research metrics. The report found that 51% of the more than 600 academic medical groups surveyed offered such arrangements in 2013, compared with 23% in 2010.

The findings suggest some physicians in academic settings are devoting less time to teaching and research because of pressure to see more patients as people gain health coverage through the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

“Academic medical practices are responding to the changing environment,” said Dr. Susan Turney, president and CEO of MGMA. “Teaching and researching will continue to be important components of physician's responsibilities in academic practices, but they are exploring ways to see more patients and provide more healthcare services.”

Data for the analysis was compiled from more than 20,000 faculty physicians.

Follow Steven Ross Johnson on Twitter: @MHsjohnson