Anesth Analg 2005;100:493-501
© 2005 International Anesthesia Research Society
doi: 10.1213/01.ANE.0000146944.39874.02
ECONOMICS, EDUCATION, AND HEALTH SYSTEMS RESEARCH
The Prevalence and Characteristics of Incentive Plans for Clinical Productivity Among Academic Anesthesiology Programs
Amr E. Abouleish, MD, MBA*,
Jeffrey L. Apfelbaum, MD ,
Donald S. Prough, MD*,
John P. Williams, MD ,
Jay A. Roskoph, MD, MBA ,
William E. Johnston, MD , and
Charles W. Whitten, MD
*Department of Anesthesiology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas; Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; Department of Anesthesiology, The University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Management, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, Dallas, Texas
Address correspondence and reprint requests to Amr E. Abouleish, MD, MBA, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555-0591. Address e-mail to aaboulei{at}utmb.edu.
Performance-based compensation is encouraged in medical schools to improve faculty productivity. Medical specialties other than anesthesiology have used financial incentives for clinical work. The goal of this study was to determine the prevalence and the types of clinical incentive plans among academic anesthesiology departments. We performed an electronic survey of the members of the Society of Academic Anesthesiology Chairs and the Association of Anesthesiology Program Directors in the spring of 2003. The survey included questions about departmental size, presence of a clinical incentive plan, characteristics of existing incentive plans, primary quantifiers of productivity, and factors used to modify productivity measurements. An incentive plan was considered to be present if the department measured clinical productivity and varied compensation according to the measurements. The plans were grouped by the primary measure used into the following categories: None, Charges, Time, Shift, Late/Call (only late rooms and call), and Other. Eighty-eight (64%) of 138 programs responded to the survey, and 5 were excluded for incomplete data. Of the responding programs, 29% had no system, 30% used a Late/Call system, 20% used a Shift system, 11% used a Charges system, 6% used a Time system, and 3% fit in the Other category. Larger groups (>40 faculty members) had a significantly more frequent prevalence of incentive plans compared with smaller groups (<20 faculty members). Incentives were paid monthly or quarterly in 85% of the groups. In 90% of groups, incentive payments accounted for <25% of total compensation. Adjustments for operating room schedule supervisors, personally performed cases, day surgery preoperative clinics, pain-management services, and critical care services were included in less than half of the programs that reported incentive plans. Call and late room compensation was based on varied formulas. Sixty-nine percent of academic anesthesiology departments did not vary compensation according to clinical activity during regular hours. Most did vary payments on the basis of call and/or late rooms worked. Larger departments were more likely to use clinical incentive plans.
This article has been cited by other articles:

|
 |

|
 |
 
R. E. Hales, N. C. Shahrokh, and M. Servis
A Progress Report on a Department of Psychiatry Faculty Practice Plan Designed to Reward Educational and Research Productivity
Acad Psychiatry,
May 1, 2009;
33(3):
248 - 251.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
D. Masursky, F. Dexter, M. P. Garver, and N. A. Nussmeier
Incentive Payments to Academic Anesthesiologists for Late Afternoon Work Did Not Influence Turnover Times
Anesth. Analg.,
May 1, 2009;
108(5):
1622 - 1626.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
A. E. Abouleish
Productivity-Based Compensations Versus Incentive Plans
Anesth. Analg.,
December 1, 2008;
107(6):
1765 - 1767.
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
D. L. Reich, M. Galati, M. Krol, C. A. Bodian, and R. A. Kahn
A Mission-Based Productivity Compensation Model for an Academic Anesthesiology Department
Anesth. Analg.,
December 1, 2008;
107(6):
1981 - 1988.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
S. Kheterpal, R. Gupta, J. M. Blum, K. K. Tremper, M. O'Reilly, and P. E. Kazanjian
Electronic Reminders Improve Procedure Documentation Compliance and Professional Fee Reimbursement
Anesth. Analg.,
March 1, 2007;
104(3):
592 - 597.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
S. H. Rose, C. M. Burkle, and B. A. Elliott
Trends in Gender Distribution Among Anesthesiology Residents: Do They Matter?
Anesth. Analg.,
November 1, 2006;
103(5):
1209 - 1212.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
A. Escobar, E. A. Davis, J. Ehrenwerth, G. A. Watrous, G. S. Fisch, Z. N. Kain, and P. G. Barash
Task Analysis of the Preincision Surgical Period: An Independent Observer-Based Study of 1558 Cases
Anesth. Analg.,
October 1, 2006;
103(4):
922 - 927.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
E. A. Davis, A. Escobar, J. Ehrenwerth, G. A. Watrous, G. S. Fisch, Z. N. Kain, and P. G. Barash
Resident Teaching Versus the Operating Room Schedule: An Independent Observer-Based Study of 1558 Cases
Anesth. Analg.,
October 1, 2006;
103(4):
932 - 937.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
A. E. Abouleish, D. S. Prough, and D. A. Lubarsky
Unintended consequences? Unanswered questions?
Anesth. Analg.,
June 1, 2006;
102(6):
1908 - 1909.
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
R. D. Miller and N. H. Cohen
Faculty Incentive Plans: Clinical or Academic Productivity or Both?
Anesth. Analg.,
March 1, 2006;
102(3):
969 - 970.
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
B. Mets and K. Eckerd
Faculty incentive plans: clinical or academic productivity or both?
Anesth. Analg.,
March 1, 2006;
102(3):
968 - 969.
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
R. D. Miller and N. H. Cohen
The Impact of Productivity-Based Incentives on Faculty Salary-Based Compensation
Anesth. Analg.,
July 1, 2005;
101(1):
195 - 199.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
R. D. Miller
Academic Anesthesia Faculty Salaries: Incentives, Availability, and Productivity
Anesth. Analg.,
February 1, 2005;
100(2):
487 - 489.
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
D. A. Lubarsky
Incentivize Everything, Incentivize Nothing
Anesth. Analg.,
February 1, 2005;
100(2):
490 - 492.
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|
|