Practice Data on Working Hours, Patient Visits and Income
Practice data is helpful when making decisions about job opportunities and evaluating employment contracts. It is often difficult for a new physician to determine what the norm is for parameters such as work time, patient load, and compensation. Luckily, those statistics are available and can be used as a rough guide for contract negotiations. It is important to remember, however, that the statistics are not specific for physicians just starting their first job, but represent a sample of physicians in all stages of their careers. Nevertheless, this information may prevent you from making ill-informed decisions. The source for the following information is the 2007 Medical Economics "Exclusive Survey" published November 16, 2007 and December 7, 2007.
Specialty |
Median |
Median Patient |
Median |
Median |
|
Internists |
50 |
98 |
$170,000 |
$200,000 |
|
FPs |
50 |
100 |
$155,000 |
$235,000 |
|
GPs |
45 |
80 |
$140,000 |
$180,000 |
|
OB/GYNs |
60 |
95 |
$240,000 |
$360,000 |
|
Pediatricians |
45 |
100 |
$150,000 |
$266,300 |
|
All Primary Care |
50 |
100 |
$165,000 |
$240,000 |
While internists' productivity is similar to FPs, internists' compensation is higher. This has been attributed to the tendency for internists to see older, sicker patients who generate higher charges than FPs. Internists' office expenses are lower than most other primary care physicians because they tend to use fewer nurse practitioners and nurses in their practices and do not have high expenditures for the purchase and storage of immunizations.
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