More doctor pay is being tied to patient satisfaction metrics, another sign health care may be coming more consumer-friendly, according to a new national analysis of physician compensation.
Already, doctors and hospitals increasingly have more of their pay tied to health outcomes and related clinical measures as medical care moves toward value-based compensation rather than fees for service.
But momentum is slowly building for physicians to also be measured on how quickly phone calls are returned to how long a patient sits in a physician office waiting area as part of “patient satisfaction metrics” insurers are working into contracts with medical-care providers.
The Medical Group Management Association’s annual compensation analysis, unveiled last week, shows 2.31 percent of specialists’ physician pay was tied to patient satisfaction in 2013 compared to 1.61 percent in 2012. Meanwhile, primary care compensation tied to patient satisfaction experienced a “slight increase” from 2012 when it accounted for more than two percent of pay.
Though still very small percentages, physicians and those who run their practices are paying close attention to patient satisfaction, particularly given the momentum clinical outcomes and value-based care has taken on in health care.
“Physicians have already been patient-centered but the other scenario is a business scenario . . . a customer service scenario,” says Todd Evenson, vice president of consulting services and data solutions at MGMA, which looked at more than 66,000 medical care providers as part of its analysis. “(Physicians) may be measured on how well the patients perceive the service they receive.”
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For example, doctors may be measured on whether they have after-hours office hours or whether patients understand their bills or can even pay online, Evenson said.
It’s not just physicians.
Increasingly, businesses and health insurance companies are pushing for more patient satisfaction metrics, adopting the “triple aim” framework developed by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. The triple aim methodology works to improve a patient’s experience and medical care through quality and satisfaction, improve the health of populations, and reduce the per capita cost of health care.
Under the Medicare health insurance program for the elderly, the star-rating system for privately-run “Advantage” plans that contract with the government to provide benefits to seniors include certain quality measures many see as more about customer satisfaction than clinical.
More than half of seniors enrolled in so-called Medicare Advantage plans are now enrolled in plans with ratings of four stars or more on a five-star scale, a ranking system created under the Affordable Care Act to guide seniors to cost-effective and higher quality benefits.
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A rating of four is considered above average and a rating of five is excellent and the highest rankings give health plans a bonus payment and the ability of the insurers to tout their improvement.
The entire health care industry sees patient satisfaction only becoming more important and physicians will be a part of that.
“We understand where the industry is moving,” Evenson said. “Reimbursement models are not going to be one-size fits all. “We know it’s important.”
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