Becker's ASC Review

8 ASC MANAGEMENT 15 stats on ophthalmology to know in 2021 By Carly Behm H ere are 15 things to know about income, job satisfaction and conditions for ophthalmologists, according to Medscape's "Ophthalmologist Compensation Report 2020." 1. e average salary for ophthalmologists is $378,000. at's up from $366,000 in 2019. 2. e average incentive bonus for ophthal- mologists is $85,000. at's about 23 percent of their average salary. 3. A little over half of ophthalmologists (55 percent) achieve 100 percent of their potential incentive bonus. About 64 percent achieve more than three-quarters of it. 4. Male ophthalmologists make $390,000 on average and female ophthalmologists make about $341,000. 5. Ophthalmologists spend almost 40 hours a week seeing patients. Men spend 39.6 hours on average and women 40.1. 6. Ophthalmologists spend the least average time on paperwork and administration, with 9.8 hours. at trails anesthesiologists, who spend 10 hours a week on paperwork. 7. Most ophthalmologists (78 percent) will continue seeing patients on Medicare and Medicaid. 8. Most ophthalmologists rely on either in- surance or fee-for-service payment models. Eighty-one percent of respondents use in- surance, and 56 percent use fee-for-service. Respondents could choose more than one answer in the survey. 9. Two-thirds of ophthalmologists expected to participate in the Merit-based Incentive Payment System in 2020. 10. Fiy-four percent of ophthalmologists say they feel fairly compensated. at figure is about the same as 2019. 11. At 13 percent, ophthalmologists see the fewest number of claims that are denied or have to be resubmitted. 12. Most ophthalmologists (92 percent) don't use physician assistants or nurse practitioners. 13. About 29 percent of ophthalmologists say working with patients and seeing their gratitude is the most rewarding part of the job. at's followed by 27 percent who say they like knowing they're making the world a better place. 14. Twenty-seven percent of ophthalmolo- gists said difficulties with getting fair reim- bursement or dealing with insurers is the most challenging part of the job. 15. Job satisfaction is high overall for oph- thalmologists. Eighty-four percent say they would choose a job in medicine again if they had the chance, and 95 percent say they would choose ophthalmology again. n Massachusetts health system terminates contract with NAPA By Eric Oliver N ew Bedford, Mass.-based Southcoast Health will not renew North American Partners in Anesthesia's contract with the health system after working with the group for three years, SouthCoast Today reported Jan. 6. NAPA replaced the hospital's former anesthesia group, Anesthesia Associates of Massachusetts, in May 2018. AAM served the hospital for 20 years. That group has since disbanded. NAPA regional executives said the decision sur- prised them, but that they respected the health system's decision. South Coast plans to develop an internal anesthe- sia program starting this spring. n 10 cities with biggest annual physician pay growth By Laura Dyrda Doximity noted physician compensation grew the highest in Providence, R.I., in 2020 over 2019. The networking site for medical professionals surveyed about 44,000 full-time U.S. physicians on compensation growth from 2019 to 2020 and found 10 cities where pay growth was up 6.3 percent or more: 1. Providence, R.I.: 8.9 percent 2. Portland, Ore.: 8.6 percent 3. Richmond, Va.: 7.5 percent 4. Las Vegas: 7.2 percent 5. New Orleans: 7.2 percent 6. Birmingham, Ala.: 6.9 percent 7. Atlanta: 6.8 percent 8. Denver: 6.7 percent 9. Salt Lake City: 6.5 percent 10. Jacksonville, Fla.: 6.3 percent n

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