Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/759108
63 FINANCE CMO / CARE DELIVERY Texas Hourly: $33.60 Annual Wage: $69,890 Utah Hourly: $29.33 Annual Wage: $61,000 Vermont Hourly: $31.65 Annual Wage: $65,840 Virginia Hourly: $31.41 Annual Wage: $65,340 Washington Hourly: $37.56 Annual Wage: $78,130 West Virginia Hourly: $27.89 Annual Wage: $58,010 Wisconsin Hourly: $31.94 Annual Wage: $66,440 Wyoming Hourly: $29.84 Annual Wage: $62,080 n Wisconsin ACO Lays Off 40% of Staff By Tamara Rosin I ntegrated Health Network of Wisconsin, an account- able care organization based in Brookfield, laid off 21 employees as a result of a decision to shift cer- tain functions from ACO administrators to participating healthcare organizations, according to the Milwaukee Business Journal. "IHN is in the process of adjusting operations and staffing across the organization to most efficiently and effectively meet the network's evolving strategic needs," Kathy Allen, vice president of marketing and communications, said in an emailed statement to the Milwaukee Business Journal. The job cuts, which affect 40 percent of employees, are the result of recent strategic planning sessions with the ACO's board of managers. IHN now has 29 employees re- maining at its Brookfield office. "It was determined that owner-member health systems and health plans now have the capabilities to absorb many functions IHN provides as they continue the transi- tion to value-based care," Ms. Allen said, according to the report. These functions can be performed by the health systems, some of which operate their own health plans and population health management programs. Staff reductions began in early September and affect all levels and departments of the ACO. Many of the employ- ees' whose positions were cut are being considered for other jobs within health systems that are members of the ACO, according to Ms. Allen. IHN anticipates additional workforce adjustments, with fi- nal counts to be determined as a new operating model is implemented over the next nine to 12 months, Ms. Allen said, according to the report. n 6 Findings on the State of Physician Practice, Employment By Emily Rappleye A s the physician employment trend continues, the word is out on its progress. Here is a roundup of the recent research and surveys on the state of physician practice, integration and employment. 1. Employment does not necessarily improve patient access. A survey conducted by Merritt Hawkins indi- cates employed physicians actually see 19 percent few- er patients than practice owners. 2. Employment may also not have an effect on the quality of care. A study published in the Annals of In- ternal Medicine suggests employment has no effect on risk-adjusted hospital-level mortality rates, 30-day readmission rates, length of stay and patient satisfac- tion scores for common medical conditions. 3. More physician practice owners are familiar with the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act than employed physicians. 4. Rapid physician practice consolidation continues, according to a study from Leavitt Partners that shows physicians in practices of 100 or more grew from 29.6 percent of physicians in 2013 to 35.1 percent in 2015. 5. Meanwhile, more hospitals are buying up physician practices. A study, conducted by Avalere Health, shows one in four practices was hospital owned by mid-2015, and that 40 percent of the nation's physicians were em- ployed at that time. 6. The state of the industry has led nearly half of physi- cians to accelerate their retirement plans, according to a survey conducted by Merritt Hawkins. n