Becker's Hospital Review

128 CMO / CARE DELIVERY Physicians accept $30k signing bonus on average: 5 things to know By Megan Knowles T he average signing bonus for phy- sicians reached an all-time high in 2017, growing to nearly $30,000, ac- cording to The Medicus Firm's annual Phy- sician Placement report. Here are five things to know about the report. 1. The national healthcare recruiting firm looked at hundreds of placements from over 250 healthcare systems and hospitals across 52 specialties, which included nurse practitioners and physician assistants. 2. Primary care physicians made up 39 per- cent of placements in 2017, up from 35 per- cent one year prior. Family practice was the most commonly placed specialty, followed by internal medicine and hospitalists. 3. Signing bonuses for physicians have in- creased in both size and popularity over the last few years, from the low $20,000 range in 2011, to nearly $30,000 in 2017. The largest signing bonus paid in 2017 was $200,000. 4. A significantly smaller number of phy- sicians were placed into a private practice setting. Hospitals accounted for roughly 57 percent of the total placements in 2017, followed by group practices at 33 percent. 5. Additionally, 88 percent of all physicians placed in 2017 were employed primarily by hospitals and groups. n 10 medical conditions with the highest average cost per inpatient stay By Ayla Ellison T he top 10 most expensive health conditions in the U.S. each cost on average more than $15,000 per hospital stay, according to Business Insider. Business Insider analyzed recent data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project to deter- mine the costs associated with several medical con- ditions. "Costs reflect the actual expenses incurred in the production of hospital services, such as wag- es, supplies, and utility costs," according to HCUP. Business Insider analyzed 35.6 million hospital stays to identify the conditions with the highest to- tal hospital costs and then determined the average cost per inpatient stay based on how many visits were made for each condition. Here are the 10 medical conditions with the highest average cost per inpatient stay. 1. Heart valve disorders — $41,878 2. Heart attack — $20,086 3. Complication of device, implant or graft — $19,669 4. Coronary atherosclerosis — $19,657 5. Spondylosis, intervertebral disc disorders and other back problems — $18,375 6. Respiratory failure, insufficiency and arrest (adult) — $18,287 7. Septicemia — $18,244 8. Osteoarthritis — $16,149 9. Fracture of neck or femur — $16,043 10. Acute cerebrovascular disease — $15,111 n U of Utah Hospital volunteers launch effort to ensure no patient dies alone By Megan Knowles V olunteers at Salt Lake City-based University of Utah Hospital are serv- ing as around-the-clock companions for patients in their final days of life — an effort to ensure no patient dies alone, according to The Salt Lake Tribune. Through the program, called No One Dies Alone, volunteers sit with patients who are close to dying and hold their hands, read to them, talk about their lives or play music. Although patients are frequently unable to respond, volunteers said it is important to make sure someone is present for their final moments. "You're not their nurse. You're not their doctor. You're not anybody else — you're just there for them," social worker Heather Smith said, according to The Salt Lake Tribune. The NODA volunteer organization, which formed in 2001, has since expanded to hospitals nationwide, along with healthcare locations in Singapore. Sandra Clarke, RN, a nurse based in Eugene, Ore., sparked the idea for NODA after she encountered a patient during a night shift with a "do not resuscitate" order who appeared to be close to death. "He could barely speak, and he said, 'Will you stay with me?'" Ms. Clarke recalled. "And I said, 'Well, I can't right now. I've got to see my other patients first. But as soon as I get done, I'll come back and be with you.'" But by the time Ms. Clarke returned to the patient, he was dead — with his arm stretched out, as if he was reaching for someone. "The sense of frustration and anger was overwhelming," Ms. Clarke said. "He had a simple wish that was easily granted, and I couldn't do it. From that moment on, it became something important for me — to find a way we could be with patients at the end of life." n

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