AMA Launches Landmark Study on Physician Practice Expenses: Informing Policymakers for Better Physician Payment

Collecting Essential Data: The Physician Practice Information Survey (PPIS)

The American Medical Association (AMA), in collaboration with 173 healthcare organizations, has embarked on a significant national study to capture representative data on physician practice expenses. Known as the Physician Practice Information Survey (PPIS), this initiative aims to provide policymakers, including members of Congress and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), with accurate and up-to-date financial information to support informed decision-making regarding physician payment.

Expertise at the Helm: Partnering with Mathematica for Research Excellence

To ensure the study’s integrity and comprehensive approach, the AMA has enlisted the expertise of Mathematica, an independent research company renowned for its extensive experience in survey methods and healthcare delivery and finance reform. With a solid track record in conducting high-quality research, Mathematica brings invaluable insights and methodological rigor to the study, fostering reliable and trustworthy results.

Monitoring for Participation: Essential Steps for Clinicians

Beginning this July, clinicians across the country should be vigilant in monitoring their email inboxes for critical surveys on practice costs and work hours. Selected individuals or practices will be randomly chosen to complete these surveys, which are of paramount importance. Thorough and accurate completion of the surveys is vital to ensure the data collected represents the diverse landscape of physician practices.

Embracing the Call to Action: Impacting the Future of Physician Payment

Active participation from physician practices and individual physicians chosen to take part in the study is instrumental in achieving its ultimate success. By contributing to the survey, physicians can ensure that practice expenses and patient care hours are accurately documented, laying the foundation for informed decision-making regarding physician payment advocacy and reform efforts.

Challenges in the Current Landscape: Updating Outdated Cost Information

The Medicare physician payment schedule, utilized by CMS and numerous other payers, currently relies on cost information from 2006 to determine practice expense relative values, the Medicare Economic Index, and subsequent physician payments. However, the healthcare landscape has undergone significant transformations since then, with changes in staffing costs, the advent of team-based care, inflation, new practice arrangements, and the widespread adoption of electronic health records and other information technology systems. As a result, the current practice expense payments no longer accurately reflect the resources typically required to deliver physician services.

Engaging the Community: Invitations and Reminders

Physicians selected for participation in the survey will receive invitations and reminders from the email addresses [email protected] (subject line: “American Medical Association requests your input on physician practice expense and patient care hours”) and [email protected] (subject line: “Please help to update accurate physician payments”). These messages will guide physicians through the process and provide necessary information to facilitate their contribution. Surveys will be conducted in waves until the spring of 2024, ensuring an extensive and representative dataset.

Collaborative Efforts: Eligibility and Support

All cardiologists, regardless of their membership status with the AMA or the American College of Cardiology (ACC), are eligible to receive the surveys. The collective engagement of the medical community will shape the study’s outcomes, enabling policymakers to make more informed decisions about physician payment advocacy and reforms. For any inquiries or questions about survey responses, ACC members can reach out to James Vavricek, the ACC’s Director of Regulatory Affairs.

As the AMA embarks on this groundbreaking study, the medical community has an opportunity to contribute to a more accurate understanding of physician practice expenses. By participating in the surveys, physicians can actively shape the future landscape of physician payment, ensuring that it aligns with the evolving realities of modern healthcare delivery. Through these efforts, the AMA and its partners strive to advance the collective interests of physicians, enhancing the quality of patient care and the sustainability of medical practices.