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Part-Time: How Many Patients Per Day?


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Hello all.

 

This will mark my first time working since leaving the military. I took a part-time internal medicine office job, 24 hours per week (split across 4 days).

 

In the military, I was required to see 90 patients per week with walk-ins as needed (18 schedule appointments for an 8 hour day plus 1 hour of lunch....although I rarely ever got lunch and spent many days coming in early/staying late or coming in on weekends to finish charting).

 

I'm just wondering if the civilian life will be something similar to this.

 

On a 5 hour day, for example, should I expect 3 patients per hour plus 1 hour for charting (totaling 12 patients)? Or will it be something like 4 patients per hour for all 5 hours plus staying late to chart (totaling 20 patients)? The latter would be awful.

 

 

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I see two patients per hour, 25% of time for charting and other admin work, 12 patients per 8 hour day.  When I do 5 hour days, I typically see 7.  Urgent care I will typically see 15 in an 8 hour shift. Mind you, I see occ med patients 50% of the time for my scheduled patients.

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I see two patients per hour, 25% of time for charting and other admin work, 12 patients per 8 hour day.  When I do 5 hour days, I typically see 7.  Urgent care I will typically see 15 in an 8 hour shift. Mind you, I see occ med patients 50% of the time for my scheduled patients.

 

That's awesome. Not the numbers that I've routinely heard.

 

Is this something that you were able to negotiate? Or is it specific to your particular practice?

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I think it depends on the complexity of the pt. since this is in an IM setting.  For me, in my snot/cough clinic w/o abdominal pain, traditional CP, HAs, etc.,  I can see/dispose of up to 5/hr. if I'm really clicking (and using scanned paper charts similar to T-sheets for those in the know, while using the EMR only for prescribing).  It also depends on whether work-ins are simple, single c/o issues or can come in for follow up on a gazillion different c/o's.  In IM, I'd say up to three per hour to allow for charting, etc..

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That's awesome. Not the numbers that I've routinely heard.

 

Is this something that you were able to negotiate? Or is it specific to your particular practice?

It's not.  I also make a good bit less per hour than PAs on salary do, but I am scheduled for 37 hours/week, less an average of 2-3 hours for fire department shifts (which are also negotiated into my schedule), chart on the clock, and get overtime for anything over 80 hours per two week pay period.  I work 2 days, 2 swings (12-9), and 4-9 both weekend days every other weekend.  I am not making too much less than I was at Group Health, and probably equivalent in total dollars per hour worked, and benefits are kind of marginal, but my control over my schedule and rate of seeing patients are much more favorable.  I got this deal with 2.5 years of experience, and have been at this job a year now.  Oh, I also get to precept PA and NP students, and don't have to use an EMR.

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Patient load in PCP is dependent on your employer

 

I saw 30 a day at one practice (way to many)

 

other local practices see about 2-2.5 per hour - less then 20 a day

 

1 hour new patient

20-30 follow up based on complexity

15 for urgent.....

 

 

Overall you REALLY need to know what your collections are and drive off that - at 30 patients a day I was generating 300k for the practice and gettin paid 85k - huge rip off and why I left.

 

If you have your collection numbers shoot for 50-55% of collections in PAY - then you bennies come out of the overhead - and you should get full bennies for anything over 20hr in my mind....

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It appears that the goal in this practice is for me to work 24 hours per week and to see 4 patients per hour, which is about 96 patients per week. This was more than I saw in the military in a full week (but I had WAY more administrative things to do). Low complexity patients from what I've seen so far.

 

Another issue here is that they are just now beginning to transfer from paper charting to EMR. I created my own template though, largely borrowed from the military template so this shouldn't be too much of an issue. The doc and office staff are very nice, but they seem to be significantly behind the times.

 

Overall, I'm moving to a different state in a few months. So, either way, I will not be staying at this job for a long time (6 months max, but anything goes once I get my new state license). I'm pretty much just trying to not have a gap in employment and make some extra cash until my move. I also have little to no expenses since I'm living with my parents.

 

Thanks for the advice guys!

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It appears that the goal in this practice is for me to work 24 hours per week and to see 4 patients per hour, which is about 96 patients per week. This was more than I saw in the military in a full week (but I had WAY more administrative things to do). Low complexity patients from what I've seen so far.

 

Another issue here is that they are just now beginning to transfer from paper charting to EMR. I created my own template though, largely borrowed from the military template so this shouldn't be too much of an issue. The doc and office staff are very nice, but they seem to be significantly behind the times.

 

Overall, I'm moving to a different state in a few months. So, either way, I will not be staying at this job for a long time (6 months max, but anything goes once I get my new state license). I'm pretty much just trying to not have a gap in employment and make some extra cash until my move. I also have little to no expenses since I'm living with my parents.

 

Thanks for the advice guys!

 

100 patients a week

 

X $80 per patient....

 

Well you do the math - they are ripping you off

 

say no thanks - or get paid on productivity 

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That is very high volume, I would be curious how much they are paying you per hour.  I didn't see that in your original post.  I work in a specialty which is definitely different than IM where you are addressing many issues at times (although there are some patients I am addressing 4-5 different problems in one visit).  I work three 7 hour days, so about 21 hours a week and typically see between 60-70 patients a week.  It is very fast paced, some days I keep up just fine but a couple really sick people, and admission, etc really throws me into a very stressful day.  It is interesting when I looked up average patient numbers seen per week by PAs the stats are usually between 60-70 for full time.  I know that can vary a lot but just puts in perspective what we are being expected to do in half the time. 

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I'm only making $46/hr.

 

Unfortunately, this is the same place that didn't provide me with a contract. It's my first post-military employment and it's their first time hiring any provider.

 

My major problem is that, in addition to this, they don't really have a system for charting in place. The doc still uses paper charts and is trying to convert to EMR (due to mandatory e-prescribing that has just begun in this state). The whole thing is a mess.

 

Further, I'm in an area that is very saturated with PAs and has a high COL. I just submitted for a state license in a different state, but that will take some time. I'm also concerned about having a gap in employment.

 

I don't have many options right now.

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I don't remember exactly where I found that, it was a couple of different surveys that I found, would have to dig back into my google search.  Those surveys can be skewed though if it isn't a large number of providers answering.  I can tell you that is the average that the PAs in primary care are seeing per five day work week in my group though.  Of course it can vary a ton, I am sure there are some seeing twice that many.  I think at this point if you are only there for a short time and need the work until you move unless you feel it is an unsafe or very unpleasant work environment you may as well work.  I can't imagine going back to working for 46/hour, especially that high volume.  Depresses me even thinking about it.

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Are they really making $80 in profit per patient?

no profit, reimbursement

 

it is highly dangerous to be the first PA hired as such a huge discounted rate - you set the bar far to high or low depending on your viewpoint

 

Can you walk away from it?  sometimes you just need a job, but they are hosing you....

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no profit, reimbursement

 

it is highly dangerous to be the first PA hired as such a huge discounted rate - you set the bar far to high or low depending on your viewpoint

 

Can you walk away from it?  sometimes you just need a job, but they are hosing you....

 

Yeah I could, for sure.

 

I submitted a contract today that states "2.5 patients per hour". So that would be about 60 in a week. Far more reasonable for part-time, in my opinion. The $46/hr isn't very good for part time, but it's not terrible (national average for part-time is about $50/hr).

 

If they agree to the contract, I'll stay. If not, I'm going.

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