Per Diem thoughts?

[ventana]

Has anyone considered doing a "first call" service for doc's in your state in the field you are working in? (with out ER coverage so no hospital credentialing issues)

 

I am in FP and need to make some more money. I thought a per diem gig was going to pan out in the local ER but no such luck..... need about 25-30k per year.

 

My thought is to sell my services for being on call - as the Doc population ages they all want to be out of call as it is a quality of life issue. For those doc's that do not have to cover admissions it is really just telephone call (at all hours of the day...)

 

My thoughts

 

Need $2500/month

Can cover about 30 providers at most (currently cover 15 in my regular job and it is busy but doable and is usually only 1-2 calls overnight)

Would not want to do every night (that would kill me) - maybe just weekdays to start and make it based upon the # of providers I would be covering. i.e. $10/ hour + $2/hr for each additional provider in a practice - i.e. 5 provider practice where the doc wants me to cover would be $20/hr = $10 + ($2x5)

 

I would have to get my own malpractice just to be safe and my supervising physician issue would need to be figured out somehow (maybe give one doc free coverage to be my SP)

 

There is no reimbursement from ins co's as no billable visit. It is paid by the doc's directly to me as an individual or maybe a PC or LLC if it is successful. Then maybe long term blend this into a UC clinic (already own a commercial building with great location)

 

 

thoughts????

[bradtPA]

Aren't telecons billable as long as they have not been seen within three days of the phone call? That's the criteria our billing manager uses....

[ventana]

Humm have not heard that... but that would not be the basis of the income - instead it is the doc paying me to take his call.....

 

Can you tell me more about the thought of billing for a phone call? i do a lot of those in my primary job and if I can bill I should.....

[bradtPA]

As I said, I forward mine to the billing manager, and she determines if it can be billed. But here is some guidelines for you to consider:

 

http://ezinearticles.com/?Should-Your-Practice-Be-Billing-Codes-For-Telephone-Consultations?&id=2504898

 

If it can bring in extra revenue, why not try?

[ventana]

that is very interesting - especially in light of trying to generate more revenue - have patients complained about it? Do you know what you are getting paid for the codes (or even a ball park?) 98966 - 98968

 

 

Do you think physicians would be more receptive to paying a flat hourly rate, a flat per phone call rate, or a hybrid of the two?

 

I would not want to do flat per call as is gives no credit for simply being on call, and therefor the per call rate would have to be high and this would likely scare off doc's. Nor sure how to package it.....

 

 

As a complete aside - as this is about making more money - any IM or FP PA's had any good luck on getting on an RVU or productivty pay scale? i see 100-110 patients a week and bill most at a 99213 and make 84k....... 99213 pays about $69 so this is about 300k in collections....