More physicians expect pay for emergency call

Short on specialists willing to volunteer for call, roughly half of hospitals say they now pay physicians to do it.

By Myrle Croasdale, AMNews staff. June 6, 2005.

A growing number of physician specialists are refusing to take emergency hospital call unless hospitals pay them for their time.

According to a survey by the American College of Physician Executives published in the May/June issue of The Physician Executive, 46% of responding hospital administrators paid their specialists for emergency call. Of the hospitals that didn't, half were considering doing so.

The American Medical Association supports physician reimbursement for on-call services, particularly if call is required for hospital privileges. The issue was prominent at the AMA in 1999 and 2000, when physicians in California were having difficulty getting HMO reimbursement for emergency care.

According to the ACPE report, there is a combination of factors contributing to the rise in hospitals paying for call coverage.

An increasing number of emergency department patients are uninsured, leaving physicians uncompensated for their work while bearing the increased medical liability risk these patients pose. Surgical specialists have begun to drop their hospital privileges with the establishment of outpatient surgical centers, and they no longer feel as obligated to take hospital call.

Dissatisfaction with reimbursement in general and a growing desire for a balanced lifestyle are other reasons cited in the survey.

Bill Steiger, editor of The Physician Executive-Journal of Medical Management, said the trend is a generational one.