How to alter your physician compensation plans to meet your practice goals

Why This Topic Matters

Compensation design can shape physician behavior, influence retention, and support a practice’s operational and strategic goals. Understanding the range of metrics and contract structures helps organizations choose an approach that fits their physician mix and performance priorities.

Article Sections

1. The basics of compensation packages

   Introduces common physician pay structures and how compensation may be built from base pay and performance-based components. Also discusses general considerations in balancing revenue, productivity, and practice economics.

2. Determine the right model by physician

   Explores how compensation design may differ by physician type, lifestyle needs, and specialty context. Covers general factors that affect physician preferences and practice stability.

3. Other metrics

   Reviews additional performance measures that larger practices and health systems may incorporate into compensation. Focuses on broad categories of quality, satisfaction, and value-based measures.

4. Citizen scoring

   Describes nonclinical factors that some organizations consider in physician compensation. Discusses organizational participation, staff relationships, and community-oriented activities at a high level.

5. 4 ways to make compensation plans work

   Summarizes strategic considerations for updating compensation plans so they support practice objectives. Addresses alignment, measurement, physician engagement, and treatment of newer clinicians.