We all have the same questions when we are looking to hire individuals or when we are job hunting ourselves.
– What is the average salary for xx position?
– What would a new xx expect to make in our area?
– How much should I pay an experienced xx?
On a regular basis, you can often search the web for various salary surveys for various positions (professional, clinical and clerical). Depending on the extent of the survey it may be broken down into experience, location and may or may not include benefits.
Most recently Medscape published a “Clinical and Office Salary Report” and a follow up article asking “How much are you paying your staff”?
About the same time, Medical Economics also posted an article on the amount of money that physicians can make by hiring NPs and/or PAs.
I recommend reading all of them to get some ideas regardless if you are looking to hire or to be hired. (The Medical Economics article might even get your blood boiling a bit. Read it with an eye of how you can use that information to your own advantage.)
When you read these articles and report, it’s important to look deeper than what these numbers are showing you. It’s critical that we understand the cost associated with being an employee or employer. I often hear clinicians and staff talk about hourly numbers as if that’s all to it. It’s not.
In the chart below, I’ve shown just a few of the factors that go into hiring individuals in terms of direct cost and indirect cost. Keep in mind, this list is incomplete – your cost may be more or less depending on what you or the practice offers and how efficient the office is run.
As a clinician who generates revenue for a practice, it’s important that when you look at this, you keep in mind your productivity. While this may change in the future, practices are for the most part are reimbursed based on the number of patients seen.
That is why there is a push to see more patients. The more patients you see, the more revenue is generated for the practice. (And please, do not be fooled – if a practice bills out $100 for a visit, it is likely not receiving $100 for the visit.) The revenue has to cover overhead (cost of running the practice). If you don’t see enough people, the practice (or your employment) cannot continue. (A topic for another conversation!)
What are your thoughts on salary surveys and salaries in general? Do you find them helpful? If not, what information would make them more helpful? How are you able to use this information? I look forward to your thoughts.
My philosophy is to pay the staff top price and they work their butts off for you. I worked for 8 years and did not get a raise, it was very discouraging. I give my employees bonuses all the time. Because we are doing well. Share the wealth and blessings will flow. I’ve given myself two raises in one year and it makes me feel good! ????
Very informative post, Barbara. I actually had a discussion about this recently with another nurse entrepreneur. As you mention, we are used to thinking in terms of ‘hourly pay’ but moving into business for yourself you’ve got to think of all of the other ‘stuff’ you do outside of that ‘hour’ of pay. I enjoyed the table and also the resources that you provide. This was a very helpful article, thank you!