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Doctors getting smaller pay hikes

But physicians working harder, survey shows

Joyzelle Davis, Rocky Mountain News

Published August 28, 2007 at midnight

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Physicians are squeezing in more patients for smaller pay increases, according to an annual survey of doctors' salaries.

Median compensation for primary-care physicians rose only 2 percent to $171,519 last year, falling behind the 3.2 percent inflation increase in 2006, according to the Medical Group Management Association. Specialists reported an even lower rate of median compensation gains, with a 1.7 percent overall increase to $322,259.

Doctors are increasingly squeezed by soaring costs and declining payments from insurers and Medicare. The slipping salaries came as primary-care physicians reported a 3.7 percent increase in gross charges, while specialists charged 2.3 percent more.

"Patients can expect to feel the pinch right along with practices as physicians in some specialties see more patients each day for incongruous pay," said William Jessee, president and CEO of Arapahoe County-based MGMA.

Some specialists fared worse than others.

Salaries for invasive cardiologists dropped 1.3 percent to $457,563, while opthalmologists reported the survey's biggest drop with a 1.6 percent loss in pay to $297,486.

Pulmonary physicians, however, posted a 9.2 percent salary increase to $255,807, the leading gain in the survey.

Urologists came in second with a 6.3 percent pay gain to $357,605. Both specialists saw flat or negative pay increases in the two previous years.

Most nonphysician providers saw healthy pay increases, with nurse practitioners reporting 4.5 percent pay gains to $73,480 and primary care physician assistants posting median salaries of $79,104, a 4.7 percent increase.

The survey is based on information submitted by more than 50,000 providers.

Median salaries

2005 2006 Change

Family practice $160,729 $164,021 + 2 percent (without OB)

Psychiatry $189,409 $192,609 + 1.7 percent

Cardiology: invasive $463,801 $457,563 - 1.3 percent

Orthopedic surgery $428,119 $446,517 + 4.3 percent

Internal medicine $167,178 $174,209 + 4.2 percentSource: Medical Group Management Association

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