The traditional approach to call pay allows the expense to become an unpredictable liability. Since the passage of EMTALA, there has been a steady increase in physician demands for call compensation. Hospitals often feel they have no choice but to give in to these demands given their need to fulfill EMTALA requirements and maintain service lines. 

Physician shortage exasperates the issue

The physician shortage also plays a role in the rising cost of call pay. As hospitals compete with one another for physician talent, call pay, like all other types of hospital compensation, is being used as a tool in recruitment. As a result, it is now one of the fastest-growing expenses for hospitals.  

Improving sustainability

But it doesn’t have to be. We designed our Call Pay Solution with sustainability in mind. With funding vehicles in place, our program allows hospitals to recoup a portion of their call pay expenditures. It also ensures that all call pay arrangements are determined through a fair and standardized process. The entire medical staff is made aware of this process, and they understand that every specialty group’s burden has been taken into consideration. This lowers agitation and decreases demands for rates that go beyond what is fair and tenable for the hospital.

Sustainability leads to budget predictability

These features ensure that a hospital’s call pay budget will be predictable year after year. Budget predictability can be a powerful asset. In our latest case study, Peter Baker of Loma Linda University Medical Center—Murrieta shared that the financial stability our Call Pay Solution provided at his hospital has enabled his leadership team to plan for his hospital’s future in a more meaningful way. 

At MaxWorth, it means a lot to us to be able to positively impact the future of our hospitals. We believe it’s important to help our clients find stability in an unstable industry so that they will be able to protect the continuity of care in America for generations to come.