Physician per diem rates up 5% in 2016, MD Ranger survey finds

The 2015-2016 data found that per diem payment rates for call coverage services grew at an average of 5 percent over the previous year. And though hourly rates for administrative services remained flat, the annual cost of administrative contracts grew 7 percent, driven by increases in hours worked. A hospital's payment for access to physicians providing call coverage, on-call pay, has continued to increase over the past several years, according to research by consulting firm Sullivan, Cotter and Associates. On-call pay expenditures have also increased, rendering it important from a strategic, financial and regulatory perspective to properly structure physician on-call pay arrangements, the firm said.