The American Medical Association (AMA) is undertaking a new national study, supported by 173 health care organizations, to collect representative data on physician practice expenses. The Physician Practice Information Survey (PPIS) will collect data on overhead costs of today’s physician practices to support physician payment advocacy.

The survey is an opportunity to communicate accurate financial information to policymakers, including members of Congress and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The AMA has contracted with Mathematica, an independent research company with extensive experience in survey methods as well as health care delivery and finance reform, to conduct the study.

Starting in July, clinicians should monitor their email for important surveys on practice costs and work hours. It is important that individuals or practices who are randomly selected to complete a survey do so thoroughly and accurately. For some surveys, ACC members will need to rely on financial experts in the practice to complete an online financial information survey. Other members will be asked to report hours spent actively providing patient care.

The input from physician practices and individual physicians that are randomly selected to participate in this study is critical for its success. Participation will ensure that practice expenses and patient care hours are accurately reflected.

The Medicare physician payment schedule, maintained by CMS and used by many other payers, relies on 2006 cost information to develop practice expense relative values, the Medicare Economic Index and resulting physician payments. As the U.S. economy and health care system have undergone substantial changes since that time, including staffing costs, team-based care, inflation, new practice arrangements, and the wide-spread adoption of electronic health records and other information technology systems, practice expense payments no longer accurately reflect the relative resources that are typically required to provide physician services.

Invitations and reminders about the costs survey will be sent by Mathematica from the email address PPISurvey@mathematica-mpr.com with the subject line: “American Medical Association requests your input on physician practice expense and patient care hours.” Invitations and reminders about physician hours worked will come from the email address PhysicianHoursSurvey@mathematica-mpr.com with the subject line: “Please help to update accurate physician payments.” Surveys will be in the field in waves through the spring of 2024. All cardiologists, regardless of ACC or AMA membership status are eligible to receive these surveys.

If you are selected for the survey and have questions regarding your response, contact ACC’s Director of Regulatory Affairs James Vavricek.

Clinical Topics: Cardiovascular Care Team

Keywords: Electronics, Surveys and Questionnaires, Physicians, Workforce, Medicaid, Cardiologists, Electronic Mail, Medicare, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, U.S., United States, ACC Advocacy

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