A survey of clinical productivity and current procedural terminology (CPT) coding patterns of pediatric hematologist/oncologists

Establishing physician to patient ratios and predicting workforce needs for Canadian pediatric hematology-oncology programs

BACKGROUND

A Human Resources (HR) Committee of C17, the national network of Canadian academic pediatric hematology/oncology programs, obtained comprehensive data enabling analysis and planning for the physician workforce. This study establishes physician to patient ratios and predicts workforce needs for Canadian pediatric hematology/oncology programs.

PROCEDURES

Over a 10-year period, six surveys were sent to the 17 pediatric tertiary care centers treating children with cancer and blood disorders. Data were obtained on physician demographics, full time equivalent (FTE) positions, and time spent in clinical, research, education, and administrative activities. Survey results were debated at the C17 national meetings to obtain consensus on workload ratios.

RESULTS

Since 1999, the pediatric hematologist/oncologist workforce has increased from 71 FTE (43 oncology, 20 hematology, 8 BMT) to 109.5 FTE positions (69.7 oncology, 29.4 hematology, and 10.4 BMT). The median age of pediatric hematologists/oncologists increased from 46 years to 52 years and the male to female ratio changed from 1.8:1 to 0.9:1. The 2011 job profile showed the median time spent on activities was 60% clinical, 15% education, 15% research, and 10% administration. After assessing workload, models of care, and optimal physician FTE per program, the C17 HR Committee recommended a ratio of one oncologist per 15 newly diagnosed patients with malignancy and a ratio of one BMT physician per 15 transplants. For every 2.5 oncologists, a 1.0 hematologist is the minimum required.

CONCLUSION

Physician staffing ratios for pediatric hematology/oncology programs have been established and should be adopted across Canadian academic institutions as a standard.

Capture of complexity of specialty care in pediatric cardiology by work RVU measures

OBJECTIVE

We sought to determine the relationship between relative value units (RVUs) and intended measures of work in catheterization for congenital heart disease.

METHODS

RVU was determined by matching RVU values to Current Procedural Terminology codes generated for cases performed at a single institution. Differences in median case duration, radiation exposure, adverse events, and RVU values by risk category and cases were assessed. Interventional case types were ranked from lowest to highest median RVU value, and correlations with case duration, radiation dose, and a cases-predicted probability of an adverse event were quantified with the Spearman rank correlation coefficient.

RESULTS

Between January 2008 and December 2010, 3557 of 4011 cases were identified with an RVU and risk category designation, of which 2982 were assigned a case type. Median RVU values, radiation dose, and case duration increased with procedure risk category. Although all diagnostic cases had similar RVU values (median 10), adverse event rates ranged from 6% to 21% by age group (P < .001). Median RVU values ranged from 9 to 54 with the lowest in diagnostic and biopsy cases and increasing with isolated and then multiple interventions. Among interventional cases, no correlation existed between ranked RVU value and case duration, radiation dose, or adverse event probability (P = .13, P = .62, and P = .43, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Time, skill, and stress inherent to performing catheterization procedures for congenital heart disease are not captured by measurement of RVU alone.