The squeeze on salaries
The economy may be on the rebound, but surgical administrators say
they are still feeling the squeeze of the recession and rising healthcare
costs on their paychecks.
"My company is not even keeping up with inflation," says one nurse.
"With the volatility of insurance companies and the steady decline in
reimbursement rates, raises and bonuses are being seen less and less
in positions of management," adds another.
More than half of ASC and hospital respondents (52% and 54%,
respectively) received a raise within the last year. Yet, half of both
groups of leaders say their salaries are largely staying the same when
compared to the last couple of years, thanks in large part to rising
costs and lower reimbursements.
"I am blessed to be in an occupation I am passionate about," says
the CEO of one surgery center. "However, each year it takes hard
work to succeed, as vendors increase costs and payors decrease pay-
ments at the same time as they are increasing premiums."
"The economy is different for us in healthcare. The ACA (Affordable
Care Act) has seemed to hurt us in different ways," says Daniel Hauer,
business manager for Canyon View Surgery Center in Grand Junction,
Colo. "Most notably I've seen delays in payments from commercial
carriers and much higher patient responsibilities that aren't being col-
lected as easily. These financial challenges make employers hesitant
when making 2015 budgets for salaries and bonuses."
Surgical administrators say they feel the days of large raises and
bonuses are well behind them. As you can see in "2014 Salary
Survey: How Does Your Paycheck Compare?" on page 32, most ASC
and hospital facility leaders say they did not receive a bonus within
the last year — 34% of ASC managers and a whopping 62% of hospi-
tal managers didn't receive a bonus — and those that did largely
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O U T PAT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E | January 2015
