Monday, September 10, 2012 | Pat White
According to data provided to MedAxiom, practices reported an average of 5.8 full-time employees, the lowest level recorded in the last decade. Integrated groups registered a significant drop, from 5.99 to 5.29 full-time equivalents (FTEs); many have reduced staffing because they have turned over non-invasive diagnostic testing to the healthcare organizations with whom they have affiliated. Privately held practices actually edged upward, once again hitting six FTEs per practice. 
Mid-level practitioners (MLPs) appear to be slowly edging their way into many practices, both privately held and integrated. The MedAxiom survey reports that the average practice utilized 0.4 percent of an MLP in 2011. MedAxiom believes, however, that this will be a significant growth market in the near future, because of a growing shortage of cardiologists, coupled with “baby boomers” reporting an increase in cardiovascular disease as they age. MedAxiom believes MLPs will help doctors manage the routine process, doing initial evaluations and handing off their findings to cardiologists for more in-depth consulting with patients. 
Pat White, MPH, Senior Advisor of MedAxiom, is a trusted cardiovascular healthcare leader and statesman. Pat has been in the healthcare management field for over 40 years. Prior to joining MedAxiom, Pat was in medical group practice management for 17 years. He spent 13 years with the Henry Ford Health System, including five years as the Administrator for the Department of Internal Medicine. He also served as the Executive Director of Michigan Heart, a 36-member cardiology practice in Ann Arbor.
Pat does senior consulting work and currently serves on the board of the Cardiology Advocacy Alliance.
To contact, email: [email protected]
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