Real Reimbursement For Professional Component of 88305 Drops More Than 71% Over 30 Years

[KeratinPearls]

I agree with you that two years for the majority of private groups should be the ceiling. It is odd that it would take longer for a group to make this kind of decision. I won't elaborate as to why we decided on an arbitrary number of two years, but this was put in place mostly because we (the group) wanted to make sure that our new hire was committed to staying in the area and also wanted to participate at a higher level so to speak. I think that after six months when the honeymoon period of a new hire has worn off, both parties will sort of have a good idea if the fit is right or not. My group's goal is to entice solid pathologists who are hungry for work to help our group succeed and stand out. I cannot keep someone here for long if they do not have an attainable goal to reach.

The gauntlet has been thrown, indeed. I am 100% serious.

4-5 years until partnership was my experience. One place offered 3 years to partnership.

It’s because it’s more money in the pockets of the partners of course. It’s no coincidence the time to partnership happens in pathology and not other fields. Oversupply?

If you don’t want the job, they should have no problem finding someone else.

Oh yeah I forgot to mention my job offered me two weeks vacation time. LOL.

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[caffeinegirl]

4-5 years until partnership was my experience. One place offered 3 years to partnership.

It’s because it’s more money in the pockets of the partners of course. It’s no coincidence the time to partnership happens in pathology and not other fields. Oversupply?

If you don’t want the job, they should have no problem finding someone else.

Oh yeah I forgot to mention my job offered me two weeks vacation time. LOL.

I had a very similar experience, with 5 year partnership, and also super low vacation time compared to the full partners - but then, after 5 years nobody new makes it to partner, as the full partners want to keep their vacation time and pay. This is not a one-off - I know of several others with similar experience.

 

[Doormat]

I agree with you that two years for the majority of private groups should be the ceiling. It is odd that it would take longer for a group to make this kind of decision. I won't elaborate as to why we decided on an arbitrary number of two years, but this was put in place mostly because we (the group) wanted to make sure that our new hire was committed to staying in the area and also wanted to participate at a higher level so to speak. I think that after six months when the honeymoon period of a new hire has worn off, both parties will sort of have a good idea if the fit is right or not. My group's goal is to entice solid pathologists who are hungry for work to help our group succeed and stand out. I cannot keep someone here for long if they do not have an attainable goal to reach.

The gauntlet has been thrown, indeed. I am 100% serious.

So if I'm a young pathologist at your group. I am hungry for work and want to participate at a higher level and stand out. What do I do? Do I go to the GI groups, the urology groups, the OB/Gyn groups, the dermatology groups and say -- I can offer you BIGGER KICKBACKS on your pathology than you are getting now? Let's sweeten the deal with your TC/PC splits or in-office labs. I'll do your cases for a flat fee of $5 per case and you all can bill globally? I will do MALT-1 break-apart FISH probe on every gastric biopsy with a lymphocyte in it?

I honestly don't know how any pathologist -- or pathology group for that matter -- can go into the open market and win business. It is all about the money. End of story. Subspecialty training? Meaningless. Ivy league residency? Meaningless. Even Boston Scientific, who sells polypectomy forceps and other endoscopy hardware, has their own GI pathology lab they market to GI docs.

I suppose LA Doc would recommend hookers or other innovative inducements.

 

[cmz]

So if I'm a young pathologist at your group. I am hungry for work and want to participate at a higher level and stand out. What do I do? Do I go to the GI groups, the urology groups, the OB/Gyn groups, the dermatology groups and say -- I can offer you BIGGER KICKBACKS on your pathology than you are getting now? Let's sweeten the deal with your TC/PC splits or in-office labs. I'll do your cases for a flat fee of $5 per case and you all can bill globally? I will do MALT-1 break-apart FISH probe on every gastric biopsy with a lymphocyte in it?

I honestly don't know how any pathologist -- or pathology group for that matter -- can go into the open market and win business. It is all about the money. End of story. Subspecialty training? Meaningless. Ivy league residency? Meaningless. Even Boston Scientific, who sells polypectomy forceps and other endoscopy hardware, has their own GI pathology lab they market to GI docs.

I suppose LA Doc would recommend hookers or other innovative inducements.

Actually, if you go to the GI or Urology groups with what you're proposing and using my company name, I will sue the ever living crap out of you and fire you on the spot. I have plenty of work to go around that doesn't involve shady tactics.

 

[gbwillner]

I take it you are not familiar with Plato's allegory of the cave in which the chains are a metaphor for being "chained" to a way of thought. Also people in "charge" means exactly what it means, those people who run the administration and the decision making capacity of pathology. As far as fixing things, it would be nice for anyone with even a modicum of power would acknowledge the bad deal that is the pathology career.

Everyone who claims pathology isn't that bad seems to vehemently deny the negatives of pathology but never refutes them. It is always personal attacks and outright dismissal. I'm sure this continued approach will improve resident education/decrease exploitation, medical student interest, pathology recruiting those with visa issues who can't practice, the need for multiple fellowships, lack of jobs with an appropriate location and career advancement opportunity, dropping reimbursement rates, lack of collegiate respect, ignorant professional organization, and so on.

First, who are these magical people that run the administration of pathology? They are your boogeyman. Second, your very point that those who disagree your negative viewpoint of pathology and the market must "refute it" is backwards. Maybe you should think about supporting your own hyperbole.

And yes, people's perspectives are flavored by their experiences. I have suffered from exactly zero of the ills you state as plain fact, despite zero evidence. I am not blind to the fact that some have problems in the field, some their fault, some not. Things can always be better than they are. However, I am also not blind to the general trends in medicine that many of you naysayers omit- that many of these issues around reimbursement and employment are true across specialties.

 

[octopusprime]

So if I'm a young pathologist at your group. I am hungry for work and want to participate at a higher level and stand out. What do I do? Do I go to the GI groups, the urology groups, the OB/Gyn groups, the dermatology groups and say -- I can offer you BIGGER KICKBACKS on your pathology than you are getting now? Let's sweeten the deal with your TC/PC splits or in-office labs. I'll do your cases for a flat fee of $5 per case and you all can bill globally? I will do MALT-1 break-apart FISH probe on every gastric biopsy with a lymphocyte in it?

I honestly don't know how any pathologist -- or pathology group for that matter -- can go into the open market and win business. It is all about the money. End of story. Subspecialty training? Meaningless. Ivy league residency? Meaningless. Even Boston Scientific, who sells polypectomy forceps and other endoscopy hardware, has their own GI pathology lab they market to GI docs.

I suppose LA Doc would recommend hookers or other innovative inducements.

It's entirely about the money for GI and urology, et al, groups. 1000% certain. We produce widgets, and the cheapest widgets net those groups more money.