Specialized Physicians’ Guide for Contract Staffing Partners
This guide is intended to help our physician and allied healthcare contract staff enjoy a rewarding experience and extract the most value from their assignments.
Contracting Basics
(1) The Mercenary Mindset: Go Anywhere Do Anything
1.1. The key to a great assignment is in determining the SOW (scope of work). High paying jobs with low workloads are going to always be in suburban, or rural underserved areas. That is also where the c-suite, and staff will appreciate you the most.
1.2. As a matter of principle and policy, Specialized Physicians is not in a race to the bottom in terms of compensation for our contract physicians and allied healthcare professionals. We do not pit physicians or providers against each other, and that is why we publish rates with every contract position that is available.
1.3. We’re being paid to go where others won’t and the reward for that is financial compensation, and not being chained to a W2 job. Travel and flexibility is part of the job in exchange for premium pay that is up to 9x a W2-employment salary when adjusted for hours worked.
1.4. Hourly pay-rate is just one component of the compensation package. Things to consider:
1.4.1 Guaranteed regular hours: typically 8.00 hours / day.
1.4.2. Overtime billing: all our contracts allow for overtime billing, billed at 0.25 increments (15 minutes) in excess of 8.00 hours on-site.
1.4.3. Night call fee: for after hours call coverage during the week Mon-Fri.
1.4.4. 24-hour call fee: typically Sat-Sun.
1.4.5. Call back fees: Specialized Physicians structures our contracts so that physicians are paid for every call back at their hourly bill rate (billed in 15 minute increments).
1.4.6. Type of call: i.e. is call Telephone only, or on-site presence / availability needed ad hoc.
1.4.7. Ability to bill for administrative tasks: e.g. answering portal questions, chart review and preparation, after hours care-coordination, tumor board, multidisciplinary case conferences, clinical inbox management.
(2) Attitude
2.1. We are a boutique firm and what we offer our clients is more than just a warm body to sign orders, or rotely perform tasks. Our commitment to customer service is paramount. The way we distinguish ourselves is by aggregating and supplying the best physician and allied healthcare professional talent, and that is why our clients chose us.
2.2. Having an “owner’s” mindset rather than a “renter’s” mindset.
2.2.1. An owner mindset is a sense of personal responsibility, and commitment to the work at hand. I.e. As a physician on assignment you recognize that you are now the attending physician in charge of that patient’s care, and take ownership over the management of the patients you treat for the duration of your assignment.
(3) Customer Service and Engagement
3.1. Be on time. As a non-employee you will be under extra scrutiny.
3.2. Be nice! Show everyone around you that you’re professional, courteous and excited for the opportunity to meet their needs. You want to be invited back in the future.
3.3. Be a good communicator. Close the communication loop with your colleagues, and local staff.
3.4. Documentation: All notes must be completed the same day.
3.5. E&M Billing: All billing must be completed the same day.
3.6. Clinical Note Hygiene:
3.6.1. Write clean concise notes.
3.6.2. Understand that often the only form of communication you have with the next physician (or vice versa) is through a clear, concise note.
3.6.3. Writing a long rambling note does not mean that is a clear, effective note. We have had clients not renew contract staff over this issue alone.
3.7. We’re not here to fix ‘the system’. We are fulfilling a critical need, solving a specific problem. If the client wants to fix shortcomings, inefficiencies in their setup - they will request consulting services from Specialized.
3.8. Do not operate outside of your SOW (Scope of Work).
3.8.1. Specialized Physicians does not supervise midlevel providers.
3.8.2. Specialized Physicians does not teach or precept students, residents, fellows or any other client staff, or employees.
3.8.3. If something is not in SOW, you are not permitted to engage in that activity e.g. SOW is for outpatient coverage, and an inpatient consult is requested of you ⇒ This is outside the scope of your engagement.
(4) Understand the Economics and Finances of Your Role
4.1. Healthcare for better or worse, is utilization driven. That is what drives profits, and those funds are what is used to pay for contracted services. It behooves all Specialized Physicians contracting partners to understand the economics and finances germane to their field of work. BLUF (Bottom Line, Up Front): know your industry.
4.2. Examples:
4.2.1. You are an oncologist or rheumatologist, and want weekend-only assignments. Understand that drug infusions are not done on the weekends. There is very little financial upside to hiring a contract physician to cover a weekend unless in the most dire of circumstances.
4.2.2. You are a CT technologist, and arrive late to work repeatedly which holds up imaging studies. Less scans = less revenue ⇒ Client funds available for contract staffing.
(5) Organizational Skills
5.1. Have your documents ready. Endless credential verification and obtaining privileges is an unavoidable part of being a healthcare professional (we’re in the trenches right along with you!).
5.2. Complete our application if you haven’t already done so.
5.3. For a list of documents you will need please refer to our FAQ.
5.4. Contracts are filled on a first-come first-serve basis. We advise responding to emails, texts, and phone calls as expeditiously as possible.
5.5. If you’re planning on doing contract work / ‘locum-tenens’, we advise you to get a letter of qualification (LOQ) from the IMLCC. Clients always prefer candidates who are ready to deploy as soon as possible, a major factor in workforce-readiness is obtaining the appropriate licensures and certifications.
Billing & Invoicing, Payment Remittance
(1) This is the most important part of this guide! Why? Because this is how we all get paid!
(2) Billing and Invoicing:
2.1. As a contracting partner, we are billing for our services based on time. It is extremely important to report time accurately, and honestly. To that end, recording our time & activity should be done meticulously and diligently so that we can be paid for all the work we do.
2.2. Complete and submit your timesheets, expense reports, and itemized receipts in real-time.
(3) Payment Remittence:
3.1. Ensure that you have submitted:
3.1.1. W9: IRS Form W-9 is used to provide a correct Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) to an entity that is required to file an information return with the IRS to report income or other payments made to an individual or business. As a 1099 contractor, you are a business.
3.1.2. ACH authorization form: provide your bank account information and routing number and signature for direct deposit payments.