Hospitals are more likely to compensate physicians for on-call duties than other practices, according to the release. Thirty percent of providers at hospitals reported no additional compensation for on-call coverage, while 42 percent of providers in non-hospital–owned practices reported no additional compensation. Overall, 38 percent of providers reported no additional compensation for on-call duty.
Neurological surgeons received the highest compensation for on-call duties at $2,000 daily. Pediatricians and urologists averaged $895 and $500, respectively.
Most physicians in multi-specialty groups reported higher compensation for on-call coverage than those in single-specialty groups. Cardiologists, obstetricians and gynecologists, orthopedic surgeons and family practice physicians reported receiving greater compensation for on-call duties when in a multi-specialty group. Only neurological specialists reported a higher daily rate for on-call compensation in a single-specialty group ($2,850) than in a multi-specialty group ($1,450).
On-call compensation also varied regionally. Neurosurgeons in the eastern region of the United States received almost 71 percent higher compensation for on-call duties ($2,850) than those in the West ($1,667). General surgeons in the East received $500 daily for on-call services, while those in the Midwest earned $1,000 daily. Physicians in nonsurgical specialties earned more than double the daily compensation for on-call coverage in the West ($1,080) than the rate reported for the South ($500).
