Infectious diseases (ID) physicians serving as infection prevention or antimicrobial stewardship medical directors must receive reimbursements that are consistent with the fair market value (FMV) of their services. As defined by the physician self-referral law ("Stark") law, fair market value is "the value in arms length transactions, consistent with the general market value" of your services. This means that ID physicians in consultation with their hospitals are free to establish reimbursement levels that are consistent with the market value of their services in a given area. This document provides an overview of FMV, Stark law, and other terms seen in contracting for physician services.
IDSA has long argued that, at a minimum, ID medical directors' reimbursements should account for the overhead costs required to maintain their practice. The following is an example of a reimbursement formula that can be used as a starting point in negotiations with your hospitals:
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In September 2017, The Value That Infectious Diseases Physicians Bring to the Healthcare System, was published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases (JID). The article provides a compendium of data sources that ID specialists can use in demonstrating their value to hospital administrators during contract negotiations.
Finally, a presentation on how to negotiate infection control contracts were given at the 2009 Clinical Practice Meeting. The presentation was presented as a point-counterpoint from a physician's standpoint.