Clinical Education: The Business of Psychology in the United States Managing Productivity, Schedules and RVUs

Psychology training concentrates on psychological theory, clinical assessment, diagnosis, intervention, research, interpersonal skills, diversity and ethics. Emphasis is on increasing scientific and professional knowledge about human behavior and psychologists learn to support behavioral change, form and maintain relationships, teach others to improve coping skills, promote decision-making and personal potential, while supporting individual development. It is rare that psychologists are provided education on the business aspects of psychology, which focuses on coding, billing, productivity expectations and understanding how our work translates into collections for our academic health centers. This article outlines ways in which productivity is measured, discusses reimbursement for services, outlines billing and coding challenges, puts forth recommendations on how to best utilize time for maximum benefit and discusses the importance of advocacy for psychologists and our work in academic health centers.