Productivity-based relative value units for radiology procedures. A Delphi approach

This paper presents a methodology to develop relative value units (RVUs) for radiology procedures. The RVUs were developed to measure and to monitor the productivity of radiologists and technologists in a large HMO. In all, 13 radiologists and 33 technologists participated in a Delphi process to develop relative weights for 595 procedures in eight different radiology modalities, including CAT scanner and ultrasound. The RVUs generated were readily accepted by the users and are currently being implemented in the computerized information system at the HMO.