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Validating the Resource-Based Relative Value Scale cross-specialty alignment. A survey of double-boarded physicians
1Department of Health Policy and Management, Harvard University School of Public Health, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
Medical Care
|October 1, 1995
Summary
Physician surveys can validate Medicare
Area of Science:
- Health Economics
- Medical Practice Management
Background:
- Medicare physician payments shifted to the Resource-Based Relative Value Scale (RBRVS) in 1992.
- Accurate cross-specialty alignment is crucial for the RBRVS fee schedule.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present an alternative method for cross-specialty alignment in the RBRVS.
- To validate existing RBRVS linkages between pathology and internal medicine.
Main Methods:
- Surveyed physicians dual-board certified in pathology and internal medicine.
- Collected data on the work involved in services across both specialties.
Main Results:
- Survey results closely aligned with existing RBRVS findings.
- Findings remained robust after weighting by service frequency and practice mix.
Conclusions:
- The RBRVS relative work values for pathology and internal medicine are valid.
- Surveying multi-specialty physicians is a valuable method for developing and validating RBRVS linkages.