125NURSING ECONOMIC

125NURSING ECONOMIC$/May-June 2015/Vol. 33/No. 3

R ELATIVE VALUE UNITS (RVUs)are used within healthcare organizations to indi-cate resources re quired when determining physician fee schedules. While RVUs typically compose the core of physician fees and are often used in physician incentive plans, these units are not always utilized in advanced prac- tice registered nurse (APRN) mod- els. APRNs have become integral to the provision of quality, cost- effective health care throughout the continuum of care. As health care organizations respond to physician shortages and reim- bursement shifts, the number of APRNs is increasing rapidly, and finding a market advantage for hir- ing and retaining APRNs is imper- ative. Therefore, an innovative incentive plan for APRNs was cre- ated that incorporated both pro- ductivity and quality metrics. Data were gathered before and after

implementation of this program to determine its effectiveness on pro – vider outcomes. The program and associated outcomes are des crib ed.

Background Relative value units. RVUs

reflect the relative resources required to furnish a physician fee schedule service. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and other private insurers use the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) to reimburse physician services. The MPFS became effective January 1, 1992 and is funded by Part B. Three sep- arate RVUs are associated with the calculation of a payment und er the MPFS: work RVUs (wRVUs) reflect the relative time and intensity associated with providing a serv- ice and equals ap proximately 50% of the total payment; practice expense RVUs (reflect costs such as renting office space, buying sup-

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Advanced practice registered

nurses (APRNs) are integral to the provision of quality, cost- effective health care throughout the continuum of care.

To promote job satisfaction and ultimately decrease turnover, an APRN incentive plan based on productivity and quality …