Q&A
Discussion on panel sizes and productivity expectations for H+H physicians
0:58:00
ยท
3 min
Council Member Schulman inquires about panel sizes and productivity expectations for H+H physicians. Dr. Katz explains that H+H sets these expectations, not OMB, and discusses their approach to scheduling and productivity.
- H+H currently averages 7 patients per session, with a goal of 8 scheduled
- Productivity expectations are set but not rigidly enforced
- Dr. Katz acknowledges the challenges of balancing patient needs with productivity goals
Lynn C. Schulman
0:58:00
Who sets the time frame for that panel?
0:58:03
Is it H and H or is it OMB?
Mitch Katz
0:58:05
H and
Lynn C. Schulman
0:58:06
H.
0:58:06
Does OMB have any say?
Mitch Katz
0:58:09
We haven't asked them.
Lynn C. Schulman
0:58:12
Okay.
0:58:13
I just because I know they talk about productivity for other agencies and everything else, so that's why I wanted to figure out if there's any
Mitch Katz
0:58:23
I mean, we I we would not be considered a high productive system on primary care.
0:58:30
We are we are not that even with the 8.
0:58:33
We currently average 7 k.
0:58:35
Is where we currently are.
0:58:37
But I also agree, and you'll hear from our physicians more articulately, but I do it myself, so I know.
0:58:44
Our patients often have problems that go beyond their hypertension or diabetes.
0:58:50
And as you know well, sometimes that's the easy part.
0:58:53
The easy part is my prescribing the hypertension and diabetes medicines, and it's it's meeting the other needs.
0:59:00
And I think in a lot of other systems, nobody would care.
0:59:03
They'd say I'm a doctor.
0:59:05
You know?
0:59:07
You know?
0:59:07
Ask someone else.
0:59:10
My, you know, very committed doctors came to health and hospitals to do this work.
0:59:15
That's why they came.
0:59:16
And so I think, you know, anything that feels like I'm going to have less time for my patients who are homeless, my patients who are domestic violence survivors, my patients who are in difficult family situations feels bad.
0:59:32
And I I understand.
0:59:34
I just would say it also feels bad that there's people waiting for visits for whom we're doing nothing.
0:59:39
So let's let's do something for them.
0:59:42
Let's figure out what their number one problem is.
Lynn C. Schulman
0:59:46
No.
0:59:46
Thank you.
0:59:47
So if if a if a provider doesn't hit 8 patients per session, what happens?
0:59:52
Anything?
0:59:52
Or
Mitch Katz
0:59:53
Okay.
0:59:53
So first, I should say 8 is scheduled.
Mercedes Narcisse
0:59:56
Okay.
Mitch Katz
0:59:56
That doesn't mean that you're gonna see 8.
0:59:58
Okay.
0:59:59
Right?
0:59:59
You're gonna see who's scheduled.
1:00:01
We don't, discipline people Mhmm.
1:00:05
On productivity.
1:00:06
K.
1:00:07
What we try to do is to have a reasonable expectation, so we book you.
1:00:12
So, I mean, a primary care doctor will be booked for 8 appointments.
1:00:17
They may or may not, get it depending upon, the number left without being seen.
1:00:23
Since we've changed how we've done it, we've actually had lower left without being, fewer people not coming, because we're scheduling those new appointments closer to the actual appointment.
Dr. Frances Quee
1:00:37
Okay.
Mitch Katz
1:00:38
And that seems to be resulting in smaller, you know, losses of people not coming.
1:00:44
But, you know, we we try to set expectations.
1:00:48
We try to say this is what's a reasonable for a gastroenterologist to do.
1:00:53
This is what is reasonable for a pulmonologist.
1:00:56
But but we, you know, we and we try to counsel people who are outliers.
1:01:01
Mhmm.
1:01:02
But we are we are not people who go around firing doctors because they they're at 6, not 8.