1. Conducted by Merritt Hawkins
2014 Survey of Membership Compensation, Career Satisfaction and Personal Perspectives
Conducted by Merritt Hawkins

2. ABOUT MERRITT HAWKINS Numerous hospitals and health systems
The nation’s leading physician search and consulting firm and a company of AMN Healthcare (NYSE: AHS)
Third party research conducted for:
Numerous hospitals and health systems
North Texas Regional Extension Center
Texas Healthcare Trustees
The Indian Health Service
The Physicians Foundation
Trinity University

3. THE 2014 AASA SURVEY
Scope expanded to better understand concerns and perspectives of AASA members

4. Total Responses 108 Response Rate 50% METHODOLOGY
Survey sent by to all AASA members three times from July 30 to October 5, Merritt Hawkins’ researchers called through the list to enhance participation.
Total Responses
108
Response Rate
50%

5. RESPONDENT DEMOGRAPHICS

6. BY POSITION Chief Department Administrator 41.9%
Associate/Assistant Administrator
10.5%
Division/Section Administrator
31.4%
Business Office Manager
5.7%
Other within surgery

7. BY REGION

8. BY YEARS IN HEALTH CARE One year or less 1.0% 2 – 5 years 7.6%
17.1%
11 – 15 years
20.0%
16 years or more
54.3%

9. BY GENDER

10. BY DEGREE High school 2.9% Associate degree 1.9% Bachelor’s degree
19.2%
Master’s degree
74.0%
Doctoral degree

11. BY NUMBER OF FULL-TIME FACULTY
Low
Average
High 3
59.5
250

12. BY NUMBER OF PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS AND NURSE PRACTITIONERS
Low
Average
High
20.8
130

13. NUMBER OF PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS & NURSE PRACTITIONERS BY FACULTY SIZE
Full Time Faculty
% Representation
Average
High
Low 3% 32 50 20 33 12
18% 44 95 4
99-50
20% 30
130
49-1
26% 11 42 1

14. BY NUMBER OF RESIDENTS/FELLOWS
Average
High
57.5
200

15. NUMBER OF RESIDENTS BY FACULTY SIZE
Full Time Faculty
% Representation
Average
High
Low 4%
181
200
150 3% 75
123 8
17%
196 65
99-50
21% 67
135 4
49-1
55% 27 94 2

16. BY NUMBER OF TOTAL SUPPORT STAFF
Low
Average
High 1
114.3
660

17. NUMBER OF SUPPORT STAFF BY FACULTY SIZE
Full Time Faculty
% Representation
Average
High
Low 2%
377
400
354 3%
205
500 18
17%
318
660
150
99-50
20%
131
350 32
49-1
58% 34
127 1

18. BY NUMBER OF SUPPORT STAFF SPECIFIC TO ACADEMICS
Low
Average
High
42.4
560

19. NUMBER OF SUPPORT STAFF SPECIFIC TO ACADEMICS BY FACULTY SIZE
Full Time Faculty
% Representation
Average
High
Low 3%
225
240
209 43 83 2
15%
157
560 15
99-50
20% 33
180
49-1
59% 10 67 1

20. BY NUMBER OF SUPPORT STAFF SPECIFIC TO CLINICAL
Low
Average
High
57.1
400

21. NUMBER OF SUPPORT STAFF SPECIFIC TO CLINICAL BY FACULTY SIZE
Full Time Faculty
% Representation
Average
High
Low 3%
153
160
145 16 15
18%
137
400 1
99-50
20% 97
240 6
49-1
56% 25
100 2

22. BY ANNUAL BASE SALARY
Low
Average
High
$51,000
$132,711
$300,000

23. AVERAGE SALARY BY TITLE
Chief Department Administrator
$180,701
Associate/Assistant Administrator
$116,877
Division/Section Administrator
$95,369
Business Office Manager
$89,184
Other within surgery
$79,089

24. RECEIVING A BONUS

25. BY AMOUNT OF BONUS
Low
Average
High
$1,000
$19,181
$214,094

26. BONUS BY TITLE Chief Department Administrator $30,901
Associate/Assistant Administrator
$1,000
Division/Section Administrator
$6,438
Business Office Manager
Other within surgery
$5,833

27. BY OPERATING BUDGET
Low
Average
High
$160,000
$43,027,074
$180,000,000

28. OPERATING BUDGET BY FACULTY SIZE
Full Time Faculty
% Representation
Average
High
Low 4%
$93,468,625
$180,000,000
$2,200,000 3%
$76,607,881
$100,000,000
$53,215,762
21%
$77,415,816
$125,000,000
$160,000
99-50
22%
$45,093,246
$80,000,000
$2,000,000
49-1
50%
$21,523,509
$45,000,000
$910,852

29. BY GROSS BILLINGS
Low
Average
High
$100,000
$86,138,275
$318,861,131

30. GROSS BILLINGS BY FACULTY SIZE
Full Time Faculty
% Representation
Average
High
Low 4%
$244,299,696
$318,861,131
$200,000,000 3%
$179,189,941
$205,000,000
$153,379,881
23%
$121,140,492
$243,000,000
$100,000
99-50
18%
$92,813,091
$172,211,548
$104,000
49-1
52%
$48,103,258
$153,400,000

31. BY GROSS COLLECTIONS Low Average High $2,100,000 $29,640,732
$104,725,941

32. GROSS COLLECTIONS BY FACULTY SIZE
Full Time Faculty
% Representation
Average
High
Low 4%
$83,982,949
$104,725,941
$70,000,000 3%
$56,629,891
$73,000,000
$40,259,782
22%
$45,810,904
$95,000,000
$4,691,802
99-50
20%
$32,045,381
$60,000,000
$18,000,000
49-1
51%
$16,172,378
$40,000,000
$2,100,000

33. BY ANNUAL RESTRICTED FUNDS
Low
Average
High
$5,261
$15,509,104
$315,000,000

34. RESTRICTED FUNDS BY FACULTY SIZE
Full Time Faculty
% Representation
Average
High
Low 3%
$26,337,361
$34,000,000
$18,674,722 2%
$38,374,398
22%
$35,378,777
$315,000,000
$1,451,936
99-50
21%
$14,788,626
$30,000,000
$2,000,000
49-1
52%
$5,686,377
$33,952,280
$5,261

35. SATISFACTION, PLANS AND PERSPECTIVES

36. ATTITUDE TOWARD BEING A SURGICAL ADMINISTRATOR
Very positive/satisfying
69.1%
Somewhat positive/satisfying
25.8%
Neither positive/satisfying nor negative/unsatisfying
3.1%
Somewhat negative/unsatisfying
2.1%
Very negative/unsatisfying
0.0%

37. ATTITUDE TOWARD BEING A SURGICAL ADMINISTRATOR BY FACULTY SIZE
Full Time Faculty
Very positive
Somewhat positive
Neither positive nor negative
Somewhat negative
Very negative
75%
25% 0%
67%
33%
65%
35%
99-50
90%
10%
49-1
61%
29% 6% 4%

38. WOULD RECOMMEND SURGICAL ADMINISTRATOR AS A CAREER

39. COMPARISON TO PHYSICIANS
Would recommend medicine as a career
Source: A Survey of America’s Physicians: Practice Patterns and Perspectives, The Physicians Foundation/Merritt Hawkins, 2014

40. RATE YOUR MORALE Very positive 51.5% Somewhat positive 41.2%
Neither positive nor negative
2.1%
Somewhat negative
4.1%
Very negative
1.0%

41. PERSONAL MORALE BY FACULTY SIZE
Full Time Faculty
Very positive
Somewhat positive
Neither positive nor negative
Somewhat negative
Very negative
100% 0%
67%
33%
40%
60%
99-50
63%
37%
49-1
48%
41% 2% 7%

42. COMPARISON TO PHYSICIANS
Rate your morale
Very positive
8.8%
Somewhat positive
35.6%
Somewhat negative
37.1%
Very negative
18.5%
Source: A Survey of America’s Physicians: Practice Patterns and Perspectives, The Physicians Foundation/Merritt Hawkins, 2014

43. WOULD CHOOSE SURGICAL ADMINISTRATOR AS A CAREER AGAIN

44. COMPARISON TO PHYSICIANS
Would choose medicine as a career again
Source: A Survey of America’s Physicians: Practice Patterns and Perspectives, The Physicians Foundation/Merritt Hawkins, 2014

45. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM?
Very positive/optimistic
5.2%
Somewhat positive/optimistic
51.0%
Neither positive/optimistic nor negative/pessimistic
25.0%
Somewhat negative/pessimistic
16.7%
Very negative/pessimistic
2.1%

46. ATTITUDE ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM BY FACULTY SIZE
Full Time Faculty
Very positive
Somewhat positive
Neither positive nor negative
Somewhat negative
Very negative 0%
50%
67%
33%
53%
27%
20%
99-50
61%
28%
11%
49-1 9%
46%
25%
16% 4%

47. COMPARISON TO PHYSICIANS
Very positive/optimistic
10.2%
Somewhat positive/optimistic
38.7%
Somewhat negative/pessimistic
39.5%
Very negative/pessimistic
11.6%
Source: A Survey of America’s Physicians: Practice Patterns and Perspectives, The Physicians Foundation/Merritt Hawkins, 2014

48. ATTITUDE TOWARD THE ACA
It has proven to be a success
2.1%
A work in progress but likely to be a success
32.3%
Needs improvement but should be modified not repealed
57.3%
Has been a failure
5.2%
Should be repealed
3.1%

49. STRATEGIC PRIORITIES Very Important Reimbursement/revenue 97.9%
Very Important
Reimbursement/revenue
97.9%
Quality initiatives
76.6%
Evolving payment models
74.7%
Patient attitudes
74.5%
Physician recruiting/retention
74.2%
Physician Alignment
71.3%
EMR implementation
48.4%
Nurse/allied professional staffing
44.1%
ACO implementation
31.5%

50. PRIORITIES FOR NEXT 12 MONTHS
Very Important
Increasing revenue
86.6%
Decreasing costs
67.7%
Physician relations
56.7%
Physician recruitment
50.5%
Regulatory compliance
37.1%
Impact of the ACA
28.1%
Implementing/upgrading EMR
22.7%

51. PREPARED FOR VOLUME TO VALUE
Very prepared
4.1%
Somewhat prepared
64.9%
Neither prepared nor unprepared
13.4%
Somewhat unprepared
15.5%
Very unprepared
2.1%

52. DEPARTMENT’S RELATIONSHIP WITH PHYSICIANS
Open hostility
0.0%
Uneasy alliance
4.1%
General cooperation
63.9%
Complete integration/alignment
30.9%
Not applicable
1.0%

53. PLANS FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS
Continue as I am
60.2%
Retire
2.8%
Work part-time
3.7%
Find another surgical administrator position
25.0%
Seek a non-surgical administrator position
14.8%
Seek a job outside of healthcare
Work from home

54. Conducted by Merritt Hawkins
2014 Survey of Membership Compensation, Career Satisfaction and Personal Perspectives
Conducted by Merritt Hawkins