National Study of Resource-Based Relative Value Scales for Physician Services. Volume 6. Final Values and Components, January 1989 Documentation

摘要

The study develops a national resource-based relative value scale and presents results for physician services in 18 specialties. The scale establishes relative values which are comparable across specialties. Resource-based relative values are hypothesized to be a function of work before, during and after the service, specialty-specific relative practice costs, and specialty-specific relative opportunity costs. Physicians were surveyed to determine the amount of work expended during the performance of 409 services and procedures. Weighted least squares was employed to make work across specialties comparable. Extrapolation techniques were used to generate relative values for non-surveyed services in the studied specialties. The study shows there is a large variation in resource requirements both within and among specialties. Medicare charge to resource-based relative values ratios also show large variation. These ratios ranged from 0.2 to 0.5 for most evaluation and management services, and were greater than 1.0 for most hospital-based invasive procedures. The study also subjects the methodology and results to review by experts in various fields.