Background/Purpose

Improvements in patient care are directly affected by scientific discovery, and surgeons have historically played a vital role in this process. However, increasing clinical demands and incentivization for pure clinical productivity present challenges for promoting academic productivity. The objective of this work was to analyze the effects of adding an academic relative value unit (aRVU) scoring system to an existing work RVU (wRVU)-based incentivization plan on academic productivity in a Department of Pediatric Surgery.

Methods

Prior to 2012, incentive bonuses in our Department were mainly based on clinical wRVU activities. A weighted scoring system for 30 specific aRVUs was established in 2012. Incentivization for wRVUs vs. aRVUs was based on the clinical full-time equivalent (cFTE) of each faculty member. Academic activities incentivized included grant submissions/funding, peer reviewed publications, national presentations, Study Section participation, education and mentoring activities, receipt of research or teaching awards, initiation of Institutional Review Board (IRB) protocols, new academic society committee memberships/chairpersons, and patents. Academic progress was analyzed from 2012 to 2020.

Results

During the study period, annual external federal funding increased from $750,168 to $5,768,243 (7.7-fold increase); annual peer-reviewed publications increased from 24 to 140 (5.8-fold increase); annual national presentations accepted for oral/poster presentations nearly doubled; and faculty members and their trainees received 41 competitive research awards including 8 American Pediatric Surgical Association Awards, 9 American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Surgery Awards, and 3 American College of Surgeons Awards. During the same study period, wRVUs increased by 8%.

Conclusions

Incentivization based on the addition of an aRVU system to a pre-existing wRVU system was associated with a significant increase in academic productivity, while still maintaining clinical productivity. Implementing an aRVU program is an important means of increasing academic productivity in Pediatric and other Surgery Departments.

中文翻译：

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开发学术 RVU (aRVU) 系统以提高儿科外科学术生产力

背景/目的

科学发现直接影响患者护理的改进，而外科医生历来在这一过程中发挥了至关重要的作用。然而，不断增加的临床需求和对纯临床生产力的激励对提高学术生产力提出了挑战。这项工作的目的是分析在现有的基于工作 RVU (wRVU) 的工作激励计划中添加学术相对价值单位 (aRVU) 评分系统对小儿外科的学术生产力的影响。

方法

2012年之前，我科的奖励奖金主要基于临床wRVU活动。2012 年建立了 30 个特定 aRVU 的加权评分系统。wRVU与aRVU 的激励是基于每位教员的临床全职当量 (cFTE)。激励的学术活动包括赠款提交/资助、同行评审的出版物、国家报告、研究部门参与、教育和指导活动、获得研究或教学奖励、发起机构审查委员会 (IRB) 协议、新的学术协会委员会成员/主席、和专利。对 2012 年至 2020 年的学术进展进行了分析。

结果

在研究期间，年度外部联邦资金从 750,168 美元增加到 5,768,243 美元（增长 7.7 倍）；年度同行评审出版物从 24 篇增加到 140 篇（增加 5.8 倍）；接受口头/海报展示的年度国家展示几乎翻了一番；教职员工和学员获得了41项具有竞争力的研究奖项，其中包括8项美国儿科外科协会奖、9项美国儿科学会外科奖和3项美国外科学院奖。在同一研究期间，wRVU 增加了 8%。

结论

基于在现有 wRVU 系统中添加 aRVU 系统的激励与学术生产力的显着提高相关，同时仍保持临床生产力。实施 aRVU 计划是提高儿科和其他外科部门学术生产力的重要手段。