Taking Physician Compensation Beyond the Spreadsheet with Jamaal Campbell

On this episode of the MGMA Insights Podcast, host and senior editor Daniel Williams sits down with Jamaal Campbell, general manager of Physician Enterprise at Hallmark, to explore how healthcare organizations can simplify physician compensation, reduce administrative risk and give leaders faster access to reliable workforce data.

Campbell explains why compensation administration remains highly dependent on spreadsheets and disconnected systems, even as physician enterprises grow more complex. He also discusses the financial and compliance consequences of manual processes, the importance of transparency for physician and APP engagement, and the groundwork organizations should complete before adopting a compensation management platform.

Episode takeaways

• Physician compensation often depends on disconnected data. Information may originate in the electronic health record, practice management platform, human resources systems, contracts and locally maintained spreadsheets. Every handoff introduces another opportunity for an error or delay.
• Simpler plans can improve understanding and trust. Physicians and APPs may not know how complicated compensation formulas translate into their payments. Clearer mechanics and accessible performance data help providers understand how they are paid and assess whether calculations are accurate.
• Specialized compensation talent is increasingly difficult to find. As physician enterprises expand through employment and consolidation, organizations need analysts and leaders who understand finance, contracts, benchmarks and compensation mechanics. Campbell says professionals with that combination of expertise have become organizational “unicorns.”
• A single source of truth supports faster decisions. When compensation calculations and source data are brought together, leaders can model potential changes without waiting days for spreadsheets to be rebuilt. That can make it easier to assess a new metric, benchmark or fee schedule using historical performance.
• Spreadsheet errors can create significant financial exposure. Campbell notes that even a 3% to 5% error rate would represent $3 million to $5 million for an organization administering $100 million in annual provider compensation. The actual exposure may be difficult to determine when organizations do not consistently track errors.
• Contract terms and payment practices must remain aligned. A compensation model may calculate payment one way while the provider’s contract requires something different. Connecting contracts, calculations and established compliance guardrails can help organizations identify inconsistencies before they become larger problems.
• Provider confidence affects more than payroll. When physicians and APPs cannot verify their compensation, the resulting frustration may weaken engagement, contribute to attrition and distract clinicians from patient care. Transparent reporting gives providers the evidence they need to understand their performance and compensation.
• Discovery should come before implementation. Campbell recommends cataloging every compensation plan, formula, exception and workflow before selecting or deploying a new system. Finance, human resources, operations and physician compensation teams should participate so the organization understands its current state and agrees on the desired future process.

Resources

• Hallmark Health
• Connect with Jamaal Campbell on LinkedIn
• Financial Management at MGMA

MGMA Members: Email us at dwilliams@mgma.com if you would like to appear on an episode. If you have a question about your practice that you would like us to answer, send an email to advisor@mgma.com. Don't forget to subscribe to our network wherever you get your podcasts!