Call RVUs: one way to make call more equitable.

www.aafp.org / fpm ■ F A M I L Y P R A C T I C E M A N A G E M E N T ■ 31 It’s probably safe to say that few physicians actually enjoy call. It can cause more dissention among physicians than money. And for family physicians, it can be even more intense, given that access is a hallmark of primary care. Call can also be more complicated for family physicians because we “do it all” – caring for adults, children, infants, pregnant women, trauma patients, etc. When sharing call with physicians of other specialties, the family doctor can often handle every problem that arises, but other specialties can’t always return the favor. For family practice groups in which some physicians do deliveries, call coverage can get even trickier. Then, there’s the issue of nurse practitioners, nurse midwives and physician assistants who have to be backed up. Throw in physicians who work only part time, and it’s hard to come up with a call system that works and feels right to everyone involved. In a recent survey, 90 percent of physicians said they would not take more call for more money. On a 5point difficulty scale, with 3 being defined as “an acceptable but fairly demanding part of the job,” primary care physicians ranked night call a 2.29 and weekend call a 3.07. The primary care physicians surveyed Dr. Daugird is vice chair, director of clinical services and associate professor at the University of North CarolinaChapel Hill Department of Family Medicine. Conflicts of interest: none reported. Call RVUs: One Way to Make Call More Equitable