HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY COMMITTEE

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1 HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY COMMITTEE Cath Lab Staffing Original Inquiry Brief June 22, 2004 Advisory.com RESEARCH IN BRIEF Hospital-based catheterization (cath) labs are experiencing a steady increase in patient volumes as more cardiac procedures are performed on an outpatient basis. However, administrators are finding it increasingly difficult to recruit the staff needed to perform these procedures and provide care for these patients. The following brief examines key data related to staff ratios and salaries, the extent of the staffing shortage, and several strategies implemented by hospital administrators to address this staffing challenge. ASSOCIATE Jennifer Fraher MANAGER Erin Farney MAJOR SECTIONS I. Overview of Cath Lab Staffing II. Trends in Cath Lab Staff Shortages III. Overcoming Cath Lab Staffing Shortages THE ADVISORY BOARD COMPANY WASHINGTON, D.C.

2 CATH LAB STAFFING PAGE 2 I. OVERVIEW OF CATH LAB STAFFING In recent years, cath labs have been relatively profitable for hospitals, due to strong volumes and relatively strong reimbursement. Procedures typically performed in cath labs include diagnostic cardiac cath, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), and stenting. Furthermore, in recent years, electrophysiology (EP) device implants such as implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) and permanent pacemakers are increasingly being performed in cath labs as opposed to operating rooms (ORs), which represent the more traditional location for such procedures. 1 Cath labs typically staffed by range of clinical positions As outpatient cardiac procedure volumes increase, hospital administrators are faced with the challenge of employing enough staff to meet this growing demand. While no national staffing requirements for the cath lab have been set by a government agency or the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), various groups have collaborated to issue staffing recommendations and guidelines that cath lab directors and hospital administrators are urged to follow. In 2001, for example, the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the Society for Cardiac Angiography and Interventions (SCA&I) collaborated to establish a task force and issue a consensus document to inform health care providers, patients, payers, and other members of the medical community of the societies formal opinions regarding current and future clinical practices and technologies. As part of this extensive document, the groups outlined several types of personnel that might be involved in cardiac cath procedures. The tables on the following pages highlights these positions in addition to their respective responsibilities, roles, and requirements as outlined by the ACC and SCA&I. 1 Cardiovascular Roundtable. Cath Lab Performance: Best Practices for Maximizing Contribution Margins. Washington, DC: The Advisory Board Company. (2003).

3 CATH LAB STAFFING PAGE 3 Cath procedures involve myriad personnel requiring several levels of expertise Major types of personnel in cath labs Position Attending physicians Teaching physicians Secondary operators Lab directors Operating physicians Cardiovascular trainees Position responsibilities, roles, and requirements Are considered the primary operators for (and in charge of) the procedure Are credentialed physicians, experienced in all aspects of the performance of the procedure, including preprocedural and postprocedural patient care Instruct graduate physicians in the performance of the procedure at teaching facilities Meet requirements of attending physicians Are additional attending physicians or physician extenders assisting primary attending physicians Fulfill the requirements for an attending physician but are not in charge of the procedure at hand and are not considered the primary operator Should not take credit for the procedure when calculating minimum performance volume requirements Are board certified and trained in cardiac radiographic imaging and radiation protection (should also be board certified in interventional cardiology if interventional procedures are performed in the lab) May be an adult cardiologist or a pediatric cardiologist with special interests (interventional cardiology or EP) Should be proficient in clinical and administrative practices Should maintain qualifications that include at least five years of cath experience and skill in the lab Responsible for policy development, quality control, and fiscal administration, including supervising physicians and nonprofessional staff performance reviews, staff training, renewal of lab privileges, procurement and maintenance of equipment and supplies, and budgetary oversight Should have proper training in adult or pediatric cardiology if performing procedures in lab, including those serving as attending physicians, teaching attendings, or secondary operators (physicians performing interventional procedures should be board eligible or certified in interventional cardiology) Should also be trained in emergency care and radiation physics, fulfilled requirements for specialty board, and be certified as competent by the program director Should be a fully accredited member of the hospital staff and ideally be specialty certified (physicians only providing lab service without being full members of the hospital staff should not be granted lab privileges) Must participate in lab s quality assessment program, including peer review May perform all functions as the primary operators, but only under direct supervision of a credentialed physician who assumes responsibility for the procedural results Meet following requirements: Level I (all trainees): Should receive four months of training and participate in 100 procedures Level II (for diagnostic cath skills): Should perform 300 procedures, with 200 as the primary operator Level III (for interventional cath skills): Should perform 250 procedures as the primary operator Continued on following page.

4 CATH LAB STAFFING PAGE 4 Cath lab positions, continued Position Physician assistants and nurse practitioners Nurses Non-nursing personnel (cath techs) Position responsibilities, roles, and requirements Should not perform cath as primary operators Should be proficient in both the technical and cognitive aspects of cardiac cath, including preprocedural evaluation, indications, cardiac physiology and pathophysiology, emergency cardiac care, radiation safety, and application of diagnostic cath data regarding the procedure Include nurse practitioners (NPs), registered nurses (RNs), licensed vocational or practical nurses, or nursing assistants, depending on the lab caseload and mix Nursing supervisor generally an RN familiar with the overall function of the lab Cath lab nurses should have critical-care experience, knowledge of medications, skills in intravenous (IV) infusion, experience in sterile techniques, vascular cath experience, knowledge of vascular cath materials, and thorough understanding of the flushing of catheters and prevention of clots or air emboli Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) should not supervise lab nursing Nursing assistants may be cardiopulmonary techicians (techs) familiar with procedures in associated disciplines and are thereby able to function as a nursing assistant Radiologic technologists (rad techs) who may or may not be certified should be skilled in radiographic and angiographic imaging principles and techniques o These techs should be responsible for routine care and maintenance of the radiological equipment and (in cooperation with a radiation physicist) should monitor radiation safety techniques for both the patient and staff Lab techs should be skilled in managing blood samples and performing blood gas measurements and calculations o They should be qualified to monitor and record electrocardiographic and hemodynamic data and have enough skill and experience in interpreting these data to report significant changes immediately to the physician responsible for the patient In labs in which cinefilm is used, one tech should be skilled as a darkroom tech, trained in photographic processing and the operation of automatic film processors; should be familiar with the characteristics of film and chemicals used for cardiovascular procedures Source: ACC/SCA&I, American College of Cardiology/Society for Cardiac Angiography and Interventions Clinical Expert Consensus Document on Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory Standards, Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 37(8), (2001), (Accessed June 16, 2004). Although the aforementioned personnel are trained and qualified to work in cath labs, not all labs will have all of these employees. Rather, a recent manpower survey by Greenbelt, Maryland-based IMV Limited, Inc., revealed that, in the absence of national requirements related to cath lab staffing, hospital administrators may exercise some flexibility in employing staff to serve patients in this area of the hospital. The graphs on the following page consider the frequency with which various positions are utilized.

5 CATH LAB STAFFING PAGE 5 Precise composition of cath lab staff varies by size of institution Percent of cath lab sites with certain positions, All sites 400+ beds beds <200 beds Non-hospitals 0 Nurses Rad techs Cardiovascular (CV) techs All sites 400+ beds beds <200 beds Non-hospitals 0 Admin/ Clerical Other supervisory Source: IMV Limited, Inc., Benchmark Report: Cardiac Cath Labs, (2002). Staff size related to number of procedures, hospital beds Although the composition and training of staff may vary among cath labs, hospital administrators have less flexibility in the number of full-time equivalents (FTEs) they employ. Several factors may impact the actual number of staff employed in a cath lab, such as procedural volumes. As might be expected, cath labs with higher patient volumes will need to have more staff members. This trend is illustrated in the table on the following page.

6 CATH LAB STAFFING PAGE 6 FTEs increase concurrently with procedure volumes RN FTEs by annual cath volumes, 2002* Annual cath lab cases RN/technologist FTEs 1, , , , , , *Includes diagnostic and interventional cath labs. Source: IMV Limited, Inc., Benchmark Report: Cardiac Cath Labs, Similarly, the ratio of FTE RNs employed in the cath lab is related to the bed size of the hospital. Therefore, larger hospitals employ the most RNs in the cath lab, while small, community hospitals employ the fewest, as explored in the following graph: Number of cath lab RN FTEs varies by hospital bed size Mean number of cath lab RN FTEs by hospital bed size, All sites 400+ beds beds <200 beds Nonhospitals Source: IMV, Benchmark Report: Cardiac Cath Labs, (2002). Interestingly, there is a significant decrease in the number of RN FTEs between hospitals with more than 400 beds and those between 200 and 399. Several factors may contribute to this pattern. First, cath lab staff at larger hospitals are more likely to perform more complicated, invasive procedures, which may require more staff members per procedure. Furthermore, administrators at smaller hospitals may choose to hire fewer RNs and more techs to reduce staffing costs.

7 CATH LAB STAFFING PAGE 7 Average cath lab salaries vary by training, experience As hospital administrators attempt to attract qualified staff to the hospital s cath lab, one important consideration is employee compensation. While salaries vary based on regional factors, the chart below provides salary averages for various positions in the cath lab. Position Manager or supervisor Cath lab national salary averages, 2002 Years of experience 0 to 2 years 3 to 5 years 6 to 9 years 10+ years $23.71 $26.63 $27.73 $30.47 RN $18.43 $22.47 $24.58 $24.85 Registered rad tech Registered CV invasive specialist Average hourly salaries vary by years of experience $16.77 $21.33 $23.16 $23.91 $16.73 $18.83 $20.83 $23.91 CV techs* $14.40-$14.89 $ $16.73 $17.96-$19.45 $21.34-$22.59 * Listed as ranges due to the fact that survey participants responded for both certified and uncertified Source: Weaver, C., Cath Lab Management: Short- and Long-Term Strategies to Address Cardiovascular Staff Shortages, Cath Lab Digest, (November 2003), (Accessed June 15, 2004). More broadly throughout the hospital, radiology personnel including rad techs earned approximately $21.00 per hour in 2001, compared with approximately $15.00 in 1997 and approximately $14.50 per hour in This upward trend is likely to continue in coming years. 3 Furthermore, RNs employed in all departments of the hospital earned approximately $25.25 per hour in It is interesting to note, however, that national RN salaries (not specific to cath lab RNs) have not grown substantially since 1991 when adjusted for inflation. Moreover, the majority of wage increases for RNs happens early in their career, creating a situation in which experienced RNs may leave direct patient care for other career opportunities. 5 2 American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) 2001 Wage and Salary Survey. ASTR. (May 2001). 3 Advisory Board interview with the Director of Research at ASRT. 4 Mercer, T Salary Survey Results. ADVANCE for Nurses Online. (Accessed June 22, 2004). 5 Department of Health and Human Services. Projected Supply, Demand, and Shortages of Registered Nurses: National Center for Health Workforce Analysis. (July 2002). (Accessed June 22, 2004).

8 CATH LAB STAFFING PAGE 8 II. TRENDS IN CATH LAB STAFFING SHORTAGES While hospital administrators have some flexibility in how to staff the hospital s cath lab, many are challenged by the shortage of available personnel. As illustrated by a chart in the previous section, the most common staff in the lab are RNs and rad techs, some of whom may have more specialized training in cardiac care. However, there is a nationwide shortage of individuals trained in these professions, which is affecting the health care industry at all levels. Indeed, 84 percent of hospitals surveyed in a recent American Hospital Association (AHA) study are experiencing shortages in RNs, while 71 percent lack the necessary radiology personnel. 6 Although surveys do not track the shortage of these clinicians specifically related to the cath lab, industry experts agree that data regarding the more general nurse and rad tech shortage are indicative of the specific shortage in these labs. Industry-wide RN, rad tech shortages frustrate recruitment efforts of cath lab directors Shortages for clinical personnel have existed for several years, but the problem will likely continue for the next decade or longer. As of October 2002, over 200,000 nursing vacancies existed within the medical community. Furthermore, in the same year, approximately 137,000 nurses accepted jobs outside of nursing. 7 Based on current trends in nursing school enrollment and anticipated increases in health care activity, this shortage is projected to exceed one million vacancies by As this is an industry-wide shortage, cath lab directors will often have to compete with other departments within the hospital to recruit (and retain) the necessary RNs. At the same time that the nursing profession is experiencing significant shortages, demand for rad techs is increasing at an even greater pace. 9 In 2001, the average rad tech vacancy rate in hospitals around the nation was 15.3 percent. 10 Like the nursing shortage, the vacancy rate is likely to increase in the coming decade; indeed, by 2010, there may be as many as 75,000 vacant rad tech positions at hospitals across the nation. 11 Myriad factors drive shortage The shortage of cath lab staff is attributable to a number of factors. In particular, major drivers fall into three categories: demographics, career opportunities, and a changing health care market. Drivers within each of these three categories are explored in more detail below. #1 Demographics: Many of the drivers of the current cath lab staffing shortage relate to the demographics of the nursing population, in particular. Currently, almost 70 percent of nurses are over the age of 40, with an average age of ,13 Alternatively, the majority of RNs in 1980 were under the age of 30. The graph on the following page examines the age of current nurses in more detail. 6 AHA. A Looming Crisis in Care. Commission on Workforce for Hospitals and Health Systems. (April 2002). (Accessed June 18, 2004). 7 Martineau, B. A Waxing Shortage. Materials Management in Health Care Magazine. (November 2002). 8 ibid. 9 Cardiovascular Roundtable. Staffing Shortages, Part 2: Hospital in Need of RTs Seek Novel Alternatives. Cardiovascular Watch. Washington, DC: The Advisory Board Company. (December 3, 2002). 10 Volkin, L. and R. Dargan. Personnel Shortages Top List of CEO Concerns. ASRT. (January 1, 2004). (Accessed June 15, 2004). 11 Cardiovascular Roundtable. Radiology Techs: Vacancies Sweep the Nation, Cardiac Centers Struggle to Fill Positions. Cardiovascular Watch. Washington, DC: The Advisory Board Company. (September 17, 2002). 12 Department of Health and Human Services. Registered Nurse Population by Employment Status, Gender, Racial/Ethnic Background, and Age Group: March National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses. (2002). (Accessed June 24, 2004). 13 Weaver, C. Cath Lab Management: Short- and Long-Term Strategies to Address Cardiovascular Staff Shortages. Cath Lab Digest. 11(4). (April 2003). (Accessed June 18, 2004).

9 CATH LAB STAFFING PAGE 9 Nation s nurses are predominantly over age 40 Percent of RNs by age group, %: %: 65 and over 3%: Less than 25 7%: %: %: %: Source: Department of Health and Human Services, Registered Nurse Population by Employment Status, Gender, Racial/Ethnic Background, and Age Group: March 2000, National Sample Survey of Registered Nurse. (2002), (Accessed June 22, 2004). Within 10 years, 34 percent of RNs will be over 60 years of age, while another 34 percent will be between 50 and 59. These demographics are particularly startling when considering that recently graduated nurses are more likely to leave the profession than nurses from previous generations. 14 Therefore, increasing retirement rates, combined with these other demographic factors, are likely to contribute to the shortage of RNs available to staff the nation s cath labs. #2 Career opportunities: Dissatisfaction or frustration with health care professions is driving many of the nation s nurses and rad techs out of the hospital and into other health care settings, or even out of the field. In particular, long hours, inflexible scheduling practices, high demands for worker productivity, and more complex clinical practices are contributing to the declining number of practicing nurses. 15,16 As more workers leave the field, the demands on the remaining RNs and rad techs increase as they are required to work longer hours and carry additional responsibilities in the cath lab. As a result, many cath lab staff believe that patient safety and the quality of care provided are negatively affected, adding to a situation that is already frustrating to many. In the midst of these challenges, many cath lab staff are pursuing other professional opportunities, often at another hospital or in another segment of health care. Hospital administrators are offering attractive salary packages, including signing bonuses, highly competitive wages, benefits, and even flexible scheduling to attract staff to their hospitals. As a result, RNs and rad techs who work in the cath lab setting may move to a different hospital in order to gain a more attractive package and work environment. Additionally, opportunities are being presented to practice outside of the hospital, in settings such as freestanding heart clinics and centers Volkin, L. New Nurses Leaving Profession Faster than Predecessors. ASRT. (September 24, 2002). (Accessed June 15, 2004). 15 Nursing Executive Center. Reversing the Flight of Talent. Washington, DC: The Advisory Board Company. (2000). 16 Weaver, C. Cath Lab Management: Short and Long-Term Strategies to Address Cardiovascular Staff Shortages. Cath Lab Digest. 11(4). (April 2003). (Accessed June 18, 2004). 17 ibid.

10 CATH LAB STAFFING PAGE 10 #3 Changing health care market: The changing nature of the cath lab particularly volumes and the aging of the population also contribute to the shortage. Similarly, as the population ages, more patients are likely to suffer from cardiac disorders and seek treatments for those conditions. This trend may be felt more strongly in the southern and western regions of the nation as baby boomers who are most likely to require these procedures move to warmer climates. As indicated by a chart in the previous section, staffing levels are linked to procedure volumes. 18 Therefore, as an increasing number of cardiac procedures are performed on an outpatient basis, hospital administrators likely will have an even greater challenge finding enough staff. III. OVERCOMING CATH LAB STAFFING SHORTAGES In order to counter the growing shortage of workers, hospital administrators and cath lab directors are pursuing a number of strategies aimed at retaining current workers and recruiting additional clinical staff. While some of these tactics focus on improving staffing hospital-wide, cath lab directors and staff at related associations have implemented several strategies that relate particularly to gaining cath lab staff. Increased educational opportunities, flexible scheduling, and cross-training are commonly used tactics designed to attract and retain staff. 19,20 Some hospitals are in the process of establishing Grow-Your-Own programs, which provide tuition assistance for current hospital employees in exchange for a dedicated period of service in the cath lab after completing a degree program. The following case study examines one of these programs in more detail: Case study: Hospital creates continuing education program to train cath lab staff Background: Louisville, Kentucky-based Jewish Hospital, which includes seven cath labs, created a cardiac tech degree program in conjunction with local colleges to fill vacancies in the cath lab. Any employee who has worked at the hospital for 18 months may enroll in the program, which takes 18 months to complete. The hospital pays all fees associated with the schooling, such as books and tuition, in addition to employing the students on a part-time basis. In return, the students agree to work at the hospital for two years upon completing the degree. Initially, 160 employees applied for the program; 10 were selected for the first year, while another five began shortly thereafter. Results: The program has proved beneficial in several ways. First, it is more cost-effective to educate current employees than to recruit new staff. Furthermore, traditional recruiting efforts for positions throughout the hospital have become more successful as potential applicants and job candidates seek a position that will provide the opportunity for advancement at little cost to them. Retention rates are also expected to improve as a result of the program, as staff members are likely to feel more loyalty to the hospital when they graduate than they might have if they paid for the education themselves. Source: Cardiovascular Roundtable, Staffing Shortages: Grow-Your-Own Cardiac Tech Program Proves Fertile, Cardiovascular Watch. Washington, DC: The Advisory Board Company. (March 27, 2003). 18 IMV. Benchmark Report: Cardiac Cath Labs. (2002). 19 Cardiovascular Roundtable. Staffing Shortages, Part 2: Hospital in Need of RTs Seek Novel Alternatives. Cardiovascular Watch. Washington, DC: The Advisory Board Company. (December 3, 2002). 20 ibid.

11 CATH LAB STAFFING PAGE 11 Similarly, administrators at Fort Collins, Colorado-based Poudre Valley Hospital have implemented a creative staffing arrangement by splitting the responsibilities of the cath lab manager position between individuals. In addition to maximizing the experience of these staff members, this split position reduces the number of clinical staff needed, as these administrators spend part of their day on the floor. 21 Service businesses offer hospital cath lab directors management, staffing assistance Despite these efforts, however, some hospitals have sought help from outside consultants and vendors to attract additional RNs and techs. According to a 2002 survey conducted by JCAHO, travel nurse agencies supply roughly five percent of the nation s nurses and generate annual revenues of over $7 billion. 22 In addition to traveling nurses, hospitals may employ agency or per diem nurses. 23 A number of agencies around the nation provide staff specifically trained in the cath lab. Depending on the situation, these vendors may provide temporary or short-term staffing, recruit for permanent positions, and even provide management support for the hospital s cath lab program. The chart on the following page provides some information about a number of corporations that offer these services. 21 Mackes, C. A New Twist in Cath Lab Management: Job Sharing. Cath Lab Digest. 10(10). (October 2002). (Accessed June 22, 2004). 22 Travel Nurse Market Overview. (April 2003). 23 ibid.

12 CATH LAB STAFFING PAGE 12. Company Location Sales 2002 Services Aureus Medical Group (part of C&A Industries, Inc.) H & M Medical Services MedCath Corporation Southern Medical Corporation Corporations provide staffing, management support to hospital cath labs Omaha, NE Apple Valley, CA Charlotte, NC Baton Rouge, LA $184 million (corporate) Not available (N/A) $543 million N/A USCardioVascular, Inc. Dallas, TX N/A Healthcare staffing firm; provides RNs, rad techs, cath lab techs, CV techs to hospital cath labs nationwide Largest provider of cardiovascular staff in California Cath lab-related services include: consulting, staffing (including RNs and techs), and outsourcing of cath labs Operates 40 cath lab sites and 13 heart hospitals Provides staffing, management, and financial consulting services for cath labs Management services include purchasing, accounting, billing, hiring, scheduling, contract administration, marketing, and non-physician personnel management Manages seven cath labs across four states Services offered include: new cath lab design and construction; staffing (both RNs and rad techs) and management services for existing labs Management services include: accounting, billing and collections, hiring and training staff, and selecting and ordering equipment and supplies Provides cath lab management services to physician groups and hospitals Management services include: scheduling, billing and collection, files and records, maintenance, cleaning, and staffing of non-physician personnel Source: Cath Lab Management and Staffing Companies, (March 2004); Vendor websites; Hoovers Online, www. hoovers.com (Accessed June 18, 2004).

13 CATH LAB STAFFING PAGE 13 Research Methodology During the course of research, Original Inquiry staff searched the following resources to identify trends in cath lab staffing: Advisory Board s internal and online ( research libraries Factiva, a Dow Jones and Reuters company Internet, via multiple search engines and websites, including the following: ADVANCE for Nurses at American Registry of Radiologic Technologists at American Society of Radiologic Technologists at Association of Collegiate Educators in Radiologic Technology at Cath Lab Digest at First Consulting Group at Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Health Professionals at Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics at Interviews with Advisory Board consultants Researchers also spoke with the director of research at ASRT. Professional Services Note The Advisory Board has worked to ensure the accuracy of the information it provides to its members. This project relies on data obtained from many sources, however, and the Advisory Board cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information or its analysis in all cases. Further, the Advisory Board is not engaged in rendering clinical, legal, accounting, or other professional services. Its projects should not be construed as professional advice on any particular set of facts or circumstances. Especially with respect to matters that involve clinical practice and direct patient treatment, members are advised to consult with their medical staffs and senior management, or other appropriate professionals, prior to implementing any changes based on this project. Neither the Advisory Board Company nor its programs are responsible for any claims or losses that may arise from any errors or omissions in their projects, whether caused by the Advisory Board Company or its sources. 1-CXEK by the Advisory Board Company, 2445 M Street, N.W., Washington, DC Any reproduction or retransmission, in whole or in part, is a violation of federal law and is strictly prohibited without the consent of the Advisory Board Company. This prohibition extends to sharing this publication with clients and/or affiliate companies. All rights reserved.