Ob/gyns see decrease in compensation

While primary care physicians generally saw little change in their compensation from 2002 to 2003, obstetricians/gynecologists saw a dip in their annual pay. According to a report in Managed Care (2/04) detailing the results of a physician compensation survey, ob/gyns saw a 7% decrease in compensation from 2002 to 2003. In contrast, family practice physicians, regardless of whether they provided obstetric services, gained a mere 1% in pay.

The survey found that salaries for physicians overall increased about 3% during this time frame. Invasive cardiologists saw the greatest increase in pay, gaining 24% from 2002 to 2003, whereas anatomic pathologists saw the greatest decrease in pay, losing 19%.

The 2003 Physician Compensation and Productivity Survey by Sullivan, Cotter & Associates is based on data collected from about 19,000 physicians in 180 hospitals, large multi-specialty medical groups, and other organizations.