Physician Non-Clinical Career Spotlight: Physician Surveyor
Overview:
Physician surveyors or physician reviewers
work for accreditation and certification bodies to ensure health care organizations, training programs, and healthcare professionals meet performance standards of services, safety, education, training, and professional conduct.
Physicians are employed full- or part-time to give their physician input and perspective during the evaluation and review process.
Who are the employers?
Joint Commission (JC)
Physicians work as surveyors of US healthcare organizations (including VA hospitals and Federally Qualified Health Centers.)
There are also opportunities to work internationally and to survey health care organizations in the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and South America.
Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF)
Utilization Review Accreditation Commission (URAC)
Professional Education Accreditation Bodies
Examples are the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME).
Medical Specialty Boards
For example, the American Board of Internal Medicine.
State Medical Boards
What are the physician roles?
Examples of roles to search for:
Physician Surveyor (JC)
CLER program field representative (ACGME)
Director, LCME Surveys & Team Training / LCME Assistant Secretary (LCME)
What kind of physician is a good fit?
Personality and interests:
- Interested in quality and patient safety, evidence-based medicine, and ensuring high standards of patient care delivery (JC).
- Enjoy finding ways to improve healthcare delivery (JC).
- Interested in Education and ensuring high quality and standards of undergraduate or graduate medical training.
- Enjoy improving educational experiences for trainees (LCME or ACGME).
- Appreciate and follow rules and regulations.
Skills:
- Critical thinking and problem solving.
- Systems analysis and inductive reasoning.
- Strong interpersonal, interviewing, teamwork, communication, and organizational skills.
- Exercise independent judgment and collaborate well within a team.
Typical responsibilities:
- Work with a team of surveyors to conduct on-site evaluations of health care programs and facilities.
- Determine if accreditation standards are met and identify opportunities to improve and sustain compliance.
- Review and interpret patient medical records, examine training materials, interview staff, patients, and trainees.
- Maintain a thorough knowledge of and consistently apply the accrediting body’s standards. Stay up to date with standards and your field of focus.
- Interpret and explain the intent of standards to health care organizations and staff.
- Review and interpret data, document observations, and link them to potential system-level vulnerabilities and opportunities for organizational improvements in patient care and safety.
- Consult with the health care organization about non-compliance, opportunities for improvement, and remedial action required.
- Prepare reports and assist in developing guidelines.
Required experience and qualifications:
JC, ACGME, and LCME all typically require:
- M.D. or D.O.
- Current state license and board certification.
- Knowledge of the accreditation and quality improvement processes.
- Able to manage extensive travel to sites (including to remote areas).
JC typically also requires:
- 5 years of experience working in a health care system: 3 years direct clinical and 2 years management experience.
- For part time positions, must be available to work 2 or 3 weeks per month. Full time positions require 4 weeks per month.
- All disciplines of medicine and surgery, pathology, neurology-to review care provided to stroke patients- are needed.
- Some international positions require 10+ years of experience and experience in senior healthcare management or health care consulting.
- Qualifications for senior staff for accrediting and certifying bodies vary and typically require in-depth subject matter expertise and leadership experience.
Compensation:
Full time salary estimated range (Joint Commission):
USD 100K – USD 150K.
Where to look for job postings:
Summary
If you’re a physician with 5+ years of clinical experience, and you’re interested in improving healthcare quality and patient safety, a surveyor role with the Joint Commission might be a good fit for you. Part-time options give you the opportunity to gain experience in the role.
If you’re a clinician educator with educational leadership experience, and you want to improve the educational experience for trainees, a role as a field representative with an educational accreditation body might be a good fit for you.