Physician / Clinical Practitioner

Reporting and scope

Reports to the Medical Director / CMO or a clinical department chief. Authority covers the practitioner's own patients and clinical decisions.

Core responsibilities

• Examines, diagnoses and treats patients within the scope of licensure
• Documents care and meets billing and coding standards for Medicaid, Medicare and grants
• Meets productivity targets for visits or relative value units
• Supervises residents, nurse practitioners or physician assistants where required
• Takes part in quality review, peer review and credentialing
• May teach, conduct research or hold a part-time leadership role

How it differs

The Medical Director / CMO leads clinical oversight. Surgeon and Psychiatrist / Behavioral MD cover those specialties. CRNA / Advanced Practice Nurse covers nurse practitioners and nurse anesthetists.

By organization size

Pay depends more on specialty and setting than on revenue. In community health centers physicians see a broad patient mix. In academic medical centers they combine clinical work with teaching.