Practices are giving primary care physicians significant new responsibility for coordinating care among specialists.
Primary care provider compensation rose at a faster rate last year than did specialist pay, according the Medical Group Management Association's) 2015 Physician Compensation and Production Survey.
Specifically, primary care physician pay increased more than 4% over 2014, to more than $250,000 annually.
Meanwhile, specialist pay rose by less than 4%, to about $425,000. Notably, non-physician pay also grew by almost 4%, bringing median compensation up to approximately $107,000 in 2015.
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"Practices are giving primary care physicians significant new responsibility for coordinating care among specialists, managing patient medications, and helping patients and caregivers manage chronic conditions," said Halee Fischer-Wright, MD, in a prepared statement.
She is president and CEO of the Medical Group Management Association.
"As we shift toward value-based payment, practices will continue to look to primary care and non-physician providers to lead efforts to improve patient experiences and the quality of care they provide."
In addition, the survey of more than 80,000 healthcare providers revealed that PCP compensation has risen faster than specialist pay over the last five years as well, at 18% compared to 11%.
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Surgeons, however, reported the highest total compensation last year.
Those practicing pediatric cardiovascular and neurological surgery, Mohs surgery, orthopedic spinal surgery, and neurological surgery ranked among the five highest-compensated specialties.
In general, physicians who took more weeks off also commanded larger compensation packages. Pathologists were the only exception to this rule; they also reported receiving the highest median retirement benefits of any specialty in 2015.