Metrix Matrix: A Cloud-Based System for Tracking Non–Relative Value Unit Value-Added Work Metrics

• Published in: Journal of the American College of Radiology Vol. 15; no. 3; pp. 415 - 421
• Main Authors: Kovacs, Mark D., Sheafor, Douglas H., Thacker, Paul G., Hardie, Andrew D., Costello, Philip
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01-03-2018
• Subjects: Cloud Computing; cloud-based computing; Efficiency, Organizational; Humans; informatics; Metrix Matrix; Radiologists - statistics & numerical data; Relative Value Scales; value-added work; work metrics; Workload - statistics & numerical data; value-added work; Metrix Matrix; cloud-based computing; informatics; work metrics
• ISSN: 1546-1440; 1558-349X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jacr.2017.10.028

In the era of value-based medicine, it will become increasingly important for radiologists to provide metrics that demonstrate their value beyond clinical productivity. In this article the authors describe their institution’s development of an easy-to-use system for tracking value-added but non-relative value unit (RVU)-based activities.
Metrix Matrix is an efficient cloud-based system for tracking value-added work. A password-protected home page contains links to web-based forms created using Google Forms, with collected data populating Google Sheets spreadsheets. Value-added work metrics selected for tracking included interdisciplinary conferences, hospital committee meetings, consulting on nonbilled outside studies, and practice-based quality improvement. Over a period of 4 months, value-added work data were collected for all clinical attending faculty members in a university-based radiology department (n = 39). Time required for data entry was analyzed for 2 faculty members over the same time period.
Thirty-nine faculty members (equivalent to 36.4 full-time equivalents) reported a total of 1,223.5 hours of value-added work time (VAWT). A formula was used to calculate “value-added RVUs” (vRVUs) from VAWT. VAWT amounted to 5,793.6 vRVUs or 6.0% of total work performed (vRVUs plus work RVUs [wRVUs]). Were vRVUs considered equivalent to wRVUs for staffing purposes, this would require an additional 2.3 full-time equivalents, on the basis of average wRVU calculations. Mean data entry time was 56.1 seconds per day per faculty member.
As health care reimbursement evolves with an emphasis on value-based medicine, it is imperative that radiologists demonstrate the value they add to patient care beyond wRVUs. This free and easy-to-use cloud-based system allows the efficient quantification of value-added work activities.