Acuity Analysis

Acuity is the relative value that measures complexity of services and procedures delivered to specific patient populations. It is calculated by using the RBRVS and selected RVU component values. It is specialty specific and is compared nationally to Medicare claims data. It works by measuring resources consumed for procedures and services (ration of RVUs to procedures); the higher the RVU value, the greater the resources and complexity. Based on this assumption, the greater the acuity factor the greater overall complexity of treating a specific patient population and since it is based on the RBRVS, only those procedures assigned RVU values are included. Non-RVU procedures and/or services do not have resources assigned to them (i.e. drugs, (j-codes), non-specified and lab procedures). You then multiply RVUs for each code by frequency and calculate the sum of the products (calculates grand total RVUs). Next, you equate the sum of the frequencies. Finally, you divide the total RVUs into total frequency (higher = more complex, lower = less complex). It is important to understand just how sick your patients are. We have the ability to tell you just how sick they are!