The physician opportunity cost nobody puts on a bill (KevinMD)

The hidden cost of administrative work extends far beyond unpaid overtime, according to a new commentary highlighting the “opportunity cost” physicians rarely calculate. Every hour spent on insurance verification, prior authorizations, documentation, or other non-clinical tasks represents time that could have been devoted to patient care, practice growth, research, or personal well-being. The author suggests practices should evaluate administrative work using the same financial logic applied to physician compensation and delegate tasks that do not require clinical expertise. As staffing shortages and administrative complexity continue to grow, the article reframes physician time as one of healthcare’s most valuable—and frequently undervalued—resources.