Wednesday, august 24, 1977
page 34
daily nebraskan
Regents discontinue current medical service plan
By Anne Carothers
NU Board of Regents seem to feel faculty physicians at
the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) in
Omaha have had their freedom long enough.
The regents voted unanimously at their May meeting to
end in May of 1978 the current medical service plan. The
plan was adopted in 1971. The regents and the Clinicians
Group, an organization of faculty physicians at UNMC,
agreed that one year's notice would be given before the
medical service plan would be terminated.
Neal Vanselow, UNMC Chancellor said under the
present plan faculty physicians are paid a standard salary
for their teaching and research as well as receiving profes
sional fees for treating patients. Although the fees are
fairly standardized, the doctors are not required to dis
close the fees they receive, he added.
The doctors also are allowed to treat patients on or off
the campus if they choose to do so, Vanselow said.
Omaha Regent James Moylan said the action taken by
the regents was provoked by the College of Medicine's
1976 accreditation which suggested that physicians who
devoted most of their time to private practice may be ne
glecting their teaching and research responsibilities.
"I don't think we can remain accredited under the
existing plan and be a good medical center," Moylan said.
"If they (the physicians) are teaching at the university,
they should be dedicating their time to teaching and re
search. I think we need to revise the plan completely. We
need a different system of dividing time," Moylan said.
Vanselow said he has several principles, he thinks
should be in the new medical service plan. He said he
would like to see an annual audit of professional fees the
physicians receive, a sharing of practice income between
the doctor, his department, and the dean for faculty de
velopment and enrichment of programs. He said he also
supports a disclosure of income for people within the
medical center and an incentive program so doctors
"who are willing to work harder are rewarded."
"Almost every medical center has their own profes
sional fee plan," Vanselow said. The plans range between
two extremes, he said. UNMC's plan is closest to a geo
graphic full-time plan where physicians are paid a salary
for their teaching and research; and beyond that can
condcut any size practice they like. This plan provides
maximum incentive but no control, Vanselow said. The
other extreme, the string full-time plan pays physicians
the same salary whether they treat one or ten patients.
This plan provides "maximum control but no incentive,
Vanselow said. . . .
UNMC is looking for a plan that provides control as
well as incentive for physicians, Vanselow said A
committee of 17 faculty members is working on develop
ine a new plan, acceptable to both the Regents and the
Clinicians Group before the present plan expires, he
3(1 Moylan said the deadline for the new medical service
plan is July 1, 1978
Rasmussen retires as legal attorney
"Wanted: An attorney for group legal services program
to advise and counsel college students," states an ASUN
advertisement seeking a replacement for Student Legal
Services Center attorney David Rasmussen.
Rasmussen, who retires from his post Aug. 31, said he
will stay in Linco'n and either open his own office or
work with an established law firm.
"My only dissatisfaction is with the budget," he said,
describing it as "a Band-Aid approach to legal counseling."
Rasmussen said this yer-'s $15,900 legal services center
allocation is the same amount granted last year.
However, he said the cost of employing work study
students has increased. This year the Jegal services center
staff will include two part-time work-study students and
one full-time attorney.
The office previously employed four work-study stu
dents; two as law clerks and two as secretary-receptionists,
Rasmussen said.
Any law clerks this year will have to be unsalaried,
volunteer law students, Rasmussen said.
A$ the first full-time attorney employed by ASUN,
Rasmussen took his post in August 1974.
Noting that the attorney's $13,000 salary remains the
same as last year, he added the attorney, who is hired
by ASUN, does not receive the fringe benefits of NU
employees.
Nor, he added, is the attorney allowed to do any
work other than for the legal services center.
Last year Rasmussen counseled about 2,000 cases and
he said he could not predict the future case load. He said
his case load averaged eight consultations per day.
"I've been able to handle what I've been doing," he
said of the workload, but he added that the legal services
center has been providing What he -called "minimal
services.
Rasmussen said he sometimes has to act as his own
receptionist and secretary which he said has interrupted
his counseling.
Rasmussen said he never intended to make the legal
services center seat a "permanent career. I don't regret
the years I've spent here, and I've enjoyed working with
students."
An Omaha native, he received a B.S. in Business Ad
ministration from UNL in 1970 and a Juris Doctorate
from NU in 1972. He has also practiced law with a private
firm.
ASUN executives could not be reached for comment.
See related story p.43
31
HOT
Whs
nutate
Open 8-3, Monday -Saw
ICR mm men,
it&itmm-t
TQ5 B
432 -0111
CENTURY .HOUSE
1T31 0 St. 474-9449
EXOTIC PLANTS AND ACCESSORIES
TAPESTRIES & SPANISH WALL DECOR
i :
Lincoln's Import Shopping Center"
NOW SELLING 50
DISCOUNT CARDS-LIMITED AMOUNT
Ei mmmm
Y
Save time, steps, money and energy with
on!ioQ.
in the
nebraska
union
ljT M
ni
SCAMPI
r
from gateway bank & trust
Nebraska Union 14th and R Lincoln Open 8:30-5:30 1 Saturday 9-noon Member F.D.I C Q
Internal
Rcvenu
Servict
t ..j
"2
The an.'jwers to most
tax questions are in
the tax returns
instructions; so look
there first, if you still
need help, check
with the IRS.
CHECK Tile
insTnucTions.
