Physician licensing board

State organization responsible for issuing licenses, accreditation, or certification for a health care provider to practice. Also called Board of Healing Arts, Board of Medical Examiners, Board of Medical Practice, Department of Business and Professional Regulation, and medical licensing board.

Physician services

Medical services rendered by a physician to a patient. This may include surgery, consultation, home visit, office visit, hospital visits, and institutional visits. Physician services given while in the hospital that appear on the hospital bill are not included.

Physician work

One of the three components used in the formula to develop relative value units (RVUs) for each medical service performed. This corresponds to the value of the physical skill, mental effort, judgment, and time required to perform a service. The other two components are practice expense and the cost of professional liability insurance. These three RVUs are then adjusted according to geographical area and used in a formula to determine the resource-based relative value scale (RBRVS) for the Medicare fees published annually in the Federal Register.