New CV APP Compensation and Utilization Survey Report Highlights Growing APP Contributions, Prompting Focus on Support and Compensation

JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MedAxiom, the premier source for cardiovascular organizational performance solutions, has released the 2025 Cardiovascular Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Compensation and Utilization Report, which includes data from more than 100 provider organizations.

The report features a foreword from Jerry Blackwell, MD, MBA, FACC, president and CEO of MedAxiom, highlighting APP contributions to productivity, workflow, access, and patient satisfaction, enabling teams to deliver timely, guideline-based, patient-centered cardiovascular care. The survey reveals that in more than half (55%) of cardiovascular programs, APPs hold formal administrative roles, underscoring the expanding operational and leadership responsibilities of this group beyond direct patient care.

Report Highlights:

1. Productivity-based incentives are being used more often, reported by 64% of programs in 2025 compared with 37% in 2022.
2. The percentage of programs reporting a 4:1 patient-to-provider ratio of APPs in the ICU increased substantially across the survey period, while higher ratios such as 6:1 and 8:1 declined.
3. While clinical responsibilities for acute care APPs have expanded modestly, the most notable changes involve greater use of overnight coverage, slightly higher patient loads, and more standardized scheduling models with fewer reports of extreme work hours.
4. Call compensation structure shifted noticeably. Fewer programs report call as part of base salary, while more programs now offer hourly or per-call incentives.
5. One of the key shifts across survey years was the increased use of 30-minute new patient visits, which became the most common model.

The report also suggests that as cardiovascular care grows more complex and increasingly relies on coordinated, team-based models, comprehensive, evidence-based education for APPs is essential. “Cardiovascular conditions are becoming increasingly chronic, complex and longitudinal,” said MedAxiom President and CEO, Jerry Blackwell, MD, MBA, FACC. “No single physician can safely deliver modern, state-of-the-art cardiovascular care alone. Siloed hero care doesn’t work in today’s healthcare environment.”

One of MedAxiom’s goals is to empower clinicians by ensuring that every cardiovascular organization has the tools needed to support APPs. To affirm its commitment to APPs, MedAxiom has released a revamped version of its most popular onboarding course – Cardiovascular Essentials for APPs. The reimagined 13-module course offers up to 50 CME credits and is designed to streamline onboarding for APPs newly entering cardiology practice and standardize APP knowledge across an organization.

The course is led by Blackwell and one of the leading APP instructors in the U.S. who co-authored the report, Maureen Knetchel, DMSc, PA-C, academic coordinator and Associate Professor of Physician Assistant Studies at Milligan University. “Through structured instruction, case-based learning and evidence-based practice guidance, learners will develop or strengthen foundational competency in cardiovascular diagnosis, clinical decision-making and guideline-directed management in both inpatient and outpatient settings,” said Knetchel.

The report and course serve as guides for supporting the vital work of APPs and optimizing the cardiovascular care team.

The full report is available here.

Learn more about Cardiovascular Essentials for APPs here.

About MedAxiom

MedAxiom, an American College of Cardiology Company, is the cardiovascular community’s premier source for organizational performance solutions. MedAxiom is transforming cardiovascular care by combining the knowledge and power of hundreds of cardiovascular organization members, thousands of administrators, clinicians and revenue cycle experts, and dozens of industry partners. Through the delivery of proprietary tools, smart data and proven strategies, MedAxiom helps cardiovascular organizations achieve the Quadruple Aim of better outcomes, lower costs, improved patient experience and improved clinician experience. For additional information, visit MedAxiom.com.