I Missed My Calling: Hospital Execs’ Pay Astronomical

This is probably not news to many but according to data recently published by the Connecticut Health I-Team, hospital executives are being paid handsomely .

Figures from 2009-10 reveal that 18 executives in Connecticut, a state with only 30 hospitals, made over $1 million per year.

Some of these figures include retirement packages. The top earner was the outgoing president of Hartford Hospital, who made nearly $7 million, with “all but $1.1 million of it nontaxable and retirement benefits.”

Below is a table from the Connecticut Health I-Team showing the top 15 highest paid executives.

Some of the hospitals, Yale-New Haven, St. Raphael's and Hartford, are large. Most are between 300-400 beds, but #13 New Milford is only 85 beds.

I realize that hospital executives have a lot of responsibility, but usually when they make a mistake, no one dies. I doubt they are sued very often either.

When I am reincarnated, I thought I wanted to be a weatherman [See my blog about this here] or maybe a consultant (both jobs with good pay and no accountability), but perhaps hospital executive is the best choice.

Oh, and how’s your retirement package looking these days?

[This blog appeared on Sermo yesterday and 95% of doctors who voted felt that hospital execs were paid too much (surprise) and only 13% of doctors felt that their retirement situation was "all set."]