The professional salary model: meeting the bottom lines.

The challenge for two units of St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital in Houston, Texas was to achieve quality and financial viability while maintaining staff satisfaction. The situation imposed by the current health care climate, with its emphasis on reducing costs while maintaining quality and productivity, mandated a change in the compensation structure. The Professional Salary Model was piloted on two units and refined along the way to ensure that the model, as practiced, met the staff's needs. Evaluation of the program revealed that the goals of quality, productivity, financial viability, and staff satisfaction were achieved.