Academic Health Systems and Medical Schools

PYA supports academic health systems and medical schools in balancing patient care, education, and research with the complexities of legal structures, external affiliations, and financial arrangements.

In addition to audit and assurance, reimbursement, compliance, and performance improvement services for hospitals and health systems, PYA provides consulting services to meet academic health systems’ unique needs. These specialized services focus on affiliation arrangements and clinical integration, clinical service development and optimization, clinical research, and planning for new and developing medical schools.

Our Services for Academic Health Systems & Medical Schools

Clinical Research Administration Office

Turn-Key Clinical Trial Financial and Regulatory Services
Budget Development and Negotiation
Coverage Analysis
Regulatory Support
Sponsor Invoicing and Accounts Receivable Management

Affiliation Agreements & Clinical Integration 

Development of New and Evaluation of Existing Arrangements
Innovative Partnership Model Design
Funds Flow Analysis and Improvement
Workforce Planning / Intersection With Graduate Medical Education and Undergraduate Medical Education

Allopathic & Osteopathic Medical Schools

Planning for New and Developing Medical Schools
Clinical Service Development and Optimization of Existing Practice Plan Operations
Academic and Community Practice Plan Development, Structure, and Strategies
Accreditation and Continuous Quality Improvement

Affiliation Solutions

Identify and Evaluate Partnering Opportunities With Other Organizations
Develop Tactical Plans to Pursue Affiliation Strategies
Facilitate Operational Integration
Brand Valuation

Compensation Valuation, Planning, & Design

Assess Fair Market Value and Commercial Reasonableness for Provider Compensation
Develop and Model Compensation Plans
Identify and Benchmark Performance Measures
Facilitate Stakeholder Engagement for Compensation Metrics by Mission

Strategic Planning

Data Analysis on Current Market Position and Opportunities
Organizational and Operational Reviews
Feasibility Studies for Service Expansion, New Facilities, and Joint Ventures
Facilitation and Stakeholder Engagement

Performance Transformation for Academic Medicine

National Voices in Academic Medicine & Health Systems

PYA Thought Leadership in Academic Health Systems and Medical School Consulting

Financial Pressures Facing Academic Medical Centers Today: How Leaders are Responding

PYA Principal George T. “Deuce” Lukemeyer II explores the financial pressures confronting academic medical centers and outlines strategy options to protect their clinical, research and teaching missions.

Outside or Institutional Activity? Internal Review and Compensation Considerations

Learn how AMCs should weigh outside faculty activities vs institutional contracts — co-authored by PYA’s Angie Caldwell for AHLA’s Health Law Connections.

Kugler Authors Article on Hospital-Physician Subsidies in AHIA Journal

Tynan Kugler outlines best practices for structuring hospital-physician subsidy arrangements under Stark and AKS rules — critical guidance for AMCs and AHSs navigating complex faculty and clinical alignment models.

Let’s Talk Compliance – “Medical Device and Physician Arrangements”

Hear our experts discuss compliance in medical device and physician collaborations — a must-listen for AMCs and AHSs advancing translational research and industry partnerships while maintaining regulatory integrity.

On-Demand Webinar: “PYA UnScripted: Ambulatory in Action Panel Discussion”

PYA’s Deuce Lukemeyer convened leadership from IU Health, IU School of Medicine, and Atrium Health on ambulatory strategies in academic settings.

Academic Health Systems and Medical Schools Frequently Asked Questions

What should an academic health system evaluate in an affiliation arrangement?

Evaluate funds flow, workforce needs, clinical integration, and the proposed operating relationship. The review should also consider how the arrangement connects with undergraduate and graduate medical education and whether brand value is relevant.

What does PYA’s Clinical Research Administration Office support?

PYA’s Clinical Research Administration Office supports trial budgeting, business-term negotiations, coverage analysis, regulatory support, sponsor invoicing, and accounts receivable. These functions connect study activation with ongoing financial administration.

What planning is needed for a new medical school?

Planning should connect the academic program with clinical services, practice plan structure, accreditation, and continuous quality improvement. Those elements need to be considered together when developing the school’s operating model.

How can provider compensation reflect an academic organization’s different missions?

Measures can reflect patient care, education, and research responsibilities. Compensation design and valuation bring together plan modeling, benchmarking, fair market value and commercial reasonableness assessment, and stakeholder input on the mission-specific measures.

What analysis can inform a new facility, service expansion, or joint venture?

Market analysis, organizational and operational reviews, and feasibility studies help leaders evaluate the proposed initiative. Stakeholder input connects the analysis with the people and functions affected by the decision.

The PYA Difference

Over our 40-year history, PYA has consistently delivered high-value advisory services to our national client base. Our team is deployed to develop custom plans using proven approaches and work plans.

Independence

Private ownership means we answer only to our clients, not to third-party investors, giving us the freedom to be thorough and thoughtful in our work. We judge our success by our clients’ success.

Relationships

We value long-term relationships and work hard to maintain them. Our commitment to client relationships and the communities we serve remains constant.