The U.S. economy has experienced many sore spots over the last few years. While the National Bureau of Economic Research officially declared an end to the recession in June of 2009, many American workers continue to face a lack of employment opportunities. For the first time in history, many U.S. workers are having to resort to employment that offers lower wages than what they have been accustomed to in the past, in order to secure any employment at all. Further complicating matters is the fact that price inflation for essential goods and services (such as food, gasoline and utilities) continues to devour the wages of these already underpaid workers. Fortunately for Cath Lab Specialists, the healthcare sector of the labor market has generally maintained its buoyancy throughout the economic downturn of recent years.

Earlier this year, our staffing firm conducted its first comprehensive Cath Lab Wage Survey. At the close of the survey, we had collected a total of 1546 responses, which is more than 4 times the number of responses for similar surveys conducted in previous years, by other organizations. We utilized a variety of mass networking tools and engaged a number of large Cath Lab entities, to obtain a good sample of Cath Lab wage data. There were several limitations found with

the survey data that we collected. One limitation of our survey was that some respondents skipped questions that were important to the analysis of the wage data. For example, 14% of the respondents did not provide a Region for where they work, so it is impossible to include this portion of the wage data in the geographically based graphs and tables that appear in this report. The limitation in the disclosure of the work Region also disproportionately impacted the wage data available for the CVT designation, since this credential was listed by just 3% of the survey group.

Nonetheless, the survey data allowed us to identify four key wage factor categories that play a role in the compensation of Cath Lab personnel, as follows: 1.) Type of Credentials Held, as we found that certain credentials can be associated with a higher average pay; 2.) The geographical region where the work is performed, as location based worker supply and demand factors apply to any sector of the labor market; 3.) The facility type where the work is performed, as revenue and reimbursement factors have some impact on the wage scales in various health care settings; and 4.) The employee’s work status (e.g., management role, on-call status, permanent vs. contract employment, etc.) as these factors also impact the wages an employee receives. The graphs at the end of this report provide a visual summary of the differences in pay for Cath Lab personnel based on the wage factors we identified.

According to the 2010-2011 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook, employment of cardiovascular technologists and technicians is expected to increase 24 percent through the year 2018, much faster than the average for all occupations. This indicates the likelihood of abundant future Cath Lab job openings. In addition, pay appears to be on the rise for Cath Lab workers, as 82% of hourly workers included in the 2011 Cath Lab Wage Survey reported an increase in standard pay since 2010.

The starting point for analyzing the data was a review of the primary certification listed by each survey respondent. The RCIS was the most frequently occurring credential among the Cath Lab professionals included in our survey. Our data shows that 50% of those surveyed listed the RCIS as their primary certification. While the RCIS appears to be the most popular credential for Cath Lab personnel, the survey data also makes it clear that having the RCIS credential does not necessarily equate to receiving a higher hourly wage. This is because the RCIS is a certification that primarily serves as a benchmark of a Cath Lab employee's ability to perform their job to the highest standards. The institution responsible for issuing the RCIS credential, Cardiovascular Credentialing International states the following on their website:

“The Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist (RCIS) credential is the only internationally recognized credential which demonstrates the obtainment of all the skills and knowledge required to function in the cardiac catheterization laboratory.” Likewise, it is clear why this credential is so important for a Cath Lab professional to possess. In many situations, it is a requirement that must be met to successfully qualify for Cath Lab employment.

One of the following four certifications: CVT, RT(R), RN/CCRN or RCIS, was listed by the majority of survey respondents. The survey results indicated an average hourly pay of $29.76, $33.01, $36.92, $29.75 respectively. It is clear from this data that the CVT and RCIS certifications pay nearly the same average hourly wage, while the RT(R) certification pays an average of $3.25 more per hour than either the CVT or RCIS certification. Also, the RN/CCRN certification pays an average of $7.16 more per hour than either the CVT or RCIS certification. 43% of the survey respondents listed the RT(R) or RN/CCRN as their primary certification; however it is important to note that an additional 4% of those surveyed indicated having either the RT(R) or RN/CCRN as a secondary certification, which results in a combined total percentage of 47% of respondents holding one of the two highest-paying certification types found in the Cath Lab Specialty.

In the case of certifications held, the reasons for the disparity in average hourly pay for the majority of survey respondents can be clearly linked to the type of certifications held, not the number of certifications held. The RT(R) often commands a higher salary because some states require this certification for a x-ray tech to work in a Cath Lab. The RN/CCRN certification also commands higher pay, as it proves the ability to competently deliver advanced nursing care to patients.

The survey data also shows key differences in the wages earned in various Cath Lab specialties based on the geographical region of the Cath Lab professional. The survey data shows that the highest hourly rates of pay were generally associated with the Western Region of the U.S. and the lowest hourly rates of pay were generally associated with the Midwest

Region of the U.S.Overall, variances in regional pay rates most likely reflect the supply and demand differences in labor markets, and the survey results may have been impacted by the differences in Cath Lab worker survey participation within each region.

We also analyzed the service delivery setting for the four certifications most frequently reported in our survey, which allowed us to determine whether or not the facility type played a role in determining wages of Cath Lab workers. The data shows that it was indeed a factor, with the highest average hourly pay being found in a Vendor/Industry setting. The next highest average hourly pay was found in the Government/Military setting. The lowest paying settings were in Hospitals & Private Practice, which is where the majority of survey respondents reported working.

Other factors that impacted the reported wages for Cath Lab workers who took our survey included: their management role (if any), their on-call status (if any) and their employment status (i.e. permanent, traveler or PRN, etc.). It stands to reason that managerial responsibility, on-call availability or a willingness to work as a traveler; all would naturally command additional pay, which held true for the majority of the Cath Lab professionals who participated in our 2011 Cath Lab Wage Survey, who worked in such a capacity.

While the majority of those surveyed were staff employees (85%), the 15% of managers included in our survey reported earning a higher average hourly wage than their non-managerial co-workers; with a CVT credentialed manager earning an average of $38.61 per hour, an RT(R) credentialed manager earning an average of $35.08 per hour, an RN/CCRN credentialed manager earning average of $37.00 per hour; and an RCIS credentialed manager earning an average of $32.87 per hour.

According to the BLS, as of August 2011 the average hourly wage for all U.S. workers stood at $23.09 per hour. Our survey shows that Cath Lab personnel who participated in our survey have been earning well above that amount, making them some of the best-compensated hourly employees. The remainder of the report provides a visual summary of some of the wage data that we collected from the professionals who participated in our 2011 Cath Lab Wage Survey. Finally, we would like to extend our thanks to all of the professionals who participated in our survey.