Orthopedic Surgery RVU productivity benchmarks and wRVU targets 2026
Median wRVU, percentile targets, compensation assumptions, productivity drivers, and common CPT codes for Orthopedic Surgery.
Specialty benchmark context
screen a target, review CPT mix and productivity drivers, model salary or contract terms, and document benchmark assumptions.
- Input
- Orthopedic Surgery annual wRVU target, CPT mix, geography, and dollars per wRVU
- Source basis
- Specialty benchmark assumptions, CPT mappings from CMS 2026 records, representative GPCI factors, salary assumptions, and user workflow inputs.
- Result boundary
- The page cannot determine offer fairness without contract terms, FTE definition, source-year benchmark detail, and employer-specific context.
Benchmark methodology
Use these numbers as modeled specialty assumptions, not as a licensed benchmark feed.
RVUinUSA specialty values are modeled specialty assumptions for workflow screening. They are not licensed MGMA, AMGA, or AAMC benchmark data, and they should be checked against the benchmark source named in a real contract or compensation policy.
The CMS-backed portions of this page are CPT and GPCI payment inputs. Specialty median wRVU, percentile, salary, and dollars-per-wRVU fields are planning assumptions for comparison, negotiation, and sensitivity review.
Specialty CPT payment workspace
Select a specialty CPT code, locality, setting, and conversion factor to estimate payment from the specialty-specific code set.
CPT 11010: 14.05 total RVU.
| CPT | Description | Total RVU | Payment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11010 | Debride skin at fx site | 14.05 | $469.28 |
| 11312 | Shave skin lesion 1.1-2.0 cm | 4.51 | $150.64 |
| 11604 | Exc tr-ext mal+marg 3.1-4 cm | 9.31 | $310.96 |
| 11920 | Correct skin color 6.0 cm/< | 6.48 | $216.44 |
| 12031 | Intmd rpr s/a/t/ext 2.5 cm/< | 7.78 | $259.86 |
| 13153 | Cmplx rpr e/n/e/l addl 5cm/< | 5.66 | $189.05 |
| 15136 | Drm agrft f/s/n/h/f/g/m ea | 3.04 | $101.54 |
| 15630 | Delay flap eye/nos/ear/lip | 14.07 | $469.95 |
2026/rvu26b
2026-03-10
CPT or HCPCS code, Work RVU, Practice expense RVU, Malpractice RVU, GPCI locality, Conversion factor
Specialty CPT payment provenance for CPT 11010. The calculation uses CMS April 2026 RVU records, GPCI localities, and conversion factors. Verify official CMS and payer rules before billing or contract decisions.
- CPT or HCPCS code: CMS PFS Relative Value Files RVU record and descriptor fields
- Work RVU: CMS PFS Relative Value Files work RVU component
- Practice expense RVU: CMS PFS Relative Value Files facility and non-facility PE RVU fields
- Malpractice RVU: CMS PFS Relative Value Files malpractice RVU component
Productivity profile
Production model, drivers, and contract risk behind the benchmark.
Procedure-driven productivity with office visit volume, operative case mix, block time, and post-operative global period rules all affecting the annual wRVU result.
- Operative case volume and case complexity
- Clinic-to-surgery conversion rate
- OR block access and turnover efficiency
- Threshold assumes mature surgical volume before referral patterns exist
- Compensation excludes or discounts global-period work
- Call, trauma, or outreach coverage is not separately compensated
A specialty benchmark is useful only when the clinical production model, CPT mix, and contract risk are visible.
Contract interpretation
A Orthopedic Surgery offer should be compared against the median target of 10,800 wRVU, the 75th percentile target of 13,824 wRVU, and the proposed dollars per wRVU. A target above the 75th percentile can still be fair, but it needs matching conversion rate, support staffing, ramp-up time, and written guarantee language.
Percentile range
Use percentile ranges to understand whether a production target is conservative, median, aggressive, or very high.
| Percentile | wRVU/year |
|---|---|
| 25th | 8,424 |
| 50th | 10,800 |
| 75th | 13,824 |
| 90th | 17,064 |
CPT RVU component table
Review common CPT work RVU, practice expense RVU, malpractice RVU, setting, and modeled frequency before opening code-specific payment pages.
| CPT | Description | Work RVU | PE RVU | MP RVU | Setting | Typical freq/year | Productivity interpretation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27447 | Total knee arthroplastyHigh-intensity procedural service | 19.11 | 11.58 | 4.02 | Facility | 188 | High wRVU value, but attainable volume depends on facility access, referral base, and case availability. |
| 29827 | Sho arthrs srg rt8tr cuf rprHigh-intensity procedural service | 15.20 | 10.98 | 3.05 | Facility | 237 | High wRVU value, but attainable volume depends on facility access, referral base, and case availability. |
| 99214 | Office o/p est mod 30 minE/M visit workload | 1.92 | 2.00 | 0.14 | Non-facility | 1,875 | Good benchmark anchor for recurring visit volume, panel maturity, and schedule template assumptions. |
Typical frequency is a modeled benchmark helper, not a utilization claim. It divides the specialty median wRVU target across the listed CPT mix so users can see whether production is visit-heavy, interpretation-heavy, procedure-heavy, or mixed.
Geographic salary variation
Illustrative salary variation based on representative state average GPCI factors.
| State | Adj. factor | GPCI-adjusted salary | GPCI page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | 1.317 | $980,916.67 | View state |
| Illinois | 1.294 | $963,719.58 | View state |
| New York | 1.157 | $861,799.44 | View state |
| District of Columbia | 1.115 | $830,675.00 | View state |
| New Jersey | 1.104 | $822,811.11 | View state |
Reference links
Use these resources after the benchmark and calculator workflows.
FAQ
Use these answers to interpret specialty benchmarks, CPT mix, and compensation assumptions.
What is the median wRVU benchmark for Orthopedic Surgery?
The current Orthopedic Surgery median benchmark is 10,800 wRVU per year.
What is a typical dollars per wRVU assumption for Orthopedic Surgery?
The current Orthopedic Surgery compensation assumption is $69.00 per wRVU.
How should I use the Orthopedic Surgery percentile table?
Use the percentile table to compare a contract target with specialty-specific production expectations before evaluating conversion rate and guarantee terms.