Towers Watson hires consultants to expand hospital, health care industry services

NEW YORK—Towers Watson & Co. has hired two health care veterans as senior consultants to assist hospitals in restructuring their physician compensation and leadership programs in response to the federal health care reform law.

Alice King, who will be based in Towers Watson’s Dallas office, previously was vp of contract administration and payment solutions for ESI Healthcare Business Solutions L.L.C.

She has more than 25 years experience in provider contracting, payment and reimbursement, health care operations and claims administration, New York-based Towers Watson said in a statement. She has worked with hospitals, health care systems and physician organizations to develop transparent, measurable, performance-based compensation programs that hold physicians accountable for quality and outcomes.

Annette Bussineau, who will work in Towers Watson’s Detroit office, joins the firm from Sullivan, Cotter & Associates Inc., where she also served as a senior consultant.

She has 15 years of health care industry experience, with expertise in provider compensation, productivity and on-call pay, Towers Watson said in the statement. She works with hospitals, health care systems and law firms to determine their fair-market value and the reasonableness of employment and physician service arrangements. Ms. Bussineau also assesses pay levels related to physician executive and leadership arrangements and medical directorships and assists in the design and evaluation of on-call pay arrangements and programs.