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"GSN: Do you believe that the disappearance of the general surgeon" is
stoppable?
Dr. Fischer: Sure. There are a lot of jobs out there for general surgeons.
At the [annual] Southern Surgical [Association] meeting, surgeons presented a paper on how many general surgeon jobs were
available. Many of the jobs are taken quickly and what was interesting was the amount of money being paid. In rural hospitals,
the hospital survival depends on the presence of the general surgeon. If you follow Randall Zuckerman's research in Rural Health [2006 Fall;22(4):339-342], there is a very simple way of attracting
surgeons: incentives-spelled I-N-C-E-N-T-I-V-E-$-$-$. Pay a general surgeon $400,000 and you can get a general surgeon.
In the rural setting, it's relatively easy. In the urban setting, it may be more difficult. Even so, we have a number of general
surgeons in this department who do many things in different areas and do them well. The answer is if you pay people enough,
they will still be general surgeons."
Surgeon Salaries in USA
Surgeon Value To Rural Hospitals
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"Surgeons experienced increasing pressure on surgical
fees as it became clear that there was not enough money in the system to supply their historical fees as well as new increases
in other nonsurgical encounters. A list of procedures "overvalued" in Medicare included the procedures most commonly performed
by general surgeons: cholecystectomy, inguinal herniorrhaphy, and colectomy or small bowel resection.
Reimbursement
was devalued precipitously."
Surgeons' Income
Surgeon Contribution to Hospital Bottom Line Not All Are Created Equal
A Chance to Cut is a Chance to Cure
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Remember, most hospitals are supported by taxes, including Medicare
taxes among others, and make a profit (5% for "non-profit" hospitals according to the Wall Street Journal; 17% profit for
private hospitals, according to hearsay). Check these web sites for the IRS Form 990 for your non-profit hospitals,
and compare hospitals for what matters to you:
GuideStar.org
Shortage of General Surgeons Endangers Rural Americans
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