Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1388297
12 SPINE SURGEONS How orthopedic surgeon pay has changed in the past 10 years By Alan Condon O rthopedic surgery dropped from the top spot in Medscape's highest-paid physician specialties in 2021, but has been consistently among the top three highest earners. Here's how orthopedic surgeon pay has changed over the past 10 years, according to Medscape's Physician Compensation Report 2012-2021. 2021 Plastic surgery: $526,000 Orthopedics: $511,000 Cardiology: $459,000 2020 Orthopedics: $511,000 Plastic surgery: $479,000 Otolaryngology: $455,000 2019 Orthopedics: $482,000 Plastic surgery: $471,000 Otolaryngology: $461,000 2018 Plastic surgery: $501,000 Orthopedics: $497,000 Cardiology: $423,000 2017 Orthopedics: $489,000 Plastic surgery: $440,000 Cardiology: $410,000 2016 Orthopedics: $443,000 Cardiologists: $410,000 Dermatologists: $381,000 2015 Orthopedics: $421,000 Cardiology: $376,000 Gastroenterology: $370,000 2014 Orthopedics: $413,000 Cardiology: $351,000 Urology: $348,000 2013 Orthopedics: $405,000 Cardiology: $357,000 Radiology: $349,000 2012 Radiology: $315,000 Orthopedics: $315,000 Cardiology: $314,000 n Late-week spine surgeries linked to longer hospital stays By Alan Condon S pine surgeries performed late in the week are associ- ated with increased lengths of stay, especially when patients are discharged to a skilled nursing facility or rehabilitation center, according to a study published in the April issue of Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine. Seven notes: 1. Researchers assessed clinical and nonclinical drivers of patient length of stay in the hospital after elective lumbar laminectomy. 2. The study focused on 1,359 patients undergoing lami- nectomy surgery for degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis within the Cleveland Clinic health system between March 1, 2016, and Feb. 1, 2019. 3. The mean length of stay ranged from 2.01 days on Mon- day to 2.47 days on Friday. 4. Longer length of stay for surgeries later in the week was not associated with greater underlying health risks, but led to greater costs of care, with average total surgical costs 20 percent greater for Friday cases versus Monday cases. 5. Comorbidity burden, surgery at a tertiary care center versus a community hospital and the incidence of post- operative complications were associated with significantly longer length of stay. 6. Significant nonclinical predictors of increased length of stay included discharge to home health care, skilled nursing facilities, or rehab facilities and late-week surgery, even after adjusting for underlying health risks and insurance. 7. The study highlights an opportunity to lower costs and improve outcomes associated with elective spine surgery. Optimizing surgical scheduling and perioperative care coordination could help reduce length of stay and lower costs, researchers said. n