Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1539853
28 ORTHOPEDICS A look at employed orthopedic surgeon pay trends over time By Sophie Eydis O rthopedic surgeons in employed settings can see a 49% increase in average salary from early to midcareer, according to Medscape's Salary Explorer tool. Nationwide, orthopedic surgeons with one to seven years of experience earn an average of $410,000 annually, Medscape data shows. Salaries rise steadily with experience: • 8 to 14 years: $530,000 • 15 to 21 years: $640,000 • 22 to 28 years: $610,000 While compensation peaks between 15 and 21 years of experience, surgeons later in their careers still earn more than $200,000 above early career peers. By comparison, orthopedic surgeons in self-employed settings start higher and peak at $750,000 in midcareer, about $110,000 more than employed peers at the same stage. Even with a late-career dip, self- employed surgeons average $690,000. Orthopedic surgery also remains the highest-paid physician specialty overall, with compensation consistently outpacing other fields. n Hospital for Special Surgery opens spine center in New Jersey By Carly Behm N ew York City-based Hospital for Special Surgery opened its Spine Center in Paramus, N.J., according to a Sept. 9 news release. The Spine Center is 14,000 square feet and has 11 exam rooms. Anil Ranawat, MD, is medical director of the location. "The HSS Spine Center provides specialized care for all types of conditions and injuries affecting the back and neck, from the most common problems to the highly complex, including scoliosis," Andrew Sama, MD, co-chief of HSS Spine, said in the release. "Our team includes physicians with expertise in the latest nonsurgical approaches, as well as skilled spine surgeons with advanced training and special expertise." The Spine Center is the third new location in Northern New Jersey, along with an outpatient center and a surgery center. n OrthoLoneStar adds 6-physician group By Carly Behm O rthoLoneStar added Allen, Texas-based Legacy Orthopedics to its network, according to a Sept. 8 news release. The addition of the six-physician group brings OrthoLoneStar to more than 190 total physicians. Legacy Orthopedics will be integrated into OrthoLoneStar over the coming months and will be an official division at the start of 2026. "By integrating with OrthoLoneStar, we will benefit from access to the necessary infrastructure to counter the increasing administrative burdens placed on independent practice," Chris Miller, MD, co-founder of Legacy Orthopedics, said in the release. "Additionally, the collegial atmosphere of like-minded surgeons from across the state allows for quick exchange of best practices, advancements in orthopedics, and tools necessary to keep surgeons' focus on the patient." n