Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/498463
13 Spine Leadership 13th Annual Spine, Orthopedic and Pain Management-Driven ASC Conference + The Future of Spine June 11-13, 2015 • Westin Michigan Avenue Hotel • Chicago, IL 80+ Surgeons Speaking & 108 Sessions For more information, visit www.beckersspine.com or call (800) 417-2035. Patients that have horrible spinal deformities and are doing okay but require surgical intervention to prevent future neurologic decline due to defor- mity progression. Q: What are your favorite activities out- side of the office? Caring for the Eagles football team, traveling with the family, stamp collecting and reading. Q: What accomplishment or milestone are you most proud of? I married above my head and have a beautiful baby boy to show for it. Q: What issues in healthcare continue to keep you up at night? The need to continue a robust academic mission as resources for research continue to dwindle. Collaboration and philanthropy have worked to offset traditional funding sources. Q: How do you see healthcare evolving over the next 10 years? What are the top changes you expect to see over time? Population health initiatives, insurance for all for basic healthcare needs, insurance for elective care, tiered hospital care centers based on acuity of care. Q: How is Rothman Institute preparing for the future? What changes is the practice making with centers to prepare for challeng- es or take advantage of new opportunities? Developing orthopedic bundled care initiatives. Q: Who were your mentors and how did they impact your career so far? Dick Rothman for leadership and integrity, Je- rome Cotler for hard work, integrity, Steve Garfin for how to be a spine surgeon and integrity. n Dr. Alexander Vaccaro President, Rothman Institute Chairman, Department of Ortho- paedic Surgery, Thomas Jefferson University Co-Director, Spine Fellowship Program, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital President, Association for Collaborative Spine Research Medical School: Georgetown University School of Medicine Fellowship: University of California, San Diego Dr. Alexander Vaccaro Where Do Physicians Earn the Most? By Emily Rappleye P hysician compensation trends are unusual compared to other in- dustries, according to data from physician social networking site Doximity. "Healthcare is incredibly local. And pay trends in medicine are inverse that of most industries — high cost areas actually pay less," Jeff Tangney, CEO and founder of Doximity said in a statement. Healthcare really is local. Tuesday, Doximity launched a new interac- tive mapping tool to help physicians evaluate career opportunities, based on data from more than 18,000 physicians. The tool reveals that an OB/ Gyn in Boulder, Colo., for example, could earn $32,000 more each year than an OB/Gyn working 40 miles away in Denver. In general, the tool shows physicians outside of major urban areas tend to make more, even taking the cost of living into account. Physicians make $1,500 more on average in rural areas than those in urban areas, accord- ing to Doximity. For example, in Boston, an internal medicine physician might bring in $202,000 in average compensation each year, according to a Doximity spokesperson. However, this physician could make an average of $70,000 more per year in Greenville, Miss. This may be because many major urban areas, like Boston, New York, Chicago and Los Angeles are also home to medical schools, and the data shows physicians who work for the government or academic medical cen- ters tend to earn less. Internists working in private practice earn about 12 percent or $28,000 more each year than their counterparts working in academic or government institutions, according to Doximity. Market saturation is another factor, especially for specialists. In a town with a population of 100,000, specialists make $1,500 less per year when an additional specialist starts practicing in the same town, according to the Doximity blog. However, other health trends also come into play. Physicians who practice in areas with high rates of obesity tend to bring in a higher salary, accord- ing to the report. The data suggests physicians earn the most where they are needed the most. n Spotlight on a Spine Surgeon Leader: Dr. Alexander Vaccaro (continued from cover)