The Orthopaedic Practice in the Untied States Survey from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons shows how productive surgeons are in various practice settings, according to an AAOS Now article.
Here are eight key trends from the report:
1. More than half of full time orthopedic surgeons are specialists. The part-time orthopedic surgeons are more likely older and 48.6 percent are generalists.
2. Full-time orthopedic surgeons work 56 hours per week on average and perform 31 procedures per month. At the same time, part-time surgeons work 23 hours per week on average and perform around five procedures per month.
3. Among full time orthopedic surgeons, 37 percent are in private practice groups and only 16 percent of full-time orthopedists are hospital-employed. There are 13.5 percent who receive academic institution salaries as part of their practice.
4. Around 30 percent of part-time orthopedists are in solo private practice while 19.6 percent are in private practice groups. Only 10 percent of part-time orthopedists are hospital-employed and 8 percent are in private practice multispecialty groups.
5. Nearly half of all the patients full time orthopedic surgeons see have private insurance; the same is true for only about one-forth of the patients part-time orthopedic surgeons see.
6. Surgeons in the academic setting work around 63 hours per week, the most of all practice settings. The military orthopedic surgeons, locum tenens and hospital-employed surgeons work around 55 hours per week. Those in private practice groups work about 55 hours per week as well.
7. The academic surgeons who receive salaries from private practices perform the highest number of procedures per month — 35 procedures. Those in private practice single specialty groups perform 34 procedures per month on average.
8. The number of orthopedic surgeons in private practice decreased from 65.2 percent in 2008 to 50 percent in 2014. Employment increased from 6.7 percent to 15 percent during that time period. Salaried academic practice setting surgeons increased from 12 percent to 16 percent in 2008.