How many orthopedic surgeons are there in the us

Alex Jahangir, MD: While I understand your observation that there seems to be a recent increase in the number of orthopedic surgeons treating relatively smaller populations of people, I would propose that this phenomenon is temporary as it is possible that many older surgeons have delayed retirement and will begin to retire once the economy improves and retirement becomes more financially stable.

This will once again open positions in the potentially more desirable urban setting for new surgeons finishing training. Furthermore as more surgeons retire, the potential shortage of orthopedic surgeons to treat the increasing number of older Americans, projected to be more than 71 million, will indeed become a real problem.

I make this statement with the caveat and assumption that there will be no change to the American health care delivery system in the future, which may decrease the current demand patterns for orthopedic services.

Nicholas A. Sgaglione, MD: Observations remain consistent in the New York City metropolitan region where increasing trends have been noted toward hospital-based employment of orthopedic surgeons. In contrast, a reduction in private practice-based positions has been observed. Many factors may be responsible, including geographic phenomenon, economic uncertainty, health care reform and changing practice paradigms. Bert: Have you noticed a shortage or overabundance of orthopedic surgeons in your respective areas?

Jacobs: I practice in a large urban center. I am not aware of either a shortage or overabundance. Graduates of our residency and fellowship programs seem to be able to obtain a position in the geography of their choosing, although the main growth of new orthopedic surgeon jobs seems to be in suburban and exurban areas.

Jahangir: As I look at the southeastern United States, my home for most of my life, the shortage of orthopedic surgeons is real. According to the April AAOS report on the state-level changes in AAOS orthopedic fellows, three of the eight states with a relative low number of orthopedic surgeons per population were southern states: Arkansas, Florida and Louisiana.

More concerning is that Arkansas and Florida were the only states in the country identified as having a relative low number of orthopedic surgeons with a trend of fewer surgeons entering the market resulting in a potential future shortage of orthopedic surgeons in these states. Interestingly according to the AAOS report, Tennessee, my home state, has a relative high number of surgeons per population. However, similar to most states, many surgeons practice in larger cities leaving many rural areas without orthopedic care.

According to a recent report on the impact of health reform in Tennessee and the implications on health care manpower, it was estimated that of the , Tennessee residents who are currently uninsured, , will receive coverage under the PPACA, reducing the uninsured from Finally, this report projects that there will be an annual increase of , visits to surgical specialist in the state of Tennessee as a result of the PPACA. With this potential increase of people requiring surgical specialists and the fact that many of the rural areas have no access to musculoskeletal care, the predicated future shortage of orthopedic surgeons is a potential problem in the Southeast again assuming that there is no change in the American health care delivery system.

Bert: Is it possible to develop an accurate methodology in to determine if an orthopedic surgeon shortage exists in a specific area of the United States that can benefit graduating fellows in the future? If so, how could it be accomplished? Jacobs: The determination of the supply side of the workforce equation is relatively straightforward. However, the determination of the demand side of the equation is fraught with difficulty, particularly in the era of health care reform.

Jahangir: The question of whether there will be a surplus or shortage of orthopedic surgeons in the future is a question of what will the demand for orthopedic services be in the future. As I noted previously, there will indeed be an increase in the number of older Americans who, under our current health care delivery system, will result in an increased demand for orthopedic services such as arthroplasty.

However, as the American health care system continues to evolve, one potential result may be that more of the financial burden for health care services will be shifted to individual patients rather than third-party payers. I believe that if this shift of financial responsibility were to occur, then the demand for orthopedic services will decrease compared to today as a person who might have received an arthroplasty if it was paid for by Medicare may forego this procedure if he or she had to pay thousands of dollars out of pocket.

This change in the health care delivery system that would place more of the financial burden of health care on a patient would result in a decrease in the number of needed orthopedic surgeons as a percentage of the population of a community compared to the situation today. Obviously, I am making a bold assumption that the health care delivery system will change drastically, but I believe it is prudent for us as a specialty to be aware of the impact of all potential scenarios as we enter a new reality that focuses on the increasing costs of health care delivery and initiatives to reform health care.

Unfortunately, the ability to develop a methodology to accurately predict shortages in orthopedic care so that future orthopedic surgeons can position themselves best for successful practice after training is difficult. Despite this drastic increase in projected demand, orthopedics ranked number 13 in the top 20 most in-demand specialties, according to a report from physician staffing firm Merritt Hawkins.

Continued robust demand for orthopedic surgeons further illustrates how patient aging is driving the need for medical specialties. With aging yet active baby boomers and continuous medical advancements and improvements to procedures, the demand for orthopedic surgeons will continue to remain high.

Those who choose this specialty seem to enjoy their careers — approximately 60 percent of practicing physicians say they would choose orthopedics if they had to pick again though only about half would choose to practice medicine. Even though job satisfaction for orthopedics is relatively high, just under half of orthopedic surgeons report symptoms of burnout, such as dissatisfaction and loss of motivation.

Skeletal injuries, such as breaks and fractures, can be some of the most traumatic and urgent to treat, requiring orthopedists to be available at all hours. This expectation of availability, combined with a shortage of specialists, could contribute to the high rate of burnout. It could also be the case that, although orthopedists generally enjoy their line of work, they are dissatisfied with aspects of life in the medical field such as shifting reimbursement models and federal healthcare regulations.

This incentivizes surgeons to play an active role in hospital purchasing decisions — as medical and surgical supplies can influence patient outcomes and, therefore, physician payments. The survey provides insight into a broad range of topics related to orthopedic surgeons and their patients. Orthopedic surgeons, hospitals, and healthcare organizations may use these data to help inform their decisions about patient care, practice direction, and strategic planning. These statistics should give you a sense of the specialty of orthopedic surgery.

Further details can be found from the sources listed below. Keep in mind, these data are constantly shifting and changing, but it should give a glimpse into the specialty of orthopedic surgery. Dealing with joint pain can cause major disruptions to your day. Sign up and learn how to better take care of your body. Click below and just hit send! Cherf, J.

A snapshot of U. AAOS Now. Published September 1, December Rechtoris M. Becker's Spine Review. Updated August 2, Your Privacy Rights.