The biggest challenge facing orthopedic surgeons for 2015: 10 surgeons respond
Written by Laura Dyrda
There are many distinct challenges for orthopedic surgeons next year, including implant costs, healthcare reform implementation and reimbursement rates.
Ten orthopedic surgeons discuss the biggest issue for them heading into 2015. If you would like to contribute a response to this or future orthopedics-related articles, contact Laura Dyrda at ldyrda@beckershealthcare.com.
Greg Tchejeyan, MD, Los Robles Hospital, Thousand Oaks, Calif.: The biggest issue facing orthopedic surgeons is the challenges of the rapidly changing healthcare environment which include: increasing capital costs, lower reimbursements and increased data reporting requirements. Today, the orthopedic surgeon needs to be just as comfortable running a business as they do running the operating room. We would all prefer to focus our attention on what we do best, which is taking care of our patients, however, in order to successfully run our practices we need to deal with the “business” of medicine.
Scott S. Gordon, MD, Orthopedic Associates of Osceola, Kissimmee, Fla.: Biggest problem is as orthopedic surgeons become hospital employees, their allegiance shifts from the patient to the corporate (or Government) bottom line. We no longer are professionals — we are employees that will do the bidding of our employer, the hospital/government. We are losing our ability to choose the method and specific products to use in our surgeries as these decisions are now made by the hospitals and the government-run insurance policies. You will see more and more “best practice” studies done by doctors on the payroll of government research — not saying it is doing the government’s agenda — just saying that there is a huge potential for corruption.
Mary O’Brien, MBA, CMPE, CEO of Fox Valley Orthopaedic Institute, Geneva, Ill.: 1.Cost of Implants continuing to increase while insurance contracts do. Surely the implant companies have a large enough margin that they do not need to continually raise their rates.
