Surgeons are 'ghosting' the ED, ortho leader says
By Admin | February 13, 2024
The continuing wave of orthopedic and spine procedures to ASC settings has one surgeon concerned about the impact that will have on both surgeons and patients.
Joel McClurg, MD, PhD, is a consultant and former orthopedic surgeon at Richmond, Ind.-based Reid Health. He recently connected with Becker's to share the big trends he is following in orthopedics.
Note: Response was lightly edited for clarity and length.
Question: What orthopedic and/or broader healthcare trends are you currently following?
Dr. Joel McClurg: I think the long-term trend I am most interested in right now is how orthopedic surgeons and surgical specialists, in general, will be ghosting the ED in the years ahead and the dire effects that will have on patients' access to care. It will undoubtedly increase our ED colleague's stress and discontentment. The market forces that have decoupled surgeons from hospital-owned operating rooms will decrease surgeon participation in broader hospital-based responsibilities. The die was cast when CMS removed many musculoskeletal procedures from the inpatient-only pool, allowing for more flexibility in where these procedures can be performed. Increasingly more complex procedures are...(More)
For more info please read, Surgeons are 'ghosting' the ED, ortho leader says, by Becker's Spine Review
