From staff retention to artificial intelligence, orthopedic practices stand to face some major headwinds for the remaining three quarters of 2025.
One top orthopedic leader spoke with Becker’s about what he is expecting for the year ahead.
Ask Orthopedic Surgeons is a weekly series of questions posed to orthopedic surgeons around the country about clinical, business and policy issues affecting spine care. Becker’s invites all orthopedic surgeon and specialist responses.
Next question: What is your biggest obstacle to getting paid or reimbursed?
Please send responses to Claire Wallace at cwallace@beckershealthcare.com by 5 p.m. Central time Friday, April 4.
Editor’s note: Responses were lightly edited for clarity and length.
Question: What is the biggest challenge your practice will face in 2025?
Alex Vaccaro, MD, PhD. President of Rothman Orthopaedics (Philadelphia): Rothman is universally renowned for excellence. Excellence starts with hiring and retaining the right people. This includes our physicians, advanced care providers, clinical and administrative staff, all of which contribute to providing exceptional care. The ability to attract and retain the right personnel is challenged at multiple levels: increased healthcare costs, declining reimbursements from governmental and commercial payers and a tight labor market resulting in increased supply and wage competition.
Advancements in artificial intelligence and intraoperative enabling technologies have provided significant advancements in patient care and business administrative practices, which in turn requires constant updating and retraining of motivated and quality staff. A significant challenge for private medical practices is the attainment of quality personnel in light of competition with large health systems and private equity groups which, due to greater scale and more diverse revenue streams, have greater resources to attract the right physicians and staff.
Finally, the patient experience is not only judged by exceptional clinical outcomes. Ease of appointment scheduling, courteousness and efficiency of office staff personnel, accuracy of dealing with insurance company care approval and payment requirements all contribute to a positive patient experience made possible with appropriate staff training. True excellence is performing all these functions while maintaining empathy for patients who have entrusted us for their care in a time of need. This is why exceptional people is and always will be our “greatest challenge.”
