Orthopedic practices are facing a generational workforce transition. With an aging surgeon population, persistent burnout and shifting expectations from younger physicians, leaders are rethinking how to recruit, retain and sustain surgical talent.
The focus is moving from filling positions to redesigning the workforce model for long-term stability and efficiency.
Here are five ways orthopedic practices are resetting the workforce:
1. Recruiting new surgeons amid projected shortages: The U.S. faces a projected orthopedic workforce shortfall by 2036, with supply expected to decline by 2% while demand rises by as much as 13%. Adequacy could drop to 89% nationwide — and to as low as 42% in nonmetropolitan regions. Practices are responding with targeted recruitment and retention strategies aimed at sustaining access to musculoskeletal care.
“Our strategy focuses on constant investment in our people, along with active recruitment and retention of surgeons committed to high-quality, cost-efficient care,” Brian Larkin, MD, chief medical officer at Denver-based Orthopedic Centers of Colorado, told Becker’s.
Many organizations are also vertically integrating musculoskeletal services and evolving residency programs to include subspecialty and outpatient surgical training to prepare new physicians for shifting care models.
2. Expanding roles for advanced practice providers: At New Hyde Park, N.Y.-based Northwell Health, expanding the orthopedic team has become central to managing rising patient demand and workforce strain.
The system has broadened its use of nurse practitioners, physician assistants, athletic trainers and scribes — what Nicholas Sgaglione, MD, Northwell’s chair of orthopedic surgery, calls “healthcare extenders.”
“The team-based model lets physicians focus on what they do best,” he told Becker’s. “And it gives patients a better experience — they’re engaged from the moment they walk in, not left sitting and waiting.”
The approach has improved access and efficiency as orthopedic visits and procedures continue to climb.
3. Rethinking scheduling and mentorship models: Orthopedic and spine leaders are navigating workforce and operational challenges that require new approaches to staffing, scheduling and leadership development. Many cite recruitment, anesthesia coverage and inflation as persistent headwinds, while emphasizing strategy, culture and mentorship as critical advantages.
“It’s become considerably easier to recruit new surgeons in the orthopedic space,” John Brown, administrative director at the Musculoskeletal Institute of AdventHealth in Fort Worth, Texas, told Becker’s.
Leaders are focusing on growth planning, mentorship and aligning team structures to strengthen engagement and succession pipelines even as staffing shortages persist across anesthesia, nursing and technical roles.
4. Addressing burnout and an aging workforce: Burnout, declining reimbursement and consolidation are driving orthopedic surgeons out of the field, raising concerns about access to musculoskeletal care.
Forty-four percent of orthopedic surgeons report feeling burned out, citing mounting documentation demands and loss of independence.
With more than half of practicing surgeons over age 55 — and 60% expected to be over 65 by 2031 — retirements are set to intensify workforce shortages. As reimbursement declines and private equity ownership rises, orthopedic leaders warn that physician disengagement and limited autonomy could further strain patient access.
5. Leveraging technology for workforce efficiency: Orthopedic and surgical clinics are turning to intelligent scheduling and workflow automation to eliminate manual processes that slow productivity. After implementing LeanTaaS’ iQueue for Surgical Clinics, Puyallup, Wash.-based Ankle & Foot Specialists of Puget Sound reduced cancellations by 73% and increased completed surgeries by 24%.
Digitizing case workflows has created a single source of truth for scheduling, communication and documentation, improving efficiency and staff satisfaction. “Centralizing everything was huge for us,” Amber Hollis, clinic manager at Ankle & Foot Specialists of Puget Sound told Becker’s. “Before it was sticky notes and emails and chasing people down. Now, everything is done in real time.”
