At the Becker’s 13th Annual Spine, Orthopedic & Pain Management-Driven ASC Conference in Chicago, Molly Gamble, Editor-in-Chief at Becker’s Hospital Review, moderated a panel that addressed the pros and cons of becoming a hospital employee, along with other key issues for spine surgeons.
As to whether hospital employment is a good option for spine surgeons, Richard Wohns, MD, a board certified neurosurgeon who is the founder and president of NeoSpine, said there are a number of factors to consider when answering that question, such as the age and risk averseness of a particular surgeon.
“Most employed jobs have pretty good paychecks,” said Dr. Wohns, and that can be appealing to new surgeons. However, a surgeon’s pay may only be guaranteed for one to three years and then their pay is renegotiated. If the surgeon did not produce results during that time, “the carrot that was used to get them in the door might turn into a mini carrot,” he said.
M. Ali Khan, MD, founder of Texas Pain and Spine Physicians, and Kenny Hancock, president and chief development officer at Meridian Surgical Partners, echoed many of Dr. Wohns’ thoughts. “Being a hospital employee does have a lot of perks,” said Dr. Khan. “However, being employed by a hospital can cause a lot of dissatisfaction for surgeons.” Dr. Khan does not believe hospital employment is the best long-term choice for spine surgeons. “It’s really exciting in the first year, the second year it’s starting to get old and the third year you’re ready to make a move.”
The panelists also addressed the issue of whether a spine surgeon should own an ASC. Dr. Wohns said owning an ASC has “been one of the best moves” of his career, and he highly recommends it.
Looking at the market as a whole, Mr. Hancock said owning an ASC is a good idea. “I think this is where the market and the consumer are headed,” he said. As insurance markets begin to shift and high-deductible health plans become a force, patients are going to want to get the best value, and that is going to lead more patients to ASCs, according to Mr. Hancock.
