Top 5 Reasons to Launch a Surgicalist Program at Your Hospital

The importance of on-call surgeons for the management of emergency care cases is undeniable; however, the sole dependence upon the on-call approach in today’s care setting is quickly becoming unreliable. Increased on-call burdens, irregular and hectic workloads, and decreased work-life balance have contributed to the surgeon shortages observed in many hospitals today. A Surgicalist approach is the answer to this growing crisis.

The Top 5 Reasons to Launch a Surgicalist Program

Currently, there is a slow but steadily rising trend emerging in hospitals across the country, one that utilizes a Surgicalist strategy for improving hospital outcomes and lowering staff turnover. Surgicalists manage emergency surgeries exclusively, reducing the need for relying solely on on-call surgeons to cover planned interventions.

Perhaps the most beneficial reasons for implementing a Surgicalist strategy includes reducing the on-call burden for surgeons, improving the achievement of greater annual financial goals, introducing new surgical skill sets, and improving patient-related outcomes.

Reason #1: Improved Surgeon Retention

Finding consistent medical care for acute care surgery patients is a growing challenge that seems to be gaining momentum. A nationwide surgeon shortage, as well as surgeons’ evolving priorities, have reduced the number of on-call doctors available for emergency surgical needs. Many surgeons, for example, are seeking a greater work-life balance and are opting for private practice.

A Surgicalist program may be the answer to the quickly deteriorating viability of surgical call rotation. Surgicalists eliminate the burden of unmanageable workloads, allowing hospital surgeons to focus on more private and elective surgical procedures. Potentially, employing a Surgicalist team may help reduce staff turnover while improving the quality of care offered to patients.

Reason #2: Diversify Skills

When employing a staff of Surgicalists who specialize in emergency care, you bring forth a greater range of skill and technique to the surgery floor. A traditional management approach of emergency cases involves patients receiving surgeons who are on call, yet this doesn’t mean the surgeon has a skill set that is sophisticated or experienced enough to handle every emergency patient. Surgicalists, however, are dedicated to emergency care cases. “If you crash your car, you don’t get to pick who your surgeon’s going to be,” says Lynette Scherer, MD, FACS, Chief Medical Officer of Surgical Affiliates. “We think that if you’re going to go to a trauma center, you really should get the best there is.”

Reason #3: Financial Benefit

Although hospitals do make an initial investment when implementing a Surgicalist program, the long-term cost benefit can be substantial. Simply, with more surgeons on staff to handle both elective and emergency interventions, hospitals experience a lower patient transfer rate. Retaining patients equates to more surgeries, which ultimately results in more jobs and a greater net financial benefit. Additionally, there is an elimination (or drastic reduction) in call coverage stipends, resulting in greater cost savings.

Reason #4: Improve Patient Outcomes

Under a Surgicalist program, patients often experience shorter wait times, shorter length of hospital stay, and fewer treatment-related complications. Typically, improved patient outcomes are a benefit associated with early or immediate intervention, compared with an intervention that depends upon an on-call surgeon’s own schedule and availability. Surgicalists, in comparison, are available 24/7, with no competition between elective and emergency cases.

Reason #5: Gain (or Improve) Community Trust

When a hospital can handle more patients and improve the level of care they provide for emergency cases, they begin to strengthen the trust their community has for them. In turn, this may result in a greater number of patients arriving at the center to receive much-needed care, regardless of the type of treatment they receive.

“Our community knows that they can count on us–we’re there in an emergency,” says Gary J. Passama, President and Chief Executive Officer of North Bay Healthcare System, a hospital that has recently implemented a Surgicalist program. “The team collaborating with our hospital staff,” he adds, “has improved patient care with the consistent use of surgical-best practices, continuity of care, and communications with patients, families, and the patient’s primary care team.”

Considering a Surgicalist Program?

Of hospitals that feature a traditional approach to emergency cases, only about 2% have Surgicalist programs in place. Part of the reason why these programs are so rare involves the lack of awareness and education around Surgicalist teams. To learn more about the Surgicalist approach and how you can use it to gain a competitive advantage over traditional hospital systems, contact us for a free program analysis consultation today.