surgical volume drop?

[deleted126335]

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[Noyac]

Yeah, I think we have dropped somewhat. But not terribly. Our plastic surgeon is MIA though.

 

[urge]

Ours was supposed to go up by certain percentage (6, I believe) but remained flat. Yes in a sense it is diminished. Next year's numbers might come lower. I'm sure we'll see less gastric bypass pts.

The question is what will pp groups do as revenue drops? Who's the weakest link?

 

[Ventil8]

Ours has declined slightly-- that might be because the hospital took on a "new" policy of not performing elective procedures on patients with outstanding medical bills or without means to pay for their surgery. The only absurdity is that this was a NEW policy...



The presumed right to healthcare should be alarming to more taxpayers.

 

[Planktonmd]

Definitely lower.

 

[camkiss]

Private practice. Lower elective cases.

 

[IceDoc]

Accross the board, things are relatively flat. One Podiatrist noted that pts are putting off elective surgery with at least part of the explanation being they don't want to miss time from work and be the next layoff target. However, he also noted that his treatments for trauma are way up for this time of year; can't explain that one.

 

[thegasman]

schedule was light in january - usually is that time of year. Has picked up some in the last month though. The surgeons have said quite a few patients are trying to get their procedures done now while they have insurance because they fear that they will lose their jobs in the coming months and not have coverage.

 

[2ndyear]

We are still very busy, but layoffs have not hit out here on a large scale. This may bhange in the near future though.

 

[ChrisA]

we have seen numbers dropping since xmas and still going down. At a lvl 1 trauma center no less.

 

[loveumms]

We have been steady, if not increasing a little (many ORs running until 7-8 at night)

 

[coprolalia]

We have been steady, if not increasing a little (many ORs running until 7-8 at night)

Ditto.

-copro

 

[hoyden]

My next rotation was scheduled to be in an outpatient center - just got an e-mail warning that since OC will be closed on Thu and Fri ( no cases scheduled) I am destined to be at the big house
This has never happened before - our outpatient center is always busy. Guess i should say was...

 

[peerie]

Our large local hospital is way down for elective surgeries. We are definitely feeling the crunch.

 

[OB1🤙]

Pretty significant drop out here too.

 

[dfk]

we have experienced a drop too. seems those that lost jobs and/or have lost insurance are the one's causing decrease. good ol' recession times. let those urgent surgeries fester.

 

[huktonfonix]

Pretty significant drop out here too.

you lucky bastard

 

[OB1🤙]

you lucky bastard

We would be lucky bastards if the dept hadn't had to let go a few CRNAs it had recently hired. The net effect is essentially a wash for the residents.

 

[imnodr]

A friend of mine had a semi-elective spine procedure today. He initially was going to put it off a few weeks r/t significant co-pay at the physicians primary hospital. The guy calls my buddy back and says "If you want to go ahead we can do it at the OP surgery center, sans co-pay." Saved my buddy three grand.

 

[sevo85288]

10-20% drop.

 

[2win]

Anybody else noticing a volume drop at their institution. Ours has dropped significantly. Just wondering if it is a local phenomenon or widespread/economically related.

Yes we have drop 10-20% mostly due to elective cases decrease. Also I noticed a strugle of the administration to increase the number of cases.
I expected that and I believe that this is the begining.
Let me ramble:
Take a look at this article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Healthcare_in_Sweden
for what is worth Sweden has 3.28 physicians per 1000 people versus USA 2.56/1000 people. They do have more nurses though - 10.24 versus 9.37.
"Waiting times
The national guarantee of care states that a patient should be able to get an appointment with a primary care physician within 5 days of contacting the clinic. If referred to a specialist by the GP, they should get an appointment within 30 days, and if treatment is deemed necessary by the specialist, it should be given within 90 days. However, urgent cases are always prioritized and emergent cases are treated immediately"
I could say that in USA the waiting times are much less - nu number to prove (for people with insurance). Besides that as we know all the hips are - emergency...
"Ironically, longer waiting lines for expensive treatment and surgery contribute to the increased expenses that such conservative practices seek to avoid. One study of over 1400 Swedes forced to wait on expensive cataract surgery found that the expenses spent on hospital stays and home care could have covered the costs of surgery for 800 of those same patients"
Besides that guys - look at this - The Swedish 40-hour workweek: How does it affect surgical care?
Surgery, Volume 134, Issue 1, Pages 17-18
Compare with US workweek....
Besides that there is a shortage of physicians and they are still imported (and I understand why...) With taxes in the 50% is is not worth to work a full year.
I do believe that we'll have a decline in the number of cases, the pressure for "productivity" it will ease, overall the speciality will suffer a little (still we'll be better than others) , the decrease in revenue will be a percentage in most specialities except dermatology - there are money in the budget for California - for "tatoo removal".
The butique oriented pain management in the hands of a good bussines doc will do great.