BIG T Trauma Series Ep. 20: Defining the Value of an Acute Care Surgeon

In this episode, Drs. Patrick Georgoff, Teddy Puzio, and Jason Brill are joined by special guest Dr. Pat Murphy, who helps us delve into the evolving field of acute care surgery (ACS), exploring its history, challenges, and the nuances of defining full-time employment in this demanding specialty. The discussion highlights the origins of ACS as a response to unmet emergency surgical needs and its three foundational pillars: trauma surgery, emergency general surgery, and surgical critical care, with additional roles like surgical rescue evolving over time. Dr. Murphy share insights into the workload, including night shifts, call schedules, and the toll on surgeons' health, emphasizing the importance of fair compensation, equitable shift distribution, and transparency in job expectations. The episode underscores the value ACS surgeons bring to hospitals, likening them to essential infrastructure like firefighters, with their impact often unrecognized in traditional productivity metrics like RVUs.

Dr. Murphy would like to thank the many collaborators who made this volume of work possible including the many acute care surgeons who have taken the time to participate in the research and their dedication to patient care and surgeon wellbeing

Learning Objectives:

1) Define and understand the evolution of acute care surgery as a surgical subspecialty, including its historical development, key components (trauma, surgical critical care, emergency general surgery, surgical rescue), and its unique role within the surgical landscape.

2) Analyze the concept of "full-time equivalent" (FTE) for acute care surgeons, considering factors such as call schedules, shift length, service demands, and the impact of varying case volumes and intensities on workload.

3) Discuss the challenges of defining and measuring the value of acute care surgeons, considering factors beyond traditional productivity metrics (e.g., RVUs) such as the impact of surgical rescue, patient safety, and the value of 24/7 availability in preventing adverse outcomes.

4) Explore the importance of recognizing the unique demands and contributions of acute care surgeons, including the impact of high-stress environments, irregular schedules, and the importance of work-life balance and clinician well-being on long-term sustainability within the specialty.

This episode of Big T Trauma was sponsored by Teleflex, a global provider of medical devices. Learn more at teleflex.com and at the Teleflex Trauma and Emergency Medicine LinkedIn page.

***SPECIALTY TEAM APPLICATION LINK: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdX2a_zsiyaz-NwxKuUUa5cUFolWhOw3945ZRFoRcJR1wjZ4w/viewform?usp=sharing

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