Spine Surgery and COVID-19: The Influence of Practice Type on Preparedness, Response, and Economic Impact. Issue 2 (March 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Weiner, Joseph A.; Swiatek, Peter R.; Johnson, Daniel J.; Louie, Philip K.; Harada, Garrett K.; McCarthy, Michael H.; Germscheid, Niccole; Cheung, Jason P. Y.; Neva, Marko H.; El-Sharkawi, Mohammad; Valacco, Marcelo; Sciubba, Daniel M.; Chutkan, Norman B.; An, Howard S.; Samartzis, Dino
• Is Part Of: Global spine journal. Volume 12:Issue 2(2022)
• Page Start: 249
• Page End: 262
• Publication Date: 2022-03
• Subjects: COVID-19 -- coronavirus -- spine; surgeons -- private practice -- global -- impact; Spine -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Spine -- Diseases -- Treatment -- Periodicals; Spine -- Abnormalities -- Periodicals; Spine -- Surgery -- Periodicals; 616.73
• DOI: 10.1177/2192568220949183
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2192-5682

Abstract

Study Design: Cross-sectional observational cohort study. Objective: To investigate preparation, response, and economic impact of COVID-19 on private, public, academic, and privademic spine surgeons. Methods: AO Spine COVID-19 and Spine Surgeon Global Impact Survey includes domains on surgeon demographics, location of practice, type of practice, COVID-19 perceptions, institutional preparedness and response, personal and practice impact, and future perceptions. The survey was distributed by AO Spine via email to members (n = 3805). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify differences between practice settings. Results: A total of 902 surgeons completed the survey. In all, 45.4% of respondents worked in an academic setting, 22.9% in privademics, 16.1% in private practice, and 15.6% in public hospitals. Academic practice setting was independently associated with performing elective and emergent spine surgeries at the time of survey distribution. A majority of surgeons reported a >75% decrease in case volume. Private practice and privademic surgeons reported losing income at a higher rate compared with academic or public surgeons. Practice setting was associated with personal protective equipment availability and economic issues as a source of stress. Conclusions: The current study indicates that practice setting affected both preparedness and response to COVID-19. Surgeons in private and privademic practices reported increased worry about the economic implications of the current crisis compared with surgeons in academic and public hospitals. COVID-19 decreased overall clinical productivity, revenue, and income. Government response to the current pandemic and preparation for future pandemics needs to be adaptable to surgeons in all practice settings.