The American College of Surgeons has devised the nation’s first framework outlining workplace standards for surgeons, it said in a March 4 news release.
The framework provides measurable standards that can be customized by surgical specialty and are designed to be incorporated into department policies, employment contracts and professional society guidance. The framework includes guidance for call schedule and compensation; access to the OR, clinic and resources; clinical support and team composition; inpatient census limits; and fatigue mitigation and wellness support.
“Our goal was to create guidance that would align surgeon well-being with patient safety and system efficiency, while promoting career longevity and workforce stability within the surgical profession,” Douglas Wood, MD, ACS board of regents vice chair and lead author of the framework, said in the release.
“Developing Specialty-Specific Workplace Standards for Surgeons” was published March 3 in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.
