Cecily O'Connor
RedwoodAge.com

A congressional briefing on Monday will address a cardiothoracic surgeon shortage that's expected to be exacerbated by aging baby boomers' growing healthcare needs.

The number of cardiothoracic surgeon applicants in the National Residency Match Program (NRMP), which places residents, has been decreasing for the past four consecutive years, according to the Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Last year, 41 percent of cardiothoracic residency programs did not fill their residency positions.

"This crisis impacts the most vulnerable," said Dr. Stephen Lahey, chief of cardiothoracic surgery at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn. "My hospital treats some of New York City's sickest and poorest patients, and I am having difficulty attracting residents to my program."

Compounding the shortage is the expected retirement of current surgeons in the next decade. Out of the approximately 3,500 practicing cardiothoracic surgeons in the U.S., more than 50 percent are over the age of 55 and will retire within 10 to 13 years, according to the society.

The group warns that if the shortage continues, boomers' future access to specialists who operate on the heart and lungs, as well as perform organ transplants, will be jeopardized. Surgical heart and lung problems that are the leading causes of death for Americans.

Years of Training
Becoming a cardiothoracic surgeon is no small feat. It takes 12 years of medical school and residency to train a cardiothoracic surgeon. Most are 36 years old when they begin practice.

Once in practice, compensation isn't as lucrative as other fields of medicine. For example, heart surgeons’ reimbursement for coronary artery bypass surgery has been cut by nearly 50 percent since 1987, with Medicare now paying surgeons $2,000 for the operation and 90 days of care, according to the society. Surgery trainees have to repay student loans while still in residency programs, too.  

The society will outline several proposals, including Medicare reimbursement reforms, during the briefing.

"The government has reduced reimbursement rates for coronary artery bypass surgery to 35 percent of 1985 levels, adjusted for inflation," said Douglas Mathisen, professor of thoracic surgery at Harvard Medical School and chief of thoracic surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital. "These steep cuts targeting cardiothoracic surgery have demoralized the specialty and are a significant part of the reason that many medical students choose to pursue other specialties."

The Society also is urging Congress to pass legislation that would enable residents to defer payment on their student loans until their training is complete.