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COMPLETING THE PICTURE
Compensation
2006 2004
Receive a Stipend 50% 33%
More than $3,000 per diem 3% 2%
$2,001–$3,000 per diem 7% 6%
$1,501–$2,000 per diem 7% 8%
$1,001–$1,500 per diem 17% 25%
$751–$1,000 per diem 19% 17%
$501–$750 per diem 7% 11%
$500 or less per diem 13% 17%
Not paid per diem; have another 26%* 16%
compensation arrangement
*Some respondents commented that they included their arrangements of
employment (such as “employed by hospital”) and salary (such as “part of
salary package”) in their responses. Percentages are rounded.
Sources: 2006 Data, AANS 2006 Workforce Survey; 2004 Data,
2004 AANS/CNS Neurosurgical Emergency and Trauma Services Survey
Figure 2. Compensation for Neurosurgical On-Call Services
Services Covered
Cover all services 61%
Cranial 48%
Spinal 47%
Trauma 46%
Pediatric 22%
Other 3%
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
PERCENT
Percentages are rounded. Participants could select more than one response.
Source: AANS 2006 Workforce Survey.
Figure 3. Services Covered by On-Call Neurosurgeons
.
FACILITY TYPE
. Academic Medical Center 38%
.
Community Hospital 59%
Other 6%
. .
.
.
.
AGE DISTRIBUTION
35 or Younger 6%
36–45 37%
46–55 36%
56–65 20%
66 or Older 2%
. .
.
.
TRAUMA CENTER DESIGNATION
Level 1 Trauma Center 40%
Level 2 Trauma Center 37%
Level 3 Trauma Center 10%
Other 18%
.
.
.
.
.
YEAR NEUROSURGEONS EXPECT TO
STOP TAKING EMERGENCY CALL
2010 or Sooner* 22%
2011–2015 18%
2016–2020 19%
2021 or Later 19%
Don't Know* 22%
Figure 4. Where On-Call Neurosurgeons Are Practicing
Percentages are rounded. Participants could select more than one
response. Source: AANS 2006 Workforce Survey.
Of the scant six percent of neurosurgeons who did not take
emergency call, 48 percent selected as their reason “other,” and the
great majority of these respondents specified age-related exemptions
such as recent retirement or senior partner status. Other reasons this
group reported for not taking call included insufficient pay for
emergency services (17 percent), disruption of routine practice
schedule (15 percent), lifestyle interference (13 percent), malpractice
insurer’s premium discount for eliminating trauma or other emergency
services (6 percent), and malpractice insurer’s discontinuance
of coverage for emergency services (2 percent).
Figure 5. Age Distribution and Year Expected to Stop Taking Call
*Responses of those not currently taking call may have been included. Percentages
are rounded. Source: AANS 2006 Workforce Survey.
For neurosurgeons who said they were planning to stop taking
call, the most influential factor was retirement; the great majority of
those planning to retire said they had intended to do so anyway, but
other factors reported were excessive on-call demands and high malpractice
insurance premiums. The second-ranked factor for those
planning to discontinue call was lifestyle interference, followed by
insufficient pay for emergency services, disruption of routine practice
schedule, and “other”unspecified factors. All of these factors outranked
the insurer’s elimination of malpractice insurance coverage
for call services or insurance premium reduction in return for elim-
10 Vol. 15, No. 2 • 2006 • AANS Bulletin