More Healing Hands Through More Harmonized Voices: The SCALPEL Study

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Occupational Health
• Organizational Psychology

Background:

• Burnout and declining fulfillment are significant issues among facial plastic surgeons (FPS).
• Organizational factors like ownership and autonomy are underexplored drivers of surgeon well-being and workforce sustainability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the relationship between autonomy, ownership structures, and unionization with satisfaction and stress levels in facial plastic surgeons.
• To test hypotheses regarding practice type (private vs. academic/hospital-employed) and its impact on surgeon experience.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional observational survey (STROBE) was distributed to 1,041 members of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
• 104 surgeons responded, providing data on practice type, ownership, union history, autonomy, compensation satisfaction, stressors, and openness to unionization.
• Analyses included chi-square tests and qualitative content analysis.

Main Results:

• Private practice surgeons reported higher autonomy and compensation satisfaction, with fewer experiencing time pressure.
• Hospital-employed and academic surgeons reported less autonomy, more administrative stress, and less influence.
• Interest in unionization was low (11%), but prior union members had positive experiences; views on unionization's impact on patient care were consistent across practice settings.

Conclusions:

• Autonomy and ownership models are strongly linked to facial plastic surgeon satisfaction and stress.
• Organizational changes enhancing autonomy and collective voice may mitigate burnout and improve workforce sustainability in this field.