Geographic Distribution of Plastic Surgeons in Tennessee: A County-Level Analysis of Workforce Availability

Access to surgical specialists often is influenced by the geographic distribution of the workforce. Limited data describing the plastic surgery workforce in Tennessee exist. This study aimed to describe the county- and region-level distribution of the plastic surgery workforce in Tennessee.

A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted. State- and county-level population estimates were obtained from US Census data. The names and practice locations of board-certified plastic surgeons were obtained from the American Medical Association physician directory and validated via the American Board of Plastic Surgery online database. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize surgeon counts and county-level and regional densities.

The number of plastic surgeons practicing in Tennessee was 137. Sixty plastic surgeons (43.8%) practiced in the Nashville metropolitan area, and 36% of the state population lived in counties without direct access to plastic surgery services. The statewide plastic surgery workforce density was 1.98 plastic surgeons per 100,000 population. Washington County had the highest surgeon density at 4.29 plastic surgeons per 100,000 followed by Knox County, with 4.14 plastic surgeons per 100,000 population.

Plastic surgeons in Tennessee are concentrated in metropolitan regions, with limited availability across the state. More than one-third of the state's population lives in counties without direct access to plastic surgery services. The results of this study highlight potential disparities in access to plastic surgery care for residents of rural counties in the state of Tennessee, which account for the majority of the state's territory.