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Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry logoLink to Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry
. 1991 Oct;54(10):921–924. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.54.10.921

The workload of neurosurgeons: implications of the 1987 practice survey in the USA.

M Menken 1
PMCID: PMC1014579  PMID: 1744648

Abstract

The number of neurosurgeons per million population is much lower in Europe than in the USA, where the point prevalence of neurosurgeons doubled between 1963-87. Results of a 1987 survey of USA neurosurgical practice show that surgery filled 25% of total time in professional activity. Of all cases treated, 64% were spinal disorders and 24% were intracranial disorders. Use of a relative value scale for neurosurgical procedures makes possible a rough and ready estimate of a neurosurgeon's weekly aggregate workload. However, the concept of a mean surgical workload must be examined within the context of the known variation of case mix and volume of surgical services in different practices.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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