COVID-19 Impact on Surgeons’ Pockets: A Payment Plunge

As the COVID-19 storm hit, the financial tango between surgeons and industry partners took a hit. Examining payments from 2014 to 2021, researchers found a 47% drop in general payments and a 26.5% dip in research payments from 2019 to 2020. All surgical subspecialties felt the squeeze, with travel/lodging payments witnessing the most significant shake-up. Surgeons’ wallets felt the pandemic pinch, raising questions about the lasting effects on the physician-industry dance.