The Equipoise Ruler: Study Reveals Surgeons’ Varied Judgment on the Value of Surgery

Professional judgment about the value of surgery varies among US surgeons, according to a national survey. Researchers found that for 19 out of 30 exemplar cases, there was consensus on the value of surgery, with a range of 63% to 99% agreement. Exposure to peer responses increased the number of cases with consensus. Women were more likely to endorse non-operative approaches when treatment had high mortality, while specialists were less likely to opt for salvage procedures. Surgeons often let patients decide despite their own assessment.