L.D. Britt, MD, MPH, Brickhouse Professor and chair of surgery, says a growing shortage of general surgeons in the U.S. could narrow the availability of care, especially in trauma centers, unless the trend is reversed.

“You can have the best insurance in the world, but if you don’t have access to a surgeon during a surgical emergency, that’s problematic,” says Dr. Britt. “We’re ringing the bell to tell the public that access to quality surgical care is at risk.”

In March, the ACS launched Operation Patient Access to try to regain lost ground in what was once among the most sought-after fields in medicine. Dr. Britt says a few changes could ensure the surgical workforce is capable of caring for growing patient needs. Increasing graduate medical education funding to train more surgery residents, easing regulatory hurdles, expanding student loan-forgiveness programs and improving health-care provider reimbursement rates are all steps Dr. Britt says would clear some of the obstacles facing general surgery.