75 Million Americans Lack Access to Vascular Surgeons
Over 75 million Americans reside in areas without vascular surgeons, highlighting a significant gap in healthcare access as the population ages and faces higher risks of vascular disease.
More than 75 million people in the United States live in counties without a vascular surgeon, according to new data released by the American College of Surgeons (ACS). The findings reveal a significant gap in access to care, particularly as the American population ages and the risk for vascular diseases increases.
The ACS Surgical Workforce Mapping Tool, developed in collaboration with the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS), details the distribution of vascular surgeons across all 3,144 U.S. counties. The data indicates a national total of 4,685 practicing vascular surgeons, averaging 1.4 per 100,000 people. While 290 hospital referral regions have at least one vascular surgeon, 2,320 counties within these regions lack any.
The shortage disproportionately affects areas with the greatest need. Peripheral artery disease (PAD), a common vascular condition, affects up to 12 million Americans and leads to approximately 150,000 lower-leg amputations annually, many of which are preventable with timely specialist intervention. States with the highest amputation risk, including Alabama, Louisiana, and Texas, report below-average numbers of vascular surgeons.
Access to vascular surgeons is crucial not only for treating existing conditions but also for disease prevention and integrated care. The ACS and SVS plan to use these county-level insights to advocate for increased residency positions and financial incentives to encourage surgeons to practice in rural and underserved communities, thereby addressing the identified disparities in care.