The emergency medical services (EMS) system is in the midst of a growing crisis because of a recognized shortage of on-call specialists. This problem extends to the provision of emergency neurosurgical care. Neurosurgeons are a vital component of the EMS system, and appropriate reimbursement for their active participation in the EMS system is essential.
The AANS and CNS developed the following position statement to help neurosurgeons obtain reimbursement for providing on-call services.
IMPROVING ACCESS TO EMERGENCY NEUROSURGICAL SERVICES
Hospitals should provide neurosurgeons with reasonable compensation for serving on the on-call panel. This compensation should supplement any reimbursement the neurosurgeon receives for services rendered while serving on-call.
Neurosurgeons around the country are now successfully using this statement to negotiate with their hospitals the payment of on-call stipends. Additional information is available at https://www.neurosurgery.org/health/news/detail.asp?PressID=136.