A Cost and Profit Analysis of Hernia Surgery

The vast majority of surgeons who are in the active practice of their particular field have little time to evaluate their individual practices from a “business perspective.” This fact is critical to the future of any entity that is engaged in the delivery of goods and services. Without such an analysis, few businesses will continue to function in such a manner that ensures the financial viability of that enterprise. We have attempted to accumulate the available data to analyze the practice of surgery as it relates to the cost and profit of hernia repairs. Given this information, it is easily extrapolated into other procedures, open or laparoscopic, that are performed by the general surgeon. The herniorraphy analysis indicates that one cannot hope to generate enough income to rely upon a financially successful business. The information presented should be considered a national average and not specific to an individual practice situation. It is meant to serve as a template for which each surgeon can (and must) evaluate his or her own practice profitability.