As health care systems grapple with rising costs, workforce shortages, and shifting reimbursement models, one crucial specialty is often overlooked despite its impact on quality and financial performance. Vascular surgery is the only specialty trained to treat the full spectrum of vascular diseases and is essential for health systems to support safety and efficiency, generate revenue, and deliver both direct and indirect value in complex situations across the medical system.
Vascular disease intersects nearly every service line, from oncology and orthopedics to trauma and podiatry. When vascular expertise is underutilized, systems can experience higher complication rates, delayed care, and missed revenue opportunities. Conversely, investing in a robust vascular surgery program strengthens clinical outcomes, improves efficiency, and protects the bottom line.
Vascular Surgeons Drive System-Wide Safety and Efficiency
Vascular surgeons play a critical role throughout the hospital, delivering vital expertise in complex, time-sensitive situations where outcomes and costs are closely linked. Hence, their value is amplified through their strong multidisciplinary collaboration.
In surgical oncology and podiatry, for example, coordinated care with vascular surgeons significantly improved outcomes. Studies show a 94% success rate in revascularization for acute limb ischemia (ALI) and intraoperative arterial injuries when vascular surgeons are involved, correlating to decreased amputation rates. When vascular surgeons are integrated into preoperative planning, blood loss is dramatically lower, operative times are shorter, complication rates fall, and tumor resection margins improve significantly.
“Hospitals with tertiary, complex care cannot function without a talented and immediately available vascular surgery team. Every day, vascular surgeons save lives and limbs in patients suffering from traumatic injuries. In addition, vascular collaboration with heart, intensive care, spine, and oncology programs allows expanding care to patients with challenging medical conditions who otherwise would have few options,” said Vikram S. Kashyap, MD, FACS, DFSVS, Vice President, Cardiovascular Health, Corewell Health. “Vascular surgical expertise is essential for modern, high-functioning medical institutions.”
Beyond planned collaboration, vascular surgeons provide essential coverage for unplanned consultations, the majority of which are related to iatrogenic bleeding complications from surgical and interventional specialists. Rapid vascular intervention can be the difference between a manageable complication and a catastrophic event, protecting patients while preventing prolonged ICU stays, reoperations, and litigation risk.
“Too often, the value of vascular surgery is measured only by procedures performed, when its impact extends across the entire hospital. For hospitals, a strong vascular program represents a strategic lever, strengthening caseloads and reducing avoidable transfers. While for providers, collaboration with vascular surgeons ensures that critical decisions, often involving blood flow or hemorrhage control, are guided by specialized expertise that safeguards both patients and institutional performance,” said William P. Shutze, MD, vascular surgeon at Texas Vascular Associates in Dallas and Plano, Texas, and former executive board member of the Society for Vascular Surgery.
Vascular Care Programs Generate Direct, Measurable Revenue
Vascular surgery is not only a clinical asset, but it is also a proven revenue generator. In 2021, vascular surgeons produced an average of $1.6 million per full-time equivalent, ranking as the fourth-highest revenue-producing specialty in the health care system. This reflects both the complexity of vascular care and the growing demand driven by an aging population.
A 2022 study demonstrated that vascular surgeons could treat over 37 million people aged over 50 years and over 17 million people aged over 65 years—a number that will only continue to grow with the aging baby boomer population. Because vascular disease prevalence increases with age, health systems should anticipate rising demand for comprehensive vascular surgical services.
“Vascular surgeons manage a high volume of complex cases driven by the rising prevalence of vascular disease in an aging population. This depth and breadth of experience uniquely position them to lead comprehensive vascular programs that address both routine disease management and the most advanced interventions,” said Robert Molnar, MD, vascular surgeon and chief of surgery at McLaren Flint in Flint, Michigan, and Executive Board At Large Member of the Society for Vascular Surgery.
Vascular Surgeons Deliver Indirect Value Across High-Margin Service Lines
Vascular surgeons provide substantial indirect value by enabling other high-margin services to proceed safely and by allowing for more serious and complicated patient cases, which can enhance reimbursement. Emergency medicine, orthopedics, trauma, and neurosurgery specialists frequently rely on vascular surgeons to manage vascular injuries, access complications, and limb-or life-threatening bleeding.
The support provided by vascular surgeons allows hospital systems to accept more complex and severely ill cases with patients who often drive enhanced reimbursement under value-based and severity-adjusted payment models. In one study, the median case mix index for cases with a vascular consult was 5.4 versus only 2.1 when vascular was not involved. One review found the total pooled revenue from vascular surgical services across the included studies exceeded $300 million.
“Vascular surgery has enhanced both hospital and healthcare system outcomes by delivering specialized care for complex conditions and supporting services like cardiology and trauma. Multidisciplinary collaboration ensures comprehensive, efficient, and safe patient management,” said Janet Tuttle RN, BSN, CRN, Director Heart and Vascular Service Line at Intermountain Healthcare, Western Slope and St. Mary’s Medical Center. “Over the past two years, our program has transitioned from locum-based staffing to a fully staffed team, leading to greater stability, higher patient volumes, and increased revenue.”
Vascular Surgery: A Strategic Investment
As health care systems reassess resource allocation in an increasingly constrained environment, vascular surgery should be viewed not as a cost center but as a strategic investment. When vascular surgeons are readily available and have a supportive program, systems can expand service offerings, reduce transfers, and strengthen their reputation as regional centers of excellence.
Health systems that invest strategically in vascular surgery today will be better positioned to manage the complex, high-acuity patient population of tomorrow.
Learn the benefits of expanding your vascular surgery program: https://vascular.org/hospitalexecs.
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