BackTable / OBGYN / Podcast / Episode #63
RVUs in Gynecologic Surgery: Equity & Reform
with Dr. Louise King and Christopher Robert
Women’s health has a history of being underfunded in the United States, leading many women to receive suboptimal care. In this episode of the BackTable OBGYN podcast, hosts Dr. Mark Hoffman and Dr. Amy Park engage in a detailed discussion with Dr. Louise P. King, a minimally invasive gynecologic surgeon, and Christopher Robertson, a law professor at Boston University, regarding the inequitable reimbursement structures that persist within the field of OBGYN.
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BackTable, LLC (Producer). (2024, August 20). Ep. 63 – RVUs in Gynecologic Surgery: Equity & Reform [Audio podcast]. Retrieved from https://www.backtable.com
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Podcast Contributors
Synopsis
The guests emphasize the systemic discrepancies between gynecologic and other surgical disciplines. The conversation delves into the origins of these disparities, the complexities of revising current codes and creating new codes, and potential legislative and legal remedies to address gender-based inequities. The guests also stress the importance of patient care outcomes and the role of proper reimbursement in enhancing healthcare delivery.
Timestamps
00:00 - Introduction
06:28 - Background on RVUs and Disparities in OBGYN
12:39 - Gender Disparities in Medical Billing
18:00 - Efforts to Address Inequities
31:22 - RUC Structure and Surgical Specialties
32:42 - Billing and Reimbursement Inequities
35:15 - Diagnosis Related Groups
36:42 - Turnover Times and Gender Disparities
40:21 - Advocacy and Legislative Solutions
48:23 - Legal Approaches for Change
52:44 - Conclusion
Resources
Watson KL, King LP. Double Discrimination, the Pay Gap in Gynecologic Surgery, and Its Association With Quality of Care. Obstet Gynecol. 2021 Apr 1;137(4):657-661. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000004309. PMID: 33706362.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33706362/
Robertson, Christopher T. and Kupke, Annabel and King, Louise P., Structural Sex Discrimination: Why Gynecology Patients Suffer Avoidable Injuries and What the Law Can Do About It (May 9, 2024). Emory Law Journal, Forthcoming, Boston Univ. School of Law Research Paper Forthcoming, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4800783 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4800783
https://scholarship.law.bu.edu/faculty_scholarship/3797/
The Materials available on BackTable are for informational and educational purposes only and are not a substitute for the professional judgment of a healthcare professional in diagnosing and treating patients. The opinions expressed by participants of the BackTable Podcast belong solely to the participants, and do not necessarily reflect the views of BackTable.















