Miroslav Uchal, MD FACS

I am Slovak-American and a member of the largest private multispecialty general surgeons' group in the U.S. North Florida Surgeons is a leading force of surgeons practicing in Florida, demonstrating that a private practice model may have more advantages than being employed by a VC/PE group. I am a minimally invasive and bariatric-trained surgeon, certified at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA, with extensive experience. I serve as the Director of Bariatric Surgery, working at Ascension Hospitals in Jacksonville, Florida, where I am also the Chief of Surgery at the Riverside Campus. Our program is the busiest bariatric program in North Florida, performing all approved bariatric interventions in the U.S. We handle revisional procedures and accept referrals for complicated cases and endoscopic interventions. I utilize micro instruments for gastric sleeve surgeries and have the largest cohort of these cases in the world, exceeding 1,000 procedures. Our comprehensive bariatric program is integrated into hospital structures, offering exceptional care and support that bariatric patients require after surgery. We hold all certifications and distinctions from major insurers, maintaining our status as a preferred bariatric center for most plans, and we are honored annually by Blue Distinction and Optum after a thorough audit. In addition to my work in bariatrics, I am an active general surgeon performing eTEPs, which I learned in Colombia under the mentorship of Dr. Jorge Diaz. I also conduct colectomies and manage general surgery emergencies that come through the ER. I study diligently every day, aspiring to provide each patient with the best and most appropriate advice and treatment. I enjoy living in Florida, spending time with my family and my dog. I love skiing in Utah and all recreational activities on the water, including windsurfing and biking. While I don’t have much time for PlayStation, I enjoy it when I can. It’s easy to experience burnout in our profession, and unfortunately, we often face predatory lawyers who exploit the most unfortunate individuals, failing to understand that surgeons can also be considered victims. The entire malpractice system benefits only the lawyers on both sides of the aisle. It’s time for surgeons to advocate for a system where standard deviations are used for comparison. Every surgeon encounters complications such as sepsis, bleeding, blood clots, perforations, and even deaths. The key is how statistically different my outcomes are from my peers. If I fall within the normal limits, then adverse occurrences are statistically inevitable. However, if I have double the occurrence rate, then I should expect to be reviewed in morbidity and mortality meetings for further training. What lawyers have done to us is unreasonable. For example, we cannot conduct M&M meetings in Florida because those discussions are discoverable, which is absurd. How can one learn from tough cases and past mistakes if those conversations are not protected? Additionally, the caps on damages are unconstitutional. We need to engage in discussions with experts who don’t grasp why surgeons are one of the most penalized specialty groups while also experiencing a 75% burnout rate. Check the surgeons' quality of life questionnaire for insight into this issue. Our governing body should take strong action to reform malpractice practices, which currently resemble a money-printing industry for lawyer enrichment. Instead, we should develop a system focusing on education for doctors and patients. A fund should be established to assist patients with disastrous outcomes, providing direct help from multiple sources without intermediaries. This approach could save the healthcare system billions, allowing us to invest in insurance for everyone. I believe that every member of society should contribute and have equal access to hospitals and healthcare. Furthermore, more resources should be spent on the prevention of diseases rather than just their treatment.