Ashleigh A. Pona, PhDa, Heidi Bednarchuk, APRN, CNSb, Sarah Muntel, RDc, Carah Horn, RN, CBNd, Maria Trapp, PhDe, R. Wesley Vosburg, MDf, Laura Boyer, FNP-Cg, Jamie Carr, RN, CBNh, Julia Jurgensen APRN, DNPi, American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Integrated Health Section Membership Committee
a Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, OH
b Department of Surgery, Mayo Clinic Health System, Mankato, MN
c Indiana University Health North Hospital, Carmel, IN
d Bayfront Metabolic and Bariatric Institute, Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital
e OU Health, Oklahoma City, OK
f Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA
g Metamor Institute, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, LA
h HCA Gulf Coast Division, Houston, TX
i Department of Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
Corresponding Author: Ashleigh Pona, PhD. Address: Ohio State University Medical Center, 2050 Kenny Road, Morehouse Pavilion, Suite 1d, Columbus, Ohio 43221
Email: ashleigh.pona@osumc.edu Phone: 614-293-4725 Fax: 614-366-8166
Disclosure Statement: No authors have any disclosures to report.
Abstract
Background: Multidisciplinary care is vital for the management and success of patients undergoing metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS).
Objective: The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) distributed a web-based survey to Integrated Health (IH) members in 2023 that inquired about practice and compensation information for professionals in supporting roles in MBS.
Setting: Online survey.
Methods: Responses from 271 professionals working full-time were included in analysis. Primary roles represented included: MBS coordinators/program managers (39.9%), advanced practice providers (APPs; 22.5%), registered dietitians (RDs; 14%), doctoral-level behavioral health (BH) specialists (13.7%), registered nurses (RNs; 5.2%), MBS clinical reviewers (MBSCR) (3.3%), and masters-level BH specialists (1.5%). The sample was predominantly female (96.3%), White (86.3%), working in an urban setting (67.9%), practicing for 10+ years (62%), and did not have a split role (i.e., working in two different roles; 74.2%).
Results: Variables including geographic region, years in practice, and having a split role had an impact on compensation. Having 10+ years in practice contributed to higher compensation for APPs, doctoral-level BH specialists, and RNs. Working a split role contributed to higher compensation for RDs. Regional differences, specifically practicing in the Western U.S., contributed to higher compensation for APPs, RNs, RDs, and MBS coordinators/program managers.
Conclusions: Data from this survey provide valuable insights regarding compensation and practice activities of IH professionals in MBS in the U.S. which can be used as a resource for professionals and employers. Limitations of this study include a small sample size which contributed to lack of statistical power to examine all questions of interest.
Keywords: compensation, income, salary, professional practice, metabolic and bariatric surgery, integrated health