The Role of Practice Diversification in the Growth of a Burn Center Network

Abstract

Practices within the Burn and Reconstructive Centers of America network have been organized to provide immediate and secondary reconstructive plastic surgery to burn patients. These reconstructive surgery abilities have been further engaged to expand these practices with non-burn-related surgical cases.Seven Burn and Reconstructive Centers of America practices were analyzed to quantitate the effects of nonburn reconstructive cases on practice growth over a 4-year period (2015-2018).All surgical cases were performed during the study period and were analyzed to identify burn-related procedures and procedures not related to burn injuries. Fifty-two percent of the cases were burn-related, whereas 48% were not burn-related. Over the 4-year period, burn cases increased by 46%, whereas nonburn cases increased by 84%. The overall percentage of nonburn cases increased from 43% in 2015 to 50% and 49% in 2017 and 2018.Nonburn cases contributed effectively to practice growth over this period. This practice model successfully engages broad reconstructive surgery skill sets to expand practice volumes.