Millions in US 'Vascular Deserts' Lack Specialized Surgical Care

The ACS Surgical Workforce Mapping Tool, created alongside the Society for Vascular Surgery, identifies only 4,685 active vascular surgeons nationwide. While regional hospital hubs may appear well-staffed, 2,320 counties lack a single specialist. This distribution gap leaves rural areas particularly vulnerable, with 93% of such counties currently underserved. The consequences are clinical: peripheral artery disease, which affects 12 million people, results in nearly 150,000 preventable lower-leg amputations annually, with the highest risk concentrated in states like Alabama, Louisiana, and Texas.

Dr. Samantha Minc of Duke University noted that these regions face a dual burden of higher disease prevalence and fewer local resources. Addressing this requires more than just recruitment; it demands a strategic expansion of surgical residency positions and financial incentives for practice in underserved communities. The Society for Vascular Surgery intends to leverage this county-level data to lobby policymakers for targeted funding, aiming to align the surgical workforce with the actual geographic distribution of the patients who need them most.