From OR to LTC: What Surgeons Bring to the Wound Care Table

As healthcare is increasingly siloed, it’s easy to forget that one of the most vital intersections lies between surgery and post-acute care. Surgeons, especially those trained in trauma, general, plastics, or vascular specialties, possess a unique skill set that can directly improve outcomes in one of the most underserved environments in medicine: long-term care (LTC) facilities.

For physicians considering new career pathways, wound care in LTC isn’t a step down; it’s a strategic shift. It’s a move from reactive to proactive medicine, from the impersonal volume of hospital cases to deeply human, outcomes-focused care at the bedside. Let’s explore the transition from operating room to nursing facility, and why surgeons are uniquely equipped to thrive in this space.

The Post-Op Continuum No One Talks About Every surgeon understands the critical importance of post-op follow-through. Yet, once a patient leaves the hospital, continuity often gets lost in a sea of discharge summaries, missed follow-ups, and long delays in outpatient care.

LTC facilities now house a growing population of high-acuity patients with complex wounds, many of which are the result of pressure injuries, diabetes, vascular disease, or surgical complications. Without timely intervention, these wounds can quickly worsen, leading to infections, rehospitalizations, and avoidable suffering.

The truth is: many of these complications could be managed in place if only someone with the right training were on-site.

That’s where surgeons come in. Why Surgeons Are Perfectly Suited for Wound Care 1. Hands-On Procedural Expertise

Surgeons are not afraid of scalpels. That matters in a world where wound care often demands decisive, in-the-moment action. Debridement, biopsies, culture collections, and bedside management of surgical wounds require precision and confidence, skills already honed in the operating room.

In fact, one of the biggest advantages of wound care in the LTC setting is that many procedures typically performed under general anesthesia in hospitals can be safely conducted at the bedside with local anesthetics. For surgeons, this represents a powerful opportunity to apply their skills in a lower-pressure, high-impact setting. 2. Tissue Knowledge and Pathophysiology

Surgical training is rooted in anatomy, healing, and pathology. Surgeons know how tissue responds to injury and intervention. This translates seamlessly into wound assessment, staging, and management. Whether it's identifying early signs of necrosis, choosing the right debridement technique, or recommending advanced dressings, surgeons bring a depth of insight that elevates care. 3. Comfort with Complexity

In long-term care, patients aren’t just managing a wound; they're managing everything else too: CHF, COPD, diabetes, renal failure, dementia. Surgeons understand how comorbidities interact and complicate recovery. They're equipped to take a comprehensive approach that blends procedural care with medical insight, ensuring that wounds heal in the context of the whole patient. The Perks Surgeons Never Knew They Needed

Let’s be honest; burnout in surgery is real. Long hours, night shifts, missed family events, and relentless call schedules take their toll. Many surgeons find themselves asking: Is this sustainable?

Wound care in LTC flips the script. Here's how: 1. Autonomy Without Isolation

Physicians working in skilled nursing facilities with organizations like Skilled Wound Care have autonomy over their schedule and treatment plans, while still being part of a larger, supportive clinical network. It’s the best of both worlds: independent decision-making with the backing of a nationwide team. 2. No More Nights or Weekends

Say goodbye to the pager. Wound care physicians work daytime hours, Monday through Friday. That’s it. No OR delays, no midnight emergencies, and no shift work. The lifestyle change is immediate and life-giving. 3. Real Relationships, Real Results

Unlike hospital work where patients are often transient, wound care physicians see their patients regularly. They become trusted members of the care team and witnesses to healing journeys. For many physicians, this is the first time in their careers they’ve been able to see their work unfold from start to finish. Impact You Can See It’s not just about lifestyle. The results speak for themselves. Having a surgeon on the ground in a nursing facility improves:

• Time-to-treatment for wounds

• Healing rates and outcomes

• Hospitalization avoidance

• Documentation accuracy

• Facility survey preparedness

• Staff education and confidence

This is value-based care in action, and it’s where the future of post-acute medicine is heading.

Whether you’re early in your career and looking to build procedural volume, mid-career and seeking balance, or winding down and looking for meaningful work without the grind, wound care offers a path.

Surgeons often think their only options outside of the OR are administrative roles, clinic-based medicine, or full retirement. But wound care proves otherwise. You can still do procedures. You can still change lives. And you can still be the doctor you trained to be.

You just don’t have to lose yourself in the process.

A Better Practice Begins Here At Skilled Wound Care, we’ve built a model that empowers physicians to thrive in long-term care settings. Our physicians:

• Perform impactful bedside procedures

• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams

• Receive ongoing clinical education and support

• Enjoy flexible schedules and no on-call demands

• Make a difference for underserved populations
  

We’re currently recruiting physicians nationwide -including surgeons - who are ready to reclaim balance, purpose, and professional satisfaction.

Ready to make the switch from the OR to a better way to practice? Join us. Apply now at www.skilledwoundcare.com