Gastroenterology is an evolving field, with compensation and revenue generated for hospitals growing in the past few years.
Here are 10 statistics about gastroenterologists to know:
1. According to Medscape's 2019 gastroenterologist compensation report, GIs earn $417,000 on average, including bonuses and profit-sharing contributions.
2. Medscape reported in its 2019 physician wealth and debt report that 20 percent of gastroenterologists are worth over $5 million. Forty-six percent reported a net worth of $2 million or more.
3. Thirty-eight percent of gastroenterologists reported they had a mortgage of over $500,000, and 24 percent of respondents said their net worth was in the value of their home.
4. Gastroenterology remains a high earning specialty for both physicians and hospitals, according to the 2019 inpatient/outpatient revenue survey from physician search firm Merritt Hawkins. GIs came in the No. 5 spot for the highest revenue generating specialties, generating $2,965,277 on average.
5. The amount of revenue GIs generate for hospitals rose 108 percent over 2016, when the net revenue GI physicians generated was $1,422,677, according to Merritt Hawkins' study.
6. According to Merritt Hawkins' 2019 review of advanced practitioner recruiting incentives, GIs were the No. 9 most recruited specialty by total search assignments.
7. In a recent study by Health Media published by Medpage Today, gastroenterologists were the fifth highest earning physicians in a list of 21 specialists, ranking above neurologists, anesthesiologists and oncologists, to name a few.
8. While gastroenterologists may be among the highest earners, 51 percent said they felt fairly compensated when polled by Medscape in 2019.
9. There are around 15,197 active gastroenterologists practicing in the U.S., according to Merritt Hawkins.
10. Forty-five percent of practicing gastroenterologists are age 45 or older, according to Merritt Hawkins.