Rationale: The provision of surgical services in the Philippines is an essential component of our healthcare system. Despite an increasing number of accredited training programs, geographic maldistribution remains a key factor in access to surgical care in the country. This study aimed to describe the geographic distribution of surgeons and anesthesiologists in the Philippines and factors that affect their practice to provide insights into the country's surgical capabilities. Additionally, demographic factors such as workforce density, professional mobility, and economic indicators were explored. The ultimate goal was to establish an updated database for continuous monitoring of surgical manpower, facilitated through the collaboration of the Philippine College of Surgeons (PCS) and the Philippine Society of Anesthesiologists (PSA). Methods: This cross-sectional study, sponsored by the World Surgical Foundation (WSF) and the Philippine College of Surgeons Foundation (PCSF), received exemption from review by the Single Joint Research Ethics Board (SJREB) of the Department of Health. An online survey was distributed to surgeons and anesthesiologists across the Philippines from July 1 to December 31, 2020. Active practitioners in relevant specialties were eligible, excluding retirees. Procedures adhered to ICH-GCP principles, National Ethical Guidelines, and the Data Privacy Act. Additional data, sourced from various outlets, was consolidated, verified and subsequently entered into an electronic data sheet (Google Sheets, Google LLC, Palo Alto CA) to extract descriptive statistics of the surgical and anesthesia workforce at the national and regional levels. Results: Analysis of the data indicates male dominance with a noticeable trend of increasing female participation in surgical training programs, while anesthesiologist gender distribution showed a female preponderance. Maldistribution in manpower persists, influenced by factors such as training programs, medical education, and the availability of secondary and tertiary hospitals, and other socio-economic conditions in the country. The study reveals regional variations in the distribution of surgeons and anesthesiologists in the Philippines, with a notable concentration in urban centers, the highest being in Luzon, particularly in the National Capital Region (NCR). Conclusion The study highlights gender disparities and regional variations in the distribution of surgeons and anesthesiologists in the Philippines, with a significant concentration in Luzon, particularly in the National Capital Region (NCR). Disparities in subspecialty distribution are exacerbated by healthcare education discrepancies and inadequate healthcare infrastructure especially in rural areas. Addressing these challenges requires focused efforts on expanding training programs, recruiting specialists, and ensuring equitable access to surgical care nationwide. Establishing a comprehensive surgical workforce database is essential for informed policymaking, monitoring workforce distribution, and assess service quality to enhance access to surgical services.
Workforce ; Health Resources ; General Surgery ; Anesthesiology

It is the practice in most health care institutions in our country to have patients for elective surgery evaluated pre-operatively by Internists and Anesthesiologists. Practitioners don’t seem to agree on how this is to be carried out. Each institution has its own protocol and even individual physicians have their own preference, which they have learned either during their training or from experience. Physicians usually request for preoperative tests for patients undergoing elective surgery in order to minimize risk, and to serve as a baseline to detect subsequent changes. Several authors agree to this as the goal of pre-operative evaluation. This is being done to identify risk factors and to screen broadly for undiagnosed disease. Undiagnosed clinical conditions are correlated with the risk of complications during the perioperative period. This then allows the physician to identify patients with increased risk of morbidity and mortality, and to help them design preoperative strategies that can reduce these risks. These tests can be helpful to stratify risk and guide postoperative management; however, most of them are obtained because of protocol rather than medical necessity. Majority of surgeries performed are non-cardiac in nature. Mortality rates for these procedures can be as high as 4% depending on the patient’s risk and type of surgery. Cardiovascular complications account for half of all morbidities and mortalities in the perioperative period for patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery.
Human ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Elective Surgical Procedures ; Preoperative Care ; Surgeons ; Universities