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Scientific Oral Presentation

Business of Medicine

Pediatric Otolaryngology Economic Pressures: Integrated Analysis of Reimbursement Trends, Salary Disparities, and Workforce Sustainability

Monday, October 19, 2026
1:00 PM - 1:06 PM PT
Location: 402A

    Presenting Author(s)

  • Hana Ali, BS

    MD/MBA Candidate
    NYU Langone Health, Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery
    North Brunswick, NJ, United States

    • Senior Author(s)

  • Zahrah M. Taufique, MD

    Pediatric Otolaryngologist and Craniofacial Surgeon
    NYU Langone Health
    Brooklyn, NY, United States

Disclosure(s):
Hana Ali, BS:

faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Zahrah M. Taufique, MD:

faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Introduction: Pediatric otolaryngology faces growing workforce and sustainability concerns amid declining reimbursement and compensation pressures. This study integrates 2015–2025 CPT utilization, work RVU, and salary data to define the specialty’s current economic landscape and assess implications for long-term workforce viability.

Methods: A cross-sectional database study was performed using aggregated procedural, reimbursement, and compensation data from 2015–2025. CPT utilization and work RVU values were obtained from CMS Physician/Supplier Public Use Files, with inflation-adjusted Medicare reimbursement calculated using Consumer Price Index normalization. Regional and subspecialty pediatric otolaryngology compensation trends were assessed using national survey data. Analyses included inflation-adjusted reimbursement change, relative utilization rate shifts, and correlation between reimbursement decline and compensation disparity across U.S. regions.

Results: Between 2015 and 2025, inflation-adjusted reimbursement for high-volume pediatric otolaryngology procedures declined by a mean of 23%, with the steepest decreases in airway and otologic CPT categories. Overall pediatric ENT procedural utilization decreased by 9%, while relative emphasis on outpatient procedures increased modestly. Salary data demonstrated widening regional disparities, with West and Northeast regions lagging compensation growth benchmarks. Correlations between reimbursement decline and compensation trends suggested sustained income compression despite modest procedural shifts.

Conclusions: Integrated reimbursement, utilization, and compensation data reveal a decade-long erosion in inflation-adjusted pediatric otolaryngology income potential. Declining procedure values and widening geographic disparities pose ongoing threats to workforce sustainability, underscoring the need for targeted advocacy, payment reform, and institution-level economic adaptation.