General surgery in Canada: current scope of practice and future needs.

Background: The scope of practice of general surgeons in Canada is highly variable. The objective of this study was to examine the demographic characteristics of general surgeons in Canada and compare surgical procedures performed across community sizes and specialties.

Methods: Data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information's National Physician Database were used to analyze fee-for-service (FFS) care provided by general surgeons and other providers across Canada in 2015/16.