My hospital bills are over 16k.  I set up a payments with the
hospital, but it will take the rest of my life to pay them off.  I
think with my current medical expenses the bill is getting higher
instead of getting paid.

Because the payments are paid to the hospital and not the surgeon, how
do the doctors get paid?

Does the hospital split my payments between everyone?  There are a
long list of names on my bills.  People I never saw before.  I am
guessing these are the people that check my blood, read X-rays,
interpret MRIs etc