At the 10th Annual Orthopedic, Spine and Pain Management-Driven ASC Conference in Chicago on June 14, Devin Datta, MD, a spine surgeon at Crane Creek Surgery Center in Melbourne, Fla., and Jeff Leland, CEO, of Blue Chip Surgical Center Partners discussed clinical and business planning strategies for spine-driven centers.
Dr. Datta began by discussing clinical strategies at Crane Creek. Here , in Dr. Datta's opinion, are the five best clinical practices for spine at the moment:
- Single level lumbar laminotomy and/or excision of intervertebral disc
- Single level ACDF
- Lumbar laminectomy, facetectomy and foraminotomy
- Redo one level lumbar laminotomy and/or excision of intervertebral disc
- Single level cervical laminotomy and/or excision of intervertebral disc
"Every year it's better; every year spine surgery is a little less invasive," said Dr. Datta.
He predicts patients will continue to demand to have surgeries in standalone centers because they are more efficient and safer than surgeries performed in hospitals.
"The only thing holding us back is Medicare compensation," Dr. Datta said.
Mr. Leland continued the conversation by discussing some of the business strategies Blue Chip uses with its physician-led spine center partners, which includes Crane Creek.
"We have a view that we will never price ourselves higher than the hospital," said Mr. Leland.
For physicians considering launching a new center, Mr. Leland suggests they:
- Find committed, serious partners;
- Complete case volume projections;
- Strategize how reimbursements will work;
- Consider transition plans, especially moving from inpatient to outpatient surgery; and
- Consider clinical risks involved in moving to outpatient surgery.
"It's not so tough to do this, but to not put a plan together would be a real mistake," Mr. Leland said.
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