Barrington (Ill.) Pain and Spine Institute successfully performed its first spine surgery case on Oct. 6, making BPSI is the only ASCs in Illinois focused 100 percent on spine and pain interventions as well as minimally invasive spine surgery and one of the largest interventional pain practices in the state. The surgery center includes neurosurgeons, orthopedic spine surgeons and interventional pain physicians.
Robert Erickson, MD, performed the minimally invasive sacroiliac joint fusion at BPSI, the first spinal surgery two years after opening. The process took many years. After opening the Illinois Pain Institute's interventional practice — currently the largest interventional pain practice — Medical Director John Prunskis, MD, and his colleagues went to the ASC licensing board to open an interventional pain surgery center.
Two years later, they went back for to add spine surgery.
"In Illinois, it's extremely difficult to obtain an ASC license, especially if you are going in independent of any hospital affiliation," says Dr. Prunskis. "However, based on our reputation and clinical strength, as well as community support, we received a unanimous vote of approval for the interventional pain ASC. We also received approval for spine. They were impressed with our outcomes and presentation."
During the presentation, Dr. Prunskis and his colleagues highlighted their recognitions. They received the Castle Connolly Award as one of the best pain practices in the Chicago area seven times. They have also been named among the top pain practices by U.S. News & World Report. The center now has approval to focus 100 percent of their work on spine and pain care.
"This is a culmination of extensive teamwork by multiple members of our staff to get everything up and running so every physician who comes through here says there's no finer facility to perform spine surgeries," says Dr. Prunskis. "Our goal for the future is to continue to grow our volume, continue to grow our reputation and become a regional center for pain and spine care."
There are a few challenges still on the horizon for interventional pain practices, but Dr. Prunskis says those striving for outstanding care will be successful going forward. The BPSI model could be adapted for others, he says, with a good reputation and drive to take these cases into the outpatient setting.