Safdar Khan, MD, is chief of the division of spine surgery in the orthopedic surgery department at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Columbus Orthopaedic Society and North American Spine Society, where he serves on the Biologics Committee.
Dr. Khan has a professional interest in complex spine surgery, spinal deformity, minimally invasive spine surgery, spinal reconstruction, herniated discs, spinal stenosis, degenerative scoliosis, spondylolisthesis and kyphosis. His research interests include spinal fusion biology and bone graft substitutes as well as value, economics and comparative effectiveness research for spine surgery.
Dr. Khan serves on the editorial boards of International Journal of Orthopaedics and JSM Neurosurgery and Spine. He has been the principal investigator in numerous clinical trials and studies, and he has received funding from entities such as the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation and Scoliosis Research Society. He has authored more than 60 peer-reviewed publications and 10 book chapters.
"The application of the principles of value to spine surgery is one of the most exciting aspects of the spine field right now," says Dr. Khan. "We need to figure out how we can improve outcomes while decreasing cost over time. This is an exciting aspect of the evolving healthcare landscape. At Wexner Medical Center, we have a robust value-analysis committee. We look at various healthcare system-wide efforts to apply value-based practices and cost reduction strategies. We are also partnering with Dr. Frank Phillips from Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush to work on value-based approaches in spine surgery."
Dr. Khan earned his medical degree at the Aga Khan University Medical College in Pakistan, and completed his residency at the University of California, Davis in Sacramento. Additionally, he has completed a spine fellowship at Rush-St Luke's Presbyterian Medical Center and Shriner's Hospital for Children, both located in Chicago.
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