Spine surgery is undergoing a major shift as more procedures move from hospitals into ASCs, driven by advances in minimally invasive techniques, technology and care delivery models. What was once limited to inpatient settings is increasingly being performed safely and efficiently in outpatient environments.
Leading this transformation are surgeons who are not only refining surgical approaches but also building the infrastructure, protocols and platforms needed to support high-acuity spine care outside the hospital.
The following spine surgeons stand out for their role in advancing outpatient spine surgery and scaling ASC-based care through innovation, clinical leadership and operational expertise.
Editor’s note: This is not a comprehensive or ranked list. Becker’s does not endorse any individual featured. To nominate a physician for a future list, contact seydis@beckershealthcare.com.
- Anthony Yeung, MD. Desert Institute for Spine Care (Phoenix): Dr. Yeung is a pioneer in minimally invasive spine surgery and a longtime leader in outpatient spine care. He opened the first spine-focused ASC in Arizona in 1998 and has spent decades advancing techniques that enable complex spine procedures to be performed safely in ASC settings.
Internationally recognized for his work in endoscopic spine surgery, Dr. Yeung developed the Yeung Percutaneous Endoscopic Surgery technique and has trained surgeons worldwide. With hundreds of publications and leadership roles across major spine societies, he is widely regarded as a driving force behind the shift toward outpatient spine surgery.
- Isador Lieberman, MD. Texas Back Institute (Plano): Dr. Lieberman is a spine surgeon specializing in minimally invasive, robotic and endoscopic spine procedures, and has played a key role in advancing outpatient spine surgery models. As president of Texas Back Institute and a former chair of spine departments at Cleveland Clinic locations, he has helped scale high-volume spine programs with a strong emphasis on innovation and efficiency.
A nationally recognized leader in spine surgery, Dr. Lieberman has contributed to the development of robotic spine techniques and holds more than 30 patents. He is widely respected for driving clinical and technological advancements that support the migration of complex spine procedures into ASC settings.
- Richard Wohns, MD. NeoSpine (Puyallup, Wash.): Dr. Wohns is founder and medical director of NeoSpine, a network of outpatient spine centers that has helped pioneer the ambulatory model for spine surgery in the U.S. A neurosurgeon, he has spent more than three decades advancing minimally invasive and outpatient spine techniques, scaling a concept that began as a business plan into a multi-site ASC platform.
Dr. Wohns has been at the forefront of developing outpatient spine surgery nationally, contributing to early innovations and publishing on ASC-based procedures. He is also founder of the Mazama Spine Summit, a leading conference focused on minimally invasive and outpatient spine care, and is widely recognized for driving the evolution of spine surgery into ambulatory settings.
- Catherine Gallo, MD. NeuroSpine Group (Eugene, Ore.): Dr. Gallo is a neurosurgeon specializing in minimally invasive spine surgery and spinal instrumentation. She founded NeuroSpine Group, where she focuses on advancing patient-centered spine care with an emphasis on precision techniques and improved recovery.
With decades of clinical experience, Dr. Gallo has built a practice centered on innovative spine procedures and high-quality outcomes, contributing to the continued shift of spine care toward less invasive, outpatient-focused models.
- Benjamin Weisenthal, MD. Knoxville (Tenn.) Orthopaedic Clinic: Dr. Weisenthal is a spine surgeon specializing in minimally invasive and endoscopic techniques designed to reduce recovery time and support outpatient spine surgery. He treats a wide range of spinal conditions using muscle-sparing approaches, including minimally invasive fusions and cervical procedures.
Dr. Weisenthal emphasizes conservative care when appropriate and is committed to advancing techniques that enable safer, more efficient spine surgery in outpatient settings. He has published on spine surgery outcomes and healthcare economics and is an active member of the North American Spine Society.
- Kern Singh, MD. Rush University Medical Center (Chicago): Dr. Singh is vice chair of orthopedic surgery and director of the division of spine surgery at Rush, as well as co-director of the Minimally Invasive Spine Institute. A leading authority in minimally invasive and endoscopic spine surgery, he has built a practice focused on advancing outpatient spine procedures and reducing recovery times.
Dr. Singh has published more than 500 articles and multiple textbooks, and has played a key role in developing new spine technologies, including AI-driven surgical tools and instrumentation used worldwide. He is widely recognized for training the next generation of spine surgeons and for driving the adoption of outpatient spine surgery on a national scale.
- Don Park, MD. UCI Health (Orange, Calif.): Dr. Park is an orthopedic spine surgeon and a national leader in endoscopic and minimally invasive spine surgery. He serves as director of the advanced endoscopic and outpatient spine program at UC Irvine, one of the first academic programs in the country dedicated to outpatient spine care.
Dr. Park was among the first surgeons in the U.S. to perform biportal endoscopic spine surgery and endoscopic lumbar fusion, and has played a key role in advancing techniques that enable complex spine procedures in ASC settings. He is widely recognized for training surgeons nationwide and for his research on clinical outcomes in endoscopic spine surgery.
- Pierce Nunley, MD. Spine Institute of Louisiana (Shreveport, La.): Dr. Nunley is director of the Spine Institute of Louisiana and a spine surgeon with a focus on advancing modern spine care delivery. He is board certified in both orthopedic surgery and spine surgery and has played a key role in developing collaborative and technology-driven approaches to spine treatment.
Dr. Nunley is actively involved in national spine organizations and research initiatives, and has been recognized for integrating innovation, digital tools and clinical expertise to improve outcomes and efficiency in spine care, including the continued evolution of outpatient spine surgery models.
- Ali Mesiwala, MD. DISC Sports & Spine Center (Newport Beach, Calif.): Dr. Mesiwala is a neurosurgeon specializing in minimally invasive and motion-preserving spine procedures, with extensive experience performing high volumes of outpatient spine surgeries. He has completed more than 8,000 procedures, including over 1,000 disc replacements and hundreds of minimally invasive sacroiliac fusions, helping advance techniques that support ASC-based spine care.
A former attending neurosurgeon at Los Angeles-based Cedars-Sinai, Dr. Mesiwala is recognized for developing innovative approaches to complex spinal conditions and for his work in device development and motion-preservation technologies. He is widely regarded as a leader in scaling high-efficiency, outpatient spine surgery models.
- Ehsan Saadat, MD. Cedars-Sinai Medical Center/Precision Ambulatory Surgery Center (Los Angeles): Dr. Saadat is an orthopedic spine surgeon and co-director of spine surgery at Precision Ambulatory Surgery Center, where he leads outpatient spine care delivery. He specializes in minimally invasive and motion-preserving procedures, including disc replacement, microscopic decompression and advanced spinal fusions.
An active researcher and assistant professor at Cedars-Sinai, Dr. Saadat has authored numerous publications and leads clinical studies advancing spine surgery techniques. He is recognized for helping expand high-acuity spine procedures into ASC settings while delivering care to patients from across the U.S. and internationally.
At the Becker's 23rd Annual Spine, Orthopedic and Pain Management-Driven ASC + The Future of Spine Conference, taking place June 11-13 in Chicago, spine surgeons, orthopedic leaders and ASC executives will come together to explore minimally invasive techniques, ASC growth strategies and innovations shaping the future of outpatient spine care. Apply for complimentary registration now.
