Orthopedic and spine care is rapidly changing with the advent and deployment of new technologies, including robotic surgical care and artificial intelligence.
Here is what two experts believe the industry will look like in 10 years.
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Editor’s note: Responses have been lightly edited for clarity and length.
Question: Where do you see the industry in 10 years?
Frank Liporace, MD. Orthopedic Surgeon with RWJBarnabas Health Medical Group and Senior Vice President for the Musculoskeletal Service Line for RWJBarnabas Health’s Northern Regions (West Orange, N.J.): Advances in imaging will lead to greater customization of implants and jigs, which will provide better outcomes for patients. More orthopedic surgeries will be performed using robotic-assisted technologies, which offer consistent results and faster patient recoveries. Use of genetic stem-cell derivative treatments will continue to grow, particularly for the treatment of conditions such as osteoarthritis and ligament injuries. In the area of education, virtual-based trainings and simulated surgical education will be the norm, making it easier for surgeons to stay up to date on the latest research and technologies. Patient-based education must continue to be a major focus to help ensure that patients are getting accurate information about their conditions and treatment options so that they have realistic expectations. Studies show a strong link between patient education and how patients rate their quality of life following their orthopedic procedures. In addition, over the next 10 years, we will see rapid growth in the number of orthopedic practices transitioning to hospital-based employment models. Efforts are continuously being made to prevent “surprise bills for care” to patients, and likely, more standardization in payment models to physicians will continue to evolve.
Yu-Po Lee, MD. Spine Surgeon at UCI Health (Orange, Calif.): The field of orthopedic surgery continues to evolve and grow every year. Advances continue to be made in general orthopedic surgery and all the subspecialties. Advances are continuously being made in minimally invasive surgery, biologics, navigation and instrumentation. While all these innovations will improve care for patients, the one concern about them is that these new innovations may increase the cost of surgery. The research and development needed for advancement and innovation costs money. Ultimately, this gets passed on to patients and payers. One of the ways that the costs of these new innovations can be offset is by reducing the days of admission. So, it is possible that orthopedic surgery cases continue to move to shorter hospital stays and more outpatient cases.
To continue to decrease costs, it is possible that hospitals use artificial intelligence to reduce costs. There are many areas where artificial intelligence can be used to reduce costs. Examples would be in record keeping and eliminating the use of scribes and transcriptions for record keeping. Other areas where artificial intelligence can be used may be for screening patients to help facilitate access to care. For example, many new patient visits may be eliminated by having them go to physical therapy prior to having the initial visit. Artificial intelligence programs may be a potential first visit screen for many patients.
Growth and innovation continue to make orthopedic surgery an exciting field. But orthopedic surgeons must find a balance between cost containment and technological innovation to be sure that patient care can be maximized without having cost become unmanageable. But it is possible that orthopedic surgery moves to more outpatient cases and more artificial intelligence to help offset the costs of new innovation.