In a presentation at the 9th Annual Orthopedic, Spine and Pain Management-Driven ASC Conference in Chicago on June 10, James Lynch, MD, Surgery Center of Reno, gave insight into the next five years of spine surgery in ASCs within the context of new health legislation.
Dr. Lynch gave an overview of overall healthcare costs in the United States, saying that the upcoming healthcare reform is actually insurance reform. This affects spine surgery, he said, because an emphasis is being placed on how somebody pays for the procedures rather than the actual healthcare.
Reforms on the spine spectrum will lead to gain-sharing, the creation of centers of excellence, a large influx of insured patients looking for spine treatment, Medicare opt-outs and coping with the rollout of ICD-10, he said.
Dr. Lynch also noted that data for spine surgery and spine surgeons will play a large role in the future, as comparative profiling of physicians using data points allows patients to "shop" for physicians and hospitals to benchmark providers against one another.
Spine technology will revolve around minimally invasive spine surgery, robotics, nuclear disc replacement and imaging, Dr. Lynch said. Spine surgeries are also expected to increase within the next five years, and a shift toward generic spinal implants could help administrators manage costs at ASCs and specialty spine facilities.
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Dr. Lynch gave an overview of overall healthcare costs in the United States, saying that the upcoming healthcare reform is actually insurance reform. This affects spine surgery, he said, because an emphasis is being placed on how somebody pays for the procedures rather than the actual healthcare.
Reforms on the spine spectrum will lead to gain-sharing, the creation of centers of excellence, a large influx of insured patients looking for spine treatment, Medicare opt-outs and coping with the rollout of ICD-10, he said.
Dr. Lynch also noted that data for spine surgery and spine surgeons will play a large role in the future, as comparative profiling of physicians using data points allows patients to "shop" for physicians and hospitals to benchmark providers against one another.
Spine technology will revolve around minimally invasive spine surgery, robotics, nuclear disc replacement and imaging, Dr. Lynch said. Spine surgeries are also expected to increase within the next five years, and a shift toward generic spinal implants could help administrators manage costs at ASCs and specialty spine facilities.
Related Articles on Orthopedic & Spine-Driven ASCs:
Navigating an Orthopedic Practice and its ASCs Through a Challenging Healthcare Environment
The Best Ideas for Orthopedic, Spine and Pain Management-Driven ASCs
What Percentage of Orthopedic Surgeons Will be Employed in 5 Years? 10 Responses