Six spine surgeons discuss characteristics necessary for future spine leaders. Ask Spine Surgeons is a weekly series of questions posed to spine surgeons around the country about clinical, business and policy issues affecting spine care. We invite all spine surgeon and specialist responses. Next week's question: What is or was the most challenging part of switching to an electronic medical record system?
Please send responses to Heather Linder at hlinder@beckershealthcare.com by Wednesday, March 13, at 5 p.m. CST.
Vincent Arlet, MD, Orthopedic Spine Surgeon, KneeFootAnkle Center of Kirkland (Wash.): Future spine leaders will need to have a business background.
Ara Deukmedjian, MD, Neurosurgeon and CEO, Deuk Spine Institute, Melbourne, Fla.: Future spine leaders will need knowledge about political and socioeconomic issues, coding and reimbursement, managed care, marketing and strategic growth and alignment of goals with collateral stakeholders; a clear vision of where they believe medicine and patient care should be as well as their role in facilitating the change necessary to reach their goals; courage to persevere along the path of righteousness no matter how uncomfortable or alienated they may feel at times to achieve things for the greater good of all; great skill and insight into the fundamental basics of spinal biomechanics, physiology and the latest and best techniques to diagnose and treat disease; and of course, a loyal group of followers.
Jeffrey Goldstein, MD, Director of Spine Service, NYU Langone Medical Center's Hospital for Joint Diseases: Future spine surgeons, like today's spine surgeons, will need to continue to be compassionate, skilled and empathetic physicians. Those who will continue to excel will be well read, have good hands, be innovative and will always put the best interests of their patients first. Spine surgeons will need to continue to be hard working, detail-oriented people who strive for perfection and never accept mediocrity, while always keeping in mind their own limitations.
Richard Kube, MD, Spine Surgeon, CEO and founder of Prairie Spine & Pain Institute, Peoria, Ill.: Future spine leaders will need to be open-minded and malleable. Currently, our healthcare system is changing and there are many unknowns. Our current truths and certainties will not remain, and to stay ahead of the curve one will have to have the ability to evolve rapidly. There will be many opportunities that fall outside of what we consider traditional practice today. There will also be new types of leadership positions within the system as it evolves. In general, it will likely take more effort to stay ahead given the volume of changes and the need to understand them.
Nick Shamie, MD, Neurosurgeon, UCLA Spine Surgery: With a rapidly changing healthcare environment, we have a mass exodus of surgeons from the private practice arena to a safer ACO employment barricade. Moreover, payors and ACO organizations will be inundated with the bureaucracy of evolving healthcare and the burden of adopting systematic EMRs, and delivery of healthcare for the expanded number of lives. This expansion will happen while paying less attention to the delicate relationship between the patient's needs and desires and the providers' ability to deliver this specialized care. I believe the changes ahead have the potential to negatively impact innovation, research and personalized care in exchange for standardization and expanded delivery of routine care. As a spine leader, one needs to find ways to keep the patient's interest at the helm and provide safe havens where we can effectively continue our research, innovation and personalized care.
Jeffrey Wang, MD, UCLA Spine Center: I think future spine leaders need to be good at seeing other people's points of view. We need strong leaders who will make a difference. Often, these strong individuals have their own personal strong opinions and viewpoints. One needs to look at the greater good of the organization that they are representing and put their own personal and selfish motivations aside. Those who are able to put aside their own personal motivations and personal goals in favor of the goals of the organization will make the best leaders of that particular organization. This is the best way to lead people, practices or organizations. Those who do not agree with that leader, at the very least, will see that they are motivated by doing the right thing for the greater good, rather than for personal gain. Those are the people we need in leadership positions in the future.
More Articles on Spine:
6 Factors for Positive Employee Culture at Spine Groups
New Jersey Summit Medical Group Adds Two Neurosurgeons
St. Francis Hospital Launches the Spine Institute of Connecticut
Please send responses to Heather Linder at hlinder@beckershealthcare.com by Wednesday, March 13, at 5 p.m. CST.
Vincent Arlet, MD, Orthopedic Spine Surgeon, KneeFootAnkle Center of Kirkland (Wash.): Future spine leaders will need to have a business background.
Ara Deukmedjian, MD, Neurosurgeon and CEO, Deuk Spine Institute, Melbourne, Fla.: Future spine leaders will need knowledge about political and socioeconomic issues, coding and reimbursement, managed care, marketing and strategic growth and alignment of goals with collateral stakeholders; a clear vision of where they believe medicine and patient care should be as well as their role in facilitating the change necessary to reach their goals; courage to persevere along the path of righteousness no matter how uncomfortable or alienated they may feel at times to achieve things for the greater good of all; great skill and insight into the fundamental basics of spinal biomechanics, physiology and the latest and best techniques to diagnose and treat disease; and of course, a loyal group of followers.
Jeffrey Goldstein, MD, Director of Spine Service, NYU Langone Medical Center's Hospital for Joint Diseases: Future spine surgeons, like today's spine surgeons, will need to continue to be compassionate, skilled and empathetic physicians. Those who will continue to excel will be well read, have good hands, be innovative and will always put the best interests of their patients first. Spine surgeons will need to continue to be hard working, detail-oriented people who strive for perfection and never accept mediocrity, while always keeping in mind their own limitations.
Richard Kube, MD, Spine Surgeon, CEO and founder of Prairie Spine & Pain Institute, Peoria, Ill.: Future spine leaders will need to be open-minded and malleable. Currently, our healthcare system is changing and there are many unknowns. Our current truths and certainties will not remain, and to stay ahead of the curve one will have to have the ability to evolve rapidly. There will be many opportunities that fall outside of what we consider traditional practice today. There will also be new types of leadership positions within the system as it evolves. In general, it will likely take more effort to stay ahead given the volume of changes and the need to understand them.
Nick Shamie, MD, Neurosurgeon, UCLA Spine Surgery: With a rapidly changing healthcare environment, we have a mass exodus of surgeons from the private practice arena to a safer ACO employment barricade. Moreover, payors and ACO organizations will be inundated with the bureaucracy of evolving healthcare and the burden of adopting systematic EMRs, and delivery of healthcare for the expanded number of lives. This expansion will happen while paying less attention to the delicate relationship between the patient's needs and desires and the providers' ability to deliver this specialized care. I believe the changes ahead have the potential to negatively impact innovation, research and personalized care in exchange for standardization and expanded delivery of routine care. As a spine leader, one needs to find ways to keep the patient's interest at the helm and provide safe havens where we can effectively continue our research, innovation and personalized care.
Jeffrey Wang, MD, UCLA Spine Center: I think future spine leaders need to be good at seeing other people's points of view. We need strong leaders who will make a difference. Often, these strong individuals have their own personal strong opinions and viewpoints. One needs to look at the greater good of the organization that they are representing and put their own personal and selfish motivations aside. Those who are able to put aside their own personal motivations and personal goals in favor of the goals of the organization will make the best leaders of that particular organization. This is the best way to lead people, practices or organizations. Those who do not agree with that leader, at the very least, will see that they are motivated by doing the right thing for the greater good, rather than for personal gain. Those are the people we need in leadership positions in the future.
More Articles on Spine:
6 Factors for Positive Employee Culture at Spine Groups
New Jersey Summit Medical Group Adds Two Neurosurgeons
St. Francis Hospital Launches the Spine Institute of Connecticut