Here six spine surgeons discuss where they think the ASC spine industry is headed.
Question: What percentage of spine surgeons will have ownership in ASCs 5 years from now?
Neel Anand, MD, clinical professor of surgery and director of spine trauma at Cedars-Sinai Spine Center in Los Angeles: 10 percent will have ownership in ASCs.
John Regan, MD, The Spine Group Beverly Hills: Since almost 50 percent have ownership in an ambulatory surgery center now, in five years that number will increase to about 75 percent based on hospital costs and insurance companies cutting back on spine surgery approvals or making approvals very difficult.
Brian R. Gantwerker, MD, FAANS, The Craniospinal Center of Los Angeles: I think about 40 to 50 percent of spine surgeons will have ownership, and I think it will be spread evenly across neurosurgeons and orthopedic spine surgeons.
Robert S. Bray, Jr., MD, DISC Sports & Spine Center: The prediction is that within five years, 75 percent of spine surgeons will have ownership in ASCs and up to 50 percent of all surgeries will be done there.
Praveen Kadimcherla, MD, Atlantic Spine Center: I would say 25 percent use it now, and close to 75 percent will use it in five years. I think 50 percent will have ownership.
Frank M. Phillips, MD, Spine Fellowship Co-Director at Rush University Medical Center, professor of orthopedic surgery: Clearly, there is going to be significant growth in volume of spinal procedures performed in ASCs. Ownership by surgeons will increase. At the same time many surgeon-owned ASCs are increasingly partnering with hospitals that have the ability to control flow of patients and negotiate with payers.