Bennett Grimm, MD, is an orthopedic surgeon with Atlanta-based Resurgens Orthopaedics.
He focuses on minimally invasive spine surgery and performs artificial disc replacement. Here, Dr. Grimm examines three big trends that will affect his practice next year and the best opportunity for growth.
Question: What are the three biggest business and healthcare trends you expect to affect your practice in 2019?
Dr. Bennett Grimm: The three biggest trends are:
1. We expect to see more outpatient surgeries done in ASCs as these can be done more efficiently with higher patient satisfaction and lower complication rates than in a hospital setting. As such, insurers will seek bundled payments with pricing transparency to drive down costs. In turn, insurance companies will steer their beneficiaries to low-cost providers.
2. Not surprisingly, healthcare costs will continue to climb and patients will have to pay larger and larger out-of-pocket expenses. This trend has given rise to alternative payer models such as Medi-share, which is a faith-based risk model to share healthcare costs that have seen accelerated growth. Also, third-party payers will become increasingly attractive to patients who are involved in motor vehicle accidents. Even for those patients who are privately insured, because they cannot afford care due to the cost of their high deductible plan.
3. Robotic surgery will become more prevalent as surgeons demand these devices to reduce radiation exposure to the patient and surgeon as well as decrease operative time during cases, particularly multilevel thoracolumbar fusions.
Q: Where do you see the best opportunities to grow?
BG: In 2019, we foresee practice growth by forming strategic alliances with various healthcare entities that we believe will be mutually beneficial; the goal of which is to become the exclusive orthopedic provider to said healthcare organizations. Our physicians and advanced practitioners cover multiple offices dispersed throughout the Atlanta metropolitan area, allowing patients ease of access to the highest-quality musculoskeletal healthcare providers. In addition, Resurgens Orthopaedics continues to reach out to employers seeking surgeons and physiatrists to treat injured workers.
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For a deeper dive into the future of orthopedics, attend the Becker's 17th Annual Future of Spine + Spine, Orthopedic & Pain Management-Driven ASC in Chicago, June 13-5, 2019. Click here to learn more and register.