Ask Orthopedic Surgeons is a weekly series of questions posed to orthopedic surgeons around the country about clinical, business and policy issues affecting spine care. Becker’s invites all orthopedic surgeon and specialist responses.
Next question: What is one skill orthopedic surgeons should master in 2025?
Please send responses to Claire Wallace at cwallace@beckershealthcare.com by 5 p.m. CST Friday, Feb. 21.
Editor’s note: Responses were lightly edited for clarity and length.
Question: What is the biggest investment you will make this year?
Jason Brustein, DO. Orthopedic Surgeon at Resurgens Orthopaedics (Woodstock, Ga.): Doubling down on the use of technology in my practice to help make me more efficient both in the office and in the operating room. There are a number of tools that allow me to care better for my patients in both settings. This helps me to achieve better work-life balance, which is something we are all striving for. For instance, the use of robotics in the operating room and artificial intelligence in the office are tremendous assets that, when leveraged appropriately, can be truly powerful. Stryker Mako robotics has revolutionized my total joint practice and the use of an AI-based ambient-listening tool for my office note generation have been two such examples.
Nick Jain, MD. Orthopedic Spine Surgeon at DISC Sports & Spine Center (Newport Beach, Calif.): The biggest investment I’m making this year is in my own personal well-being. As demands from patients, payors, staff, friends, family and colleagues grow, the amount of time I have to give remains the same. After 20 years of commitment to medicine and spine surgery, I’m actively carving out and investing some time for my own physical and mental well-being. While that space often gets absorbed by the demands of the day, I still find that the commitment to myself is already paying dividends in my productivity at work, my enjoyment of my professional life, and my ability to avoid burnout in the long run.