Here, Steven C. Anagnost, MD, weighs in on the business aspect of spine surgery, in particular, the spinal implant industry.
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As part of every training program, doctors are trained to share information and new ideas and concepts. This, however, is not necessarily true for the "business of medicine." The manufacturing and industry side of implants, particularly in spinal surgery, are what I wish I had known more about before starting my career. The spine implant industry representatives benefit hugely from the hard work and innovation of spine surgeons.
In residency and fellowship, we are not truly trained to understand the value of our own thoughts and innovations. Instead, we are trained to be altruistic and work hard for the benefit of our patients. The spine implant industry has become much more parasitic than symbiotic with spine surgeons. Too many times, big implant industry reap the huge financial benefits of the new innovations and techniques in spinal implants, brought about by surgeons themselves. Recent advances in minimally invasive spine implants and techniques are the perfect example of this. Necessity is the mother of invention. Surgeons found a way to improve on most "traditional" techniques of spine surgery. However, instead of being included and rewarded for our ideas, we as surgeons have allowed private industry to run off with our new concepts, ideas and innovations.
The spinal implant industry registers in the billions of dollars each year. Too often, spine surgeons have simply been left to deal with decreasing insurance costs per procedure and increased regulation, while private industry continues to stand upon the shoulders of the giants of the spine field and reap the benefits of spine surgeons' hard work and innovation. I wish I had known more about this before starting my career.