With the holiday season underway, four spine surgeons reflect on the gifts they would give to their practices.
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. Becker's invites all spine surgeon and specialist responses.
Next week's question: What are your New Year's resolutions for your practice in 2024?
Please send responses to Carly Behm at cbehm@beckershealthcare.com by 5 p.m. CST Wednesday, Dec. 20.
Editor's note: Responses were lightly edited for clarity and length.
Question: What's one gift you wish you could give to your spine practice?
Brian Gantwerker, MD. The Craniospinal Center of Los Angeles: There is one gift I would want to give is the re-gift the gift of independence. There are many large groups and big-box practice opening up everywhere you look. I appreciate our hands-on approach, and letting people get a doctor when they need one. People don’t deserve phone trees and uninterested staff. Our staff and patients interact closely, and they appreciate it. My favorite thing is listening to our patients gush about our staff. We also do a mini clap-out when patients "graduate." They know they are always welcome back if they need it, and I have been in practice long enough to have patients that have been with us 13 or more years. I just operated on an octogenarian who we have been managing non surgically since he was in his 70s. Patients value the idea of an office where you know the plan each and every time they leave their appointment, and that the office and doctor are there for support.
Emeka Nwodim, MD. Orthopedic Surgeon at the Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics (Bethesda, Md.): One gift that I would continue to give to my spine practice is a safe and positive environment for patients, staff and providers. Patients deserve a space where they receive the best possible care and also feel heard and assured in their treatment. For staff, I wish to continue to provide a space where they feel fulfilled and appreciated. Finally, for providers, I wish for them to continue their areas of expertise while striking a balance between work and personal life, free from the extraneous demands that can be imposed by our healthcare system.
Vladimir Sinkov, MD. Sinkov Spine (Las Vegas): I would love to have less control and regulations by the government and private entities on how I practice medicine so that I could spend more time taking excellent care of my patients.
Christian Zimmerman, MD. St. Alphonsus Medical Group and SAHS Neuroscience Institute (Boise, Idaho): Aside from the expected and the unexpected vacillations of healthcare delivery annoyances, the practice of spine surgery in our world is quite complete. However, if gifting was universal, I would bequeath to some of my fellow providers the gift of fulfillment towards their patients and themselves. Physician leaders, who live by example, are a gift to the patient and the community.