Whether it's with the people they're working with or outside companies, spine surgeons have to seek partnerships that support their patients and 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 question: What's a spine trend surgeons should get ahead of going into 2025?
Please send responses to Carly Behm at cbehm@beckershealthcare.com by 5 p.m. CST Wednesday, Oct. 9.
Editor's note: Responses were lightly edited for clarity and length.
Question: What has been the most beneficial partnership for your practice?
Brian Gantwerker, MD. The Craniospinal Center of Los Angeles: Partnering with patients in their care has been the most beneficial by far. Creating a space where questions are addressed and concerns are alleviated and given an ear, has been the best investment in relationships we have done. It has led to patient-to-patient referrals, which are by far, the strongest and most enduring. Patients become loyal when they trust you — not your PA, not your NP, but you, their surgeon. There is no more mutually beneficial partnership in the practice of medicine than being the trustworthy physician to whom patients refer their friends and family.
Alen Nourian, MD. DISC Sports and Spine Center (Beverly Hills, Calif.): My partnership with DISC Surgery Center has been the most beneficial to my practice. Since joining the DISC family of surgeons, my practice has been able to reach a wider demographic of patients from around the country and locally. Given that we have several surgery centers and a collaborative relationship with the pain management doctors, my practice is able to provide better care to my patients as well. By joining DISC, I have also been able to participate in better contracting with insurance companies that would not have been available to me if I was in solo private practice.
Emeka Nwodim, MD. Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics (Bethesda, Md.): One exciting partnership for our practice has been with Genie Health. This collaboration has enabled us to expand access to high-quality digital therapy solutions, allowing our patients to receive care remotely from the comfort of their own homes. As an orthopedic surgeon, I’ve seen firsthand how this partnership has improved patient outcomes, offering more convenient and flexible options for post-surgical rehabilitation and physical therapy.
Another vital partnership that has significantly enhanced our practice is with MedVanta. Their collaboration has equipped us with the people, processes and technology needed to streamline our operations and smoothly transition to value-based payment models. This partnership enables our physicians to dedicate more time to what matters most – delivering exceptional patient care.