Frank Phillips, MD, director of the section of minimally invasive spine surgery and the spine surgery division at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, outlines where his practice is headed over the next year.
Question: If 2020 is a successful year for you, what will it look like?
Dr. Frank Phillips: On a personal level, I would like to continue to gravitate my practice towards outpatient surgery. I would like to see our spine section at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush further elevate our already outstanding national reputation as a premier provider of spinal care as well as a research and educational hub. I will strive to prioritize work-life balance and enjoy family time.
Q: Where will you focus most of your time and energy next year?
FP: I would like to use my leadership positions to mobilize spine organizations to further advocate for our patients and our ability to provide validated care to patients without arbitrary payer interference. Continuing to collect meaningful outcome data remains a priority. On a local level, I will continue to expand the expertise and reach of our spine group at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush to provide the highest quality care across the Chicagoland area.
Q: What do you consider the biggest potential threat to your spine practice?
FP: Reimbursement challenges for validated spinal procedures remains a challenge for spine practices. Insurance companies are emboldened with non-substantiated denials of codes and arbitrary bundling of distinct procedures. These denials limit our ability to provide appropriate care to our patients.
Q: What do you plan to start doing next year, and what will you stop doing?
FP: I don’t see much change in the nature of my clinical practice over the next year. I will plan on incorporating navigation solutions that truly enhance workflow efficiency and patient safety.