The National Association of Spine Specialists, the advocacy arm of the North American Spine Society, highlighted David Gendelberg, MD, whose main goal is to establish an improved system for prior authorization.
"The amount of time I have to spend getting authorization for simple tests is truly infuriating and results in me being able to spend less time caring for patients," Dr. Gendelberg said. "Establishing a prior authorization mechanism would allow me to spend more time doing what I love most, seeing and treating patients.
"If we do not advocate for ourselves, no one will, or as one of my fellow committee members likes to put it 'If you're not at the table, you’re on the menu.'"
Dr. Gendelberg is a member of NASS' political engagement committee and the SpinePAC advisory committee.
He recently joined Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, where he specializes in the treatment of several spine pathologies, including deformity, trauma, degenerative and oncological conditions. In 2019, he was honored in SpineLine's "20 Under 40" list of spine specialists.