Spinecare Topics
Spinecare Facilites (Centers of Excellence)
Larger spinecare facilites can afford to invest in leading-edge technology and can offer staff greater opportunities and benefits. They are also able to hire more qualified ancillary staff members thus freeing up spine physicians to focus on their areas of expertise or interest. Larger facilites also have greater negotiating power with third party payers. Integrated spinecare programs provide more efficient and comprehensive spinecare. They also have the tools to objectify treatment outcome and meet the growing demands for evidence-based care from patients and/or third party payers. This successful trend has become prevalent in the fields of orthopedics and cardiology.
The future healthcare delivery system will place even greater demands on spine physicians and specialists to provide quality care, while utilizing approaches which are cost efficient and effective. The restraints of dwindling revenues and advances in spinecare technology will further drive the development of niche programs and/or centers of excellence. Spine practitioners will have to collaborate or partner with healthcare systems and facilites to insure that adequate levels of reimbursement/profit are received. Spine physicians and specialists will have to become part of delivery systems that promote accountability, savings and state-of-the-art care.
The spinecare field is rapidly evolving. The emerging trend favors the development of large multidisciplinary spinecare centers of excellence. Some large established centers will develop satellite locations which will feed into the primary location. The international community is becoming more educated about the difference in the level of care between facilites not only within their own region or country but abroad. With the ability to access information about facilites anywhere in the world the public is more willing and able to travel to receive optimum spinecare. This trend will have an adverse impact on small spinecare centers and communities that do not have integrated centers of excellence.
In the multidisciplinary spinecare setting, well-defined clinical algorithms and guidelines will be used to deliver more standardized care. Improved documentation and objective outcome measures will be used to support treatment decisions. A practice continuum will be implemented to prioritize the most conservative treatment options. Failure at a conservative level of care will be required prior to advancing to the next more aggressive treatment option. The ultimate goal will be to offer the most conservative level of care for the greatest gain. Heathcare disciplines will be integrated in a manner that facilitates a seamless continuum of cost efficient spinecare. The multi-disciplinary approach will ensure a comprehensive approach and lead to high patient satisfaction.