Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1187260
36 ORTHOPEDICS 3 surgeon insights on outpatient total joint replacements By Rachel Popa ree orthopedic surgeon viewpoints on total joint replacements in ASCs: 1. Anthony Miniaci, MD, staff physician at the Cleveland Clinic's Center for Sports Health: "Partial knee replacements over the years have expanded, especially when treating younger patients where we're trying to prolong their abilities to do their normal activities without replacing their full joints. Some of these concepts of partial replacements for joint problems are going to expand as we go forward. Also, for shoulder replacements, by restoring the patient's own functional anatomy, we've seen better results than the standard total shoulder replacements that we've been doing for years." 2. Frank J. Pompo, MD, orthopedic surgeon at the Litchfield Hills Surgery Center in Tor- rington, Conn.: "ere has been significant growth in outpatient orthopedics over the past couple of years, including transitioning total joint replacement from the inpa- tient to the outpatient setting. When I was a resident, a patient who had an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion would stay in the hospital one to two nights. Now, it is an outpatient procedure. Total knee replacements, which were commonly three- to four- night inpatient status as recently as 10 years ago, now commonly only stay one night in the hospital or are now performed in the surgery center. While I think there will always be a role for elective surgery being done in the inpatient setting, we will see a greater percentage of orthopedic surgery being done in the outpatient setting." 3. Louis Levitt, MD, vice president and secre- tary of the Centers for Advanced Orthopae- dics in Bethesda, Md.: "We have learned that performing surgery in the outpatient setting is an exceptional model of care for the right patient. Patients can mobilize faster, return to the workforce sooner and they are regularly quite pleased with the outcomes. We should be incentivizing surgeons to perform these surgeries outside of the hospital when appropriate so the patient can enjoy a decreased risk of infection, more convenient care and a quicker return home." n Dr. Jaime Nieto: Endoscopic spine surgery is the next skill patients will demand By Laura Dyrda J aime Nieto, MD, is chief of the section of neurological surgery and spine surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian/Queens. Dr. Nieto describes the big technology trends in spine today, and the threat of siloed care. Question: What emerging technology are you most interested in today and why? Dr. Jaime Nieto: Endoscopic spine surgery will become the skill that patients will ask their spine surgeons about. Patients are becoming more interested in their care and with the internet re- sources they will be able to find what they want. Minimally invasive surgery continues to evolve and the endoscopic techniques will promote evolution. Q: How do you think your practice will change in the next three years? What are you doing today to prepare? JN: The advent of technology and mobile delivery of medicine is the next frontier. In our hospital we are developing telemedicine directly to the consumer and to our colleagues. Q: What is the most dangerous trend in healthcare, spine or orthopedics today and why? JN: The lack of comprehensive and multidisciplinary care in spine available to all patients outside major medical centers. Having single specialty silos for the care of complex spine conditions does not fully help patients. n Average salaries for orthopedic & spine specialists By Rachel Popa P ayScale reports real-time salary data from over 54 million re- ports from job seekers, fact-checking the data against private and public compensation data. Here's how average salary ranges for four orthopedic and spine specialties compare: • Orthopedic surgeon: $379,757 • Neurosurgeon: $401,428 • Neurologist: $208,822 • Sports medicine physician: $181,446 n