Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1305916
13 SPINE SURGEONS REVENUE CYCLE REDEFINING THE 2019 2019 For guidance during this unique time, visit our Industry Insights page for the latest news, webinars, blogs, and resources. www.nationalascbilling.com/industry-insights 866-948-7673 • nationalASCbilling.com REVENUE CYCLE MANAGEMENT | MANAGED CARE CONTRACTING | CODING | BUSINESS ANALYTICS | CONSULTING | TRANSCRIPTION THE ASC REVENUE CYCLE. It's all we do. It's all we think about. And it shows. Are awake fusions the future of spine surgery at ASCs? By Alan Condon A wake spinal fusion is a novel ap- proach to spine surgery that fuses minimally invasive or endoscopic surgical techniques with contemporary anesthesia. e result? Ultimately, a safer and more ef- ficient way of doing surgery, according to authors of a study in the Journal of Neurosur- gery. Administering local anesthetic to pa- tients allows surgeons to examine their neu- rologic condition during surgery and guard against damaging the patient's nerves or ad- jacent anatomy. It also eliminates the need to use intravenous narcotics and reduces the cost of stay — crit- ical as the industry continues its shi toward value-based care. "Awake spinal fusion is the next iterative ad- vantage in minimally invasive spine surgery," said Alok Sharan, MD, director of spine and orthopedics at NJ Spine and Wellness in East Brunswick. An early adopter of the procedure, Dr. Sharan developed a protocol that prepares patients to return home within 24 hours of surgery. "It's an enhanced recovery protocol that in my mind, when you do it, leads to less pain, faster mobilization and an overall quicker recovery," Dr. Sharan said. He estimates that fewer than 10 surgeons in the country are performing awake spinal fu- sions, which have been more widely adopted by surgeons in Europe. Dr. Sharan recently teamed with one of those surgeons — Muhammad Abd-El-Barr, MD, PhD, of Duke Spine Center in Durham, N.C. — to form a virtual study group where they share procedural best practices. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has sti- fled the procedure's adoption in the U.S., many surgeons believe that the procedure will play a key role in the future of spine care. "I think there's a certain percentage of peo- ple who can really benefit from [transforam- inal lumbar interbody fusions] and doing it awake," said Brian Gantwerker, MD, a Los Angeles-based neurosurgeon who has con- sidered incorporating the procedure aer discussions with surgeons well-versed in the approach. "Heck, that's perfect for an ASC; four pedicle screws, two rods and an interbody," he said. "ere's an implant cost issue, which I'm sure you could get down ... but I think there's a real sea of change that's going to happen in the next two to four years." n