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51 12th Annual Spine, Orthopedic and Pain Management-Driven ASC Conference + The Future of Spine - call (800) 417-2035 K enny Hancock, President and Chief Development Officer of Merid- ian Surgical Partners, discusses the future of spine surgery at am- bulatory surgery centers. Question: Will there be more, fewer or about the same number of spine surgeons looking to develop ASCs in the near future? Kenny hancock: We believe there will be more spine surgeons looking to develop ASCs in the future. We believe this is driven largely because of patient demand. It's where the consumer market is headed. Patients are seek- ing high quality surgical care in a safe and lower cost environment. With the abundance of online resources related to spine surgical options such as vid- eos, presentations, white papers and other educational materials, patients can easily obtain information and are being directed toward minimally invasive surgical techniques and surgeons who provide that alternative. Technology provides surgeons the opportunity to shift spine from the hospital setting to the ASC setting safely. Minimally invasive surgical tech- niques and advances in anesthesia and pain management allow patients to experience excellent results in a lower cost setting with extremely low risk of infection. Q: Where do you see the biggest potential for outpatient spine surgery center growth over the next few years? Kh: Growth is driven as surgeons become more comfortable moving spine cases safely into the outpatient setting. Discussions about clinical success in the ASC setting are now evident within the profession and serve as a catalyst for more spine surgeons to explore the option. The desire to control their surgical environment, increase productivity, perform surgery in a less insti- tutional setting and participate as an equity partner in the business will be prime drivers of growth over the next few years. Q: For established spine surgery centers, what opportunities are there to bring in new surgeons or procedures? Kh: There is an opportunity for pain-based ASCs to add spine surgery and for spine surgery-based ASCs to add pain management. Each specialty is unique and complementary of the other. Increasing the number of specialists in an established setting is market dependent and variable based on available specialists, competitive practice issues, merger considerations, etc. Q: how do you expect reimbursement changes over the next year or two to impact outpatient spine surgery centers? the future of Spine Surgery at ASCs: Q&A With Meridian Surgical Partners President Kenny Hancock By Laura Miller SPINE is Making its MOVE to ASCs ARE YOU? Develop a Spine ASC Succeed with a proven strategic partner Control your surgical environment Meet patients' expectations for minimally invasive spine surgery Spine ASC Partnerships Acquisition Development Management Make your move with us! 615-301-8142 www.meridiansurgicalpartners.com