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48 Spine Payments, Competition & New Techniques: What Excites Spine Surgeons Most About the Current Landscape? By Anuja Vaidya Question: What are the most exciting aspects of being a spine surgeon today? Brian R. Gantwerker, MD, The Craniospinal Center of Los Angeles: I find the most stimulating aspect is certainly the continued popularity of arthroplasty. We are finding insurance companies and Medicare finally coming around to paying for this excellent choice for patients. It looks like the hard work and good data coming out is finally breaking through the din of unjustified denials. Patrick C. Hsieh, MD, Director, Minimally Invasive Spine Program, USC Spine Center, Keck Medicine of USC, Los Angeles: One of the most exciting aspects of being a spine surgeon today is the increasing oppor- tunity to help patients with debili- tating spinal conditions and change lives. With developments of complex surgical instrumentation, complex surgical techniques and minimally invasive spine surgery in the past decade, we have a lot more tools in our arsenal than the past. We are now able to help patients with complex diseases that were once deemed non-operable. e opportunity to help many of these patients to reverse their neurological symptoms or relieve chronic debilitating pain with modern spine surgery is extremely exciting and gratifying to me as a spine surgeon today. Certainly, the techniques and tools in spine surgery that we possess today would not be possi- ble without research. Current research advancements in stem cell and other biological treatments in degenerative spine disease, spine tumors and spinal cord injury are promising and exciting. e development and knowledge we gain from our research in those areas will be vital in advancing our future in spine care. Christian G. Zimmerman, MD, MBA, Saint Alphonsus Medical Group, SAHS Neu- roscience Institute, Boise, Idaho: Clearly the most exciting aspect of medicine is the competition among hospitals and physicians for professional survival. Unfortunately, this form of excitement has nega- tive connotations — the healthcare insurance system has imposed levels care of scrutiny and appeals beyond tolerance, shiing the care of the underinsured to willing pro- viders and academic institutions. As safety becomes even more paramount in a cost-contained market, this too will effect 'for profit only' institutions in the near future. n Spine, Orthopedic & Pain Management-Driven ASC Conference + The Future of Spine 124 Physicians Speaking, Primarily Spine Surgeons with 200+ Speakers and 117 Sessions 14 th Annual Swissotel Chicago June 9-11