Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/627546
35 Exciting Trends for 2016: 3 Spine Surgeons Share By Anuja Vaidya R ichard D. Guyer, MD, Co-Founder, Texas Back Institute, Plano: What I am most excited about going into 2016? at my family, friends and TBI family will continue to enjoy good health and prosperity; that the FDA will continue to loosen the reigns allowing easier entrance of new technology that has been used abroad and allow our U.S. patients to benefit from this; and that mobile medicine will continue to evolve through the use of our smart phones. Perhaps not too far in the distant future, the smart phone will be able scan our bodies as they did in Star Trek and monitor all of our vital functions or response to treatment. I am also excited that genomics will further identify treat- ment-specific regimens for diseases or for individuals; that immunotherapy will continue to evolve, taking us closer to curing all kinds of cancer; that 3D printing will evolve in the OR so that we will have patient-specific spine implants not just those designed for the average person; and that our understanding of stem cell technology will help unlock incredible regeneration options for our patients. And lastly I am hopeful that our government will correct the missteps with the Affordable Care Act and truly provide basic care to all instead of putting the decision-making process into the hands of insurance companies through the poorly-conceived exchanges. Thomas A. McNally, MD, Medical Direc- tor, Chicago Spine Center at Weiss Memorial Hospital: I'm most excited about less invasive surgeries. We are seeing more predictable results and rapid recovery with less collateral tissue damage. Coflex is a mo- tion sparing device, implanted minimally invasively, that is show- ing great promise for patients with moderate to severe spinal stenosis. Implanted aer laminectomy, the in- terlaminar stabilization device is inserted between the vertebrae. It is an alternative to fusion and it results in less stress to the adjacent levels. In 2016, it will still be necessary to have open surgery for some of the complex, larger cases, but the emphasis on less in- vasive treatments will ultimately benefit patients with improved outcomes. Purnendu Gupta, MD, Spine Surgeon, NorthShore Orthopae- dic Institute, Chicago: I'm most excited about the better understanding of spino-pelvic balance. e literature in spine is now pointing to other patient factors that may be key to understand- ing how to spatially align the spine in reconstruction and particularly spinal osteotomies. is is a very challenging group of patients. ere's always been a concern with long-term patient outcomes when attempting to achieve spino-pelvic balance in spinal reconstruction. While we strive to make it "perfect," we are learning that we should consider the pa- tient's age and underlying neurological disorders when realign- ing the spine. In other words, we need to take a better look at the patient as a whole, as opposed to just the spinal alignment. We're finally putting the pieces together with this "big pic- ture" approach, and I expect we'll make great strides in 2016 with a better tailored approach that meets the needs of the patients. n Is Formality a Thing of the Past? 5 Notes on Patients Calling Physicians by Their First Name By Mary Rechtoris R ecent studies found while some patients prefer calling their physicians by their first name, others often feel uncomfort- able, according to Medscape. Here are five notes: 1. Some physicians claim the provider/patient relationship is not a personal relationship because providers need to make objective decisions about a patient's health. 2. Others counter physicians should get past their resignations and go by their first name to put patients at ease. 3. Brain McKinstry, MD, found providers who do not use their first name with patients main- tain an unequal relationship which "inhibits pa- tients' ability to make decisions for themselves and to take responsibility for their health." 4. The healthcare community is also divided on how to refer to other staff, including nurses and residents. However, the etiquette rules vary across settings and patient preferences. 5. Ultimately, many claim a physician should be referred to as 'Doctor' unless they prefer otherwise. n Dr. Richard D. Guyer Dr. Purnendu Gupta