Take a look at my recent interview in Becker’s Spine HERE
Along with other leaders in the field, I try to answer some of the most important questions facing the spine surgery field today.
Here’s an excerpt:
Q: What is the most controversial trend in spine today?
…Bryce Basques, MD : The most controversial trend I see in spine surgery is the development of "solutions looking for problems" by the device industry. The core fundamentals of good spine care have remained the same for years, yet there continues to be massive investment and marketing in various spinal technologies that seem to fill a void in untapped intellectual property voids, rather than a demand by patient needs.
Today, robotics and various minimally invasive techniques have high potential, yet I would caution surgeons, especially those early in practice, from broadly adopting these techniques without scrutiny. Especially in saturated markets, spine surgeons may think that these newer technologies are an opportunity to differentiate or market themselves. However, if adoption of these techniques leads to inefficiency, complications and poor outcomes, your reputation will suffer and any potential marketing benefit will be lost. In the current financial climate, surgeons will be expected to justify the cost of this technology to payers as well. I would encourage surgeons to be highly discerning in the technologies or advancements they adopt and pursue patient care avenues that demonstrate high value.