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S P I N E
S U R G E R Y
to see the results for themselves and to hear patient feedback. I do
think they were amazed at first to find good experiences all around.
But these across-the-board positive outcomes come down to planning
that accounts for any possibility.
• We schedule cervical fusion procedures for first in the day,
because they require the longest recovery periods.
• We double- and triple-check that all prescription details are correct and signed appropriately, and that patients understand what they
need to do when they get home.
• Upon request, patients are sent home with scheduled home nursing visits for pain and dressing checks.
• Someone from the center is always available in case of an emergency. A visiting nurse went to see one of our earliest patients to do a
dressing and neuro check — and found the patient wasn't at the
address she'd been given. But the nurse did have my number, and I
was able to pass on the contact number for the patient's caregiver. It
turned out the patient was staying there, not at home.
Grow and expand
The spine program started with 3 patients a month; we're up to 17
now. Going into October, we'd done more than 100 procedures. That
was more than double what we did in 2011, with 3 months still to go.
Since adding spine, we've also added more orthopedic and hand surgeons. To get to this point, we've proceeded very slowly. As I said at
N O V E M B E R 2012 | O U T PAT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E
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