9 5
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 4 | O U T P AT 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
knew it wasn't just growing pains — the headrest just wasn't right for
us.
That's tens of thousands of dollars saved across all ORs, just because
we took the time to educate up front. With weekly in-services, staff
and per-diems can review new technology and refresh on old concepts.
Remember: You can't just dust off your protocols a couple times a year
and train everyone in one day. It's a continual process and a lot of
effort but, without it, you won't be able to take on the higher-acuity,
higher-risk cases that innovate.
3
Technological investigation and innovation
We hold surgeon and technology panel meetings to discuss new
devices and hardware as they arrive on the scene, or as they're
presented to us by companies. One device we're interested in right
now is an implant that promises motion preservation without fusion.
Before we decided to try it out, key surgeons on the panel thoroughly
examined all the data and developed criteria for patient selection.
We start as we always do: with limited application, developed
from the manufacturer's protocols, so we can closely monitor out-
comes. The first set of patients will be those with degenerative
joints but limited instability that might be made worse by decom-
pression alone; those who need wide decompression for stenosis
along with added stability; and those who are in early-phase (grade
1 or less) degeneration who want to take preventive measures.
Just a few key surgeons will be the ones to pioneer the technology
for our center. After 10 or so procedures, we'll judge the progress in
our patients and decide whether to modify the patient population, or
continue on and pursue the study with an eye toward publication.
It's a proactive approach, but that doesn't mean we let just any-
N E U R O S U R G E R Y
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