About This Blog:
- Becker’s ASC Review recently published an article titled “Getting past the fear of spine surgery in an ASC setting” and it inspired us to write a follow-up piece.
- Dr. Mark Giovanini currently operates at five total medical facilities, two of which are hospitals and three are ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs).
- In this blog, we discuss the benefits of having a spine surgery performed in an ASC setting.
As the article in Becker’s ASC Review alluded to, there is a great deal of stigma surrounding the spine, spinal surgery, and ASCs. Unfortunately, many patients are misguided when it comes to how spine surgery works and how successful it can be when minimally invasive techniques, among other things, are put into place. These misconceptions often follow the same pattern:
- Myth 1: “Spine surgery has a high risk of blood loss and complication.”
- Myth 2: “Spine surgery requires long hours in the operating room.”
- Myth 3: “The spine has a reputation for being complex and difficult to operate on.”
Although spine surgery, like any surgical procedure, should not be taken lightly, it’s not nearly as complex as it used to be 20 or 30 years ago. Furthermore, Dr. Mark Giovanini of NeuroMicroSpine is one of the nation’s leading spine surgeons. Among his list of accomplishments, Dr. Giovanini developed research models for spinal cord injury, which helped paved the way for some of the first spinal cord transplants in humans.
He also brought minimally invasive spine surgery (MIS) to the renowned Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine in Gulf Breeze, Florida, where he performs hundreds of outpatient MIS spine procedures each year. Regardless, Dr. Giovanini understands patients have reservations about having their procedure performed at an ASC compared to a hospital.
First, it’s important patients understand Dr. Giovanini always considers your condition and pre- and postoperative needs. It is true that not every patient is considered an optimal candidate for surgery in an ASC setting, but spine surgeons like Dr. Giovanini are always fine-tuning their skills and techniques to better the patient’s post-surgical outcome.
If a pre-existing medical condition is present or if the procedure is somewhat invasive, Dr. Giovanini will not recommend an ASC for surgery. That said, there are many benefits to having spine surgery in an ASC if the patient is a candidate. To begin, ASCs are a much more cost-effective option for patients. Hospitals have a lot of overhead to consider, which can detrimentally affect the patient financially. Those who elect to have their surgery performed at a hospital may get charged more for their procedure so that the hospital can cover operational costs.
Additionally, ASC traditionally have:
- Shorter wait times
- A lower risk of infection or complication
- Transparency with cost
- Allow more convenience for the patient regarding post-procedural recovery
For more information on minimally invasive spine surgery or to make an appointment with Dr. Giovanini, please call (850) 934-7545 or visit https://www.neuromicrospine.com/request-appointment.
We hope to see you soon!
The advice and information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace or counter a physician’s advice or judgment. Please always consult your physician before taking any advice learned here or in any other educational medical material.