Innovation and care delivery are inherently tethered. Whether through research, technology, clinical practice, or business strategy, healthcare organizations are consistently looking for new ways of delivering care to optimize patient outcomes and organizational standing. An example of this can be found by looking at trends within spine surgery.
As outlined by Becker’s Spine Review, there are several emerging trends within spine surgery aimed at improving clinical and financial outcomes.
Emerging Trends within Spine Surgery
According to spine surgeons, there are five emerging trends of note:
- An increasing number of multilevel disc replacements and fusions will occur in the outpatient setting, largely as a cost-containment exercise
- There will be increased demand for endoscopic surgery and similar minimally invasive techniques
- There will be increased use of augmented reality technology to increase the ability to perform procedures in the ambulatory environment
- Hospitals will increasingly partner with ambulatory surgery centers to remain competitive
- There will be increased use of technology platforms to help predict patient outcomes and guide treatment decisions
From our perspective, trends four and five go hand in hand.
Competitive Advantage – Capturing and Analyzing Patient Outcomes
Patients have choices when it comes to where they receive care. Healthcare organizations – hospitals or ambulatory surgery centers – know being competitive in spine surgery means offering the latest techniques, utilizing the latest technology, and being able to quantify the quality of care delivery. And leveraging patient-reported outcome technology addresses all three.
The ability to capture and analyze patient outcomes allows organizations to answer key questions specific to quality such as, “how do our outcomes compare across providers?”, “how do our outcomes compare to other organizations?”, and “how and where can we improve”? Additionally, access to patient outcomes at the point of care enables providers to partner with patients in care delivery. For example, showcasing whether a patient is a good candidate for spine surgery and how they are recovering post-operatively in comparison to other similar spine surgery patients.
The ability to capture, analyze, and act on patient outcomes in this way ensures quality of care is top-tier, and it also provides a top-tier patient experience. Together, these elements directly impact patient acquisition, patient retention, and organizational reputation.
Leading healthcare organizations such as Midwest Orthopedics at Rush, Panorama Orthopedics & Spine Center, and New England Baptist Hospital are adopting and leveraging patient-reported outcome technology - a clear competitive advantage. Others would be wise to follow suit before they get left behind.
