Dr. Lane Spero, a top-ranked Spine Surgeon in Connecticut talks about the benefits of using the Globus Medical Robotic-assisted system


In Spine

Get Dexur’s Personalized Hospital Specific Presentation on Quality, Safety, Compliance & Education


By: Avinash Kumar  Nov. 15, 2019

Dr. Spero is a top-ranked Spine surgeon based on case volume as per Dexur's analysis of Medicare claims data and he recently did an interview about his background and perspective on robotic-assisted procedures.

What is your professional and medical background?

I earned my medical degree at Boston University School of Medicine. I completed an internship in general surgery and his residency in orthopedic surgery at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, in Bronx, New York, and a spine surgery fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas

What inspired you to work in Medicine & Spine/Ortho specifically?

I became a doctor to change people's lives. The surgery is challenging, and it really changes patients' lives from being in pain to out of pain.

What are your areas of expertise especially related to Robotic-assisted procedures and how does this impact quality outcomes such as LOS, Readmissions, adverse events etc?

I offer minimally invasive robotic-assisted cervical and lumbar procedures using the Globus Medical and Stealth Navigation systems. Using the Globus Medical system, I am able to offer minimally invasive and open orthopedic and neurological surgeries for patients suffering from chronic conditions and acute injuries of the cervical and lumbar spine. Aiding in precision and personalization to allow more natural motion and better long-term outcomes, this state-of-the-art system also significantly reduces radiation exposure to patients in surgical planning and in surgery through the application of revolutionary robotic and navigation technology.

Procedures using this system provide patients with many benefits, including a quicker recovery than traditional procedures and less potential for postoperative complications. The added capacity for precision also allows for more preservation of healthy tissue, which plays a part in helping patients have restored function as well as significantly less pain in recovery.

What are some key collaboration touchpoints with the hospital where you do surgeries and how do you manage that?

The hospital or surgical center needs to understand that the instruments needed to perform the surgeries are very important in being up to date

What are some of the post-surgical processes that the doctor and hospital do to optimize the recovery of patients?

Postop pain control is key to successful surgery and state of the art modalities are very important factors for success to allow a patient early rehabilitation

What are your perspectives on pain management, Opioid Utilization, and experience with protocols like ERAS that help in Opioid Minimization and reduction in Opioid-related adverse events?

Pain control is extremely important. Sophisticated blocks and specialized pain pumps are absolutely necessary to diminishing opioids

Almost 40% of Spine patients and 67% of Ortho patients are discharged to Nursing Homes at hospitals (e.g. Hospital of Central Connecticut) where you perform. How do you monitor/manage quality outcomes in nursing homes and any potential complications that happen in the post-acute care setting?

Less than 10% of my patients go to nursing homes or rehab facilities. I prefer outpatient PT very early after surgery

What are your perspectives in practicing as an independent surgeon vs a hospital-based surgeon? What are some of the pros and cons and how does that impact patient care?

By being independent I am able to determine freely the best facility and procedure for every patient.

What are some key challenges/opportunities that you see in spine surgery over the next 3-5 years and what should he and his peers do to manage that?

Don't get caught up in the hype of new technology too early and adopt new procedures and technology after it’s true and tested

Are there any hobbies or activities that you enjoy outside of work?

Outside of work, my hobbies include boating, fishing, skiing, and scuba diving.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

No Image

Avinash Kumar

Avinash Kumar is a Business analyst with over 9 years of healthcare experience. He has expertise in Real World Evidence (RWE), healthcare claims analytics, market research, data analytics, benefits configuration, claim contractual reprising, adjudication, implementation of reimbursement rule edits for healthcare payers and revenue cycle management for providers. Avinash holds a Master's degree in Operations management and life sciences. He is a certified medical coder from American Association of Professional Coders (AAPC).