The 'new normal' in spine: 11 surgeon predictions
By Admin | May 20, 2020
Eleven spine surgeons answer the question: What will the 'new normal' look like in spine post-pandemic.
Charles Branch Jr., MD. Executive Director of the Spine Service Line at Wake Forest Baptist Health System (Winston-Salem, N.C.): The new normal for spine surgeons will include more patient engagement through technology. It is quite possible that holographic imaging of patients in their home setting will allow for a more complete telehealth visit. Our clinic visits of the future will be a mixture of telehealth and face-to-face patient visits and the proportions will be driven by the practice type and patient demographics. In the near term, I am concerned that there will be a constriction in new technology availability for spine surgeons given the dramatic losses that healthcare systems have endured and will continue to expect in the future and in the weeks ahead. On the other hand, I believe we will be able to generate better and more evidence-based outcomes that will guide our decision making or give us valuable predictive analytics in the future.
For more information please read, The 'new normal' in spine: 11 surgeon predictions, by Becker's Spine Review
