Fall 2005 Newsletter

In this issue of TheSource

Outpatient spine surgery—a trend?

Integrated spine program—a model for care delivery

Management changes highlight customer service

SRS—not if, but when

Upcoming events

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Outpatient spine surgery—a trend?

Over the last two years, NeuroSource consultants have noted that a growing number of markets and facilities are moving simple spine procedures, such as laminectomy and discectomy, to an outpatient setting—even if as a “23-hour stay.” To track and quantify the fledgling trend, both this and last year's Center of Excellence survey queried hospital administrators on outpatient spine surgery trends.

This year, more than 50 percent of the respondents reported one in four spine surgeries as outpatient, compared with 40 percent who reported that level last year. This number increases to 68 percent for those respondents scoring at the Specialty Center or Institute level.

NeuroSource expects that simple spine surgeries are likely to migrate to outpatient settings at an increasing pace, spurred by physician best practice and supporting quality outcomes data. More complex procedures, such as lumbar fusions and disc replacement, are expected to remain as inpatient for the foreseeable future. Future Medicare outpatient volume will be closely linked to CMS development of outpatient reimbursement codes.

Results of this analysis are available in the white paper entitled, Achieving Neuroscience Excellence: A Status Report.

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	FALL 2005
UPCOMING EVENTS: 2/27-3/1 Las Vegas WRG 3rd Annual Building & Streamlining Neuroscience Centers of Excellence —————— WHITE PAPERS: Stereotactic Radiosurgery: Emerging Trends & Technology Report Top Trends in the Neurosciences Achieving Neuroscience Excellence 2005: A Status Report —————— TO MEASURE WHAT YOU MANAGE Respondents to the Center of Excellence survey received a complimentary “report card”—a benchmark of their responses compared to the aggregate. Surveys are closed for 2005, but click here to register now to participate in next year's survey.	In this issue of TheSource Outpatient spine surgery—a trend? Integrated spine program—a model for care delivery Management changes highlight customer service SRS—not if, but when Upcoming events _________________________________________ Outpatient spine surgery—a trend? Over the last two years, NeuroSource consultants have noted that a growing number of markets and facilities are moving simple spine procedures, such as laminectomy and discectomy, to an outpatient setting—even if as a “23-hour stay.” To track and quantify the fledgling trend, both this and last year's Center of Excellence survey queried hospital administrators on outpatient spine surgery trends. This year, more than 50 percent of the respondents reported one in four spine surgeries as outpatient, compared with 40 percent who reported that level last year. This number increases to 68 percent for those respondents scoring at the Specialty Center or Institute level. NeuroSource expects that simple spine surgeries are likely to migrate to outpatient settings at an increasing pace, spurred by physician best practice and supporting quality outcomes data. More complex procedures, such as lumbar fusions and disc replacement, are expected to remain as inpatient for the foreseeable future. Future Medicare outpatient volume will be closely linked to CMS development of outpatient reimbursement codes. Results of this analysis are available in the white paper entitled, Achieving Neuroscience Excellence: A Status Report. <back>
	Integrated spine program—a model for care delivery Nearly half of all respondents (47%) to the NeuroSource/HealthTech Center of Excellence survey report that they have an integrated spine program, incorporating multiple surgical and medical disciplines in a coordinated approach to care. Most often, the interdisciplinary team is comprised of neurosurgeons, rehabilitative therapists, physiatrists, pain management specialists and orthopedic surgeons. The three related specialties that are likely to be included in an integrative spine program are psychology, interventional neuroradiology and psychiatry. NeuroSource is currently working with clients around the country to develop integrated spine centers. Our experience reveals that while incorporating several disciplines is key, specialties are likely to change, based upon the hospital's current specialty structure as well as geography. SPECIAL OFFER NeuroSource is making a special offer available to readers of TheSource. If you contract with us to develop an integrated spine program before September 30, 2005, we will pay tuition for one person to attend a neuroscience conference in 2006. For details about this offer, contact Mike Humphrey (mhumphrey@neurosource.com) or Lisa Garvy (lgarvy@neurosource.com). <back>
Theodore Michalke Senior Vice President Strategic Partnerships	Management changes highlight customer service NeuroSource is pleased to announce the following senior management changes: Theodore Michalke, Senior Vice President Strategic Partnerships, now leads our consulting and technology divisions. With more than 15 years of experience in the neurosciences, Ted has directed a wide range of consulting engagements. A founding member and past chairman of the American Gamma Knife Network, Ted is a nationally recognized speaker on stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) as well as other aspects of neuroscience business development. tmichalke@neurosource.com Lisa Garvy has been promoted to Senior Vice President Business Development. Having more than twenty years experience in health care, Lisa engages senior hospital executives in developing neuroscience centers of excellence. She has partnered with multi-hospital systems to create coordinated and integrated neuroscience offerings. lgarvy@neurosource.com With these changes, NeuroSource will continue to deliver outstanding neuroscience consulting, to support our joint ventures in stereotactic radiosurgery, and to explore new and unique ways for hospitals and physicians to partner. <back>
Lisa Garvy Senior Vice President Business Development
	SRS—not if, but when With the new devices on the market able to support neuroscience and cancer programs, stereotactic radiosurgery has become a “must have” for neuroscience and cancer programs. However, NeuroSource sees different adoption rates for COE program respondents who scored at the Specialty Center and Institute level versus repondents within emerging programs. (see charts below). Source: NeuroSource & HealthTech Center of Excellence Survey, © 2005 Regardless of which device is selected, physician leadership is critical as radiation oncology and neurosurgeon support determines ultimate program success. <back>
	Upcoming events NeuroSource executives will be featured speakers at the following conferences: September 14-16, Las Vegas, NV WRG's Building an Integrated Spine Center, "Where Do We Begin?: Essential Components of Developing Integrated Spine Centers". October 6-7 , Chicago, IL ACI's 3rd National Conference on…Adding, Updating and Expanding Comprehensive Stroke Centers. <back> PAST NEWSLETTERS: Summer 2005 \| Winter 2005 \| Fall 2004 Summer 2004 \| Spring 2004 NeuroSource is the nation's only healthcare company focused exclusively on the business of neuroscience and allied specialties. NeuroSource enhances the market position of health systems and physicians by helping them create focused facilities, implement new technologies, and provide essential business services. Copyright 2005, NeuroSource Inc.