Richard Kube, MD, Spine Surgeon, CEO and founder of Prairie Spine & Pain Institute, Peoria, Ill. is one of ten spine surgeons around the country featured in Becker’s Spine Review for the weekly column Ask Spine Surgeons. The spine surgeons discuss methods for bringing new techniques or innovations to the operating room.
Dr. Kube’s response: We are constantly analyzing new techniques and technologies. When we have identified something we want to implement, we spend time getting comfortable with the product. This could mean literature, case simulation or cadaver labs. We try to have a reasonable knowledge of what we will be facing prior to going to the operating room. We also see that our OR staff has comprehensive training and a level of comfort before bringing new things to the OR. Once we feel we have all done our homework and can safely implement with a live case, we bring in the new procedure. We look for support from the vendor when we go live, and we allow for extra time so that we can be very methodical.
Ask Spine Surgeons is a weekly series of questions posed to spine surgeons around the country about clinical, business and policy issues affecting spine care. To read the article in its entirety, click here.
