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A Chicago area Advocate Healthcare facility began the process of setting up
an operative/ non-operative Spine Center of Excellence. The hospital spent a
year implementing the various phases outlined in this article to create a hospital-based
multi-disciplinary Center of Excellence for spine care as part of a 25,000 square
foot fitness facility. The center opened its doors with resounding success and
to this day, is flourishing with new patients and steadily increasing revenues.
According to Jim Johnston, Administrator of the Spine Center, "Prior to developing
the operative/ non-operative Spine Center, our hospital had a declining marketshare
in a stagnant market. It was not well- organized and seeing patients was fragmented,
like shooting in the dark. The Spine Center changed all of this for our hospital.”
By developing a Spine Center, the hospital was able to regain a local as well
as regional presence. They are currently seeing 240 patients a month, 120 of
which are new. Some come from as far away as Tennessee and California. They
have been so successful, that they are now facing a situation in which there
are not enough physicians to handle the volume.
In developing the center, one of the most important keys to their success was
grouping the specialties together in a seamless, integrated, organized fashion.
The center encompasses all fields involved with spine. “And we are getting great
reviews from patients. They love how well the team members communicate with
one another and that they do not have to repeatedly give their medical history
over and over again,” stated Johnston. The multi-disciplinary approach is comprehensive
and facilitates high patient satisfaction. For this hospital, the model is working
so well that it is considering using the same approach approach in developing
programs in other areas, such as cardiac and renal.
Such a case study is typical of the growing number of Spine Centers across
the nation. Why is this trend toward Spine Centers emerging?
The answer may be due to the trials and tribulations of managed care which
have forced providers to understand the business as well as the clinical practice
of medicine. Under the restraints of declining revenues and advances in minimally
invasive surgery, hospitals, physicians and facilities are starting to see the
benefits of defining themselves by niche programs, or centers of excellence.
But where do you begin? What is needed to develop a Spine Center of Excellence?
In this 4-part series, we explore the benefits of Spine Centers, examine the
fundamentals of how to develop such a program and give a detailed overview of
how to implement and market a Spine Center.
Part 1: Making the Case for Spine Centers of Excellence examines
the rational for developing a Spine Center by exploring the economic burdens
imposed on both patients and physicians by the current state of spinal health
care and how the emergence of the multi-disciplinary care model can alleviate
these burdens.
Part 2: Development of the Business Model follows the first
phase of the milestones chart seen above and discusses how to develop a business
model for the Center along with legal factors and potential structures of ownership.
Part 3: Administration and Logistics follows phases 2-5 on
the milestones chart and takes you step-by-step through these essential phases.
Part 4: Marketing covers the final phase on the milestones
chart by discussing the fundamentals of marketing a Spine Center of Excellence
with detailed, practical tips and best practices. There has never been a more
opportune time for spine, neurosurgical, orthopedic, and pain specialists to
unite under an integrated delivery system for the delivery of state-of-the-art
operative and non-operative spine care. This series will show you how.
Milestones Chart
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