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OH clinic seeks approval for new spinal surgery center

Ambulatory Surgery Reimbursement Update, December 14, 2004

Spinal surgery in which the patient can be home the next day? One Cincinnati-area clinic wants to make the once unheard-of concept a reality for area residents.

According to a story in the Dec. 10 issue of the Cincinnati Enquirer, The Mayfield Clinic of Norwood, OH is currently seeking approval from local legislators to build an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) specializing in the treatment of basic spinal surgery. While many spinal surgeries can necessitate prolonged hospital stays, Mayfield's president and chief exective, Mike Gilligan, says their facility will allow patients the ability to spend only a short time in their clinic.

"A few years ago, I would have said none [of these procedures] could be done. But we are doing some spine surgeries in hospitals that require less than a 24-hour stay," he said. Procedures at the proposed new clinic would include basic spinal disc removals and other minor surgeries.

It is believed that the new clinic, which would cost at least $2 million to build and could be finished by mid-2006, will gain approval from Nowood city officials, with Norwood Mayor Thomas Williams already stating that he sees no reason why the city would object. The ASC was explored as an alternative to a full-blown neurosurgery hospital, which would have been affected by the federal moratorium on doctor-owned specialty hospitals.

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