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Centers of excellence make use of clinical protocols and specialists who dedicate themselves to understanding the most advanced treatment methods for a particular problem. Centers of excellence typically involve individuals who are "fellowship-trained," the highest level of training available for surgeons. These centers also have all diagnostic tools and treatments related to a specific problem.
New Mexico Spine, for example, is a regional spine center of excellence based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It includes spine-specialized orthopedic surgeons, spine-specialized physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians, therapists and exercise physiologists.
Typically, the most advanced spine centers in the United States use PMR physicians as experts in nonsurgical treatment of spine problems. Their training focuses on understanding how posture, walking, standing and sitting all affect the spine. They are the nation's recognized experts in curing back and neck strain without surgery.
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A center of excellence should feature all the necessary treatments and diagnostic technology all under one roof so that a back pain sufferer is not required to travel around for various services. For example, instead of getting a prescription for physical therapy and having to drive across town to a PT clinic that treats elbows, sore knees and shoulders, New Mexico Spine has physical therapists, exercise physiologists, occupational therapists and athletic trainers on-site who treat nothing but spine problems. Consequently, these therapists attend advanced educational programs to stay current with the most advanced back treatments—something a general therapist would be unable to do.
Research has shown that complex problems like back pain are treated more successfully through a multidisciplinary approach, involving the best aspects of many complementary back specialists. The strength of New Mexico Spine lies in the medical expertise brought by a variety of complementary specialists such as physical medicine, orthopedic surgery and physical therapy.
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Through the use of written clinical protocols, physicians take a uniform approach to managing injured backs. This ensures that no one will receive unnecessary or premature surgery. These protocols also eliminate diagnostic tests and uncomfortable procedures when they really are not necessary. This saves the patient unnecessary pain, discomfort and money. More importantly, the main reason that centers of excellence develop clinical protocols is that protocols improve care by reducing treatment variation. Clinical protocols act as guidelines to ensure that the right thing is done at the right time, every time. In a sense, having such protocols makes sure all physicians in the center are practicing the same kind of medicine—the best medicine.
New Mexico Spine also measures clinical outcomes by tracking the status of the patient at the time of their first visit and comparing it to his or her functional status after treatment.
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