Careers in Anesthesia are Changing, with Opportunities Outside Hospitals
Careers in anesthesia treating non-hospital patients is at the cutting edge of technique and skill while offering greater work-life balance.
Dr. Raju Ghate says efficiency and focus are key to value-based care
Dr. Raju Ghate is one of the most respected Orthopedic Surgeons in Illinois. After his successful private practice was acquired, he joined NorthShore Medical Group at the NorthShore Skokie Hospital. That facility recently transitioned into the Orthopaedic and Spine Institute, an innovative and highly-specialized hospital. Dr. Ghate recently joined us via phone to discuss the biggest changes he’s seen in healthcare recently, the role of technology in surgical planning, and how focusing a hospital’s efforts can lead to efficiency and savings.
[This interview was edited for clarity and length.]
What areas of healthcare do you think are most in need of change right now?
Dr. Raju Ghate: We don’t use technology, such as digital assistants, as well as we could. For example, if you went in and you had knee pain, and your doctor was able to send you your diagnosis on your phone. Then with that diagnosis, they send you videos of the therapy you’re supposed to do. And then this digital assistant would check in with you in four weeks and say, ‘How’s your knee pain? Did the therapy help?’ If it didn’t help [the patient], that would then trigger the digital assistant to make them another appointment to come back in.
What does value-based care mean to you?
Dr. Raju Ghate: What it means to me is what we’re doing in NorthShore. We’ve taken a hospital, and we’ve turned it into an orthopedic hospital, which is an efficient place to work because everyone’s doing the same thing. It makes it so from a cost standpoint, institutionally, a more efficient place to do things.
I think that’s the trend that institutions need to follow, and I’m happy that we’re on the front end of that. Being able to focus everything at one place allows you to do that well because your staff, your nurses, your surgical technicians, even the housekeeping staff all know what they’re doing.
What gets you excited about the future of orthopedics?
Dr. Raju Ghate: Technology’s coming in the operating room. We’re using a lot of 3D-printing in the operating room.
If you’re having your knee replaced in my practice, you get an MRI three or four weeks beforehand. We then interact with that MRI in a digital platform to plan your surgery. Then we hit print and two pieces of plastic print and tell me how to put your new knee in and where it should go.
Recent Posts 
How office-based procedures can impact nursing burnout
With a nursing burnout crisis not looming, but here, what role can office-based procedures play in reducing stress?
Dr. Heike Knorpp on the importance of trust
Mobile Anesthesiologists' Dr. Heike Knorpp shares her insights on trust in the physician-patient relationship and how office-based procedures can impact that.
Dr. Meghan Valach on physician burnout and finding freedom
Alarms have long been sounding about the looming physician burnout crisis facing healthcare and the nation at-large. The pandemic only intensified feelings of depression, depersonalization, lack of professional satisfaction, and emotional exhaustion. The American Medical Association recent reported on findings of a Mayo Clinic study that found during the Omicron wave of the pandemic, a...
How expanding sites of service can benefit everyone
Expanding - not disrupting - sites of service broadens access while bringing down overall costs.
Dr. BobbieJean Sweitzer on the advances of ambulatory anesthesiology
Dr. BobbieJean Sweitzer, past president of the Society for Ambulatory Anesthesiology (SAMBA), shares her insights on where the field is going
The intersection of patient safety and office-based procedures
Dr. David Mayer shares insights into how critical protocols and safeguards can ensure office-based procedures and patient safety align.
How office-based procedures embody the spirit of the quadruple aim
Moving procedures into the office setting checks all the boxes when it comes to the quadruple aim.
AMS’ Tina Mentz on the importance of cost transparency
Cost transparency benefits patients, providers, and payers, so why is the industry so averse to it? Tina Mentz share her thoughts on the importance of sunlight in healthcare spending.
What health systems can gain from shifting sites of service?
Health systems need to differentiate from new players offering easier access and lower costs. Office-based procedures could be the key.
What opportunities do office-based procedures present in urology?
Office-based procedures have a proven track record of safety and myriad benefits for urologists, patients, and payers alike.
Could office-based procedures be the key to growing your practice?
Office-based procedures are growing in popularity as a way for independent practices to grow. So what are the benefits and key considerations physicians must make to safely bring procedures into their own space?
One doctor’s novel approach to bringing down healthcare costs
Armed with a commonsense approach to lowering healthcare costs, anesthesiologist Dr. Marlon Michel is safely, conveniently, and comfortable helping dentists shift their sites-of-service.
What are some of the fastest-growing medical procedures performed in the office space?
More-and-more, medical procedures are being performed safely, conveniently, and affordably in physician's offices and clinics.
4 Reasons Why Part III: Changing Industry and Demographics
Today's post is part III of our ongoing series about moving procedures out of the hospital and into ambulatory surgery center and office-based environments. Today, we're discussing changing patient demographics and market signals.
4 Reasons Why Part II: The Evolution of Office Healthcare Technology
Today's post is part II of our ongoing series about moving procedures out of the hospital and into ambulatory surgery center and office-based environments. We're discussing the contributing factors to the site of service shift, and its benefits to patients and doctors alike. Last week, we covered advances in surgical procedures and anesthesia. This time, we're addressing the rise of office healthcare technology.
4 Reasons Why: Moving Procedures in-Office.
Reason #1: ADVANCES IN ANESTHESIA AND SURGICAL PROCEDURES The modernization of anesthesia, particularly outsourced anesthesia, has played a clear role in the site of service transition to office-based procedures. The healthcare industry is undergoing a dramatic transformation. The past decade has seen a steady increase in surgical procedures moving away from hospital environments into surgery...