Sitting down with Ivan E. LaMotta, orthopaedic spine surgeon
(803) 256-4107
What differentiates your practice from other specialists in the field?
The Midlands is blessed to have many skilled orthopaedic surgeons and neurosurgeons who provide high quality care. The physicians of Midlands Orthopaedics & Neurosurgery have the unique opportunity to offer both high quality and lower cost care because we are private practice physicians. Both government and private insurance companies tend to pay more for services provided by hospital-employed physicians than they do for services rendered by private practices; therefore, the patient’s portion of the fee will also be higher.
When an MRI or surgery is involved, those out-of-pocket costs can add up. We proudly offer those services at a lower cost. We are also able to estimate with high accuracy each patient’s out-of-pocket expense prior to the procedure so families can budget accordingly rather than feeling overwhelmed when a statement arrives with a balance they were not expecting.
What are the latest developments/innovations in your field?
Across the country, outpatient total joint replacement and advanced spine procedures are quickly transitioning to ambulatory surgery centers. Procedures that historically required a week in the hospital followed by several weeks in a rehab facility are now being safely performed in the ASC setting with excellent outcomes. Advances in surgical technique, anesthesia and pain management coupled with the use of home health rather than inpatient rehab allows healthy patients to receive a new joint or disc and return home in the same day.
The average cost of these procedures is 30 to 60 percent less when performed at an ASC as compared to local hospitals. The surgeons of Midlands Orthopaedics & Neurosurgery have performed more than 800 total joint procedures and more than 160 advanced spine procedures in the ASC setting with a complication rate of only 0.51 percent.
