post-op, but those patients were caught as a direct result of the 4-hour
stay protocol.
As long as patient safety is made as much of a priority as surgical
innovation, outpatient spine will continue to be an attractive option
for progressive facilities. "It's no longer a question of if spine surgery
can be done in an outpatient setting," says Dr. McGirt. "The real ques-
tions now are by who and when."
OSM
4 4 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • M A R C H 2 0 1 9
