Summit Spinecare Recognized by NCQA for Excellence in Back Care

ST. PAUL, Minn., Dec. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Summit Spinecare, a regional spine center based near St. Paul, Minnesota has been awarded recognition from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) in their Back Pain program last month. NCQA works with health insurance companies and healthcare providers to certify programs that achieve certain quality benchmarks in their area of specialization.

To be awarded recognition from NCQA in their quality program, Summit Spinecare had to document clinical quality criteria across a variety of clinical categories. A spine center, for example, has to be prudent with use of X-ray and MRI imaging; has to emphasize non-surgical treatment options; and has to recommend exercise and movement for back pain rather than inactivity.  

Summit Spinecare includes fellowship-trained spine surgeons and non-surgical spine physicians, spine injectionists, an internal spine exercise gym with spine therapists; X-ray; and an injection suite — all under one roof. "What makes Summit Spinecare unique as a regional spine center is that it emphasizes non-surgical treatment options for back and neck problems and has an equal balance of non-surgeons to surgeons," explains Dr. Tom Cesarz, a specialist in Physical Medicine at the spine center.  "The United States has twice the rate of spine surgery as other countries. Too often the patient is pushed toward spine surgery rather than non-surgical treatment options that can relieve the pain symptoms for many types of back and neck pain problems.  By earning recognition by NCQA, Summit Spinecare has demonstrated that it provides effective, evidence-based care to patients with back pain."

Summit Spinecare was founded in 2009 as the spine specialty center for Summit Orthopedics, the largest orthopedic group in the State of Minnesota. Summit Spinecare had several firsts in the state: It was the first to publish a Clinical Outcome Report Card that revealed the percent of patients receiving spine surgery, injections and therapy; functional status pre and post treatment; percent of patients still taking five or more pills daily after treatment; and extensive patient satisfaction scores across seven categories. Unlike other practices that conduct their own surveys, Summit Spinecare uses a valid outcome process that has an outside auditor track patient outcomes and satisfaction.

The spine center of excellence also was the first in the state to produce a free 36-page Home Remedy Book and distribute it free upon request to residents of Minnesota as a community service. The spine center's educational website at SummitSpinecare.com features symptom charts on what symptoms need to be seen immediately to prevent paralysis and nerve damage; an online spine exercise library; and online forms where patients can submit information leading to a second opinion for spine surgery.

Summit Spinecare also is the only spine center in the State of Minnesota within the national network of spine Centers of Excellence at SpineCenterNetwork.com, which requires spine centers to publish valid clinical outcomes for consumers, physicians and health insurance companies to review. For more information about Summit Spinecare call 651-738-BACK.

Media Contact:
Monica Titus, Summit Spinecare
(651) 968-5677
[email protected]

SOURCE Summit Spinecare