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1 6 In addition, the spine surgeons on the medical sta• at Vassar Brothers Medical Center perform larger, open procedures when needed, such as fusion surgery for patients with degenerative scoliosis. Even in these cases, however, physicians use intraoperative navigation systems and specialized implants to speed the procedures and make them less invasive. At Vassar Brothers Medical Center, orthopedic surgeons and neurosurgeons closely collaborate in the care of spine patients, enhancing patient outcomes. "We're a cooperative program, and we work together on issues such as quality control and planning more complicated procedures," Dr. Renaldo says. "This is especially true in trauma cases. We each bring something to the table in terms of knowledge of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems." As Medical Director, Dr. Renaldo wants to continue growing the spine program at Vassar Brothers, and Health Quest supports his mission. "Vassar Brothers Medical Center is continuing to add resources, acquiring new equipment and exploring robotic technology that can sync up with our navigation system," he says. "The hospital has experience in robotic surgery in many departments, and we hope to add those capabilities for spine surgery, as well. The hospital has a new state-of-the-art facility planned for 2019, and the spine program will benefit from that." Family medicine physicians should feel confident with a local referral to Health Quest, Dr. Renaldo says. " We have achieved a high level of quality, and patients are comfortable receiving treatment here," he says. "We have access to the same technology and specialists found in larger facilities. My goal as Medical Director and surgeon is to provide patients with the most directed, focused treatment and the least invasive procedures to correct their problems and help them quickly recover function." PUTNAM HOSPITAL CENTER Hea lt h Quest 's devotion to of fer ing advanced procedures near where patients live and work extends to Putnam Hospital Center, as well. For more than 20 years, Andrew Peretz, MD, FA AOS*, board- certified orthopedic spine surgeon and Co-director of Spine Surgery at Putnam Hospita l Center, has worked to build an active and innovative spine surgery program at Putnam Hospital Center. Five years ago, he was joined in this endeavor by Omar N. Syed, MD, FA ANS*, board- certified neurosurgeon and Co-director of Spine Surger y at Putnam Hospita l Center. Today, the hospital has a mini- ma lly invasive program supported by state-of-the-art equipment and highly trained operating room sta•. Dr. Peretz and Dr. Syed perform cer- v ica l a r thropla st y, k y phopla st y, a nd procedures to treat spina l stenosis and spondylolisthesis, and provide fracture care at Putnam Hospita l Center. They also remove spinal tumors. Many surger- ies are performed on an outpatient basis. " T h e m o s t c o m m o n p r o c e d u r e s performed at Putnam Hospita l Center a r e t h o s e t h a t r e l i e v e n e u r o l o g i c impingement or radicular nerve pain," says Dr. Peretz. "Those surgeries have high success rates a nd predictability of outcomes." Drs. Peretz and Syed approach cases conservatively, getting to know patients a nd educating them about nonsurg i- ca l as well as surgica l options to treat back pain. "I see patients multiple times before surger y, of ten involving the fa mily in Dr. Peretz and technologist Deneen Zirofsky review a patient's X-ray. 1 6❱❱❱❱❱ S P E C I A L F E A T U R E PHOTO © JOHN HALPERN Craig M. Shannon, MD*, and Dr. Renaldo perform spine surgery at Vassar Brothers Medical Center utilizing the O-arm.