By Annette Pinder
Neurosurgical procedures are traditionally performed at a hospital, but Atlas Surgery Center (Atlas) is changing all that. Founded by a group of 10 surgeons and three interventional pain management physicians, Atlas is located at 50 George Karl Boulevard off Wehrle Drive in Amherst, behind UB Neurosurgery (UBNS).
“Equipped with four operating rooms and two procedure suites, patients undergo cervical spine fusion, lumbar fusion, disc surgery, decompression of the spinal cord, and interventional pain injections, and return home within hours,” explains Elad Levy, MD, Chair of UBNS. Undergoing extensive pre-surgical screening, rarely does a patient require an overnight stay.
Michael Cournyea, CEO of UBNS predicts that Atlas will perform 750 to 1,000 neurosurgeries and 2,000 pain injection procedures in its first year of operation. Noting the cost of care, staff shortages, and the need for inpatient hospital stays to be reserved for the sickest patients requiring more complex surgeries. Dr. Levy anticipates that Atlas will alleviate the current burden faced by many hospitals and the delays patients experience at hospitals while awaiting surgery due to scheduling difficulties and unanticipated emergencies.
Dr. Levy says, “Speaking with industry leaders, it became obvious to me that 50 percent of neurosurgical procedures could be performed on an outpatient basis. We also knew we could provide patients with excellent care by the same great doctors in a peaceful and comfortable patient-centered boutique environment insulated from the hustle and bustle of a hospital.”
Also, if you are looking for a career change, Atlas is hiring, and word has it that the combination of a peaceful environment, clearly defined hours, and caring colleagues are a welcome change for many who work there. Call Atlas Surgery Center at 716-650-0905 to learn more.
