I think it would have to be testifying in front of Congress on issues that matter to our patients and profession. It is an honor and a privilege to be able to interact with decision makers in the state and federal government to explain the issues we all face daily. Over 300 million people access healthcare through our system and it is our job to educate those who make decisions and provide solutions that improve the lives of our patients and the sustainability of our profession.

Our healthcare system, and spine specifically, is becoming more fragmented with limited collaboration. Our best care is delivered when we work together, not in silos. While I firmly believe that the consolidation of healthcare has dramatically worsened our system and the care we deliver, that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t find ways to collaborate with colleagues from our own specialty or from similar specialties, such as orthopedic spine surgeons working together with neurosurgeons and pain management in their communities. I am concerned that the economic realities and the changes in our culture have led to less interaction and future generations of physicians will need to learn how to break down barriers within our system and work together.

NASS provided me with a professional home specific to my specialty that I couldn’t get through my membership in the AAOS. Spine is a somewhat forgotten field within orthopedics and those of us who practice spine surgery need a place to collaborate and innovate with our peers. NASS has provided me with these opportunities and advanced my career and in return I felt it was important to give back in my areas of knowledge and expertise.