By JAMES DOWD

Creation

In a landscape where spine care has long been segmented by specialty and siloed expertise, a new model of multidisciplinary collaboration is taking root at the OrthoSouth Spine Institute. The Institute represents a unique and unified approach to spine care, bringing together orthopedic spine surgeons and neurosurgeons under one comprehensive umbrella — not just in name, but in practice.

Jason Weaver, MD, a long-standing member of the Semmes Murphey neurosurgical group and now part of OrthoSouth Spine Institute, said the practice is the first of its kind in the region.

"Two new surgeons came on board last year and it was a pivotal moment,” Weaver said. “We put our heads together to collaborate across specialties to create a true multidisciplinary spine institute."

Sam Schroerlucke, MD, an orthopedic spine surgeon who has been in Memphis since 2010, said the partnership between spine surgeons and neurosurgeons makes perfect sense.

"In every city, there’s often a divide between spine surgeons and neurosurgeons, with different practices and different philosophies,” Schroerlucke said. “We felt the best patient outcomes would come from collaboration and no other practice in our area has that combined expertise."

The Spine Institute is a joint effort to streamline spine care from diagnosis through rehabilitation, combining the full spectrum of operative and non-operative treatments. The program integrates orthopedic spine surgery, neurosurgery, interventional pain management, as well as physical therapy services across Memphis.

True to its mission, the OrthoSouth Spine Institute is functionally and operationally collaborative. Monthly case conferences are attended by all involved specialists and serve as both educational forums and decision-making hubs.

Judith Lee-Sigler, MD, who was instrumental in operationalizing the Spine Institute model, said the collaborations focus on the providing comprehensive patient care.

“These are not superficial meetings,” Lee-Sigler said. “We present upcoming cases, review recent outcomes, and ask hard questions. When patients know their case has been reviewed by 9 or 10 specialists, they feel that level of attention and it builds confidence.”

To enhance efficiency and continuity of care, patient navigators assist in streamlining diagnostic workflows and guiding patients through a sometimes-complex care journey. This ensures that treatment plans — surgical or otherwise — are developed with a cohesive understanding of each patient’s pathology and progress.

The Spine Institute’s surgical capabilities span the full spectrum, from outpatient microdiscectomies to complex tumor and deformity reconstructions. Through partnerships, including one with the Memphis Grizzlies organization, the team has access to the most advanced MRI and 3D imaging available in the region.

“We’re using some of the most sophisticated diagnostic and imaging tools available, which means we’re getting patients to the right diagnosis faster,” Weaver said. “That means everything in spine care.”

“We’re ahead of the curve regionally in our use of robotics and minimally invasive techniques,” Schroerlucke said. “These tools are not only improving outcomes, but also enabling more procedures to be done safely in the outpatient setting."

On the non-operative side, the Institute incorporates highly specialized pain management protocols, including epidural injections, nerve blocks, trigger point injections, Botox for spasticity, and implantable stimulators. All are tailored to patient-specific pathology.

“We don’t just try a range of treatments and hope something works,” Lee-Sigler said. “There’s a structure and a system to determine what’s actually helping before progressing to surgery.”

Perhaps the most transformative aspect of the Spine Institute is the cultural shift it represents. All three physicians emphasized that this is not a marketing initiative or a collection of independent practitioners, it's a fundamentally different way of practicing medicine.

“This is not about seeing more patients, it’s about doing it better,” Schroerlucke said. “Anyone who’s ever treated spine patients knows how difficult and nuanced it is, so we’re bringing more expertise to the table."

That spirit of shared responsibility across orthopedic and neurosurgical disciplines has improved care and generated buy-in from the wider medical staff, especially as early success stories began to emerge.

“This is more fun, too, Weaver said. “We’re working with like-minded people who check their egos at the door and collaborate to do what’s best for the patients’"

The Spine Institute continues to evolve, with future plans for expanded services, rotating leadership on its internal Spine Board, and growing regional referral networks. For patients in the MidSouth and beyond — from Arkansas to Mississippi to East Tennessee — this represents a new standard of spine care.

“Patients tell us it’s a relief because they know everything’s in one place,” Lee-Sigler said. “They don’t have to do anything extra, and that level of peace of mind changes everything.”