Understanding Clinical Outcomes

The TRUE definition of quality is reduction of variation about the mean. As quality experts note, unless you have data, you have no business talking about quality. Texas Spine and Scoliosis, Austin — a multidisciplinary spine center with fellowship-trained spine specialists in physical therapy, physical medicine & rehabilitation, orthopedic surgery and neurosurgery — is one of the few spine centers in the nation tracking and publishing their clinical outcomes for back and neck pain and scoliosis.

Unlike most providers of back and neck pain, a regional spine center typically receives the most complex patients. At Texas Spine and Scoliosis, about one of every three patients coming in the front door has had previous back surgery at other clinics. Additionally, half of new patients coming into the spine center have red flag symptoms like numbness into a leg or arm, which are symptoms of a herniated disc, rather than simple acute back or neck muscle strain. This severity of new patients presents a challenge for a spine center. Still, the spine center emphasized non-surgical options first, holding surgery as the last resort.

2021 Clinical Outcomes for Spine Care
at Texas Spine and Scoliosis, Austin, Texas

The 2021 Clinical Non-Surgical Outcomes Report is based on the tracking of 153 patients who received non-surgical spine care at Texas Spine & Scoliosis. The outcomes data is based on an outside outcomes measurement system called “Promis”. Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) is an NIH-funded initiative to develop and validate patient reported outcomes (PROs) for clinical research and practice.

The Surgical Clinical Outcomes track those patients who failed non-surgical treatment options and needed LOW BACK spine surgery to recover from their symptoms.

At 6 months after DECOMPRESSION SURGERY, 90% of patients reported significant percent improvement in their Oswestry Disability index scores.

At 6 months after MICRO-DISCECTOMY SURGERY, 75% of patients reported significant percent improvement in their Oswestry Disability index scores.

Click here to download the 2021 Outcomes pdf.
Click here to download the 2020 Back & Neck Outcomes pdf.
Click here to download the 2020 Scoliosis & Spinal Deformity Outcomes pdf.

Highlight of Clinical Outcome Measures from 2019:

• Percent of patients that receive therapy (either at Texas Spine and Scoliosis or elsewhere) as a part of their care = 69.8%
• Percent of patients who were satisfied with the time the doctor spent with them = 96%
• Percent of patients taking 5 or more pills daily for pain relief after treatment = 7.5%
• Percent of patients who would recommend the clinic to a friend or relative = 91%

Dr. Matthew Geck is involved in research that advances the treatment of scoliosis through his association with Dell Medical School in Austin, Texas. This video features Dr. Geck, Assistant Professor of Surgery at Dell Medical School, providing a lecture on minimally invasive scoliosis surgery at the Dell Medical School Grand Rounds in June 2023. The video outlines 2023 clinical outcomes for minimally invasive scoliosis surgery compared to traditional surgery with a single long incision. The video shows dramatic before/after images of successful scoliosis correction. Dr. Geck is a leader in the development of mini scoliosis surgery that uses three smaller incisions to correct the spinal curve rather than one long incision. The mini scoliosis surgery technique lessens blood loss and disruption to muscles and ligaments in the back. The smaller incisions enable the scoliosis surgery patient to recover more quickly with a less painful rehab. Few scoliosis surgeons in the United States are trained in mini scoliosis surgery. More information can be found at ScoliosisTexas.com and TexasSpineandScoliosis.com. Dr. Geck maintains an active Austin, Texas scoliosis practice specializing 100% in adult and adolescent scoliosis, which attracts scoliosis patients from across the United States to the nationally known spine center. The spine center is the only spine center in Texas featured on SpineCenterNetwork.com as a regional spine center of excellence.