For many spine and orthopedic leaders, the ASC and outpatient migration will be a defining element of 2026.
From innovations and collaborations, the ASC will be a pivotal point for spine care, according to the following seven experts.
Question: What word will define the spine field in 2026? Why?
Jennifer Danner, BSN, RN. Senior director of ASCs at Orlando (Fla.) Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute: The word that will define the spine field in 2026 is “Outpatient.” Advances in minimally invasive techniques, anesthesia, and ERAS protocols are enabling even complex spine cases to safely migrate to ambulatory surgery centers. This shift is driven by improved technology, payer incentives, and patient preference for lower cost and faster recovery. ASCs are becoming equipped to handle these cases with strict selection criteria and robust safety pathways.
Bruce Feldman. Administrator at Eastern Orange Ambulatory Surgery Center (Cornwall, N.Y.): Innovation. We are going to see significant innovations in spine surgery as further use of technology and instrumentation allows more and more higher acuity spine cases to be performed in the ASC setting. This includes the use of AI which will allow for more accurate diagnosis and treatment plans allowing for more minimally invasive procedures to be performed.
Tracy Hoeft-Hoffman, MSN, RN. Administrator at Heartland Surgery Center (Kearney, Neb.): One word that will define the spine field in 2026 is Transformational. Spine care in ASCs is rapidly evolving with expanding procedure complexity, advances in minimally invasive techniques, increased payer acceptance (especially with the additional codes added from CMS), and a fundamental shift in where and how spine surgery is delivered. Meanwhile, technology and implant costs continue to shift quickly.
Yeshvant A. Navalgund, MD. Pain management physician in North Huntingdon, Pa.: The future of spine care will be defined by simplification. As devices become smaller, smarter, and more intuitive, we will see procedures once reserved for hospitals safely migrate into the ASC setting. This shift is not just technological but culturally driven by tighter surgeon and spine interventionist collaboration, standardized training pathways, and shared accountability for outcomes. When innovation reduces complexity and teams align around execution, we expand access, lower costs and raise the bar for patient-centered spine care.
John Prunskis, MD. DxTx Pain & Spine (Chicago): More data-driven spine care. More procedures in an ambulatory surgery center setting.
Michael Redler, MD. Connecticut Orthopaedics (Fairfield): The word that’s going to define orthopedics for 2026 is biology. Our ability to harness biology to enhance healing and outcome is going to increase in an exponential fashion. The challenge, of course, especially in the ASC setting will be to balance the benefit of biological augmentation for healing with the cost associated with it. It will require a great collaboration between surgeons, ASC administrators, our industry partners, and of course, the third-party payers and health insurance companies.
David Russo, DO. Medical director and managing partner at Columbia Pain Management (Hood River, Ore.): By 2026, the spine field will be shaped by the merging of surgical and interventional disciplines, driven by minimally invasive, data-driven care pathways. We’re observing a clearer differentiation between patients who truly benefit from surgery and those who do not, with collaboration replacing competition.
As techniques become more refined and outcomes more measurable, spine surgeons and interventional proceduralists are increasingly working together toward shared goals: durable function, faster recovery, and lower overall care costs. This convergence is transforming how spine care is delivered across ASCs and aligned payment models.
The leaders featured in this article are speaking at Becker’s 23rd Annual Spine, Orthopedic and Pain Management-Driven ASC + The Future of Spine Conference, set for June 11-13, 2026, at the Swissotel Chicago. If you would like to join the event as a speaker, please contact Carly Behm at cbehm@beckershealthcare.com.
