Spine Surgery

Covenant Health is home to the region’s only spine surgery network.

middle age doctor showing xray to elderly male patient

Spine Surgery at Covenant Health

Covenant Health is home to the region’s only spine surgery network, with three Spine Centers located at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center, Methodist Medical Center and Parkwest Medical Center.

Our multidisciplinary team includes neurosurgeons, orthopedic surgeons, nurses, physical therapists and occupational therapists.

Covenant Health physicians use the latest technology and treatment methods for inpatient and outpatient surgeries, including minimally invasive surgery techniques that result in faster recoveries, less postoperative pain and fewer complications. Our goal is for you to get back to doing the activities you love as quickly as possible.

Our Spine Centers perform more than 2,000 elective spine surgeries each year, and 95% of our elective spine surgery patients go directly home after surgery.

female surgeon talks to male surgeon with schedule board
young female doctor in mask supporting elderly female patient in mask
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I called immediately, got an MRI, and got in to see Dr. Norman in a week. After he saw my MRI, he said, ‘This isn’t an easy fix. You’ve got a lot going on down there.’ After surgery, I was feeling totally awesome. He really helped me. He has changed my life.

Angela Maxwell, Covenant Patient

Back Surgery

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The first time I met Dr. Paul Johnson he walked in with the MRI report and said, ‘Your back is a wreck! What are we going to do about it?’” the 71-year-old Powell woman said. “I said, ‘I don’t know. You are the expert – you’ll have to tell me!’ And he did. He told me that surgery was a likely option.” He quickly found Halliburton’s problem – two deteriorating and ruptured lumbar vertebrae at L4 and L5. “He told me that we could do surgery or we could try some other treatments,” she said.

Anna Halliburton, Covenant Patient

Back Surgery

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I had two surgeries, eight years apart. Dr. Maccree performed the SI joint fusion surgery on my left side. Before the second surgery, I had a familiar hurting pain like I did before. It was night and day how I felt after the second surgery. Dr. Maccree makes things easy to understand, answers your questions, and has a good bedside manner.

Brian Raines, Covenant Patient

Joint Fusion Surgery

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Spinal Injuries and Diseases

If you’re experiencing back or neck problems that prevent you from enjoying every day life, Covenant Health has highly qualified surgeons who treat a wide range of spinal conditions. Our spinal surgeons offer treatment options for conditions including:

  • Spinal cord injuries
  • Herniated or ruptured discs
  • Degenerative disc disease
  • Spine tumors
  • Spinal stenosis
  • Sciatica
  • Spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis

Learn more about spine surgery with our spine surgery class.

Covenant Health Spine Centers

All three Covenant Health Spine Centers located at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center, Methodist Medical Center and Parkwest Medical Center are BlueCross BlueShield Blue Centers of Distinction+ for Spine Surgery1.

1Blue Distinction Centers (BDC) met overall quality measures for patient safety and outcomes, developed with input from the medical community. A Local Blue Plan may require additional criteria for providers located in its own service area; for details, contact your Local Blue Plan. Blue Distinction Centers+ (BDC+) also met cost measures that address consumers’ need for affordable healthcare. Each provider’s cost of care is evaluated using data from its Local Blue Plan. Providers in CA, ID, NY, PA, and WA may lie in two Local Blue Plans’ areas, resulting in two evaluations for cost of care; and their own Local Blue Plans decide whether one or both cost of care evaluation(s) must meet BDC+ national criteria. National criteria for BDC and BDC+ are displayed on www.bcbs.com. Individual outcomes may vary. For details on a provider’s in-network status or your own policy’s coverage, contact your Local Blue Plan and ask your provider before making an appointment. Neither Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association nor any Blue Plans are responsible for non-covered charges or other losses or damages resulting from Blue Distinction or other provider finder information or care received from Blue Distinction or other providers.

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Categories

Locations

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Our Spine Surgery Team

Our multidisciplinary team of neurosurgeons, orthopedic surgeons, nurses, physical therapists and occupational therapists are prepared to provide you with the right care at the right time and place.

A Not-For-Profit, Community-Owned Healthcare System

We are committed to improving the quality of life in East Tennessee through better health. In partnership with our generous donors, Covenant’s 10,000+ employees, physicians, and volunteers are providing the very best care for our patients and their families.

Covenant Health