Each month, The Institute for Nerve Medicine receives hundreds of emails from people all around the world, many asking questions about our medical practice and Dr. Aaron G. Filler, MD PhD, in particular.
Here are a couple of questions recently asked and answered:
What is Dr. Filler’s success rate?
Unlike many practicing neurosurgeons, Dr. Filler has several publications in peer reviewed academic journals to support his treatment methods. Patient outcomes are provided through double-blind studies and are objectively published by these major clinical references:
- Aaron G. Filler, M.D., Ph.D., et al.: Sciatica of nondisc origin and piriformis syndrome: diagnosis by magnetic resonance Neurography and interventional magnetic resonance imaging with outcome study of resulting treatment (Large Scale Formal Outcome Trial of Neurography in Sciatica): Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine, February 2005. 2(2) 99-115
- Diagnosis and management of pudendal nerve entrapment syndromes: Impact of MR Neurography and open MR-guided injections. Neurosurgery Quarterly 18:1-6 (2008).
- Diagnosis and treatment of pudendal nerve entrapment syndrome subtypes: imaging, injections, and minimal access surgery. Neurosurg Focus 26 (2) E9: (2009)
- Surgical outcomes for Thoracic Outlet Syndrome are published in Neurosurgery Focus: Endoscopic thoracic discectomy. Neurosurg. Focus 9(4): Article 11 (2000).
In addition to medical papers, Dr. Filler is also the author of several books including the very popular “Do You Really Need Back Surgery? A Neurosurgeon’s Guide to Back Surgery” (Oxford University Press).
If you are interested in Dr. Filler’s opinions on back surgery, you may purchase this book at Amazon by clicking here.
The second installment and follow up to “Do You Really Need Back Surgery?” is currently in development and is targeted for an early 2012 release.
Why isn’t Dr. Filler contracted with insurance?
Contracted providers are bound by insurance plan guidelines that may not meet the standard of care, because it is simply easier for insurance plans to have less-experienced providers complete less-efficient treatments.
Dr. Filler is only interested in completing procedures that meet or exceed the standard of care. Consequently, he prefers to remain out of network.
Patients questioning the standards of in-network doctors should look at their own case handling. Why are they seeking help outside of the network? What are the reasons behind in-network doctors and their methods not working?
The fact is that many expert and specialty doctors are out of network because they want to practice excellent medicine – not practice medicine defined by insurance plan quotes and cookie-cutter injections or surgeries that simply do not work.
Quality of care is something that should never be compromised due to an insurance plan limitation. Patients who are considering treatment or surgery are urged to seek second opinions from board-certified neurosurgeons and peripheral nerve specialists like Dr. Filler before completing any procedure.
If you would like to take advantage of having an expert take a second look at your case please contact The Institute for Nerve Medicine by email contact@nervemed.com or call 310-314-6410.
