{"id":81,"date":"2026-04-13T15:16:21","date_gmt":"2026-04-13T15:16:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nypost.ascendagency.com\/?p=81"},"modified":"2026-04-13T15:16:21","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T15:16:21","slug":"how-atlas-is-approaching-modern-healthcare-in-an-experience-driven-economy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nypost.ascendagency.com\/?p=81","title":{"rendered":"How Atlas is approaching modern healthcare in an experience-driven economy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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In today\u2019s economy, healthcare providers are increasingly being chosen for the experience they provide. Research<\/a> from Modern Healthcare indicates that many healthcare patients are shifting to a digital-first model, focused on individual needs and preferences to offer more convenient and personalized care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This stands in stark contrast to overall perceptions of healthcare in the United States, with only 44% of adults<\/a> saying the country has excellent healthcare. Concerns over wait times, communication gaps, and quality of care \u2014 not to mention financial-related issues \u2014 have drastically eroded trust and confidence in healthcare in general.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In stark contrast to this, Dr. Christopher Elia, co-founder of Atlas Spine & Brain Surgeons<\/a>, has been working to evolve how healthcare is delivered, providing patients the level of personalization, expertise, and person-first care necessary for meeting the demands of the experience economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Patient-Centric Approach<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Dr. Karam Asmaro, who left another health system last year to co-found Atlas alongside Drs. Elia and Fahim, one of the most important elements of setting Atlas apart in a positive way is adopting a patient-first approach to healthcare. \u201cEspecially in our discipline of spinal and neurosurgery, each patient\u2019s health background and current health challenges are unique,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe can\u2019t prescribe a one-size-fits-all solution,\u201d says their other partner, Dr. Daniel Fahim. \u201cWe have to look at each patient as an individual to understand which procedures will work best for solving the challenges they are facing. This requires meeting with the patients individually, going through their information and taking the time to educate them on their options. We need to be personable and caring during this time, because prepping for a procedure can be very stressful.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the Atlas team, hearing patients tell them that they felt like they were treated like family can be a powerful indicator that they are delivering on this important \u201cpatient-first\u201d mindset. Studies have found<\/a> that clinicians who demonstrate warmth and kindness, deep listening and social connection are better able to provide the emotional support patients need, which in turn creates more positive patient experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing thorough, communicative and caring is how we help people feel confident when making these important surgical decisions,\u201d Dr. Fahim says. \u201cThese kinds of things really do make a difference. When people feel like they are being rushed through a healthcare visit or not getting the information they need, it sours the entire experience. It leaves them feeling uncertain and confused. Creating that environment where they feel comfortable and confident is key to gaining trust so we can be their provider of choice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leveraging Experience and Evolving Approaches<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Atlas\u2019s patient-centric approach certainly sets a positive tone for experience-focused customers, pairing that atmosphere with industry-leading surgical experience and a forward-thinking approach is also vital for the practice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSurgical procedures need to keep evolving, always with a focus on what is best for the individual patient,\u201d Dr. Asmaro says. \u201cHow can we make a procedure less invasive? How can we shorten recovery times? What can we do to best ensure a patient will be able to become pain-free and return to their normal activities? That mindset, where we are always questioning, always looking for the best individual solution, is what leads to the best outcome for the patient. When all is said and done, that\u2019s what they care about most. This is the kind of shift we need to see in healthcare as a whole.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This mindset reflects the growing trend in healthcare for \u201cvalue-based<\/a>\u201d care, which emphasizes that improving health outcomes for individual patients is the best way to create value for the patients, society and medical providers. In value-based care, providers focus on the dimensions of capability, comfort and calm \u2014 patients\u2019 abilities to be themselves and live normally while getting relief from physical and\/or emotional suffering.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In an era where as many as 70% of patients<\/a> feel the healthcare system is failing them in some way, value-based care is becoming an ever more important differentiator in the experience economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Elia adds, \u201cdrawing from our own experience and focusing on what will be best for each individual patient, while always trying to improve what we can do, is how we get better outcomes. This is the future of healthcare \u2014 looking for ways to continually improve so we can reduce complications and readmissions and get better outcomes for patients. The practices that adopt this mindset may be better positioned to thrive because patients are naturally going to go to the places where they are seeing better health outcomes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Supporting Better Outcomes<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unsurprisingly, Atlas\u2019s approach does more than shape patient experiences \u2014 it has also helped support the practice\u2019s ongoing economic stability, in part due to positive patient feedback. By creating positive, professional experiences for dealing with what could otherwise be extremely stressful surgical procedures, the Atlas team is demonstrating how modern healthcare practices can best differentiate themselves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The patient-centric approach paired with an emphasis on value-based care helps deliver the best experience for patients, which in turn can allow for natural growth through word of mouth and direct referrals. In an experience-driven economy, these growth drivers can ultimately prove more effective than any measure of paid advertising.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This article is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. If you are seeking medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, please consult a medical professional or healthcare provider.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In today\u2019s economy, healthcare providers are increasingly being chosen for the experience they provide. Research from Modern Healthcare indicates that many healthcare patients are shifting to a digital-first model, focused on individual needs and preferences to offer more convenient and personalized care. This stands in stark contrast to overall perceptions of healthcare in the United […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-81","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nypost.ascendagency.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nypost.ascendagency.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nypost.ascendagency.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nypost.ascendagency.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nypost.ascendagency.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=81"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/nypost.ascendagency.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":83,"href":"https:\/\/nypost.ascendagency.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81\/revisions\/83"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nypost.ascendagency.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=81"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nypost.ascendagency.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=81"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nypost.ascendagency.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=81"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}