When a spine surgeon is the patient
UCI Health expert reflects on how a past experience impacts his care today
September 26, 2023
Dr. Yu-Po Lee is a spine surgeon with
UCI Health Orthopaedic Surgery
Services.
IN THE NEWS: Physicians like spine surgeons spend the better portions of their lives studying and preparing to provide in some cases lifesaving care to their patients. What happens when the script is flipped and these esteemed specialists become the patients?
UCI Health spine surgeon Dr. Yu-Po Lee, a professor of orthopaedic surgery at the UCI School of Medicine, offered his thoughts to Becker’s Spine Review.
“But any orthopedic injury, no matter how small, can be very disabling. I was able to recover very quickly from my injury and go back to the life that I was living. We are all very fortunate to be able to practice medicine. Orthopaedic surgeons and healthcare [professionals] are able to successfully cure their patients and restore their lives. I was very grateful to everyone who was involved in my care and hope that I try to provide the same care and compassion that I was shown when I was injured.”
Lee has been named a Physician of Excellence annually by the Orange County Medical Association since 2020. He specializes in spine surgery with a focus on adult degenerative conditions. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and North American Spine Society. He has authored over 100 chapters and articles on minimally invasive spine surgery. He is nationally recognized for his excellence in spinal surgery and patient care and has been recognized by America’s Top Orthopedic Surgeons and is the recipient of Castle Connolly’s Top Doctors award and the Patients’ Choice Award.
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