For many patients who experience back pain and other concerns related to the spine, a variety of treatments may bring effective relief without surgical intervention. For others, surgery is a necessary step on the path to healing.
In any case, a skilled spine specialist is an essential partner to determine the best course of action to improve one’s quality of life.
“As a spine surgeon, you want to do the right procedure on the right patient at right time, to help them along on their care journey,” says J. Michael Glover, MD, MBA, FAAOS, a spine specialist who joined UTMB’s Department of Orthopedic Surgery last fall. “You want to do what’s necessary, and with the best evidence available.”
Dr. Glover joins a versatile spine team that encompasses care for both adult and pediatric patients, and includes colleagues in Orthopedics as well as in the Department of Neurosurgery.
Dr. Glover sees patients for most spine cases, including spinal degenerative diseases and deformity, as well as spinal trauma and infection. His clinical expertise is adult spinal reconstructive surgery using open and minimally invasive techniques, as well as total disc arthroplasty.
Although Dr. Glover is a new faculty member, his arrival at UTMB represents a homecoming. He is a graduate of UTMB School of Medicine and is excited to be back serving patients in Galveston, where he began his career journey and made many lasting memories.
After earning his medical degree, he completed his General Surgery internship at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio and his Orthopedic Surgery residency training at Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center in San Antonio, TX, then a Reconstructive Spine Surgery fellowship at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, WI. Additionally, he holds a Master of Business Administration from Arizona State University in Tempe, AZ.
Dr. Glover’s experience before returning to UTMB as faculty is wide ranging. For 12 years, he was active duty in the United States Air Force. Following this service, he went into private practice in Jackson, TN, then spent 16 years in Flagstaff, AZ, where he gained a variety of practice and leadership experience at Flagstaff Medical Center.
He has also had the unique experience of working on the insurance side of healthcare as a medical director, gaining valuable insights into another aspect of care delivery.
In his current role at UTMB, Dr. Glover appreciates the collaborative approach shared by physicians across specialties. He is happy to work with primary care providers, pain management, his Orthopedics colleagues, and others as needed to deliver outstanding care. He says the primary care physician may order imaging or certain evaluations for a spine patient before referring to Orthopedics, but prior workup is not required.
“An interdisciplinary approach is critical, especially on the inpatient side. A team-based approach is very important to making sure the patient gets taken care of the best way possible,” he says.
Likewise, partnering with the patient on their care plan is just as important. A spine specialist can help determine whether the patient may benefit from physical therapy or anti-inflammatory medication, or if surgery is needed, then what approach is most appropriate.
“Most patients with spine problems can be treated nonoperatively, but for those who need spine surgery, we want to offer that. We want to engage with patient and share in the decision on what can be done to help them out. That’s the goal we
want to achieve,” he says.
 | J. Michael Glover, MD, MBA, FAAOS, sees patients in clinic at League City Campus and the Primary Care Pavilion in Galveston and performs most of his surgeries at the Galveston campus. He is also available for general orthopedics calls. Learn more about spine surgery services at UTMB. |