Becker’s Healthcare Podcast

Guest: Dr. Erich G. Anderer, Chief of the Division of Neurosurgery and Surgical Director of Perioperative Services, NYU Langone Hospital–Brooklyn

Host: Carly Beam

Date: December 13, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Carly Beam sits down with Dr. Erich G. Anderer to explore major trends in healthcare, particularly within neurosurgery and spine care. Dr. Anderer shares insights from his leadership role at NYU Langone Hospital–Brooklyn, discussing the impact of information access, technology, and patient-centered care in community settings. The conversation touches on AI, robotics, public health initiatives, and the shifting ways surgeons and physicians interact with increasingly informed patients.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Dr. Anderer's Background and Role

• Chief of Neurosurgery and co-director of Perioperative Services at NYU Langone Hospital–Brooklyn.
• Has strong ties to Brooklyn, serving his community for over 20 years.
• Instrumental in elevating neurosurgical care post NYU’s acquisition of the former Lutheran Medical Center in 2016 ([00:20]).

Top Three Healthcare Trends (01:06)

1. Access to Information

• The democratization of health information online empowers patients.
• Patients now come to appointments more informed, which can lead to better, more productive discussions.
• However, there is a downside: “The access to sort of voluminous amounts of information that is sometimes hard to verify can be somewhat problematic. But I think on balance, it's been a good thing.” — Dr. Anderer ([02:12]).

2. Technology in Surgery

• Enthusiastic about the adoption of robotics, especially in spine surgery.
• AI is beginning to influence patient selection, surgical planning, and postoperative care.
• Tech is “revolutionizing the way that we look at surgery and who should be having surgery” ([02:55]).

3. Focus on Root Causes of Disease

• Increased attention on preventing disease and promoting healthy lifestyles as opposed to simply treating symptoms.
• “Even as a surgeon, how do we keep people from having spine surgery?... the hope is that it's only the small minority of people that are going to really need surgery.” ([03:51])

Community Initiatives & Non-Surgical Approaches (05:04)

• Advancements in minimally invasive and robotic spine procedures at NYU Langone Hospital–Brooklyn.
• Emphasis on avoiding surgery where possible, supporting non-invasive interventions like yoga.
  • “Anyone that knows me... knows that I'm sort of a fan of yoga, sent my patients into it... I think going into a beginner type of program that's modified for people with back pain I think can be very, very beneficial.” ([06:11])
• Mention of collaborative work with yoga teacher Eddie Stern, integrating traditional modalities with conventional medicine.

Navigating the "Information Culture" in Patient Interactions (08:15)

• Surgeons may initially feel defensive with “Dr. Google” patients, but Dr. Anderer views their research as a bridge for discussion.
  • “I usually look at as an opportunity and say, oh, well, tell me about what you read... I'm happy to kind of give you my take on it and why it is that I think X, Y or Z is the way to go.” ([08:42])
• Patients’ self-education can foster more collaborative and efficient consultations.

Growth Strategy for Community Care (10:03)

• Focus on providing high-quality, complex spine care within local neighborhoods, so patients don’t have to travel to tertiary centers in Manhattan.
  • “The goal really is to provide the same level of care in the context that, you know, where you live, you know, with your families, with your community, without you having to actually travel for it.” ([10:43])
• Mission to build and staff advanced care facilities in underserved areas.

Major Obstacles to Growth (11:50)

• Main barriers are infrastructural: finances, resource allocation, and regulatory factors.
  • “They have to be self-sustaining... fiscal responsibility obviously has to play a part in this because, you know, if you don't... you can't take care of people if you can't keep the lights on.” ([12:33])
• Community response is overwhelmingly positive, but logistics and funding remain key headwinds.

Future Disruptors in Spine and Neurosurgery (13:25)

• Predicts technology, especially AI and robotics, will be the biggest disruptors to the field.
• AI’s predictive analytics can help tailor treatment plans and anticipate patient needs.
  • “We're going to have to have some sort of human oversight into how this is done. But... to sort of harness the power of AI and tech in general, I think... is really going to change the way that we diagnose and treat disease.” ([14:22])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Patients Doing Their Own Research:
  “Honestly, I sort of see it as an opportunity rather than a hindrance to sort of a burgeoning doctor patient relationship.” — Dr. Erich Anderer ([09:36])

• On the Importance of Community-Based Advanced Care:
  “The onus should be on these medical centers to go out there and to... build the resources in the communities that people live in.” — Dr. Erich Anderer ([11:16])

• On Financial Realities:
  “No margin, no mission... you can't take care of people if you can't keep the lights on.” — Dr. Erich Anderer ([12:33])

• On Technology as a Disruptor:
  “To sort of harness the power of AI and tech in general... is really going to change the way that we diagnose and treat disease.” — Dr. Erich Anderer ([14:22])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:20] — Dr. Anderer's introduction and career background
• [01:06] — Top three healthcare trends
• [05:04] — Initiatives to address spine health and root causes
• [08:15] — Addressing patient self-research and information culture
• [10:03] — Vision for care delivery and growth in Brooklyn
• [11:50] — Major headwinds to community care expansion
• [13:25] — Future disruptors: AI and robotics in neurosurgery

Overall Tone

Dr. Anderer speaks with humility, patient-centered optimism, and candor. He welcomes change and disruption brought by technology and empowered patients, and he’s enthusiastic about bringing high-level care directly into communities that need it most. The tone is pragmatic yet hopeful for the continued evolution of healthcare.