Stanford Spine Outcomes Lab Team
John Ratliff, MD, FACS
Vice Chair, Operations and Development
Co-Director, Division of Spine and Peripheral Nerve Surgery Department of Neurosurgery Stanford University Medical Center
Doctor John Ratliff is a Professor of Neurosurgery, Vice Chair, Operations and Business Development, and Co-Director, Division of Spine and Peripheral Nerve Surgery at Stanford University Medical Center in Stanford, California. He is a graduate of Tulane University School of Medicine and a board certified neurosurgeon experienced in treating patients with a broad range of neurological disorders. He is skilled in complex spinal surgery, in spinal reconstruction techniques and in artificial disc replacement surgery. With a special interest and subspecialty expertise in peripheral nerve disorders, Doctor Ratliff is also well versed in the neurosurgical evaluation and treatment of nerve compression syndromes and peripheral nerve trauma, including complex reconstructive peripheral nerve surgery.
Doctor Ratliff serves on the AANS/CNS Coding and Reimbursement Committee, is AANS RUC Advisor, is a Delegate to the AMA House of Delegates (representing the AANS), serves on the AANS Public Relations and AANS Neurosurgeon Committees, is co-chairman of the AANS/CNS Quality Improvement Workgroup, and represented the AANS/CNS as a member of the National Quality Forum National Priorities Partnership Overuse Work Group and the NQF’s Bone and Joint Technical Advisory Panel. He has also worked extensively with the Health Care Incentives Improvement Institute (HCI3) in developing bundling strategies for spine care.
He most recently has served as a member of the Agency of Healthcare Research and Quality Hospital Acquired Infection Measure Development Panel. He serves as a California Delegate to the Council of State Neurosurgical Societies, and was Chairman of the Local Host Committee and member of the Annual Meeting Committee for the 2010 AANS Annual Meeting, held in Philadelphia. Doctor Ratliff is a previous recipient of the American College of Surgeons/American Association of Neurological Surgeons Health Policy Scholarship, and served as a Health Policy Scholar for 2009-2010. Doctor Ratliff’s research focuses upon outcomes assessment in spine surgery procedures and defining value of care in spine surgery interventions.
Atman Desai, MD, MA
Director of Neurosurgical Spinal Oncology
Clinical Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery
Stanford University Medical Center
Dr Desai is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery and Director of Neurosurgical Spinal Oncology at Stanford University Medical Center in Stanford, California. Atman Desai, MD, MA, is Director of Neurosurgical Spinal Oncology and Clinical Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery at Stanford University Medical Center. Dr. Desai received his undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Cambridge, where he graduated with honors and was ranked first in his class. He completed his residency in Neurological Surgery at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, followed by a one year AO fellowship in Spinal Oncology and Complex Spinal Reconstruction at Johns Hopkins University. His clinical practice focuses on surgical treatments of the full range of spinal disorders, including resection of tumors invading the spine, correction of spinal deformities, motion-preserving spinal surgery, and robotic and minimally invasive spinal surgery.
Dr. Desai’s research focuses on accurately measuring and improving outcomes in spinal surgery. He is the Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator of multiple clinical trials including the innovative use of accelerometers to improve recovery after surgery, and novel therapeutic implants for spinal cord injury. His laboratory also studies disparities in the accessibility to care for patients with neurosurgical and spinal disorders, and how these can be improved. Dr. Desai has written or co-authored over 50 peer-reviewed scientific journal articles, book chapters, and books pertaining to neurosurgery, and serves as a reviewer for several medical journals. In addition to his clinical and research work, Dr. Desai is a dedicated teacher and serves as a Stanford School of Medicine Scholars Program Mentor, as well as teaching faculty for multiple national AANS neurosurgical courses. He is active in national neurosurgical leadership and serves on the AANS membership committee.
Anand Veeravagu, MD
Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery
Dr. Anand Veeravagu recently served as White House Fellow/Special Assistant to Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. Prior to his time in Washington, Anand was Chief Neurosurgery Resident at the Palo Alto Veterans Affairs Hospital caring for soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries. Anand is focused on advancing minimally invasive diagnostic and surgical techniques for diseases of the central nervous system. In 2006, Anand developed a novel radiotherapeutic to treat Glioblastoma Multiforme, a malignant brain tumor. Anand's current research employs national databases to evaluate trends in health resource utilization to provide guidelines for policy reform. He has published over 50 peer-reviewed scientific manuscripts and has written for the Huffington Post. In 2011 Anand staffed the CURE Neurosurgical Hospital in Uganda and organized medical relief missions for the Tsunami of 2004. Anand has received over 30 awards for his leadership, research and promotion of healthcare access to underserved populations. In 2012 Anand received the Gold Foundation's Humanism and Excellence in Teaching Award for his commitment to mentorship. Anand has been accepted to the Stanford Graduate School of Business MBA program, received his M.D. from Stanford University and graduated with honors from Johns Hopkins University with a B.S in Biomedical Engineering and minor in Multicultural and Regional Studies.
