FAQ

What to bring to your first visit.

Below is a checklist of things to bring to your first visit

We will need you to fill out a patient form that can be downloaded and filled out electronically here: Patient Information Questionnaire
We need your complete medical history
We will ask you to provide a copy of your medication list
We would like to have the contact information for your primary doctor
We would like to have information for the referring doctor, pain management doctor, and/or neurologist if applicable
We need a copy (usually on a CD) of your most recent MRI, CT scan and/or X-Rays

How do I know if my insurance will cover my procedure?

Depending on your insurance plan, most brain and spine surgeries are covered by insurance carriers. To find out more about your insurance coverage, call your insurance company or contact our office at (949) 588-5800 and we will assist you in determining the extent of your insurance coverage.

What is the difference between a neurologist and a neurosurgeon?

Generally neurologists manage conditions such as headaches, seizure disorder, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and other non-surgical neurological diseases. Generally, neurosurgeons manage trauma, acute brain injury, subdural hematoma, cerebral contusions, cervical, thoracic, lumbar fractures, spinal fractures or dislocations, cervical myelopathy, cervical radiculopathy, lumbar radiculopathy, scoliosis, hydrocephalus, brain tumors, spine tumors, nerve tumors, carpal tunnel syndrome, ulnar neuropathy, and other conditions through both medical treatment and surgical treatment.

Considering disc replacement surgery?

Dr Jackson was a principal investigator and surgeon in the FDA research trial to get cervical disc replacement approved in the United States. He has been doing cervical disc replacements since 2007, and has taught numerous courses to surgeons on the techniques of cervical disc replacement and cervical fusion surgery.

In addition, he has authored several peer-reviewed papers in the journals including Neurosurgery, Journal of Neurosurgery Spine, and Neuro-Oncology, and has presented at local and national neurosurgical and orthopedic meetings on this subject.

Why choose a neurosurgeon?

Neurosurgeons are trained to perform brain, spine and nerve surgeries. Neurosurgeons are known to provide the highest level of expertise in treatments of spine disorders and brain disorders. Neurosurgery program graduates have usually performed and assisted with hundreds of spine procedures and brain procedures; typically, on the order of 1500 procedures over the course of their training. After passing written examinations, the neurosurgeon must submit several months of cases and outcomes and if accepted, they must pass an oral examination given by multiple senior neurosurgeons to become board certified. Board certification is then assessed every 10 years.  Dr Robert Jackson received board certification in 2003, and was recertified in 2013.

Neurosurgeons are exclusively trained to perform procedures on the entire spine, including the spinal cord, spinal cord tumors, and complex spinal surgery cases.