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Meet Dr. Ali Bydon, Professor of HF: How has neurosurgery changed in the time
you’ve been in the field?
Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins AB: Our diagnostic and therapeutic
interventions have improved because of the
technology at our disposal. We can stabilize
li Bydon has been caring for
A Healthnetwork members for over the spine better than we could decades ago
with hardware that’s less likely to fracture or
a decade. By now we’ve come
to expect glowing feedback from pull out. We can manage osteoporosis better
now. The use of imaging modalities during
his patients and their families. Whether or surgery has been a big improvement. For
not you ever need a world-class spine surgeon, example, we can do a CAT scan during surgery
we wanted to share with you this conversation to verify that we performed the operation
with our friend and partner in making safely and adequately.
medicine better for all.
HF: What developments do you hope to see in
Healthnetwork Foundation (HF): How did ALI BYDON, M.D.
you end up in medicine? Vice Chair of Strategic Planning the next 5–10 years in the field?
Dr. Ali Bydon (AB): I am a first generation Professor of Neurosurgery AB: Further improvements in earlier
Johns Hopkins Medicine
physician. My dad, who was a university Healthnetwork Foundation Service diagnosis and treatment of spinal disorders.
professor, was a proponent of his kids Excellence Honoree Better understanding of natural history
becoming either lawyers or doctors. I am of spinal pathologies. And hopefully (maybe
dating myself but I grew up at a time when longer than 5–10 years) treatment for a
parents had an input in their kids’ careers. who was at home with the new baby, and give spinal cord injury/bruising. That would be
My father felt that law or medicine were her the good news that we’ve accomplished a big breakthrough in our field.
consequential careers where peoples’ lives our goal, and the risk of permanent neurological Outside the hospital, Dr. Bydon says his life revolves
can be positively impacted. There are four deficits or, God-forbid, paralysis are behind HF: How important is philanthropy for the around his wife, Carole, and their boys, Jad, Layth,
of us, two boys and two girls—and today them. So I guess the perfect case is when you kind of work you do? and Ramsey.
two of us are doctors (my brother is also a know you’ve helped someone, when a person AB: We can’t do what we do without
neurosurgeon) and the two girls are lawyers. comes back later and says thank you. philanthropy! Government allocations for
research is limited, burdensome and riddled
HF: What do you love about what you do? HF: You’ve seen quite a few Healthnetwork with bureaucratic red tape. Many very AB: Carole and I find ourselves busy with
AB: The ability to help patients. The ability families as your patients over the last smart people shy away from contributing soccer, tennis, and squash practices. I spend
to improve peoples’ quality of life. My job decade or so… to research because of that. Philanthropy is a lot of time with our boys, trying to instill
allows me to delve into peoples’ lives and AB: Yes, and Healthnetwork patients are a much easier way, and, at least in our good values. I’m a strong believer that every
try to understand the impact neurosurgical always very courteous, have had multiple department at Johns Hopkins, it has had a generation needs to produce a better
pathologies are having on them, their opinions, and are knowledgeable about their profound impact on our ability to assess our generation moving forward.
families, their loved ones, their careers… disease process. They’re respectful of the HF: Do your boys have the same career
and you try to improve that to the best doctor’s time and expertise. Healthnetwork management strategies, to document it, to
of your ability. is a good group of people, a very pleasant compare therapies, to elucidate best outcome choice you did: physician or attorney?
group of patients to deal with. And the measures, to help define the standard of care, AB: Ha! They have a lot more options today.
HF: What makes a perfect case? Healthnetwork team makes everything very and to share with our colleagues our patient There are jobs today that are very fulfilling
AB: I don’t know if there’s a perfect case. streamlined. They know what every speciality series and treatment algorithms. I can’t think that didn’t exist 30 years ago. My wife is also
You have to merge the case with the person requires, and they send all the images and of anything more impactful on the health of a physician and the boys see what we do,
and their situation. Last night I operated information in one email so I can look at a the public than money donated for research. and I think they’re intrigued. So far, it’s been
on a 32-year-old man. His wife had just had case and make a quick decision about potential I am very grateful to my many Healthnetwork a “don’t ask don’t tell” approach but I am sure
their first baby the night before. So here’s treatment and urgency. For me as a physician patients who gave back generously. in the next few years that will change. For
a new father who needs an operation because it’s an important vehicle that allows now we are focusing on reading, writing,
his legs were going numb. I had the chance me to formulate surgical decisions very quickly HF: What are you doing when you are not arithmetic, being respectful, learning, and
to speak by phone with his wife afterwards, and efficiently. performing surgery or teaching residents? discovering the world. ✦

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