Travel
Out-of-town patients, roughly half of our caseload
Patients travel from across the country for endoscopic spine surgery. Free MRI review by mail before any travel. Single travel trip for consultation and procedure when appropriate.
Why patients travel here
Roughly half of Synergy’s patients come from outside South Carolina. The reasons cluster: they’ve been told fusion is the only option locally and want a second opinion from a surgeon who does non-fusion procedures; they need an out-of-network surgeon because of high deductibles or restricted networks; they want transparent bundled pricing they can plan around; or they’ve identified Dr. McMillan specifically based on the technique he performs.
The travel decision is patient-driven. Some patients live near surgeons who could perform comparable procedures and travel anyway because of specific surgeon experience preferences. Some have no good local option and travel because they need to. The full cost-benefit math is at /cost/out-of-state-patient-cost/.
How the logistics work
The starting point is always the free MRI review. Patients submit recent imaging and a brief clinical history; review happens within several business days. The review identifies whether the patient might be a candidate for a procedure offered at Synergy. This screening happens before any travel commitment.
For candidates, the next step is phone consultation. Phone consultation typically runs 30-45 minutes and covers the procedure, expected outcomes, costs, and logistics. Patients who want to proceed schedule in-person consultation and procedure as a single travel trip — see the 3-day plan for typical cadence.
Travel and lodging
Greenville-Spartanburg International (GSP) is the closest airport at about 45 minutes by car. Atlanta (ATL) is 2 hours but has more flight options. Most out-of-town patients use rental cars; rideshare availability is more limited in Seneca than in major metros.
The office maintains a list of hotels and short-term rentals within a short drive of the facility. Booking is patient-arranged but with recommendations. The typical stay is 3-5 days depending on whether consultation and procedure are combined into one trip.
Follow-up across distance
After the procedure, most follow-up is remote — phone, video, or secure messaging — at standard post-operative intervals. The bundled procedure price includes routine post-operative follow-up within the standard period.
Imaging follow-up if needed is coordinated with local providers. Suture removal, if applicable, can be handled by the patient’s local primary care provider. Complications (rare) are addressed remotely when possible and coordinated with local emergency or specialist care when they aren’t.
