JEFFERY M. REUBEN, MD

Leading the Lowcountry to Stronger Spine Health

story by LINDSEY LENOIR

For twenty years now, Dr. Jeffery Reuben has dedicated his life’s work to improving the quality of life for his patients here in the Lowcountry. Dr. Reuben moved his family to Beaufort in 2000 after having completed a fellowship at the Emory Spine Center in Atlanta, GA. For Dr. Reuben and his wife, Jill, there were a few elements that drew them to our coastal town, one being that there was a need for a spine surgeon. “I wanted a spine only practice, and that was what Beaufort needed also. Two, I fell in love with the waterways and beauty of the Lowcountry. We were also looking at a warmer climate and a small town to raise our children.” The warm temperatures and quaint community were very different from the southern suburb of Chicago, where Dr. Reuben was born and raised. Jeffery Reuben, the youngest of four children and son of a dentist and dental hygienist, had aspirations that would eventually lead him to medical school.

He completed his undergraduate degree at Washington University and spent the next four years at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. He completed his residency in orthopedics at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine.

During his time at Johns Hopkins, Dr. Reuben met his wife, Jill, an ICU nurse who was working at Union Memorial Hospital. They were married in 1995. Not long after the conclusion of his residency, Dr. Reuben was accepted into a competitive fellowship at the Emory Spine Center. He and Dr. Craig Boatright were the only two fellows bestowed the honor of such a prestigious fellowship that year. It was during this time that a close friendship was forged, and a hope that one day the doctors would be able to go into practice together.

While at Emory, Dr. Reuben and Jill became the proud parents of a daughter, Allessandra. Immediately after completing his fellowship in 2000, Dr. Reuben and his family moved to Beaufort, where he accepted a position at a multi-specialty group. The family of three would soon become a family of four after son Jared was born. By 2008, Dr. Reuben and his family had settled into life here in Beaufort. He felt he was now ready to finally fulfill his dream of going into private practice. “In 2008, I decided to start my own practice, and in 2009 everything aligned. Dr. Boatright joined the practice and we became the Spine Institute of the Carolinas.” Today, Dr. Jeffery Reuben and Dr. Craig Boatright together run a successful practice that has served our community for over a decade.

Spine health is quickly becoming a leader in advanced technology within the healthcare industry. The doctors at the Spine Institute use state-of-the-art imaging that allows them to navigate patients’ specific spine needs. According to Dr. Reuben, “We can actually see inside the body better, so we can make a more accurate diagnosis. That also translates into surgery as well. In the operating room, we have been able to advance our imaging ability to include 3-dimensional navigation, which allows us to see inside the spine. We have also just added intraoperative robotic spine surgery as an option as well.”

The doctors at the Spine Institute of the Carolinas have also been given the “Gold Seal of Approval” for their spine clinical pathways through Hilton Head Hospital’s Spine Program. Dr. Reuben has been a consultant for one of the major spine companies for 17 years and has helped design multiple hardware systems, plates, screws, and rods that aid in surgery. He also holds a US patent for a special screw used in spine surgery. “One of the most important advancements in spine surgery is better instrumentation, the two most important being imaging and instrumentation. I’ve worked hard to help develop and improve systems.”

Dr. Reuben says that he and Dr. Boatright hope to shepherd peoples’ spine care. “We like to be involved from day one. We are strong believers in a healthy lifestyle, so we help our patients with nutrition and exercise. Staying active is very important to overall good health. We are here to help, and we want to educate people.”

For those contemplating care for spine injuries or problems, Dr. Reuben advises, “Seek expert help if you are having problems. I tell my patients, no complaint is too small. Don’t be afraid that surgery is the only option. About sixty percent of our time is spent on nonsurgical treatment, the majority of what we do is nonsurgical. We are big believers in physical therapy. We work alongside many different physical therapists in the area that are spine trained. We are also firm believers in chiropractic care, we work with local chiropractors as well. Our philosophy is that we want our patients to do well, we have an open mind, and we want to help.”

Preventative Care
Dr. Reuben prescribes: “We all learn at a young age how important it is to make healthy choices and take care of ourselves. Part of that is doing things that make us happy. Specifically, when it comes to spine health: maintaining a healthy weight, exercising, and keeping a strong core are all important. Flexibility is important, also having good posture, and limiting our time looking down at technology and straining our necks.

Spine health goes hand in hand with a healthy lifestyle. Eating healthy and maintaining a healthy weight make it easier on your body overall, and having a strong core really helps in preventing spine problems. Getting up and exercising in whatever manner works best for you—whether it be walking, swimming, getting in the water, just being active. Anything is better than sitting for long periods, don’t become sedentary. There is so much to do and enjoy here. Take advantage of where we live, it’s beautiful!”

For more information on your spine health options, contact
Jeffery Reuben, MD, Craig Boatright, MD, Pia V. Biason-Webb, DNP, FNP-c, or
Natalie L. Getty, ANP-BC at the Spine
Institute of the Carolinas; 843.379.7746
or visit the Spine Institute’s website
www.spineinstituteofthecarolinas.com