Dr. Timothy J. Birney, received his BA from Dartmouth College and obtained his medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh, graduating cum laude in 1983. Following his residency at the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Birney completed a fellowship in spinal surgery at the State University of New York in Buffalo, New York, under Dr. Edward H. Simmons. Dr. Birney is a specialist in spinal disorders and has been a practicing partner with Western Orthopaedics, P.C. since 1989. He is Board Certified and is a Fellow with the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons as well as a member of the North American Spine Society. In addition to his practice at Western Orthopaedics, P.C., Dr. Birney is a well-respected speaker and publicist on spinal disorders and sees patients once a month at outreach clinics in Kansas.

My Approach to Treating Patients

As a Christian physician, ideally I intend to care for all my patients as I would a family member or friend. Practically speaking, however, we all "fall short of the mark", so I simply try to do the best I can in any given circumstance. The treatment of spinal disorders can be quite challenging; sometimes no clear-cut diagnosis can be determined, or treatment measures are limited and only palliative. Accordingly, I tend to be conservative in my approach, reserving surgical options for necessary indications and emphasize patient understanding, acceptance and self-motivation in their care

Favorite Links
North American Spine Society
Zimmer Spine
Medtronic
Kyphon