Douglas Smith, MD, founder of Musculoskeletal Imaging Consultants, discusses what it takes to incorporate weight-bearing MRI into spine practices.

Most spine practices and surgery centers are seeking to use social media as a form of marketing and engagement with the public, but some may have questions about how to best utilize Twitter, Facebook and other social networks in a savvy way that leads to more patients.

This article was written by Dick Pepper is a medical marketing specialist and blogs at VoxMD.com and can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Good things come in small packages, and they're called smartphones. No one disputes that smartphones are taking over our lives and becoming indispensable tools. Gartner estimates 472 million smartphones were sold last year, Manhattan Research shows 81 percent of doctors have smartphones, and Forrester estimates over 1 billion smartphone users by 2016. The stats don't lie: its time to start thinking small.

Here four spine surgeons discuss the top benchmarks they follow in their practice.

Here are 10 spine surgeons and specialist moves to new practices, surgery centers or medical centers.

CEO of Laser Spine Institute Bill Horne announced that the institute is reaching out to raise awareness about common spinal conditions and treatments for those who suffer from neck and back pain throughout October, according to a Laser Spine Institute news release.

Laser Spine Institute, a Tampa, Fla.-based spine surgery practice specializing in endoscopic spine surgery, will now treat military personnel under a contract with Tricare insurance, according to a Laser Spine Institute news release.

1. There are approximately 25,500 orthopedic surgeons practicing in the United States, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgery.