Robert P. Casola, DO, joined Orthopedic Specialists of Southwest Florida, according to a practice news release.

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons formally submitted comments on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services proposals for accountable care organizations, focusing on payment provisions and asking for clarity regarding the specialists' roles, according to an AAOS Now report.

The Center for Musculoskeletal Research at the University of Rochester (N.Y.) Medical Center is holding its first annual scientific symposium on July 15 to celebrate orthopedic research, according to a hospital news release.

Karl W. Helmold, MD, has joined Lower Bucks Orthopedics in Bristol, Pa., a Lower Bucks Hospital-owned orthopedic practice, according to a Philly Burbs report.

Wildwood Orthopaedic and Spine Hospital in Sylvania Township, Ohio, is scheduled to open in early October, according to a Toledo Blade report.

Ronald Teed, MD, has joined the staff at Ocean Beach Hospital and Medical Clinics in Ilwaco, Wash., according to a Chinook Observer report.

Michael Chmell, MD, a knee surgeon with Rockford Orthopedic Associates, has been appointed to serve a three-year term on the College of Engineering Advisory Council at the University of Notre Dame, according to a Rockford Register Star news report.

Steven Gitelis, MD, an orthopedic oncology specialist with Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush in Chicago, has been named the 2011 president-elect of the Rush University Medical Center's staff, according to a practice news release.

West End Orthopaedic Clinic, a Richmond, Va.-based orthopedic practice, has changed its name to OrthoVirginia and opened a new location focused on orthopedics and sports medicine, according to a practice news release.

The Spine Foundation, an independent organization with the mission to increase access to spinal care, has received a major institutional gift from Laser Spine Institute, a provider of endoscopic spine surgery with locations throughout the country, according to a news release.