January/February 2017 Issue of Becker's Spine Review
ON THE COVER
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Trump Picks Price, Verma as Heads of HHS, CMS: 9 Things to Know |
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The Future of Spine and ASCs: 5 Trends to Watch |
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The Top-Performing Spine Surgeons Have These Qualities in Common |
PUBLISHER'S LETTER
This issue of Becker’s Spine Review includes physician compensation statistics for key specialists, news from around the healthcare industry and interviews with key spine surgeon thought leaders about where technology and the field is headed. Click here to Continue >>
SPINE LEADERSHIP
26 Latest Statistics & Notes on Neurosurgeon Salary — Hourly, Annual & Regional Pay
Here are 12 statistics on annual and hourly neurosurgeon pay from Jackson & Coker’s Physician Salary Calculator. Click to Continue >>
6 Spine Physicians Ranked #1 on Google - 2016
Each year, spine specialists contribute patient education content to www.Spine-health.com, which is read by more than 200 million patients struggling with neck and back conditions. Click to Continue >>
How 10 Spine Surgeons are Preparing Their Practice for a Donald Trump Presidency
Ten spine surgeons talk about what they expect from President Donald Trump over the next four years and how their practices are preparing for the future. Click to Continue >>
The CORE Institute’s Condition-Based Bundles — A New Approach to Eliminating Waste
The Harvard Business Review profiled Phoenix-based The CORE Institute’s new condition-based approach to eliminating unnecessary care as an alternative to procedure-based bundled payments. Click to Continue >>
CHS Sells Controlling Interest in Home Health Business to Drive Down Debt
Franklin, Tenn.-based Community Health Systems has completed the sale of a majority interest in CHS Home Health to Louisville, Ky.-based Almost Family, a provider of home health nursing services. Click to Continue >>
10 Statistics on Orthopedic Spine Surgeon Compensation
Here are 10 statistics on orthopedic spine surgeon compensation from the 2016 MGMA Provider Compensation and Production Report based on 2015 survey data. Click to Continue >>
Physician-Owned ASCs Drive Lumbar Spine Fusion Market Growth
Through 2020, a Market Report Worlds analysis found the lumbar spine fusion market will likely grow substantially, according to medGadget. Click to Continue >>
Dr. James Weinstein to Retire as Dartmouth-Hitchcock CEO in 2017
James Weinstein, DO, will retire in June 2017 from his post as CEO and president of Dartmouth-Hitchcock health system in Lebanon, N.H., according to Valley News. Click to Continue >>
Value-Designated Spine Centers of Excellence Yield 19% Cost Savings: 5 Insights
Spine centers of excellence deliver cost savings of 19 percent compared to other centers, according to a HealthCore study. Click to Continue >>
Dr. Robert Watkins Performs Spine Surgery on Patriots’ Rob Gronkowski
Robert Watkins, MD, a Marina del Rey, Calif.-based spine surgeon, performed spine surgeon on New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, according to a Providence Journal report. Click to Continue >>
Dr. Robert Spetzler to Resign as Barrow Neurological Institute’s President, CEO; Dr. Michael Lawton to Take the Helm
Robert Spetzler, MD, is resigning from his post as president and CEO of Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix, according to azcentral. Click to Continue >>
8 States With Premium Hikes of 30%+
For plans on HealthCare.Gov, monthly premiums will increase by 25 percent, on average, for 2017, with some states having premium increases surpassing 30 percent. Click to Continue >>
DEVICES AND INNOVATION
Titan Spine Leads Push for Titanium Interbody Device Resurgence Through Nanotechnology Differentiation
In October 2016, Titan Spine initiated the full U.S. launch of its nanoLOCK surface technology on its line of Endoskeleton titanium interbody implants and doubled the size of its sales management team. Click here to Continue >>
Stryker Courts ASCs With Ascential Spine Device, Inventory Management Solution: 6 Things to Know
Kalamazoo, Mich.-based Stryker introduced a new implant delivery solution for low-acuity spine surgeries designed for the ambulatory surgery center. Click here to Continue >>
8 Orthopedic Imaging Technologies to Know: C-arms, O-arms & G-arms
Here are the eight orthopedic imaging devices or technologies for spine leaders to know. Click here to continue >>
Medtronic Finds its Place in the Orthopedic Market With Knee Implant Service: 5 Observations
Dublin, Ireland-based Medtronic unveiled its new business unit, which will offer joint replacement products, according to Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. Click here to Continue >>
FDA Clears Xtant Medical’s Xsert Lumbar Expandable Interbody System
The FDA cleared Belgrade, Mont.-based Xtant Medical’s Xsert Lumbar Expandable Interbody System. Click here to Continue >>
7 New Spine, Orthopedic Device Launches & Releases
Here are seven devices that were recently launched or released. Click here to Continue >>
Zimmer Biomet, Stryker, Wright Medical Group & More: 12 Key Notes. Click here to Continue >>
ISASS Releases New Coverage Rule for Decompression With Interlaminar Stabilization
The International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery released new coverage criteria for decompression with interlaminar stabilization. Click here to Continue >>
PRACTICE MANAGEMENT
The Specialist Most Likely to ‘Cherry-Pick’ Patients: 25 Statistics
According to the “Medscape Ethics Report 2016: Money, Romance, and Patients” a percentage of most physicians report they would “cherry-pick” or “lemon-drop” patients to avoid those with a comorbid disease or patients that are unlikely to follow a treatment regimen. Click here to Continue >>
What are the Driving Forces Behind Medicare Reimbursement for Total Joint Arthroplasty? 7 Key Notes
A study in The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery presented the biggest variables affecting total joint arthroplasty reimbursement. Click here to Continue >>
Rush University Medical Center & Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush Receive Approval for $21M ASC
Illinois Health Facilities and Services Review Board approved Chicago-based practices Rush University Medical Center and Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush's plans to build a new building, featuring a surgery center, in Oak Brook, according to Daily Herald. Click here to Continue >>
Rothman Institute, Thomas Jefferson University & Jefferson Health Open Concierge Spine Center of Excellence
Philadelphia-based Rothman Institute partnered with the Thomas Jefferson University neurosurgery department and Jefferson Health in Philadelphia to open a new spine center of excellence that hosted its first procedure last week, according to a Philadelphia Business Journal report. Click here to Continue >>
25 ASCs With Total Disc Replacement Spinal Surgery
Here are 25 ambulatory surgery centers where surgeons perform total disc replacements. Click here to Continue >>
What Stryker CEO Kevin Lobo said on CNBC: 7 Key Quotes
Kalamazoo, Mich.-based Stryker CEO Kevin Lobo appeared on CNBC's Squawk CEO Call to discuss several aspects of the business and where his company is headed in the future. Click here to Continue >>
Resurgens Orthopaedics Opens 7th ASC
Atlanta-based Resurgens Orthopaedics opened its seventh surgery center in Covington, Ga. Click here to Continue >>
Top 10 Highest-Earning Physician Specialties
For the last six years in a row, orthopedics has been the highest-paid specialty in the country, and this year is no different, according to the Medscape Physician Compensation Report 2016. Click here to Continue >>
These 2 Factors Impact Press Ganey Patient Satisfaction Scores in Outpatient Orthopedic Clinics
A study in The Spine Journal examined Press Ganey databases to identify the top factors impacting patient satisfaction outpatient orthopedic clinics. Click here to Continue >>
What Not to Wear — Physician’s Attire Elicits Mixed Responses in Outpatient Orthopedic Centers
A study in Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research examined the effect physicians’ attire has on a patient’s perception of them in an outpatient orthopedic setting. Click here to Continue >>
9 Mayo Clinic Strategies to Quench the Physician Burnout Flame
Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic recommended nine strategies for healthcare organizations to combat physician burnout, which impacts productivity, turnover rates and quality of care. Click here to Continue >>
Henry Ford Health System Drops Out of Medicare Bundled Payments for Joint Replacement: 5 Key Notes
Henry Ford Health System in Detroit joined Medicare’s bundled payment pilot in 2013, but the hospital recently announced it will no longer participate in the program, according to a Crain’s Detroit Business report. Click here to Continue >>
President-elect Donald Trump Taps Dr. Ben Carson to Join Cabinet as Housing Secretary: 6 Things to Know
President-elect Donald Trump called on Ben Carson, MD, to join his cabinet, despite the retired neurosurgeon’s initial hesitation, according to Los Angeles Times. Click here to Continue >>
Dr. Allan Friedman Performs Spine Surgery on Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski
Durham, N.C.-based Duke University Head Men's Basketball Coach Mike Kzyzewski underwent spine surgery, according to Duke Sports Information, and Allan Friedman, MD, is scheduled to perform the procedure. Click here to Continue >>
10 Key Trends in Physician Executive Pay
Cejka Executive Search partnered with the American Association for Physician Leadership to produce the Physician Leadership Compensation Survey. Click here to Continue >>
Report: Healthcare Organizations Will be Targeted Most for Data Breaches in 2017
Experian’s Data Breach Industry Forecast report outlines the top five data breach trends predicted for 2017. Click here to Continue >>
President Obama Calls for Honesty, Continues to Defend Health Law — 6 Things to Know
As his final weeks as president come to a close, President Barack Obama defended the ACA saying although the law isn’t perfect, “it’s worked,” according to U.S. News & World Report. Click here to Continue >>
Pence Says Trump Plans to Repeal ACA Right ‘Out of the Gate’
President-elect Donald Trump has decided repealing the ACA will officially be among his top priorities when he takes office, Vice President-elect Mike Pence told Chris Wallace on Fox News Sunday. Click here to Continue >>