November / December 2019 Issue of Becker's Spine Review
ON THE COVER
Endoscopic spine surgery is the next skill patients will demand: Viewpoint
AAOS, AANS partner for new spine registry
A new partnership between two professional specialty organizations will yield a spine registry that will allow all spine surgeons in North America to collect and share quality data.
How Johnson & Johnson plans to grow orthopedic, spine robotics in the next 24 months
Johnson & Johnson is looking to robotics and digital surgery to drive future innovation and growth in the healthcare and orthopedics space.
HSS appoints new co-chiefs of spine service
New York City-based Hospital for Special Surgery appointed Harvinder Sandhu, MD, and Andrew Sama, MD, the new co-chiefs of HSS Spine, effective in October.
Texas surgical group to affiliate with hospital after 64 years of independence
Victoria (Texas) Surgical Associates plans to become part of Citizens Medical Center after 64 years as an independent practice, according to the Victoria Advocate.
Epic CEO Judy Faulkner on 'yes, if' strategy behind company's culture, success
Judy Faulkner, Epic founder and CEO, discussed the culture she has spearheaded at the EHR company and why she values a "yes, if" approach to strategy during The Cap Times Idea Fest Sept. 14 in Madison, Wis., according to The Cap Times.
SPINE SURGEONS
NASS President Dr. Jeffrey Wang: 3 big trends in spine
Jeffrey Wang, MD, is co-director of the USC Spine Center at Keck Medicine of USC in Los Angeles and president of the North American Spine Society.
Dr. Jaime Nieto: Endoscopic spine surgery is the next skill patients will demand
Jaime Nieto, MD, is chief of the sec¬tion of neurological surgery and spine surgery at Flushing-based NewYork-Presbyterian/Queens.
Neurosurgeon faces murder charges in California over opioid over-prescription: 4 details
Thomas Keller, MD, a California-based neurosurgeon, has been charged with second degree murder for allegedly writing non-medically necessary opioid prescriptions from 2011 to 2017.
New York spine surgeon pleads guilty to illegal painkiller prescription, faces $250K fine
Anthony Leone, MD, pleaded guilty to writing himself illegal prescrip¬tions for pain medication, according to The Buffalo News.
Lawsuit over Stark Law violation allegations against neurosurgeon pay at UPMC revived: 6 notes
UPMC may face whistleblower claims that it violated Stark Law and the False Claims Act in its dealings with neurosurgeons again, after the claims was initially dismissed.
Sanford Health sends termination notice to neurosurgeon accused of Medicare fraud
Sanford (Calif.) Health terminated a neurosurgeon shortly after the government decided to inter¬vene in a whistleblower lawsuit alleging that he committed fraud, according to the Argus Leader.
Dr. Scott Lynch sues Penn State for $50,000, alleges interference with medical decisions for athletes
Scott Lynch, MD, an orthopedic surgeon and former direc¬tor of athletic medicine for State College, Pa.-based Penn State, sued the school and multiple officials, alleging they interfered with medical decisions and then retaliated against him after he reported it, according to Onward State.
The most dangerous trend in spine surgery
Ten spine surgeons reveal the trends in healthcare that could have a negative impact on spine surgeons and care delivery in the future.
How spine private practice will change in the next 3 years
The healthcare landscape is changing quickly for private practice physicians, including orthopedic spine surgeons.
Wake Forest Baptist Health triples the size of its sports medicine clinic
Winston-Salem, N.C.-based Wake Forest Baptist Health expanded its sports medicine clinic in Stratford, N.C., Triad Business Journal reports.
Dr. Kris Radcliff: How early-career spine surgeons view private practice vs. employment opportunities
Kris Radcliff, MD, is a fellowship-trained spine surgeon with 10 years of experience in private practice with Philadel-phia-based Rothman Institute.
AAOS, AANS partner for new spine registry
A new partnership between two professional specialty organizations will yield a spine registry that will allow all spine surgeons in North America to collect and share quality data.
Cost-effective spinal fusion and the future of robotics in spine
Paducah, Ky.-based Thomas Gruber, MD, is a board-certi¬fied neurosurgeon affiliated with Baptist Health Medical Group in Jacksonville, Fla.
HSS appoints new co-chiefs of spine service
New York City-based Hospital for Special Surgery ap¬pointed Harvinder Sandhu, MD, and Andrew Sama, MD, as the new co-chiefs of HSS Spine.
Patient sues physician, hospital over inability to provide medical records after spinal cord implant
A woman from Houston alleged that a group of medical companies failed to provide her medical records after she was implanted with a spinal cord stimulator in 2017, SE Texas Record reported.
Dr. James Chappuis on how to improve OR efficiency and deliver cost-effective spinal fusions
Spine surgery utilization, cost in the US: 5 key findings
DEVICES & IMPLANTS
Spinal disc replacement in hospitals vs. ASCs: 5 findings
Dr. William Sullivan succeeds Dr. Jeffrey Wang as NASS president — 4 things to know
Dr. Noah Porter joins OrthoNebraska — 3 insights
Dr. Kurtis Auguste uses VR to prepare for surgeries at California hospital
How Johnson & Johnson plans to grow orthopedic, spine robotics in the next 24 months
What Stryker’s spine division stands to gain from 5 acquisitions
Orthopedic market share projections: Top 5 companies in 2024
Bioventus, UnitedHealthcare agree to commercial contract for HA-based products
Stryker CEO Kevin Lobo: Growth in spine, competition in robotics and what’s behind the company’s recent promotions
RTI Surgical launches new anterior cervical plate system — 3 insights
Life Spine, executives to settle FCA allegations for nearly $6M
Cleveland Clinic’s top 3 medical innovations in orthopedics, spine
Medtronic spine revenue up nearly 1% to $658M; robotics grows while spinal cord stimulation slows: 5 details
Why 2019 is shaping up to be an important year for Zimmer Biomet — 5 things to know
FDA clears Omnia Medical’s PEEK cervical vertebral replacement device
Medtronic aims to expand Infuse use to TLIF with FDA-backed clinical trial
NFL hall of famer becomes brand ambassador for NuVasive
Zimmer Biomet adds to leadership ranks
Misonix acquires Solys Medical — 4 things to know
Smith+Nephew CEO Namal Nawana steps down
Zimmer Biomet makes license deal worth up to $5M — 3 things to know
DeGen Medical gains clearance of new modular pedicle screw for spine procedure
PRACTICE MANAGEMENT
Emory breaks ground on new orthopedic, spine institute
Louisiana Spine & Sport physician assistant sentenced to prison in oxycodone scheme
Tennessee pain clinics shut down after owner accused of fraud — 5 insights
17 patients sue Mizzou BioJoint Center over alleged procedure failures
Husband-wife neurosurgeon team bring 24-hour neurosurgery back to Arkansas hospital
Florida spine practice expanding
Surgical Affiliates partners with California hospital
HSS Spine’s new co-chiefs on the goals for their tenure, the biggest issue in spine
How Beacon Orthopaedics plans to grow after taking on a private equity investor
New York hospital invests $2M in imaging system for spine, brain — 4 things to know
How awake endoscopic spine surgery reinvigorated Dr. Raymond Gardocki’s practice
Walmart pilot program to identify quality physicians will include orthopedics
The state of BMP in spine surgery today
Florida health system eliminates orthopedics at 2 clinics after $6.8M loss last year
OUTPATIENT SURGERY
Surgery center nurse who switched syringes has license suspended — 7 insights
Where physician salaries are growing the fastest — Seattle is No. 1
Hospital-owned physician practices charge more but don’t offer more, study finds
What should change in spine care over the next 5 years?
Twin Cities Orthopedics’ new collaborative aims to preserve physician autonomy — 5 takeaways
Optum has 50,000 employed, affiliated physicians and a vision for the future
Ambulatory healthcare top of mind for C-level executives
Texas surgical group to affiliate with hospital after 64 years of independence
$5.5M ASC set to open in New York City in 2021
Michigan ASC adds 24,000 square feet, grows more than 50%
Tennessee surgery center reopens — 3 insights
2 game-changers an Ohio-based orthopedic ASC is prepared for in 2020
USPI’s new joint venture surgery center treats 100+ patients in first months — 5 things to know
Hackensack Meridian Health, USPI partner with New Jersey surgery center — 3 insights
PAs & NPs are the highest paid, fastest growing jobs in these states
Pennsylvania surgical practice joins UPMC, relocates practice — 3 insights
Orthopedic, spine practice plans to open 3 Arizona offices — 3 details
3 orthopedics-focused ASCs recently opened or expanded
5 highlights from a USPI center’s first months in operation
Physician practice market becoming a sellers’ market
HEALTHCARE NEWS
Epic CEO Judy Faulkner on ‘yes, if’ strategy behind company’s culture, success
Former Texas hospital executive gets 10 years for $16M fraud
Judge halts $55M sale of Hahnemann residency programs
Hospital operator closes 2 facilities after leadership exodus
Ohio hospital employee dies after man drives truck into ER
DEA raids some West Coast Kaiser Permanente pharmacies
BCBS of North Carolina needs to rebuild trust. It won’t be easy, analysts say
Quorum Health divests California hospital
Just 4% of older adults use telehealth, survey finds
Ex-Missouri hospital CEO faces criminal charges in $114M billing fraud case
Cambia, BCBS of North Carolina call off affiliation for now
Indiana system mistakenly gives 16 students insulin shots
Hospitals win challenge to site-neutral pay cuts
Maryland hospitals merge, unveil name for combined system
Nearly 80% of healthcare managers have accidentally emailed sensitive, confidential info