Four spine and orthopedic surgeons discuss the top industry trends they're keeping an eye on in 2023.

Apple Vision Pro, an augmented reality headset from Apple, was unveiled in June. While the system is marketed for everyday use, like an iPhone, some physicians are thinking about its applications in medicine.

Spine surgeon Frank Cammisa Jr., MD, has had a long career at New York City-based Hospital for Special Surgery as its chief emeritus of spine. In June, he was recognized for his work and earned HSS' Lifetime Achievement Award.

Frank Liporace, MD, chair of orthopedics at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, N.J., connected with Becker's to offer his advice for up-and-coming orthopedic surgeons.

Many spine surgeons have expressed frustration over CMS' proposed 2024 Medicare physician fee schedule and its 3.34 percent pay cut. Declining CMS fees have been an ongoing concern in the industry and the reason why Ara Deukmedjian, MD, decided to back out of Medicare more than a decade ago.

CMS on July 13 released its proposed 2024 Medicare physician fee schedule, and it includes a decreased conversion factor of 3.34 percent.

Here are five spine and orthopedic surgeon insights to know from the last 30 days:

As more information has become available online in recent decades, Srinivas Prasad, MD, noticed one area was lacking — spine surgery.

The disparity between men and women in orthopedics remains stark; however, Philadelphia-based Rothman Orthopaedic Institute has formed initiatives to address it. 

Forty-one clinic locations across four states. One hundred thousand surgeries completed and 22 new physicians hired in 2022. Revenue growth of 8.2 percent year over year.

Stuart Kinsella, MD, joined The Steadman Clinic in Vail, Colo., on May 1, and a key element of his role will be building the robotics spine program at one of the practice's partner hospitals.

Tony Yi, chief technology innovation officer at MedVanta, a musculoskeletal management services organization, connected with Becker's to discuss how he anticipates ChatGPT and other AI programs will evolve in healthcare.

Theodore Blaine, MD, performed the first cases with Catalyst OrthoScience's stemmed system, which utilizes an anatomical ellipsoid head. 

The spine surgery industry has seen major shifts through the years. But some areas may be due for a serious shakeup.

Spine and orthopedic experts in May spoke with Becker's about topics from patient questions to trends in innovation.

In May, orthopedic and spine surgeon Deeptee Jain, MD, joined The Center for Bone & Joint Surgery of the Palm Beaches (Fla.). As a woman in orthopedics, Dr. Jain faces one of the largest gender disparities in healthcare as well as a 20 percent pay gap. She is one of approximately 50 women in the entire field. 

Lehigh Valley Orthopedic Institute in Allentown, Pa., appointed Thomas Graham, MD, as its first physician in chief in April.

Longer life expectancies, increased adoption of value-based care and the streamlining of practices are some of the reasons why Alexander Vaccaro, MD, PhD, says he is optimistic about the spine and orthopedic industries. 

While one spine surgeon says the industry is evolving due to increased knowledge and technology advancements, another sees a lack in innovation. 

Vijay Yanamadala, MD, of Hartford (Conn.) HealthCare spoke with Becker's about a recent spine case he performed on an older patient.