The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted some of the benefits of performing spine surgery at ASCs, but hospitals are still struggling with patients' reluctance to have inpatient procedures.

Robots have made a lot of noise in the spine industry in recent years, but currently offer more hype than clinical value, and can be cost prohibitive to ASCs, according to Frank Phillips, MD, director of spine surgery at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

The U.S. healthcare system continues its push away from a fee-for-service system toward value-based care, but providers and payers can't seem to agree on a universal definition for value-based care.

Meagan Fernandez, DO, recently completed her 200th robotic-assisted pediatric spine surgery at Danville, Pa.-based Geisinger Musculoskeletal Institute.

Downers Grove, Ill.-based DuPage Medical Group opened its third ASC this year as part of its musculoskeletal institute.

One of the first three-level lumbar spinal fusions at an ASC was recently performed by Jeffrey Carlson, MD, president of Orthopaedic & Spine Center in Newport News, Va.

Saqib Hasan, MD, a complex spine surgeon with expertise in minimally invasive techniques, spoke to Becker's Spine Review about how endoscopic spine surgery has benefited his practice and why he anticipates more surgeons adopting endoscopic approaches in the future.

Hospital for Special Surgery has appointed Martin Roche, MD, director of hip and knee arthroplasty at HSS Florida in West Palm Beach, where it opened a 60,000-square-foot hospital in January 2020.

Richard Chua, MD, of Tucson, Ariz.-based Northwest NeuroSpecialists, spoke with Becker's Spine Review about robot-assisted spine surgery and his outlook for the year.

Seven months after opening his spine practice, Vladimir Sinkov, MD, spoke to Becker's about payer challenges, outpatient migration and how robotics will become more prominent at surgery centers.

Rapid City, S.D.-based Black Hills Orthopedic & Spine Center and Black Hills Neurosurgery & Spine merged Sept. 1 to form The Spine Center at Black Hills Orthopedics, a 20-physician group that includes five spine surgeons and one neurologist.

Nicholas Grosso, MD, president of The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics in Bethesda, Md., spoke to Becker's about how CMS' physician fee and reimbursement cuts will affect orthopedic surgeons and how orthopedic care delivery will change in the coming years.

Mercy Hospital in Miami is one of three HCA East Florida hospitals now offering augmented reality spine surgery.

Daniel Lieberman, MD, medical director at Phoenix Spine & Joint, spoke to Becker's Spine Review about outpatient migration, how hospitals will compete in orthopedics post-pandemic and the future of spine surgery at ASCs.

It's been a strong year for Des Plaines-based Illinois Bone and Joint Institute. The company went on a merger spree with five deals with Northwest Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine in Chicago, Hinsdale (Ill.) Orthopaedic Associates, Bradley, Ill.-based Oak Orthopedics, Park Ridge, Ill.-based Orthopaedic Surgery Specialists, and Chicago Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine.

Gene Austin is the CEO of Columbia (Mo.) Orthopaedic Group. He spoke with Becker's Spine Review about the company's use of workflow automation and how it's helped during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In October, Raymond Gardocki, MD, joined Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn., where he will help develop the endoscopic spine surgery program.

Twin Cities Orthopedics, a 144-physician group based in Golden Valley, Minn., named Aaron Johnson CEO in October, succeeding Troy Simonson in the role.

Eeric Truumees, MD, was named president of the North American Spine Society earlier this month. Dr. Truumees practices at Texas Spine and Scoliosis and is a professor of orthopedic and neurological surgery at the University of Texas-Dell Medical School, both in Austin.

Mark Malone, MD, founded Austin, Texas-based Advanced Pain Care. A former back pain patient himself, Dr. Malone turned to a spinal stimulator to resolve pain that surgeries couldn't.