Here are 41 spine surgeons operating at spine- and orthopedic-focused hospitals nationwide. To recommend a surgeon for the list, contact Heather at hlinder@beckershealthcare.com.
Jim Adametz, MD (Arkansas Surgical Hospital, North Little Rock). Dr. Adametz has a professional interest in lumbar, cervical and minimally invasive spine surgery. He is a neurosurgeon with a special interest in treating patients with spinal problems. He performs fusion procedures, kyphoplasty, vertebroplasty and disc surgery. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Adametz is a member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Congress of Neurological Surgeons and American Medical Society. He has been voted among America's top neurosurgeons by the American Consumer Research Society. Beyond his neurosurgical work, Dr. Adametz is trained and certified in age management medicine by Cenegenics Medical Institute. He earned his medical degree at the University of Arkansas Medical School, where he also completed his internship and residency in neurological surgery.
Todd J. Albert, MD (Rothman Specialty Hospital, Bensalem, Pa.). Dr. Albert performs spine surgery at Rothman Specialty Hospital, which is partially owned by Nueterra Healthcare and the physicians of Rothman Institute, based in Philadelphia. Dr. Albert is president of Rothman Institute and chairman of the department of orthopedics at Thomas Jefferson University Medical College. He also serves as co-director of reconstructive spine surgery and the spine fellowship program at Thomas Jefferson University. During his career, Dr. Albert has been president of the Cervical Spine Research Society and is a member of the Scoliosis Research Society, North American Spine Society and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Dr. Albert earned his medical degree at the University of Virginia School of Medicine and completed his orthopedic surgery residency at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. His additional training includes a spine surgery fellowship at Minnesota Spine Center.
Gerald Alexander, MD (Hoag Orthopedic Institute, Irvine, Calif.). Dr. Alexander is an orthopedic spine surgeon with Hoag Orthopedic Institute. He performs lateral lumbar interbody fusion, artificial disc replacement, X-Stop interspinous percutaneous decompression and other spine procedures. Dr. Alexander practices with Fullerton Orthopaedic and is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Dr. Alexander earned his medical degree at Loma Linda (Calif.) University, where he also completed his residency in orthopedic surgery. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery at UCLA Medical Center.
Lee V. Ansell, MD (Houston Orthopedic & Spine Hospital). Dr. Ansell is the medical director at Houston Orthopedic & Spine Hospital and past president of the Southern Neurosurgical Society and Texas Association of Neurological Surgeons. He serves on several committees for professional societies, such as the Neurological Society of America, and is a consultant in spinal surgery with the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners. He is a member of the North American Spine Society and Congress of Neurological Surgeons. Prior to his time with Houston Orthopedic & Spine Hospital, Dr. Ansell served in the United States military and received a Bronze Star, Air Force Commendation Medal and two meritorious Service Medals. Dr. Ansell earned his medical degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center's Southwestern Medical School in Dallas and completed his neurosurgery residency at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio.
Ali Araghi, DO (The Surgical Hospital of Phoenix). Dr. Araghi is a board-certified and fellowship-trained orthopedic spine surgeon. He focuses on minimally invasive surgery, including artificial disc replacement and cervical and lumbar spine surgery. Dr. Araghi practices at The Surgical Hospital of Phoenix, a 100 percent physician-owned hospital. He is the deputy editor for The Spine Journal and associate editor for the Spine Journal. Dr. Araghi is also on the board of directors for the American Board of Spine Surgery. He holds a patent for an interlaminar stabilization system and has a patent pending for a minimally invasive expandable retractor for surgery. Dr. Araghi completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Peninsula Hospital Center in Far Rockaway, N.Y. He completed his fellowship in orthopedic spine surgery at the Texas Back Institute and received additional advanced spine training at Professor Jurgen Harms in Germany.
Henry Aryan, MD (Fresno Surgical Hospital, Fresno, Calif.). Dr. Aryan is a board-certified neurosurgeon with a fellowship in complex spinal disorders and neurospinal oncology from the University of California San Francisco Medical Center. He is an associate clinical professor of neurology at UC San Francisco and has authored more than 70 publications. Dr. Aryan has a special interest in complex spine surgery, minimally invasive spine surgery, artificial disc replacement and more. He practices at Fresno Surgical Hospital, which was founded by orthopedic surgeons Alan Pierrot, MD, and Thomas Thaxter, MD, in 1984. Dr. Aryan also works with robotic-guided spine surgery, and he treats patients with scoliosis, spinal deformity, degenerative disc disease, spine trauma and metastatic disease. He received his medical degree from UC Irvine and completed his internship and residency at UC San Diego.
Alexander Bailey, MD (Heartland Surgical Hospital, Overland Park, Kan.). Dr. Bailey is a spine surgeon at Heartland Surgical Hospital and Advanced Spine and Orthopaedic Specialists. He has a special interest in complex spine surgery. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Bailey is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and North American Spine Society. He is also affiliated with Phoenix Surgical Technologies, which develops spinal instrumentation. Throughout his career, he has assisted in product improvement and development of spinal technology and has knowledge of FDA and IDE studies. He earned his medical degree at Medical College of Ohio in Toledo and completed additional training in orthopedics at Kansas University Medical Center in Kansas City. He also completed a fellowship in adult spine surgery at Heartland Hand & Spine in Shawnee Mission, Kan.
Mark Bernhardt, MD (Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute, Leawood, Kan.). Dr. Bernhardt is a physician with Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute and a partner with Dickson-Diveley Midwest Orthopaedic Clinic in Kansas City, Mo. During his career, Dr. Bernhardt has served as a spine and orthopedic consultant to the Kansas City Royals and Kansas City Blades professional hockey team. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Bernhardt has focused on research and published articles based on his work in professional medical journals. He is a member of the North American Spine Society, Cervical Spine Research Society and Scoliosis Research Society. Dr. Bernhardt earned his medical degree at the University of Kansas School of Medicine and completed his residency at St. Francis Regional Medical Center. His additional training includes a spine surgery fellowship at Harvard Medical School in Boston.
Gregory D. Carlson, MD (Hoag Orthopedic Institute, Irvine, Calif.). Dr. Carlson is an orthopedic spine surgeon at Hoag Orthopedic Institute and a general partner of Orthopaedic Specialty Institute of Orange County. He previously served as head of spine surgery at the University of California in Irvine. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Carlson has lectured extensively on spinal reconstructive surgery and has completed award-winning basic spine research projects. He is a member of the North American Spine Society, Cervical Research Society and American Spinal Injury Association. He is also on the board of the Western Orthopaedic Association. During his career, Dr. Carlson has served on the editorial advisory board for Spine and as a reviewer for several additional journals. He earned his medical degree at Loma Linda (Calif.) University and completed his residency and spine fellowship at the University of California in San Diego. His additional training includes a second spine fellowship at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.
Mark A. Capehart, MD (Oklahoma Surgical Hospital, Tulsa). Dr. Capehart is board-certified in orthopedic surgery and focuses on adult spine and pediatric orthopedics. He practices at several facilities, including the Oklahoma Surgical Hospital in Tulsa, which was founded in 2001 by orthopedics surgeons, neurosurgeons and anesthesiologists. Dr. Capehart received his medical degree from the University of Oklahoma, where he also completed a residency in orthopedic surgery. He completed a fellowship in pediatric orthopedics at Nemours/Alfred I. DuPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Del. Dr. Capehart is a member of the North American Spine Society, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America.
Jason L. Cormier, MD (Lafayette Surgical Hospital, Lafayette, La.). Dr. Cormier is a physician owner of Lafayette Surgical Specialty Hospital. He has a professional interest in minimally invasive complex spinal surgery. During his career, Dr. Cormier has served on the Council of State Neurological Society as a representative of Alabama to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Cormier spends time training medical students and residents in neurological techniques and dedicates his time to the Student Run Homeless clinic in New Orleans. Dr. Cormier earned his medical degree from Louisiana State University in New Orleans and completed additional training at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C., and the University of Alabama in Birmingham. He also completed a fellowship in complex spine surgery under the direction of Mark N. Hadley, MD.
Chris Cornett, MD (Nebraska Orthopaedic Hospital, Omaha). Dr. Cornett is an orthopedic surgeon who focuses exclusively on problems of the spine. He treats degenerative conditions, spinal stenosis, myelopathy, spondylolisthesis, disc herniations, scoliosis, tumors and trauma. He is a co-owner at Nebraska Orthopaedic Hospital in Omaha, a hospital jointly-owned by physicians and the University of Nebraska Medical Center. He is also an assistant professor in the department of orthopaedic surgery and rehabilitation. Dr. Cornett completed his medical degree from the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. He completed an orthopedic surgery residency at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics in Madison and a spine surgery fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
Terrence Crowder, MD (Arizona Spine & Joint Hospital, Mesa). Dr. Crowder is a spine surgeon with Sonoran Spine Center and the Arizona Spine & Joint Hospital, a 23-bed facility specializing in orthopedics, spine and podiatry. He is among the only spine surgeons who perform robotic spine surgery in Arizona. Dr. Crowder has a special interest in all diseases and disorders of the adult spine, including motion preserving techniques and cervical disc replacement. He is a member of the North American Spine Society, J. Robert Gladden Orthopaedic Society and American Medical Association. Dr. Crowder completed his medical degree at the University of Arkansas Medical School in Little Rock. He completed his general surgery internship and orthopedic surgery residency at Duke University in Durham, N.C., and received spine surgery fellowship training at William Beaumont Hospitals in Royal Oak, Mich.
Guy O. Danielson, III, MD (Texas Spine & Joint Hospital, Tyler). Dr. Danielson is a neurological spine surgeon at Texas Spine & Joint Hospital. He previously served as chief of neurological surgery at Mother Frances Hospital and East Texas Medical Center, both in Tyler, and on the Advisory Board for Texas Back Institute and Biomedical Research. During his career, he has been the medical director for Spine Care Associates and president of NeuroCare Network. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Danielson has focused on research and was the principle investigator for a study of ProDisc artificial disc replacement. He was also a principle investigator for studies with Medtronic and Stryker regarding spinal devices and technology. Dr. Danielson is a member of North American Spine Society and Congress of Neurological Surgeons, among others. He earned his medical degree at the University of Oklahoma School of Medicine in Oklahoma City, where he also completed his residency.
Jeffrey Deckey, MD (Orthopedic Specialty Institute, Orange County, Calif.). Dr. Deckey is a partner at the Orthopedic Specialty Institute in Orange County, Calif., and he serves on the board of directors of the Orthopedic Education and Research Institute of Southern California. His practice focuses on complex adult and pediatric spinal deformity surgery, including scoliosis, kyphosis and spondylolisthesis. Dr. Deckey is active in teaching, lecturing and conducting research on an international level, as well as pioneering techniques in minimally invasive spinal deformity surgery. He received his medical degree from Columbia University in New York City, where he also completed orthopedic surgical training. Dr. Deckey completed a scoliosis surgery fellowship program at the University of California San Francisco under the direction of David Bradford, MD, a pioneer in the field of spinal deformity surgery.
John Dietz Jr., MD (Indiana Orthopaedic Hospital, Indianapolis). Dr. Dietz is a spine surgeon with OrthoIndy and the practice's hospital, Indiana Orthopaedic Hospital. He serves as secretary of the Board of Directors of OrthoIndy and is a fellow of the Scoliosis Research Society. His additional affiliations include the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and North American Spine Society. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Dietz is an inventor and holds multiple patents on surgical instrumentation used during endoscopic spine surgery. He has published several articles in professional medical journals and presented on his research at national meetings. Dr. Dietz earned his medical degree at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, N.C., and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, Wash. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery at Swedish Hospital Medical Center in Seattle.
John Dickerson, MD (Kansas Spine Hospital, Wichita). Dr. Dickerson is a spine surgeon at Kansas Spine Hospital, a 38-bed spine focused hospital founded in 2003. The hospital includes a 3-tesla MRI and 16-slice CT scanner. Dr. Dickerson has a special interest in treating patients with minimally invasive spine surgery. He treats patients with neuro-oncology, trauma and degenerative disorders. Dr. Dickerson earned his medical degree at Baylor College of Medicine, where he also completed his residency in neurosurgery. Dr. Dickerson is a member of Abay Neuroscience Center in Wichita.
Winston Fong, MD (McBride Orthopedic Hospital, Oklahoma City, Okla.). Dr. Fong is a spine surgeon at McBride Orthopedic Hospital, a 78-bed physician-owned hospital originally founded in 1919. HealthGrades ranked the hospital number one for joint replacements in 2011. Dr. Fong has a special interest in minimally invasive spine procedures. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Fong is a member of North American Spine Society and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. He earned his medical degree at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C., and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at the University of Miami, Jackson Memorial Hospital. His additional training includes a spine fellowship at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Frank E. Fumich, MD (Institute for Orthopaedic Surgery, Lima, Ohio). Dr. Fumich is the Institute for Orthopaedic Surgery's director of orthopedic spine services and a member of the Medical Staff Medical Advisory Committee. He also holds membership in the North American Spine Society and is a diplomate for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Dr. Fumich earned his medical degree at Marshall University School of Medicine and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. His additional training includes an internship and surgical residency at West Virginia University and he is certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery.
Mark A. Gordon, MD (Aurora BayCare Medical Center, Green Bay, Wis.). Dr. Gordon has been with BayCare Clinic since its inception and performs neurosurgical cases at Aurora BayCare Medical Center, a joint venture of Aurora Health Care and BayCare Clinic. Dr. Gordon has a special interest in comprehensive management of spine conditions, including minimally invasive spinal reconstruction and fusion procedures, sports related injuries of the nervous system and treating brain conditions. He serves as a consultant to members of the National Football League and is an active member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. Dr. Gordon earned his medical degree at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee and completed his residency in neurological surgery at Medical College of Wisconsin affiliated hospitals. He is also a fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
Robert Hacker, MD (McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center, Springfield, Ore.). Dr. Hacker is a physician with McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center and partner at Oregon Neurosurgery Specialists. He has a professional interest in spinal disorders and performs artificial disc replacement as an alternative to fusion. Throughout his career, Dr. Hacker has conducted research published in medical journals and testified about surgical devices on FDA panel meetings. He is a member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, North American Spine Society and Cervical Spine Research Society. Dr. Hacker earned his medical degree at the University of Nebraska Medical School and completed additional training at Mayo Graduate School of Medicine, West Virginia Medical School and Montreal Neurological Institute.
Robert Henderson, MD (Pine Creek Medical Center, Dallas). Dr. Henderson is a spine surgeon with Pine Creek Medical Center, a physician-owned hospital that includes 30 different services. He has a professional interest in treating degenerative disc disease, lumbar spinal disorders and other spine conditions. He performs artificial disc replacement, minimally invasive surgery and spinal fusions, among other procedures. During his career, Dr. Henderson has been vice president of the American College of Spine Surgery and spoken internationally on surgical technique. He authored chapters in several orthopedic and neurosurgical text books and remains involved in FDA studies related to spine care. Dr. Henderson is a member of North American Spine Society and American Board of Spine Surgery. He earned his medical degree at the University of Nebraska Medical College in Omaha and completed his residency at St. Paul Hospital in Dallas. His additional training includes a traveling spine fellowship.
Gregory A. Hoffman, MD (Parkview Orthopedic Hospital, Fort Wayne, Ind.). Dr. Hoffman practices spine surgery with SpineOne and performs surgery at Parkview Orthopedic Hospital, the first specialty hospital in northeastern Indiana devoted to orthopedic surgery and post-surgery patient care. Dr. Hoffman is a member of the North American Spine Society, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and Scoliosis Research Society. He also volunteers at the Matthew 25 Orthopaedic Clinic and serves as a professor in the Fort Wayne Orthopaedic Residency Program. Dr. Hoffman earned his medical degree at the Thomas Jefferson University Hospital School of Medicine in Philadelphia and completed his residency through Pennsylvania State University at Milton Hershey (Pa.) Medical Center. His additional training includes a spinal deformity fellowship at Kenton D. Leatherman Spine Center at Norton Kosair and University Hospitals in Louisville, Ky.
Stan Hopp, MD (The Hospital for Spinal Surgery, Nashville, Tenn.). Dr. Hopp is an orthopedic spine surgeon who focuses on lumbar and cervical spine surgery. He has more than 25 years of experience in spine surgery and orthopedics. Dr. Hopp practices at The Hospital for Spinal Surgery, a 23-bed hospital that is a partnership between physicians and Nashville-based Saint Thomas Health. He received his medical degree from the University of Iowa in Iowa City. He completed an orthopedic surgery residency at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill and a fellowship in spine surgery at Texas Southwestern Medical School. Dr. Hopp is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Medical Association and Tennessee Medical Association.
Michael LaGrone, MD (Physicians Surgical Hospital, Amarillo, Texas). Dr. LaGrone is an orthopedic spine surgeon with a special interest in treating scoliosis and complex spinal disorders. He is a physician with Physicians Surgical Hospital. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. LaGrone is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, North American Spine Society, Scoliosis Research Society and Society of Military Orthopaedic Surgeons. During his career, he has been a member of the Medical Advisory Board of the National Scoliosis Foundation. He has contributed to numerous articles and text books on spine surgery. Dr. LaGrone earned his medical degree from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas and completed his orthopedic surgery residency at Letterman Army Medical Center. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery at Twin Cities Scoliosis Center in Minneapolis.
Gregory B. Lanford, MD (The Hospital for Spine Surgery, Nashville, Tenn.). Dr. Lanford is a neurosurgeon at The Center for Spine Surgery and president and managing partner of the Howell Allen Clinic. During his career, he has been affiliated with of several professional associations, including president of the Tennessee Neurological Society and served as a CSNS Tennessee State Delegate to Congress of Neurological Surgeons. He has also served as president of the board at St. Thomas Outpatient Neurosurgery Center. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Lanford has focused on research and served as a sub-investigator in several clinical trials. The clinical trials have recently focused on fusion in the lumbar and cervical spine. He earned his medical degree at the University of Tennessee in Memphis and completed his residency at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn.
E. Alexander L'Heureux Jr., MD (Oklahoma Spine Hospital, Edmond). Dr. L'Heureux is a spine surgeon at Oklahoma Spine Hospital and a member of several professional organizations, including American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, North American Spine Society and Scoliosis Research Society. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. L'Heureux has conducted research on topics such as congenital scoliosis and bone growth. He is also a member of the international teaching faculty of Interpore Cross International. Dr. L'Heureux earned his medical degree at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at New York Medical College in Valhalla. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery at Minnesota Spine Center in Minneapolis.
Kris Lewonowski, MD (Kansas Spine Hospital, Wichita). Dr. Lewonowski is a spine surgeon at Kansas Spine Hospital. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Lewonowski is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and North American Spine Society. He is also affiliated with the Swiss AO Foundation, Arthritis Foundation and American Heart Association. He earned his medical degree at the University of Arkansas School of Medicine and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at the university of Southern California Medical Center in Los Angeles. His additional training includes spine fellowships at Queen's Medical Center in Hawaii and The London Clinic. He has additional training in orthopedic surgery at the Rancho Los Amigos Medical Center in Downey, Calif., and arthritis joint implant surgery at USC Medical Center.
Geoffrey McCullen, MD (Lincoln Surgical Hospital, Nebraska.). Dr. McCullen is an orthopedic spine surgeon with Lincoln Surgical Hospital in Nebraska, a 16-bed, 100 percent physician-owned hospital that offers multispecialty treatment. He also practices at Neurological and Spinal Surgery in Lincoln. He has served as a clinical instructor of orthopedic surgery at the University of California Sand Diego. Dr. McCullen received his medical degree from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. He completed a general surgery internship at the University of Texas in Austin and a residency in orthopedic surgery at Dartmouth Medical School in Lebanon, N.H. Dr. McCullen completed a spine surgery fellowship at State University of New York Health Science Center in Syracuse. He is a member of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons and is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
Gilbert R. Meadows, MD (South Texas Spine & Surgical Hospital, San Antonio). Dr. Meadows is a spine surgeon at South Texas Spine & Surgical Hospital and founder of his practice, South Texas Spinal Clinic. He is a member of the Texas Medical Association, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and North American Spine Society. Throughout his career, he has had an interest in medical education and currently serves as the program director of the spinal fellowship at South Texas Spinal Clinic. He previously served as a clinical assistant professor at The University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. He has published numerous articles and delivered lectures based on his research on spine-related topics. Dr. Meadows earned his medical degree from Tulane University in New Orleans and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Portsmouth, Va. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery in New Orleans.
B. Theo Mellion, MD (Kansas Spine Hospital, Wichita). Dr. Mellion is a neurosurgeon with Kansas Spine Hospital, a 38-bed hospital with 10 physician owners that was founded in 2003. The hospital is ranked third in the country for overall spinal fusion quality by CareChex's 2013 rankings. Dr. Mellion's surgical interests include adult spinal surgery such as complex reconstructive surgery and minimally invasive spine. He uses percutaneous interbody fusion and instrumentation techniques. He completed his medical degree at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine in Farmington and completed his internship and residency at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.
Gary Misenhimer, MD (El Paso Specialty Hospital, Texas). Dr. Misenhimer joined El Paso Orthopaedic Surgery Group in November 2007 and performs cases at the group's El Paso Specialty Hospital. He has a special interest in spine surgery and received board certification from the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Misenhimer is a member of North American Spine Society, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and Texas Medical Association. He earned his medical degree at Texas Tech University in Lubbock and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at Texas Tech University Health Science Center and R.E. Thomason General Hospital in El Paso. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery at the L.L. Wiltse Spine Institute in Long Beach, Calif.
David B. Musante, MD (North Carolina Specialty Hospital, Durham). Dr. Musante performs cases at North Carolina Specialty Hospital and is a partner with Triangle Orthopaedic Associates in Chapel Hill, N.C. He is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, North American Spine Society and International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery. In his practice, Dr. Musante treats patients with a variety of conditions, including deformity, tumors and trauma. His expertise is in minimally invasive spine surgery, motion preservation and artificial disc replacement. Dr. Musante earned his medical degree from the University of Virginia School of Medicine in Charlottesville and completed his neurological surgery residency at the University of Washington in Seattle. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery at Texas Back Institute in Plano.
Kent M. Patrick, MD (Lewis & Clark Specialty Hospital, Yankton, S.D.). Dr. Patrick is a fellowship-trained spine surgeon who has focused exclusively on spine issues since 1987. He practices at Lewis & Clark Specialty Hospital, which was founded in 2002 by local physicians to serve patients with otolaryngology, general surgery, orthopedic, ophthalmology, urology and podiatry needs. Dr. Patrick received his medical degree from the Iowa City-based University of Iowa College of Medicine in 1977. He completed a residency in orthopedic surgery at the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine in Rochester, Minn., and completed his fellowship in spinal surgery at New York Medical Center and Bellevue Medical Center.
Madhaven Pisharodi, MD (Harlingen Medical Center, Harlingen, Texas). Dr. Pisharodi is on the medical staff at Harlingen Medical Center, a physician-owned hospital established in 2002 that has a five-star rating from HealthGrades in spinal fusion surgery. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Pisharodi focuses on research and has obtained approval from the Food and Drug Administrator to market three spinal implants without grants or subsidy from a government entity. He has patented 21 new devices and procedures as well as participated in several national and international spine-related presentations. He opened a new practice in April 2008 that includes a C-Arm. Dr. Pisharodi earned his medical degree at the Calicut University Medical Center and completed his residency at the University of Texas in Galveston.
Yigal Samocha, MD (Texas Orthopedic Hospital, Houston). Dr. Samocha is a spine surgeon with fellowship training from the Texas Back Institute in Plano. He practices at Texas Orthopedic Hospital in Houston, a physician-owned specialty hospital that opened in 1995. He is also affiliated with The Methodist Hospital in Houston. He published a study comparing results from cervical disc arthroplasty and anterior cervical discectomy and fusion. Dr. Samocha received his medical degree from The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas and completed a residency at New York Medical College in Valhalla. He is a member of many societies, including the North American Spine Society, International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery, AO Spine International, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and Texas Medical Association.
Eric B. Schubert, MD (Mountain View Regional Hospital, Casper, Wyo.). Dr. Schubert joined Mountain View Regional Hospital in the fall of 2011. The 23-bed physician-owned hospital received the HealthGrades 2011 Spine Surgery Excellence Award and has a five-star rating in spinal fusion. Dr. Schubert has a special interest in complex reconstructive spine surgery, revision spine surgery and spine surgery for degenerative disease. He previously practiced at Billings (Mont.) Clinic Hospital. Dr. Schubert earned his medical degree at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine in Richmond and completed his residency in neurological surgery at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C.
Patrick Sweeney, MD (Pinnacle Hospital, Crown Point, Ind.). Dr. Sweeney is a member of Pinnacle Hospital, which opened in 2007 as a partnership between primary care physicians, surgeons and other specialists. In 2002, Dr. Sweeney founded his practice based in Mokena, Ill., focusing on minimally invasive spine surgery techniques. Dr. Sweeney is a member of the North American Spine Society, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and Indiana Orthopaedic Society. He earned his medical degree at Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago, where he also completed his residency in orthopedic surgery. His additional training includes a fellowship in spinal deformity at The Leatherman Fellowship in Louisville, Ky.
Larry Teuber, MD (Black Hills Surgical Hospital, Rapid City, S.D.). Dr. Teuber is a physician with Black Hills Surgical Hospital, which he founded in 1997. He is also chief medical officer and president of Medical Facilities Corporation and founder and physician executive of Black Hills Surgery Center. He provides consultative services and expertise for physicians on developing surgical facilities as well as centers of excellence for spine and neurosurgical care. Previously, Dr. Teuber served in the active and reserve Army. He earned his medical degree at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion and completed his neurosurgical residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee.
Frank J. Tomecek, MD (Tulsa Spine & Specialty Hospital, Tulsa). Dr. Tomecek has served as the chairman of neurology, neurosurgery, physical medicine, rehabilitation and pain management at Tulsa Spine & Specialty Hospital. He has a professional interest in micro-endoscopic lumbar laminectomy for spinal stenosis, microsurgery for lumbar disc disease, pediatric scoliosis and lumbar artificial disc replacement. During his career, Dr. Tomecek has served as president-elect of the Tulsa Neurosciences Society and a member of the steering committee for the Brain Injury Association of Oklahoma. He was also a lead investigator on an FDA study of prospective clinical outcomes comparing posterior lumbar interbody fusion grafting techniques of recombinant bone morphogenic protein and autograft. Dr. Tomecek earned his medical degree at Indiana University and completed his neurosurgical residency at Henry Ford University in Detroit. His additional training includes a fellowship at the University of Louisville (Ky.) Hospital in neurological surgery.
H. Randal Woodward (Nebraska Spine Hospital, Omaha). Dr. Woodward is chairman of the board for Nebraska Spine Holdings, which owns 44 percent of Nebraska Spine Hospital. Other stakeholders in the hospital include Alegent Health, which owns 51 percent, and Health Inventures, which holds 5 percent. During his career, Dr. Woodward has served as a reviewer for Spine and chairman of the coding committee for the Scoliosis Research Society. He is also a member of the North American Spine Society and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Woodward has participated in several clinical trials related to spine surgery, including an investigation of the Maverick total disc replacement and the Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial. Dr. Woodward earned his medical degree from Northwestern University in Chicago and completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at the University of Chicago. His additional training includes a fellowship in spine surgery at the University of Rochester (N.Y.).