Here are eight things for spinal surgeons to know for Feb. 18, 2016.
Florida teen poses as physician again, this time at his own fake medical office
A Florida teenager, Malachi Love-Robinson, is accused of pretending to be a physician for the second time in just over a year. Mr. Love-Robinson, 18, was arrested Tuesday and charged with practicing medicine without a license. He allegedly performed physical exams and gave medical advice to people — including an undercover officer — at an illegal medical office he ran in West Palm Beach, Fla.
Orthopedic surgeon median salary totals $333,097
An orthopedic surgeon's salary ranges from $123,197 to $541,917, according to payscale.com data. The top 10 percent of orthopedic surgeons make a salary around $540,000 and bonuses may reach $101,160. Orthopedic surgeon total pay ranges from $126,283 and $584,008. An orthopedic surgeon with more than 20 years of experience receives a median compensation of $403,000.
Minimally invasive SI joint fusion could save $1,000s
There are two new economic publications showing the cost-effectiveness of minimally invasive sacroiliac joint fusion with SI-BONE's iFuse Implant System. In one study, the incremental cost was $9,833, corresponding with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $13,313 per QALY gained. In another study, the cost model predicted a $3,100 expected two-year direct healthcare cost savings when considering the SI joint compared to not considering SI joints.
Hackers hold Hollywood Presbyterian Medical center hostage
Hackers shut down Hollywood (Calif.) Presbyterian Medical Center's computers for more than a week. The hackers are reportedly seeking more than $3.6 million to decrypt the system and the hospital's files. The hospital transferred its patients to other hospitals due to the outage.
Stryker buys Physio-Control for $1.28B in 3rd February 2016 acquisition
Stryker signed a deal to acquire Physio-Control in an all-cash transaction. Physio-Control's products will complement Stryker Medical's Emergency Medical Services. Stryker's Physio-Control acquisition is the company's third acquisition in February.
Mount Carmel Health System acquires Central Ohio Neurological Surgeons
Columbus, Ohio-based Mount Carmel Health System acquired Central Ohio Neurological Surgeons in Westerville, Ohio. The health system acquired Central Ohio Neurological Surgeons after nearly half of the practice's six surgeons left for OhioHealth in Columbus.
New York Methodist Hospital adds 3 pediatric neurosurgeons
New York Methodist Hospital added Mark Souweidane, MD; Jeffrey Greenfield, MD, and Caitlin Hoffman, MD. All three are also members of the faculty at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York.
Wenzel Spine receives FDA clearance for lumbar interbody fusion device
The FDA granted clearance for Austin, Texas-based Wenzel Spine's new stand-alone expandable lumbar interbody fusion device. Surgeons implant the device in a unilateral or bilateral capacity through a PLIF or TLIF approach. The VariLift-LX has four fenestrations and a bone graft chamber to enhance vertebral fusion.