Here are eight things for spinal surgeons to know for August 4, 2016.
UCLA pays $8.5M to settle 2 lawsuits after undisclosed spine surgeon relationship with Medtronic
The University of California will pay $8.5 million to settle multiple lawsuits alleging undisclosed financial ties between a former UCLA spine surgeon and Medtronic, according to a Kaiser Health News report. The UCLA board of regents approved the settlement in the case, paying $4.2 million to one patient and $4.25 million to a second patient who allege surgeries Jeffrey Wang, MD, performed led to complications and additional operations. UCLA denied physicians' wrongdoing but wanted to avoid further litigation.
Zimmer Biomet reports Q2 sales jump 65%; Spine sales up 147%
Zimmer Biomet reported second quarter sales increased 65 percent over the same period last year, but the net loss for the quarter also increased. The company's spine sales for the quarter were up 147 percent to $146 million. The company reported second quarter net loss at $31.1 million, an increase from $173.6 million over the same period last year.
About 31% of CMS' 5-star hospitals are physician-owned
Physician-owned hospitals have earned high marks for patient care in CMS' new Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating program, according to a Physician Hospitals of America report. Of the 102 five-star rated hospitals, 37 hospitals were physician-owned.
Regent Surgical Health develops ASC dedicated specifically to spine, TJR
Regent Surgical Health is developing the first ambulatory surgery center in the Northwest region dedicated specifically to performing total joint replacements and treating spine disorders, according to the press release. The ASC is a joint venture between Regent and Beaverton, Ore.-based West End Surgical ASC's physician affiliates.
NuVasive appoints 2 new board members
Mike O'Halleran and Pat Miles will serve on the spine surgery company's board starting Aug. 1. Mr. O'Halleran will serve as the company's independent director and join the board's audit committee. Mr. Miles, who is currently president and chief operating officer of NuVasive and on the company's executive management team, will serve as a non-independent board member.
PinnacleHealth opens surgery optimization clinic for spine, orthopedics
PinnacleHealth opened its Surgery Optimization Clinic to serve high-risk patients, providing additional one-on-one pre-surgical education and coordinating care between the patient and primary care providers, surgeons and anesthesiologists. The clinic will open in August.
5-year cervical disc replacement results vs. spinal fusion
A new study published in The Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine examined the five year clinical results of total disc replacement compared with anterior cervical discectomy and fusion for two-level symptomatic degenerative disc disease. The disc replacement patients reported overall patient satisfaction rates 60 months after surgery. There wasn't a significant difference in adverse event rates between the two groups.
Vertical Spine's FIBRINET System reaches 1k cases milestone
Surgeons have used Vertical Spine's FIBRINET System technology in 1,000 cases. The FIBRINET System is a self-contained, disposable kit, and is used to harness and concentrate the patient's own platelets and associated growth factors into a platelet-rich fibrin membrane graft.