July/August 2016 Issue of Becker's Spine Review

Super User - Tuesday, September 20th, 2016

ON THE COVER

	Minimally Invasive Spine’s Promising Future — Key Insight From SMISS President Dr. Greg Anderson Although still debated, minimally invasive spine surgery is gaining popularity with the flow of new research espousing its benefits. Click to Continue >>
	Spine Surgery Coverage Denials Cost Surgeons $191k The International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery released results from a study about how a third-party payer's delay or preauthorization coverage denial can impact spine practices. Click to Continue >>
	Where do spine surgeons fit in the changing market? Dr. Brian Gantwerker's insight The spine market evolves as the healthcare industry continues to shift, and successful spine surgeons will face the powerful forces of change with confidence. Click to Continue >>

SPINE LEADERSHIP

The Journey From Patient to Surgeon — Dr. Bobby Kalantar Shares How His Experience Shaped His Patient Outlook
Undergoing spine surgery is often an overall daunting experience for any patient, even a patient in medical school. Bobby Kalantar, MD, chief of orthopedic spine surgery at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C., can put himself in a back pain patient's shoes after first-hand experience. Click here to Continue >>

Surgeon Entrepreneur: Dr. Kern Singh’s Quest to Make Lateral Spine Surgery More Accessible
NuVasive dominates the lateral spine market with Medtronic being a distant second. Kern Singh, MD, and his colleagues with Avaz Surgical are trying to level the playing field with new technology focused on quantitative imaging. Click to Continue >>

SPINE DEVICE & INNOVATION

PODs Under Attack Again: 5 Key Notes From the Senate Finance Committee’s Report
The Senate Finance Committee released a new report on physician-owned distributorships, focusing on spine surgeons. Click here to Continue >>

Zimmer Biomet to Acquire LDR in $1B Transaction — 9 Things to Know
Warsaw, Ind.-based Zimmer Biomet will acquire Austin, Texas-based LDR Holding for $1 billion. Click here to continue >>

PRACTICE MANAGEMENT

Leveraging the Internet to Your Practice’s Benefit — 6 Medical Marketing Strategies From Dr. Tony Mork
Sixteen years ago, spine surgeon Tony Mork, MD, of Newport Beach, Calif., and Miami, discovered how to leverage the power of the internet for his practice's marketing purposes. Click here to Continue >>

How Should Spine Surgeons Approach a Shifting Landscape?
Jocelyn Idema, DO, of Mid-Maryland Musculoskeletal Institute in Frederick, believes outpatient spine is heading into a favorable future, encouraged by Medicare and private payers accepting more procedures in the setting. Click here to Continue >>

The Low Hanging Fruit of HIPAA Compliance: 8 Best Practices
HIPAA rule violations can cost physician practices — monetarily, operationally and with regard to reputation. In extreme cases, HIPAA violations can result in a practice being excluded from Medicare or even jail time. Click here to Continue >>

12 Patient Handoff Communication Tools to Know
Here are 12 tools that aim to improve patient handoff at healthcare facilities. Click here to Continue >>

HEALTHCARE REFORM

How to Beat Out Yelp, Healthgrades & Take Control of Spine Center Referrals
How do patients learn about their healthcare options? In today's world of technology, it's difficult for them to secure one reliable way of choosing where they should go to receive care. Click here to Continue >>

Cervical Cage Coverage: What to Expect in the Era of Insurance Company Mergers
he International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery's policy statement on cervical cage coverage was published last year. Click here to Continue >>

5 Key Strategies to Bolster Spine Profitability in the Outpatient Landscape
Because spine procedures are some of the most profitable procedures performed in ASCs, they can help boost a a struggling center's bottom line. Click here to Continue >>

Dartmouth-Hitchcock CEO Dr. James Weinstein on What’s Wrong With Healthcare and How to Fix It
James Weinstein, DO, president and CEO of Dartmouth-Hitchcock health system in Lebanon, N.H., has released a new book that discusses healthcare challenges and how to overcome them, The Portsmouth Herald reports. Click here to Continue >>

Novel Technologies Make a Splash in Outpatient Spine Setting — Dr. Nick Shamie Weighs In
When considering adding spine to an ASC, Nick Shamie, MD, of Santa Monica-based UCLA Spine Center, recommends surgeons check coverage for specific procedures. Click here to Continue >>