September/October 2016 Issue of Becker's Spine Review

September/October 2016 Issue of Becker's Spine Review

ON THE COVER

	21 Smart Spine Surgeons With Gifted Business Minds There are spine surgeons across the country who excel in business as well as medicine. Click to Continue >>
	How Beverly Hills Spine Surgery Builds Value in a Competitive Market Khawar Siddique, MD, MBA, opened Beverly Hills Spine Surgery and branded his practice as an innovation center. Click to Continue >> Click to Continue >>
	5-Year Cervical Disc Replacement Results vs. Spinal Fusion: 5 Key Notes A new study published in The Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine found there wasn’t a significant difference in adverse event rates between spinal fusion and total disc replacement at two levels. Click to Continue >>

PUBLISHER'S LETTER

This issue of Becker’s Spine Review includes expertise on minimally invasive spine surgery, outpatient spine centers and the latest news in spine and around healthcare. Click here to Continue >> 

SPINE LEADERSHIP

21 Smart Spine Surgeons With Gifted Business Minds Click here to Continue >> 

Dr. Frank Phillips Becomes Director of the Division of Spine Surgery at Rush: 5 Key Notes
Rush University Medical Center in Chicago named Frank Phillips, MD, director of the division of spine surgery for the department of orthopedic surgery. Click to Continue >>

10 Updates on Neurosurgeon Pay
Here are 10 payment statistics and updates for neurosurgeons according to Neurosurgery Market Watch. Click to Continue >> 

5 Health Systems With Strong Finances
Here are five health systems with strong operational metrics and solid financial positions based on recent reports from Moody’s Investors Service, Fitch Rat. Click to Continue >>

Shriners Hospital for Children Names Dr. Purnendu Gupta Chief of Staff: 5 Key Notes
Shriners Hospitals for Children in Oak Park (Ill.) named Purnendu Gupta, MD, chief of staff, according to a Chicago Tribune report. Click to Continue >>

Spine Surgery Costs: 5 Key Notes on Surgeon Variation
The cost per surgeon for spine surgery varies from surgeon-to-surgeon. Click to Continue >>

Mount Sinai’s Dr. Joshua Bederson 1st to Use Virtual Reality Imaging System: 6 Highlight
Joshua Bederson, MD, a neurosurgeon at New York City-based Mount Sinai Hospital, is the first to use Germany-based Leica Microsystems’ CaptiView. Click to Continue >>

Coach Teams to Greatness: 5 Core Management Truths
Managing any organization is comparable to coaching a team. Click to Continue >>

Beyond Oral Opioids — Spinal Cord Stimulators, Targeted Drug Delivery & the Future of Pain Management
In March the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released guidelines for prescribing opioids for chronic pain. Click to Continue >>

Top 10 US States With Most Anesthesiologists
As of April 2016, there were 46,453 anesthesiologists in the United States, according to Kaiser State Health Facts. Click to Continue >>

SPINE DEVICE & IMPLANT

Zimmer Biomet Jumps Into Value-Based Care With Signature Solutions: 5 Things to Know
Zimmer Biomet further embraced value-based care when the company launched a suite of clinical services and technologies to assist hospitals and medical practices in making the transition. Click here to Continue >> 

Trends in Healthcare Wearables: What You Need to Know
The healthcare and technology markets are about to get more intertwined than ever, as wearable technology companies set their sites to the health industry to increase their market share. Click here to Continue >> 

Globus Medical to Acquire Alphatec’s International Business for $80M — 9 Key Notes
Audubon, Pa.-based Globus Medical will acquire Carlsbad, Calif.-based Alphatec Holdings’ international device business. Click here to continue >>

Medtronic’s Ambitious Goal: Generate $40B in Free Cash Flow in 5 Years — 6 Highlights
Here are six highlights from Medtronic’s recent investor day, according to a Seeking Alpha report. Click here to Continue >>

CMS Approves ICD-10 Code for Titan Spine’s nanoLOCK: 5 Things to Know
CMS approved a new technology ICD-10 code for interbody fusion devices’ nanotextured surface, according to pharmiweb.com. Click here to Continue >>

CMS Grants Add-On Payment for Magnetically Controlled Growth Rods in Spinal Deformity: 5 Key Notes
CMS granted a new technology add-on payment for magnetically controlled growth rods. Click here to Continue >>

Orthopedic, Spine Device Company Mergers, Acquisitions & Partnerships: 8 Recent Deals
Here are eight recent mergers, acquisitions and partnership agreements that took place among spine and orthopedic companies. Click here to Continue >>

Banner Health Suffers Year’s Largest Data Breach; 3.7M Affected
Cyberattackers gained access to “a limited number” of Banner Health computer servers, including the servers that process payment card information where food and beverages are sold at the Phoenix-based health system. Click here to Continue >>

Titanium-Coated PEEK Implants: Centinel Spine’s Ti-ACTIVE Advantage
Centinel Spine’s STALIF C and MIDLINE II now include Ti-ACTIVE, a texturized commercially pure titanium coating. Click here to Continue >>

Design Makes a Difference: Key Concepts for Achieving Clinical Success
Research has shown that restoring appropriate sagittal balance can deliver positive patient outcomes. Click here to Continue >>

PRACTICE MANAGEMENT

4 Strategies for Spine Surgeons to Resolve Their Claims
Spine surgeons are continually facing dwindling reimbursement and payers are throwing more roadblocks their way. Click here to Continue >> 

Charges for Spine Surgery vs. Total Joint Replacement: Which is More? 5 Things to Know
A new study published in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine examines the charges associated with spine surgery never events. Click here to Continue >> 

How Beverly Hills Spine Surgery Builds Value in a Competitive Market
Healthcare is a business and running a successful medical practice requires business-oriented leaders. Click here to Continue >> 

Do Hospital Compare Scores Predict Good Spine Surgery Outcomes? 5 Things to Know
A new study published in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine compares the Hospital Compare metrics with spine surgery outcomes. Click here to Continue >> 

10 Thoughts and Statistics on Medical Malpractice Claims Against Orthopedists
The Doctors Company recently released a closed claims study examining medical malpractice claims against orthopedists. Click here to Continue >> 

Private Practice vs. Employment: 5 Points on Where Today’s Residents Think They’ll End Up
The Medscape Resident Salary & Debt Report 2016 examined whether residents plan to become a partner or owner in a practice, or an employee at a healthcare organization. Click here to Continue >>

The Business of Private Practice — Dr. Paul Slosar on Physician Independence
Immersed in a highly competitive and regulated industry, independent physicians must demonstrate expertise in business management. Click here to Continue >>

JUNE CONFERENCE SNEAK PREVIEW

Dr. A. Nick Shamie Discusses the Challenge of Juggling Office Hours, Research & Life’s Commitments
A. Nick Shamie, MD, weighs in on balancing one’s academic and clinical practice. Click here to Continue >> 

Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery is the Future: Q&A With Dr. Frank Phillips of Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush
Frank Phillips, MD, director of the division of spine surgery at Rush University Medical Center and an orthopedic spine surgeon at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush in Chicago, comments on developments in minimally invasive spine surgery. Click here to Continue >> 

Challenges in Spinal Care: Q&A With Dr. George Cybulski of Northwestern University
George Cybulski, MD, an associate professor of neurological surgery at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, discusses challenges in the spinal care industry. Click here to Continue >>

Dr. Mick Perez-Cruet’s Takeaways on MIS & Outpatient Spine
Neurosurgeon Mick Perez-Cruet, MD, of Southfield-based Michigan Head & Spine Institute, offers his insight on minimally invasive spine surgery, value-based care and what the future holds for outpatient spine. Click here to Continue >> 

SpineCal Institute’s Dr. Pablo Pazmino on Patient Education & Proving Surgical Procedures’ Efficacy 
Pablo Pazmino, MD, highlights the importance of bringing patients into the fold so they can make educated decisions as well as challenges that lay ahead for spine surgeons. Click here to Continue >>

The Best New Opportunities for Spine Surgeons in Value-Based Healthcare: Q&A With Dr. Stephen Hochschuler
Stephen Hochschuler, MD, co-founder of Texas Back Institute in Plano, discusses the best opportunities for spine surgeons and practices to thrive in the future. Click here to Continue >>

Dr. William C. Watters III on the Biggest Issues Facing the Industry Today 
William C. Watters III, MD, is an orthopedic physician with Houston Methodist Hospital. Click here to Continue >>

TECHNIQUE

The Role of the Surgical Microscope in Modern MIS Spine
Mastering microsurgical techniques proves essential for spine surgeons performing minimally invasive spinal surgery. Click here to Continue >> 

5-Year Cervical Disc Replacement Results vs. Spinal Fusion at 2 Levels: 5 Key Notes
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. Click here to Continue >> 

Advocate to Pay Largest HIPAA Settlement to Date
Downers Grove, Ill.-based Advocate Health Care has  agreed  to pay $5.55 million to HHS’ Office for Civil Rights to settle claims that it violated HIPAA. Click here to Continue >>

Endoscopic Spine Surgery Makes it Into CMS’ 2017 Fee Schedule Proposed Rule
CMS proposed rules for the 2017 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and the 2017 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System. Click here to Continue >> 

Electrical Bone Stimulators: New Evidence Supports Treatment for Bone Healing 
Electrical bone stimulators are an evidence-based option to promote bone healing. Click here to Continue >>

How Did Compensation Change for Executives, Providers From 2015 to 2016?
Average annual compensation increased by 2.5 percent among physicians and surgeons from 2015 to 2016, while executives saw a 12.9 percent decrease, according to Health eCareers’ 2016 Salary Guide. Click here to Continue >>

Effect of the Stryker Venom Cannula and Venom Electrode combination on lesion size and anesthesia delivery during radiofrequency ablation 
Click here to Continue >>

Malls May be the Newest Healthcare Destination: 6 Things to Know 
Increasingly, retail spaces are adding offices offering medical services, according to a Bloomberg report. Click here to Continue >>

6 Key Thoughts on Best Business Strategies for Young Spine Surgeons
Physicians aren’t just clinicians today; they are business men and women running their practice in a complex market. Click here to Continue >>