Here are eight things for spinal surgeons to know for April 9, 2015.
Medtronic settles alleged Trade Agreement Act violations for $4.4M
Medtronic agreed to settle a qui tam lawsuit regarding a contract with the Department of Veteran Affairs, Department of Defense and other federal agencies. The whistleblowers allege Medtronic sold devices that originated in China to government contractors, violating obligations under the Trade Agreement Act.
Zimmer voluntarily recalls knee device
Zimmer is initiating a voluntary recall of Persona Trabecular Metal Tibia, according to the FDA. The device is used in either posterior cruciate retaining or sacrificing surgical procedures to treat knee conditions.
Bundled spine surgery for Walmart, Lowe's employees
Pacific Business Group on Health expanded its Employers Centers of Excellence Network to include spine surgery. The network includes large employers like Lowe's and Walmart, which collaborates with three hospital providers in the United States to send employees for healthcare. ECEN uses bundled rates for both spine care and joint replacement.
Bacterin receives U.S. patent related to OsteoSponge products
Bacterin received a United States patent for technology included in the company's OsteoSponge products. The claims cover certain demineralized bone matrixes that contain minimum bone morphogenetic protein-2 levels.
Rothman Institute tops The Spine Journal's fellowship program academic impact list
The Spine Journal published a study ranking the academic impact of spine surgical fellowship programs, ranking Rothman Institute at Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals in Philadelphia at the top. The institute was ranked number one for both volume and academic impact.
Mazor sells 3 robotic spine systems in Q1
One of the systems was sold in the United States at Arrowhead Hospital in Glendale, Ariz. The other two are international and were sold in Germany and Taiwan. There are 12 systems in Germany and four in Taiwan to date. There are currently 48 Mazor Renaissance systems installed in the United States.
What impacts spine surgery malpractice claims more — Mortality or hospital costs?
A study published in The Spine Journal found that there were a higher number of claims per 100 physicians in a state that was associated with increased hospital charges and length of stay. Also, there were no associations between the number of claims per physician and mortality.
14 large physician groups earn payment increases under physician value-based modifier
CMS has announced the 2015 results of the value-based payment modifier, one of the strategies CMS is using to tie 85 percent of Medicare payments to quality by 2016. Fourteen groups are eligible for a positive payment adjustment of approximately 5 percent, while 11 will have a downward adjustment of -0.5 or -1 percent.