Here are eight things for spinal surgeons to know for Jan. 26, 2017.
Stryker expects 5.5% to 6.5% organic growth in 2017
Kalamazoo, Mich.-based Stryker net sales grew 13.9 percent in 2016, hitting $11.3 billion. Stryker's orthopedics net sales jumped 4.7 percent in 2016 to $4.4 billion. Medsurg net sales hit $4.9 billion, a 25.6 percent increase. Neurotechnology and spine net sales jumped 9.9 for the full year, hitting $2 billion. The company expects organic sales to grow 5.5 percent to 6.5 percent in 2017 with adjusted net earnings per diluted share to hit $1.40 to $1.45 in the first quarter and $6.35 to $6.45 in the full year.
GAO appoints 11 members to the Physician-Focused Payment Model Technical Advisory
The Comptroller General of the United States and U.S. Government Accountability Office head Gene L. Dodaro made his first appointments to the Physician-Focused Payment Model Technical Advisory. The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 established the committee to make recommendations to the HHS secretary on physician payment models. See who made the committee here.
Xtant Medical CEO Dan Goldberger resigns
Belgrade Mont.-based Xtant Medical CEO and Director Dan Goldberger resigned on Jan. 21, 2017, to pursue other interests. Xtant's President Carl O'Connell will take on the interim CEO position as the company's board decides on a permanent CEO.
Judge blocks $37B Aetna, Humana deal
Judge John Bates of the U.S. District Court ruled in favor of the Department of Justice and blocked the proposed Aetna and Humana deal, as outlined in a memorandum opinion issued by Judge Bates on behalf of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.
InVivo Therapeutics: 54% of SCI patients improve after participating in INSPIRE study
InVivo Therapeutics of Cambridge, Mass., has announced the improving condition of a spinal cord injury-affected patient enrolled in the INSPIRE study of the Neuro Spinal Scaffold. After being discharged a month ago, the patient's condition has improved from a complete AIS A Spinal cord injury to an incomplete AIS B spinal cord injury. Two additional patients remain in early follow-up stage, with conversion still possible in the coming months.
Minimally invasive SI joint fusion with iFuse leads to fewer revisions than screw fixation
The International Journal of Spine Surgery published a new study examining SI-Bone's iFuse Implant System. The four-year cumulative revision rate was 5.7 percent for SI joint fusion patients with iFuse, compared with 30.8 percent among the patients who underwent SI joint screw fixation. The iFuse device received FDA clearance in November 2008 and the CE mark in November 2010. The device is a minimally invasive procedure to alleviate SI joint dysfunction.
Barrow Brain and Spine incorporates Surgical Theater's Precision Virtual Reality
Phoenix-based Barrow Brain and Spine physicians became the first in the Southwest to use Surgical Theater's Precision Virtual Reality medical visualization platform, which is designed to help patients visualize and comprehend medical conditions. Surgical Theater combines jet flight simulation technology with the patient's anatomy scans to develop a virtual reality reconstruction of the patient's anatomy and pathology.
Federal government reclaims $3.3B+ in fraudulent healthcare claims in FY 2016
The HHS Office of Inspector General reported the federal government recovered more than $3.3 billion in fraudulent healthcare claims in fiscal year 2016. The report noted this resulted in a return on investment of $5 for every dollar expended. The Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control program, envisioned by HSS and Department of Justice, reclaimed the funds.