Becker’s Spine Review

Stephen Kates, MD, will serve as interim dean of the Richmond-based Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine and interim executive vice president of medical affairs for VCU Health System, effective Dec. 24.  Dr. Kates serves as chair of the department…

Rock Hill, S.C.-based 3D Systems received FDA 510(k) clearance to expand its VSP Orthopedics platform for use in skeletally mature adolescents with normal bone stature.  The clearance eliminates the need for compassionate-use or institutional review board approvals in adolescent cases,…

Companion Spine earned the FDA’s premarket approval for its DIAM spinal stabilization system, according to a Dec. 15 news release. DIAM is the first posterior motion-preserving device approved in the U.S., and it is designed to address moderate-to-severe primary low…

Some independent spine and orthopedic practices have turned to private equity deals to stay afloat amid financial headwinds and scale in recent years. And private equity continues to grow in the specialties. However, not all private equity partners are equal,…

Emporia, Kan.-based Newman Regional Health and Burlington, Kan.-based Coffey Health System, have entered into a shared services agreement to strengthen rural specialty care, including general surgery and orthopedics.  The partnership launched with general surgery services provided across both hospitals and…

Muncie, Ind.-based IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital became the first and only health system in the state to offer robot-assisted shoulder replacements, according to a news release shared Dec. 11 with Becker’s. Jacob Triplet, DO, is currently the only surgeon…

Orthopedics continued to shift in 2025 as care delivery models evolved, technology adoption accelerated and market pressures reshaped how musculoskeletal services are delivered. Here are five moves that defined the year: 1. Orthopedic service lines expanded aggressively through new centers…

Medical City Weatherford (Texas) added a spine surgery program for the first time in more than a decade, according to a Dec. 12 news release. The hospital’s new program includes posterior lumbar laminectomy and discectomy and anterior cervical discectomy and…

More than 15 spine and orthopedic surgeons have been honored in 2025. Note: This is not an exhaustive list. 1. Brian Cole, MD, of Chicago-basedMidwest Orthopaedics at Rush, earned the 2025 Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation Clinical Research Award. He was recognized…

As the U.S. healthcare system faces mounting financial pressure and policy uncertainty, orthopedic leaders are increasingly focused on the structural barriers that shape how care is delivered and funded.  From fragmented care pathways and payer administrative burden to misaligned reimbursement…