Four orthopedic practices have announced or launched mergers involving 50 or more physicians in 2021:

Here are seven sports medicine industry updates since Sept. 1: 

Maintaining independence is among the biggest challenges facing orthopedic groups amid significant industry consolidation, but migrating more higher-acuity cases to the outpatient setting and expanding ambulatory strategies represent key growth opportunities.

CMS reduced the number of indirect compensation agreements subject to Stark Law referral and billing prohibitions in its Nov. 2 clarification of indirect compensation arrangements , according to a JDSupra report by Matthew Westbrook, an attorney specializing in healthcare regulatory compliance.

Doximity's 2021-2022 Residency Navigator ranks the top residency programs for multiple medical specialities in the U.S.

Three physician-owned orthopedic practices in California are merging to create the third-largest specialty group in the western U.S., San Francisco Business Times reported Nov. 18.

Ed Hellman, MD, president and interim CEO of Indianapolis-based OrthoIndy, has navigated several healthcare challenges over the last 30 years as an orthopedic surgeon.

Value-based care has been a hot topic among spine and orthopedic surgeons. While some see promise in the way patient care can be delivered, many say there's still room for improvement.

Here are 10 spine surgeons to know:

Marc Philippon, MD, at The Steadman Clinic in Vail, Colo., performed hip surgery on the singer Pink, according to her Nov. 17 Instagram post.

Orthobiologics company Bioventus has signed a lease agreement to double its current operations and manufacturing space in Cordova, Tenn.

Two orthopedic surgeons reflect on what they're grateful for in 2021 ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.

An orthopedic surgeon is among three physicians who will share the chief medical officer role at Pullman (Wash.) Regional Hospital and Clinic Network, Big Country News reported Nov. 17.

Artificial disc replacement technology has made significant strides in 2021. Here's a breakdown of three artificial discs making headlines.

Becker's Spine Review reported on five studies in the last 30 days that orthopedic surgeons should know.

From Medtronic's new spine leader to Johnson & Johnson's planned split, here are eight key updates from spine and orthopedic device companies in the last week:

A spine biologics company's $100 million investment deal and six more key updates in regenerative medicine in the last two months:

A growing number of patients are using online platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Youtube to seek out healthcare providers, which presents a key opportunity for surgeons to expand their patient base. 

St. Joseph, Mich.-based Spectrum Health Lakeland added the Mazor X Stealth Edition robotic guidance platform, according to a Nov. 15 news release.

Here are five spine practices to know: