Michael Ast, MD, has strong hopes for the power of data in orthopedics.

Deepak Reddy, MD, said he thinks staffing will be a challenge for his practice, South Bend (Ind.) Orthopaedics, in 2022.

On February 17, Ernest Braxton, MD, of Vail (Colo.) Summit Orthopaedics and Neurosurgery performed a landmark spinal fusion in the state.

Dr. Alfonso Garcia, a spine surgeon working in Tijuana, Mexico, believes his city is primed to be a destination for medical tourism services and spine care.

Minimally invasive and robotic surgical technology will bring substantial opportunities for growth in spine surgery, Stewart Kerr, MD, said.

Saqib Hasan, MD, is an endoscopic spine pioneer, completing California's first endoscopic lumbar fusion with robot-assisted technology.

Almost two years after completing a spine surgery fellowship at Rothman Orthopaedic Institute in Philadelphia, Chester Donnally, MD, is making a name for himself both in and outside of the operating room.

Spine and orthopedic experts and leaders spoke with Becker's Spine Review on key topics in February from social media practices to the payer landscape.

Robert Bray Jr., MD, has big plans for the practice he founded, Newport Beach, Calif.-based DISC Sports and Spine Center, now that it has private equity backing.

Motion-preserving technology will remain integral in spine surgery, according to Bobby Bhatti, MD.

From prior authorizations to staffing, orthopedic surgeon Sohrab Pahlavan, MD, is thinking ahead about challenges in 2022.

Partnerships have been key to Jacksonville, Fla.-based Southeast Orthopedics Specialists' growth in the last few years. In 2019, the practice banded with Healthcare Outcomes Performance Co. Since then, practice also partnered with Jacksonville-based Ascension Florida & Gulf Coast, and with Orthopaedic Associates of St. Augustine (Fla.).

Outpatient spine and orthopedic surgery has accelerated in the last two years, and with that could come growth in ASC-based technologies, according to Jason Weisstein, MD, of Yavapai Regional Medical Center in Prescott, Ariz.

Cory Calendine, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at Franklin-based Bone and Joint Institute of Tennessee, has plans to implement new technologies and protocols to strengthen care at the practice.

Research, education and clinical work are the top ways healthcare institutions can spur consistent growth, according to Steven Magid, MD. 

Keeping up with the "moving target" of CMS coding in ASCs is one of the top challenges Ronjon Paul, MD, is concerned about this year.

CMS and insurer policies are areas Mark Schwartz, CEO of Warrenton, Va.-based Blue Ridge Orthopaedic & Spine Center, is watching closely in 2022. 

From endoscopic surgery education to regenerative medicine research, Michael Gallizzi, MD, already has a vision for his upcoming post at The Steadman Clinic in Vail, Colo.

Saad Chaudhary, MD, a minimally invasive spine surgeon at New York City-based Mount Sinai, pointed to robotics and artificial intelligence as key players as spine technology evolves.

Despite dealing with supply chain challenges and staffing issues amid COVID-19, EmergeOrtho has continued to grow its practice with new services and technology.