Orthopedic

Scott Smith, MD, a 54-year-old orthopedic surgeon, returned to work at Texas Orthopedics days after being discharged from a hospital for intensive COVID-19 treatment, according to local news outlets.

Sanjeev Kakar, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic, is seeing an increase in hand injuries during the COVID-19 pandemic, KIMT3 reports.

Antonia F. Chen, MD, MBA, is the director of research in arthroplasty services at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. Dr. Chen also serves as an associate professor at Boston-based Harvard Medical School.

Missoula (Mont.) Bone & Joint has laid off more than 50 of its 200-plus employees since March 23, CEO Sami Spencer told the Montana Free Press.

Here are six orthopedic surgeons making headlines this week:

The widespread suspension of elective surgeries due to the COVID-19 pandemic is causing significant economic difficulties for device companies and practices in the orthopedic industry.

Financial relief provided under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act won't be enough to keep musculoskeletal care providers afloat after the COVID-19 crisis, the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons said in an April 10 letter to congressional leaders.

St. Louis-based orthopedic surgeon Bill Schroer, MD, is using his distillery to make hand sanitizer, which is in high demand due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to NBC affiliate KSDK.

Meriden-based Connecticut Orthopaedic Institute at MidState Medical Center is "aggressively" using telemedicine during the COVID-19 crisis, orthopedic surgeon Jeffrey Pravda, MD, told local news outlet WTNH.

An 18-location orthopedic practice is suing Geico for $750,000 in damages, accusing the insurer of wrongfully denying "numerous" claims, South Florida Business Journal reports.