Spine

The Alliance of Specialty Medicine has written a letter to both Houses of Congress asking for a solution to the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate as part of the "fiscal cliff" negotiations.

Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., is embarking on a $7.05 million enhancement of its neuroscience, hospitalist and palliative care programs, according to a Times Leader report.

Aurora Spine appointed Kevin Murphy, MD, to its Advisory Board of Physicians.

Here are eight spine surgeons discussing the most important areas for spine research in the future.

Researchers at Dartmouth Atlas, in conjunction with the Informed Medical Decisions Foundation, looked at Medicare patients nationwide and found discrepancies in the prescribing of elective surgery, including spine procedures.

Here are 12 spine surgeons currently researching spinal disc regeneration. If you would like to recommend another spine surgeon for this list, please contact Laura at lmiller@beckershealthcare.com.

Usman Zahir, MD, is now a full time orthopedic surgeon with MedStar St. Mary's Hospital in Leonardtown, Md., according to a Southern Maryland News Net report.

Eido Walny, founder of Walny Legal Group LLC, an estate planning and asset protection boutique law firm based in Milwaukee, discusses the most important financial planning issues and strategies for surgeons through the end of 2012 and beyond.

Connor Telles, MD, has joined the orthopedic team at Sierra Pacific Orthopedics in Fresno, Calif.

Ambulatory surgery centers are now able to bring spine procedures — including spinal fusions — into the outpatient setting. However, some ASCs are having a hard time finding payors who will reimburse for those procedures.