Spine

The last year has been a particularly transformative one for spine care, with telehealth, accelerating outpatient migration and updated site-care-strategies taking center stage.

Chetan Patel, MD, developer of augmented reality system iSight, said the device has reduced the time taken to place pedicle screws during spine surgery by 51 percent.

From multidisciplinary spine centers to the continued growth of telehealth and rapid migration to the outpatient setting, 10 surgeons outline how spine care delivery will evolve in the next five years.

A study published online March 20 in The Spine Journal examines factors that drive costs for single-level lumbar discectomies.

The American Academy of Neurological Surgery has appointed James Markert, MD, president.

Stephen Hochschuler, MD, co-founder and chair emeritus of Plano-based Texas Back Institute, talked about spine innovations, technology and private practice on the "Becker's Healthcare Spine and Orthopedic Podcast."

Two more spine surgeons received prison sentences March 18 for their roles in a $40 million kickback scheme at the now-defunct physician-owned Forest Park Medical Center in Dallas, according to The Dallas Morning News.

Over the past month, Becker's has reported on five spine and neurosurgeons who were named to leadership positions:

Los Angeles-based Cedars-Sinai has appointed David Skaggs, MD, co-director of its spine center, director of the pediatrics program and executive vice chair of the department of orthopedics.

Here are 13 executive appointments at spine and orthopedic companies and practices so far this year: