Spine

Phoenix-based Southwest Orthopedic and Spine Hospital agreed to pay $5.6 million to resolve alleged Stark law violations, according to a Feb. 24 Justice Department news release. The hospital, operating as Oasis Hospital, USPI and Dignity/USP Phoenix Surgery Centers agreed to…

As reimbursements decline, spine surgeons are faced with weighing the needs of their patients and the sustainability of their practice. While patient needs remain at the forefront, the environment around clinical choices have been affected by shifts in Medicare and…

Last year was a crucial year of learning for spine and orthopedic leaders, with artificial intelligence understanding and implementation being a top priority for many. Other changes surgeons are making include a focus on patient education and growth strategies. The…

Spine biologics are emerging as prominent tools, and in the next five years they may become an integral part of implants from the start, Philip Louie, MD, said. Dr. Louie, a spine surgeon at Seattle-based Virginia Mason Franciscan Health and…

Paul Kim, MD, was named chair of neurosurgery at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and Advocate Health’s Charlotte, N.C. campus, according to a Feb. 24 LinkedIn post. Dr. Kim is a surgeon with Charlotte-based Carolina NeuroSurgery & Spine Associates.…

Gregory Poulter, MD, a spine surgeon at Indianapolis-based OrthoIndy, has debuted Surgical Theater’s newly cleared SyncAR Spine platform.  The FDA recently granted 510(k) clearance to the platform, which uses AI-powered augmented and virtual reality tools. The update enables MRI and…

Salem (Ohio) Regional Medical Center offers spinal cord stimulation for chronic pain through Ryan Sankovic, MD, the first physician to bring the therapy to the region.  Dr. Sankovic specializes in physical medicine and rehabilitation and pain medicine. He also provides…

Spine surgery has never lacked data. It has lacked alignment. For years, surgeons have reported outcomes using different metrics, definitions and thresholds, complicating efforts to compare and benchmark results. Now, as multipayer alignment pushes toward standardized quality measures, many see…

Jason Zook, MD, and his team at Durham, N.C.-based EmergeOrtho earned Barricaid Platinum Center of Excellence, according to a Feb. 20 LinkedIn post. The designation is awarded for consistent clinical excellence with the Barricaid device, designed for high-risk discectomy patients.…

As a board-certified orthopedic spine surgeon with fellowship training in both orthopedic and neurosurgical spine surgery from the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, I’ve spent over a decade navigating the evolving landscape of spine care. My journey has taken me from rigorous…