Spine

Reimbursements have been a pain point for many spine and orthopedic surgeons in recent years, and their changes have affected how care and business is done.

The Oregon Clinic Neurosurgery & Spine West in Portland added spine surgeon Aqib Zehri, MD, according to a July 29 LinkedIn post.

CMS proposed the Transforming Episode Accountability Model, a new five-year, episode-based payment model affecting orthopedics and spine, in April and the final rule is expected to drop soon.

Stryker's Q Guidance System with Spine Guidance 5 Software featuring Copilot has earned 510(k) clearance from the FDA. 

Spine and orthopedic groups have seen an uptick in prior authorizations and denials over the last several years, and many are looking for innovative ways to sidestep insurers.

Using artificial intelligence can reduce the time needed to analyze lumbar spine MRIs, according to a study published July 25 in the European Journal of Radiology.

Even with a quarter century in use, surgical robots seem like a shiny new toy in healthcare. The number of companies incorporating some form of robotics into their products has these technological innovations constantly in the headlines.

From networking opportunities to new innovation seminars, professional spine and orthopedic societies have much to offer their members, but joining can come at a steep cost. 

Artificial intelligence and machine learning will play a big role in shaping spine surgery over the next several years. Technology is transforming clinical care and decision-making in multiple ways, but is it always for the better?

More than 20 spine and orthopedic surgeons have been honored since the beginning of 2023.