The Spine Movement
ISASS News Domagoj Coric, MD Responds to BCBSNC “Let’s Talk Cost” Statement on Artificial DiscsI am writing you on behalf of International Advocates for Spine Patients (IASP) as well as the patient population of North Carolina. IASP is an organization supported by physicians and patients dedicated to advocacy for high quality, widely accessible and cost effective spine care for patients around the world. I am on the Board of IASP (a sister organization to the International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery-ISASS) which was formed in 2011 to complement ISASS’ educational and scientific mission through direct advocacy efforts on the behalf of spine patients. I have spent the last 30 years in NC, generally working in healthcare or related fields. [...] I am writing to express serious concerns about numerous factual inaccuracies and omissions on the Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina “Let’s Talk Cost” web site.
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ISASS14 Call for Papers Now OpenThe Call for Papers for the ISASS14 conference being held in Miami, Florida US on April 30 – May 1, 2014 is now open. Submit your abstract between May 1, 2013 and August 21, 2013 for presentation at the premier spine surgeon focused conference!
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ISASS13 Attendees: CME CreditsIf you have already completed your CME Evaluations, thank you! ISASS makes it easy for attendees to complete the CME credits that are so vital to you. If you have not already done so, we encourage you to complete the evaluation surveys online for your CME credits. You will need your badge number; however, if you do not recall your badge number, you'll need to enter your name for each day of the conference to obtain CME credits: Complete Your CME Evaluations at ISASS2013.com » The deadline for submitting surveys is July 1st, 2013. CME certificates will be sent out to you within a few weeks after completing the online surveys.
Dr. Domagoj Coric Responds to BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina Report on Artificial DiscsBecker's Spine Review: "Domagoj Coric, MD, board member of the ISASS sister organization International Advocates for Spine Patients, has written a response to the recently released BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina's "Let's Talk Cost" statement. "
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ISASS: 5 Guidelines for Vertebral AugmentationBecker's Spine Review: "The International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery has released guidelines for vertebral augmentation."
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OrthoEvidence Article Updates We are pleased to announce the exclusive partnership of OrthoEvidence with ISASS. As a valued partner, you will have FREE access to the site for the remainder of the year. The site is a great resource of evidence summaries for the latest highest quality research within orthopaedics. Use the promo code isass2013 to create your account at no cost with ISASS partner OrthoEvidence.
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Members in the News Doctor Led Business Models Proven Superior, Dump the Spine Chainsaw! And MoreISASS member Isadore Lieberman, MD has been featured in this Orthopedics This Week article: "Why use a chainsaw, says Izzy Lieberman, when you can use precision technology? Isador Lieberman, M.D. is an orthopedic surgeon with the Texas Back Institute. He tells OTW, “I’ve been emphasizing more and more lately about the importance of pre-operative planning for spinal surgery...."
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15 Spine Surgeons Focused on Lumbar & Cervical Disc ReplacementISASS members Paul Anderson, MD, Scott Blumenthal, MD, Rolando Garcia, MD, Jeffrey Goldstein, MD, Stephen Hochschuler, MD, Kenneth Pettine, MD, Rick Sasso, MD, Christopher Yeung, MD and Jim Youssef, MD have been profiled in this Becker's Spine Review article listing "15 spine surgeons performing or researching lumbar and cervical disc replacement procedures. "
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Award for hospital for study on lumbar disc herniationISASS Board of Directors member Gunnar Andersson has been featured in this article in The Hindu: "The Best Spine Research Award of the International Society for Study of Lumbar Spine was presented to Coimbatore-based Ganga Hospital’s spine unit for a study on lumbar disc herniation. The hospital’s Chairman of Orthopaedics Department S. Rajasekaran received the award from Chairman of Worldwide Scientific Committee Gunnar Andersson at the annual meeting of the society at Scottsdale in the U.S. recently."
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A Maverick Spine Surgeon's Quest to Develop Minimally Invasive Technique & How He's Passing It to the Next Generation: Q&A With Dr. Anthony YeungISASS member Anthony Yeung, MD has been featured in this Becker's Spine Review article: "This past March, Anthony Yeung, MD, founder of Desert Institute for Spine Care in Phoenix, and his wife Eileen, announced they would donate $2.5 million to develop a comprehensive spine center at his alma mater, the University of New Mexico. The new center will allow him to continue his work in endoscopic laser spine surgery as a professor of spine surgery at the University and pass his techniques on to the next generation of spine surgeons."
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6 Spine Surgeons on Mobile Technology Enhancing Patient CareISASS members Jeffrey Goldstein, MD, Richard Kube, MD, Richard Guyer, MD, and Kern Singh, MD have been featured in the Becker's Spine Review Ask Spine Surgeons weekly: "Six spine surgeons discuss the use of mobile technology to enhance their practice."
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Spine Surgeon Leader to Know: Dr. Richard Balderston of Philadelphia Spine CenterISASS member Richard Balderston, MD has been profiled in this Becker's Spine Review article: "Richard Balderston is chief of spine surgery at Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia, and he practices at Philadelphia Spine Center and Philadelphia-based Aria 3B Orthopaedic Institute."
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Spine Surgeon Leader to Know: Dr. Evalina Burger of The Spine Center at University of Colorado HospitalISASS member Evalina Burger, MD has been profiled in this Becker's Spine Review article: "Evalina Burger, MD, is a senior orthopedic spine surgeon at The Spine Center at University of Colorado Hospital in Aurora and associate professor of orthopedics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine."
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6 Spine Surgeons on Healthcare Reform ChallengesISASS members Ara Deukmedjian, MD, Richard Kube, MD and Kern Singh, MD have been featured in the Becker's Spine Review Ask Spine Surgeons weekly: "Six spine surgeons talk about the biggest challenges for spine surgeons in terms of healthcare reform."
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Local Doctors Produce Major Feature Film [VIDEO]ISASS member Andrew Cappuccino, MD and his wife Helen have been featured in this WGRZ video and article: "Dr. Andrew Cappuccino is best known for saving the life of Buffalo Bills tight end Kevin Everett during a game in 2007, but now he and his wife are adding "filmmaker" to their already impressive resumes. A feature film they produced opened in Buffalo today."
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How to Build & Manage Spine Groups in the 21st Century: Q&A With Dr. Richard Kube ISASS member Richard Kube, MD has been featured in this Becker's Spine Review article: "Richard Kube, MD, CEO of Prairie Spine & Pain Institute and Prairie SurgiCare in Peoria, Ill., tackles some of the big issues facing spine surgeons in private practice today and how surgeons can be successful in the 21st century."
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The Business of Spine Launches Spine Reimbursement Specialist SeriesISASS member Barbara Cattaletto has been noted in this Becker's Spine Review article: "In April, The Business of Spine, affiliate of revenue cycle management firm Business Dynamics RCM, held its Revenue Cycle Dynamics for the Spine Reimbursement Specialist Education Series in New York."
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American Spine Waldorf LocationISASS member Said Osman, MD is featured in this Yahoo! Finance article: "We are pleased to announce the expansion of our services to include Neurosurgery and Orthopedic Spine Surgery at American Spine's Waldorf Location! We welcome Board Certified Neurosurgeons Dr. Charles Winters, Dr. Malini Narayanan and Board Certified Orthopedic Spine Surgeon Dr. Said Osman, in joining our multidisciplinary team of Spine Physicians in Waldorf."
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General Spine Surgery NewsWest Penn Allegheny Health System: Fourth Annual Spine SummitWPAHS
The Pittsburgh Spine Summit - being held September 12-14, 2013 - is an annual meeting devoted to advancing the field of spine surgery through the exposition of surgical and technical complications. Every year a host of preeminent surgeons take the stage to discuss their most thought-provoking lessons gained from their surgical experience.
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Hands-On Bio-Skills Workshop Registration & Call for AbstractsNearEastSpine.org
On behalf of the entire faculty and the S.P.I.N.E Society we invite you to participate in the 6th Annual meeting which will be held in the historic city of Beirut Lebanon, June 19th- 22nd, 2013 featuring The 6th Annual Hands-On Cadaveric Bioskills Workshop.
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Spine Surgeon vs. Patient Preoperative ExpectationsBecker's Spine Review - 05/23/13 12:13
In a recent study published in Spine, researchers conducted a cross-sectional study comparing patient and surgeon expectations prior to spine surgery.
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6 Recent Orthopedic & Spine Device ReleasesBecker's Spine Review - 05/23/13 11:42
Spine device releases by Integra Life Sciences, Medtronic Spine, Wenzel Spine and VG Innovations.
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Demanding Data-Driven Spine Treatments: Q&A With Dr. Jeffrey Wang of UCLA SpineBecker's Spine Review - 05/21/13 11:42
Here Dr. Wang discusses several current issues in spine surgery, including the need to seek data-driven treatments and prove the efficacy of biologics.
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Significantly lower infection rates hospital stays found with BMP use for fusionHealio Orthopedics Today - 05/21/13 10:06
Use of bone morphogenic proteins in anterior and posterior lumbar fusion procedures was significantly associated with shorter hospital stays, lower infection rates and greater in-hospital costs compared to surgeries done without these agents, according to research presented here.
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Benvenue Medical Completes Follow-Up for VCF TrialODT Magazine - 05/21/13 09:07
Santa Clara, Calif.-based Benvenue Medical Inc., maker of minimally invasive solutions for spine repair, has completed the 12-month follow-up phase in its KAST (Kiva System as a Vertebral Augmentation Treatment—A Safety and Effectiveness Trial) clinical trial. KAST is being conducted to support a 510(k) application for market clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which Benvenue Medical expects to submit in the third quarter of this year.
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FLASH: Medtronic's Q4, 2013 profits slideMass Device - 05/21/13 08:19
Medtronic's fiscal 4th-quarter and 2013 profits slide on low-single-digit revenue growth, but the medical device company still beats Wall Street's earnings expectations.
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Sexual function in older adults with thoracolumbar-pelvic instrumentationScience Codex - 05/21/13 02:30
Surgeons investigated sexual function in 62 patients, 50 years and older, who had received extensive spinal-pelvic instrumentation for spinal deformity at the University of Virginia Health Center. Based on their results, the surgeons found that it is very possible for older people to achieve satisfactory sexual function despite having extensive spinal-pelvic instrumentation.
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Oblique view does not aid diagnosis of spondylosis in adolescent patientsHealio Orthopedics Today - 05/20/13 18:43
In this study, researchers found the oblique view did not offer any significant differences for four-view over two-view radiographs of the lumbar spine in the diagnosis spondylosis in adolescent patients.
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Factors for failure of conservative treatment of spinal epidural abscesses foundHealio Orthopedics Today - 05/20/13 12:58
In a retrospective study of patients with spinal epidural abscesses treated in a single hospital health care system during a nearly 20-year period, investigators identified independent risk factors for failure of medical management and created a risk stratification model for failure.
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Physicians Describe Challenges Encountered in Surgical Management of Spine Trauma in Morbidly Obese PatientsNewswise - 05/20/13 09:15
Physicians at Monash University and The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, Australia, describe the logistic, medical and societal challenges faced in treating spine trauma in morbidly obese patients.
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Titan Spine Announces New Appointments to Key Opinion Leader Advisory TeamYahoo! Finance - 05/20/13 07:13
Titan Spine, a medical device surface technology company focused on developing innovative spinal interbody fusion implants, announced today that it has named two spine surgeons to its Key Opinion Leader Advisory Team, Dr. Kade T. Huntsman of Salt Lake City, Utah and Dr. Axel Reinhardt of Potsdam, Germany. The new members bring broad experience in degenerative spine conditions and innovative interbody fusion techniques, and in their new roles will help guide the development of the Company’s Endoskeleton® Interbody Device portfolio.
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Michigan reported half of spinal, paraspinal infection cases during meningitis outbreakHealio Orthopedics Today - 05/17/13 15:16
Of the 320 paraspinal and spinal infections without meningitis associated with the national fungal meningitis outbreak, 167 of the cases (52%), as of May 6, were reported in Michigan, CDC researchers reported in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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Findings support disc prolapse and disc degeneration as distinct diseasesHealio Orthopedics Today - 05/17/13 12:46
Investigators from India discovered several significant differences between patients with acute disc prolapse and patients with low back pain and disc degeneration including the severity, pattern and level of disc degeneration distribution, indicating these as separate conditions.
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Study identifies serum biomarkers linked with severity of lumbar disc degenerationHealio Orthopedics Today - 05/17/13 12:46
In a cross-sectional study of Chinese participants, researchers from Finland and China found that elevated serum biomarker ratios of tyrosine lactate and valine to histidine were significantly associated with lumbar disc degeneration.
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Globus Medical Sues Johnson & Johnson for Spine Device Patent InfringementMass Device - 05/16/13 17:02
Globus Medical accuses Johnson & Johnson's DePuy Synthes unit of violating its patent for an intervertebral fusion implant with the Zero-P VA device.
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Advanced Materials for Orthopedic ImplantsBecker's Spine Review - 05/17/13 09:42
Innovation and constant advancement dominate the medical device industry due to the changing healthcare landscape and patient demand for high quality outcomes. Many of the advances in the medical device industry will come from revolutionary biomaterials that help enable the function of the devices. The impact of these novel biomaterials will be particularly significant to orthopedic implant devices.
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Underlying spine pathology identified by imaging influences nonoperative care for low back painHealio Orthopedics Today - 05/16/13 17:09
Results of a randomized controlled trial with the addition of a prospective cohort presented here highlighted the role of underlying spine pathology on the results of guideline-based care for patients with acute low back pain.
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Innovative Biomaterial Potentially Reduces Infection Rates in Spinal Fusion SurgeryBecker's Spine Review - 05/16/13 17:08
Spinal Fusion Surgery: Why Material Matters. Today, back pain impacts a vast percentage of the adult population and while the causes vary, the underlying issues are typically a spinal disorder such as spondylolisthesis, scoliosis, severe disc degeneration or spinal fractures, which can be treated with spinal fusion surgery.
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Appetite for Acquisition: Stryker CEO Lobo says medical device company is in the hunt Mass Device - 05/16/13 15:24
Stryker CEO Kevin Lobo told an investors conference audience in Las Vegas yesterday that the medical device company is still in the mergers & acquisitions hunt, even after its newsmaking buyouts of China's Trauson Holdings, Israel's Orthovita and Surpass Medical.
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Swespine data show no benefit to addition of fusion to decompression for lumbar spinal stenosisHealio Orthopedics Today - 05/15/13 12:04
A large study of Swedish patients with lumbar spinal stenosis indicates that the addition of fusion to decompression does not improve patient-reported outcomes at 2-year follow-up.
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8 Trends for Surgical Management of Lumbar Spinal StenosisBecker's Spine Review - 05/15/13 11:47
Researchers led by Hyun Bae, MD, a spine surgeon with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, examined patients who underwent surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis from 2004 to 2009 from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, a database developed as part of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, and the findings were published in Spine.
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Spine Pain Management Reports 1st Quarter 2013 Financial ResultsYahoo! Finance - 05/14/13 15:16
Spine Pain Management's CEO, Dr. William Donovan, stated, "As we represented on our year-end conference call six weeks ago, 2012 was a year in transition where management stepped back and closely evaluated what we had learned in the few years since we conceived and implemented SPIN's unique business model in a public company...."
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Adolescent Scoliosis: First Gene DiscoveredOrthopedics This Week - 05/14/13 12:00
Big news from Japan…Researchers from the RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences have identified the first gene to be associated with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) across Asian and Caucasian populations. The gene is involved in the growth and development of the spine during childhood. Dr. Ikuyo Kou and Dr. Shiro Ikegawa have just published their work in the journal Nature Genetics.
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8 Orthopedic & Spine Device Company Leadership ChangesBecker's Spine Review - 05/13/13 16:02
Notes on spine device company leadership changes at Precision Spine, Orthofix, K2M, Stryker and Aurora Spine.
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Researchers identify gene associated with adolescent idiopathic scoliosisHealio Orthopedics Today - 05/13/13 10:43
Researchers at the RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences in Japan have identified the first gene to be associated with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), according to a news release.
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US Spine Surgery News FDA Issues Draft Guidance to Help Companies Distinguish Between a Voluntary Medical Device Recall and a Product EnhancementMass Device - 05/23/13 14:31
FDA looks to clarify the difference between a voluntary recall and a product enhancement. On February 22, 2013, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a draft guidance entitled “Distinguishing Medical Device Recalls from Product Enhancements and Associated Reporting Requirements.”
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Occipital spine system receives FDA clearanceHealio Orthopedics Today - 05/23/13 10:53
Exactech Spine division has received FDA clearance for its Gibralt Occipital Spine System.
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Facing the Challenges of Healthcare Spending & Patient Care: Q&A With Dr. Kenneth Hansraj of New York Spine Surgery & Rehabilitation MedicineBecker's Spine Review - 05/23/13 09:42
Kenneth Hansraj, MD, of New York Spine Surgery & Rehabilitation Medicine in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., discusses the need for patients to take responsibility for their health, rising healthcare costs and how the future of spine surgery has already arrived.
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Ortho panel recommends FDA transitions pedicle screw systems to class IIHealio Orthopedics Today - 05/22/13 17:58
The FDA Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Devices Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee recommended today that pedicle screw systems for the thoracolumbosacral spine be reclassified as 510(k) class II devices.
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Medical device tax: LA Times editorial calls repeal efforts "narrow-minded and dishonest"Mass Device - 05/22/13 12:42
Efforts to undermine the medical device tax are "narrow-minded and dishonest" attempts to win "special treatment," says an editorial published this week in the LA Times.
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Spinal Elements®, Inc. Relocates Corporate Headquarters in CarlsbadDigitalJournal - 05/22/13 10:36
Jason Blain, President and co-founder of Spinal Elements, indicated, “Our investment in these state-of-the-art facilities will significantly enhance our development, training, and operational capabilities. The execution and commercialization of our innovative product pipeline will benefit greatly from the new facilities that were custom-built to meet our needs over the coming years.”
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Dr. Eric Woodard to Perform Surgeries in FDA Trial of InVivo DeviceBecker's Spine Review - 05/21/13 11:38
Eric Woodard, MD, board-certified neurosurgeon and chief medical officer of InVivo Therapeutics, will participate in an FDA trial of InVivo's implantable scaffold device for treatment of spinal cord injuries, according to a wbur report.
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Medical Device Tax: Are Conservatives' goals hampering repeal efforts?Mass Device - 05/21/13 10:27
Seemingly everyone on Capitol Hill wants to repeal the medical device tax, but efforts to target the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act as a whole may be getting in the way.
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House hearing focuses on quality’s role in SGR reformAmerican Medical News - 05/20/13 4:01
Physician witnesses tell lawmakers that stable payments and a commitment of federal resources are needed to move Medicare beyond fee-for-service.
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Orthopedic Surgeon Salary vs. Hospital Revenue Generated: How Orthopedics Stack UpBecker's Spine Review - 05/17/13 11:27
Orthopedic surgery generated the most revenue for hospitals, generating $2.68 million on average, according to the "2013 Physician Inpatient/Outpatient Revenue Survey" from Merritt Hawkins.
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FDA issues draft guidance on appeals processMass Device - 05/16/13 16:04
The FDA issues draft guidance on its 517A appeals process for medical device review decisions.
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Advocating for Patient Access & Surgeon Needs: Q&A With Dr. Eeric Truumees of Seton Spine and Scoliosis CenterBecker's Spine Review - 05/16/13 14:45
Here Dr. Truumees discusses how drastically the spine industry has changed since he first graduated from medical school 20 years ago, and he highlights the need for interdisciplinary cooperation to fight for proper patient care.
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OrthoView Announces the U.S. Launch of a New, Subscription-based, Digital Planning and Templating Solution for Individual Orthopaedic SurgeonsSacramento Bee - 05/16/13 11:07
OrthoView PSL will allow individual surgeons in private practice in the U.S. to access the widely-used OrthoView digital templating software via the Cloud and requires just a PC and Internet connection to get started.
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ACA expected to test patient loyalty to physiciansAmerican Medical News - 05/16/13 04:19
A third of survey respondents say they would change doctors if they could save money under an insurance plan with a different physician network.
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7 Statistics on Orthopedic Physician Job SatisfactionBecker's Spine Review - 05/15/13 14:46
Here are seven statistics on what orthopedic physicians find to be the most satisfying aspects of their jobs, based on the Medscape Orthopedist and Orthopedic Surgeon Compensation Report: 2013 Results.
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FDA gives Life Spine the green light for its Iris cervical plate systemMass Device - 05/15/13 11:57
The FDA gave Life Spine the green light for its Iris cervical plate, which incorporates a visual and tactile confirmation of the screw locking system. The 510(k) clearance for the Iris anterior cervical plate system is the 6th iteration of the company's cervical platform.
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Medical device tax: How much are companies paying to government for healthcare reform?Mass Device - 05/15/13 10:57
A list of some of the tax tabs for medical device companies for the medical device excise tax during Q1. In January 2013, Medical device companies began paying a 2.3% excise tax on U.S. Sales in order to pay for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
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35 Orthopedic & Spine Devices Receive FDA 510(k) ClearanceBecker's Spine Review - 05/14/13 15:33
The Food and Drug Administration granted 35 orthopedic- and spine-focused 510(k) clearances in April.
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10 Top Charging Hospitals for Spinal FusionBecker's Spine Review - 05/14/13 14:15
Spinal fusions are a major procedure for patients and hospitals, and the amount charged for the procedure varies between $19,000 and more than $470,000.
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51 Statistics on Physician Salaries vs. Hospital Revenue GeneratedBecker's Spine Review - 05/14/13 12:39
Although primary care physicians bring in more net revenue to the average hospital, their compensation still lags behind those in several medical and surgical specialties.
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Medical Device Tax Costs Will Be Absorbed by Companies, Not Passed to HospitalsBecker's Spine Review - 05/14/13 12:14
Indiana device companies are looking for ways to absorb revenue reductions resulting from the 2.3 percent medical device excise tax since they will not be able to pass the costs on to hospital customers, according to the Indianapolis Business Journal.
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12 Statistics on Orthopedist Patient Visits in 2012Becker's Spine Review - 05/13/13 10:14
Here are 12 statistics on orthopedic physician patient visits based on Medscape's Orthopedist Compensation Report: 2013.
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Government Forcing Orthopods Into Primary Care? 500th O-Arm Installed and much moreOrthopedics This Week - 05/13/13 10:11
An “O-Arm” by the way is the orange Popsicle-colored portable imaging machine sold by Medtronic Spine for intraoperative imaging. It lets spine surgeons know—before they leave the OR—that everything was well-positioned.
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Lanx Completes $15 Million Series C Equity FinancingYahoo! Finance - 05/13/13 07:26
Lanx, Inc., a privately held global spine company focused on developing and commercializing innovative devices for fusion surgery, today announced the closing of a $15 million Series C equity financing.
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GOP looks to stymie Medicare cost panelMass Device - 05/13/13 07:02
Republican leaders decline to nominate members for the Medicare advisory board designed to hold down healthcare costs as part of Obamacare.
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First ACA physician shield becomes lawAmerican Medical News - 05/13/13 04:29
Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal on May 6 signed into law a measure that protects doctors from civil liability for breaching federal health system reform requirements, the first statute of its kind.
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Most doctors still reject Medicaid as program expansion nearsSunHerald.com - 05/12/13 21:18
Sandra Duck thinks she’s the victim of an undeclared Medicaid boycott. And she’s probably right. When her artificial right hip became infected with the superbug MRSA in late 2009, Dr. Dale Mitchum, a general surgeon, drained, cleaned and closed the infected area. But when the infection returned in early 2010, Mitchum knew Duck needed another hip replacement surgery, which he couldn’t perform. He tried to find an orthopedic surgeon who would operate. More than a year later, he’s still trying.
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Orthopedics and Spine: How 3 Threats Can Become OpportunitiesBecker's Spine Review - 05/10/13 18:19
“The sky is not falling,” said Bill Munley, vice president of Orthopedics and Professional Services, at a session during Becker’s Hospital Review 4th Annual Meeting in Chicago on May 9.
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Here Come the Quality PoliceOrthopedics This Week - 05/10/13 15:16
No hospital wants to land in the bottom 25% of CMS’ (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) quality rankings. But for more than 750 hospitals, it will be unavoidable. Twenty-five percent of all hospitals receiving Medicare reimbursements will be penalized by CMS starting FY2015.
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FDA data shows increase in warning letters to medical device firms since 2005Mass Device - 05/10/13 11:34
US Food and Drug Administration medical device quality system inspectors have issued warning letters to manufacturers at an increasing rate since 2005, FDA inspection records show.
Read More » International Spine Surgery NewsRussian Oncology Center Purchases Renaissance Spine SystemBecker's Spine Review - 05/23/13 15:18
Israel-based Mazor Robotics has sold a Renaissance spine system to the Moscow-based N.N. Blokhin Cancer Research Center through its Russian distribution partner Neuroproject.
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£250,000 a year for spine surgeon who botched operationsHerald Scotland - 05/21/13 21:14
FRESH questions about the system of checks on private hospital surgeons have been raised after it emerged a Scottish spinal surgeon who bungled operations potentially earned more than £250,000 from 400 operations in a year.
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Spinal TuberculosisGreaterKashmir - 05/21/13 13:30
Case Report – Mr Naveen Chandra (name changed) was brought by relatives for paralysis of all the four limbs and loss of control over urine and bowel. He had very little sensation in the upper limbs with tightness of both lower limbs. He was diagnosed as tuberculosis of cervico-dorsal junction with large abscess collection in the neck causing difficulty in swallowing and breathing.
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Israel's Emerging Medical Device MarketplaceHealthpointCapital Research - 05/16/13 09:50
Israel's medical device industry has become an exciting and promising marketplace due to the breadth of innovation taking place within it. Despite the domestic industry only accounting for 0.6% of the global medical device market in 2011, the country is the first in the world for the number of patents granted per capita and fourth in absolute number of patents in the medical devices field.
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French recession is more bad news for medical device industry in EuropeMass Device - 05/16/13 08:49
The European Union's 2nd-largest medical device market dips into recession during the 1st 3 months of 2013, meaning more bad news as Europe's economy continues to worsen.
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Staff shakeup underway at Russian medical device regulatorMass Device - 05/14/13 09:16
Medical device registrations in Russia remain on hold as the government reorganizes the registration division* of its device regulatory agency Roszdravnadzor.
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Disclaimer: ISASS Spine Movement articles are derived from various sources and do not reflect the Society’s policy or views. ISASS does not endorse opinions, products, or services that may appear in news stories. | 
