Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/571000
September 2015 l Vol. 2015 No. 9 INSIDE Hospital Employment vs. Independent Practice Four spine surgeons on the best option going forward. p. 10 Surgeon Scorecard — Good or Bad for Spine? Five things to know about the new online rankings. p. 15 Spine in ASCs: Where it is Headed Special outpatient spine surgery, ASC section. p. 27 Insurance Company Mega-Mergers What payer consolidation means for surgeons and the healthcare system. p. 53 Becker's Spine Review E-Weekly Latest and most up-to-date news for spine surgeons today Subscribe at www.beckersspine.com/e-weekly.html SUBSCRIBE BECKER'S SPINE REVIEW Spine Surgery in a Value-Based World Jed Vanichkachorn, MD, of Tuckahoe Orthopaedics in Richmond, Va., examines spine bundled payments and how the move toward risk-sharing reimbursement models and pay-for-performance is impacting spine care. He covers outpatient spine surgery and data collection for the most common spine procedures today. e article also touches on Medicare reimbursement and the shared savings program, which is already making an impact on the specialty. "Minimally invasive procedures and motion preservation procedures will be more important with the new paradigm in healthcare," says Dr. Vanichkachorn. "Disc arthro- plasty is finally gaining traction and more insurance companies are approving it. It's equivalent to cervical fusion, but lasts longer with less adjacent level disease; they could prevent surgeries down the road." See the full story on page 8. ON PAGE 72 & 73: 8 Pain Physicians Moves and 30 Spine Surgeons on the Move 55 Statistics & Issues for Neurosurgeons, Orthopedic Spine Surgeons is comprehensive list includes statistics on neurosurgeon and orthopedic spine surgeon compensation, device market and outlook for the future. e list also covers recent studies making a splash in the industry and a few of the biggest is- sues facing spine surgeons going forward. See the full story on page 63. The Endless Possibilities in Spine Biologics, Artificial Disc & Outpatient Procedures Domagoj Coric, MD, talks about biologic disc repair, artificial disc replacement and spinal cord injury solutions in this article. Dr. Coric and his team at Carolinas Medical Center and Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates are involved in cutting-edge re- search that could improve outcomes as well as lower costs. See the full story on page 33.