Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1027775
6 SPINE SURGEONS Neurosurgeon compensation hits $662K on average: 15 statistics from Doximity By Laura Dyrda A new report from Doximity shows neurosur- geons topped the list of highest average com- pensation for specialists, hitting $662,755. Doximity released its "First Annual Physician Compensa- tion Report" in April 2018, examining compensation sur- veys from more than 36,000 licensed, full-time physicians between 2014 and 2017. Here is how neurosurgery compensation compares to other highly compensated specialties featured in the report: 1. Neurosurgery: $662,755 2. oracic surgery: $602,745 3. Orthopedic surgery: $537,568 4. Vascular surgery: $476,300 5. Plastic surgery: $473,212 e report also detailed the highest compensating cities for physicians, considering all specialists within the compensation average. e highest compensating cities included: 6. Charlotte, N.C.: $402,273 7. Milwaukee: $398,431 8. Jacksonville, Fla.: $379,820 9. Indianapolis: $378,011 10. San Jose, Calif.: $376,585 e lowest compensating cities included: 11. Durham, N.C.: $282,035 12. Ann Arbor, Mich.: $302,692 13. Baltimore: $304,002 14. New Haven, Conn.: $308,262 15. Rochester, N.Y.: $312,503 n Florida spine surgeon sentenced to life in prison after woman's drug overdose: 5 key notes By Laura Dyrda J ohnny Benjamin, MD, a former spine surgeon based in Vero Beach, Fla., was sentenced to life in prison for his role in a federal drug case that lead to a woman's death, according to TC Palm. 1. Dr. Benjamin was convicted of distributing furanyl fentanyl-laced pills that were responsible for the death of one woman in 2016. Two Drug Enforcement Administration informants led to the arrest of Dr. Benjamin. 2. The informants pled guilty to selling prescriptions and counterfeit painkillers for Dr. Benjamin. The week-long trial concluded July 6. 3. In addition to the prison sentence, District Judge William P. Dimi- trouleas ordered Dr. Benjamin to pay a $25,000 fine and give $10,000 to the victim's family. He told the TC Palm he hopes the sentence will deter other medical professionals form distributing drugs similarly. 4. Dr. Benjamin's attorney plans to file an appeal, although he did not reveal the scope of the potential appeal. 5. Dr. Benjamin previously practiced at Vero Beach-based Pro Spine Center, a 5,000-square-foot ASC; the building's owner tried to evict him in 2015. n The 2 adverse events spine surgeons consider acceptable after ACDF By Shayna Korol M ost surgeons consider wrong level surgery, esophageal inju- ry, retained drain and spinal cord injury to be unacceptable and uncommon complications of anterior cervical discecto- my and fusion, according to Cervical Spine Research Society survey results reported in Clinical Spine Surgery. Here are three things to know: 1. The survey was distributed to surgeon attendees at the 2015 CSRS meeting, who were asked to categorize 18 anterior cervical discecto- my and fusion–related adverse events by acceptability and frequency. 2. Based on the 115 responses received, the surgeons reported dys- phagia and adjacent segment disease occurred most often but were acceptable complications. 3. Practice location significantly impacted responses for 12 of the 18 complications. Non-U.S. surgeons were more likely to categorize events as more uncommon and unacceptable compared with U.S. surgeons. n