7
SPINE
SURGEONS
Orthopedic surgeon base salary hits
$553K in 2018, total compensation up
3.2%: 5 things to know
By Laura Dyrda
O
rthopedic surgeons experienced a pay increase from 2017 to 2018,
along with cardiologists, emergency medicine physicians and general
pediatric specialists, according to a survey from SullivanCotter.
The company surveyed 167,000 physicians and advanced practice providers
from across 750 hospitals, health systems and medical groups. Here are five
things to know about the general orthopedic surgeon data:
1. Orthopedic surgeons reported a base salary of $553,537 in 2018.
2. Base salary was relatively flat from 2017 to 2018, increasing 0.2 percent. The
specialty with the largest reported increase was general pediatrics, at 1.1 percent.
3. Total cash compensation for orthopedic surgeons in 2018 was $609,439.
4. Including the total cash compensation, orthopedists reported a 3.2 percent
increase in compensation from 2017 to 2018.
5. Orthopedists ranked No. 4 among the specialties reported for the highest
increase; however orthopedists ranked No. 1 in base salary and total cash
compensation. n
Jury awards Indiana spine surgeon $112M
in royalty battle with Medtronic: 5 details
By Jackie Drees
C
armel-based Indiana Spine Group President Rick C. Sasso, MD, was
awarded $112 million after winning a five-year legal battle against
Medtronic on Nov. 27, 2018, according to Indianapolis Business Jour-
nal.
Five details:
1. In the lawsuit, Dr. Sasso claimed Medtronic failed to pay him royalties he
was contractually owed for spinal and screw implant systems he invented and
licensed to the company more than a decade prior, according to the report.
2. The report states that throughout their established partnership, Medtronic
paid Dr. Sasso more than $20 million in royalties, which Dr. Sasso said is less
than what the company owed him.
3. Medtronic said Dr. Sasso was seeking payment "far in excess of the value of
his contributions," the Indianapolis Business Journal reports.
4. The company filed a regulatory motion Nov. 29, 2018, stating it has "strong
arguments to appeal the verdict," and plans to file post-trial motions with ap-
pellate courts, the report noted.
5. Dr. Sasso is also a founding member of Indiana Spine Group. n
Spine surgeon
Dr. Evalina
Burger named
U of Colorado
chair of
orthopedics:
5 insights
By Mackenzie Garrity
A
urora-based University of
Colorado School of Medi-
cine tapped Evalina Burger, MD,
to serve as its chair of orthopedics, effective
Nov. 1, 2018.
Five insights:
1. An expert spine surgeon, Dr. Burger
joined CU School of Medicine in 2006. Dr.
Burger succeeds Robert D'Ambrosia, MD,
who joined CU School of Medicine in 2002.
2. Beyond her clinical work, Dr. Burger is
an active investigator and educator working
to find new metal-alloy compositions to im-
prove orthopedic implants.
3. Dr. Burger is the author of more than
60 peer-reviewed publications and sev-
eral book chapters. She is on the editorial
boards of scholarly journals and co-edited
two textbooks on spine surgery.
4. Previously, Dr. Burger served as vice
chair of clinical affairs within the medical
school's orthopedics department. In this
role, she led clinical service development
and reorganized strategic business plan-
ning.
5. Dr. Burger is the first female orthopedic
surgeon from South Africa. She earned her
medical degree from the University of the
Orange Free State in South Africa and went
on to receive the American-British-Canadi-
an Traveling Fellowship. n
