Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1119391
43 PRACTICE MANAGEMENT Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush acquires spine robot: 5 things to know By Laura Dyrda M idwest Orthopaedics at Rush sur- geons have incorporated the Mazor X Robotic Guidance Platform into its spine practice. Five things to know: 1. Mazor X incorporates preoperative imag- ing and intraoperative guidance. e technol- ogy is designed for more precise screw place- ment and efficient procedures. 2. With the imaging system, surgeons can cre- ate a customized surgical plan for each patient and during surgery the robotic arm guides the surgeon based on the preoperative plan. 3. e robotic spinal fusion technology low- ers radiation exposure for the surgeon and patient during surgery because the surgeon can rely less on X-ray imaging for guidance. 4. Christopher DeWald, MD, a spine surgeon focused on deformities at Midwest Orthopae- dics at Rush, was the first surgeon in the prac- tice to use the robotic system. Howard An, MD, Matthew Colman, MD, Gregory Lopez, MD, and Kern Singh, MD, are now also able to use robotic guidance. 5. Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush provides care for the Chicago Bulls, White Sox and Fire Soccer Club, and U.S. News & World Re- port ranked Rush University Medical Center as No. 4 in the nation for orthopedics. n What drives up spine surgery costs & length of stay? 5 things to know for bundled payments By Angie Stewart B efore entering bundled payment agreements, providers should understand costs associated with certain patient, hospital and procedure characteristics, according to a study published on Medscape. Researchers studied 134,088 U.S. patients who underwent elective anterior cervical discectomy and fusion in 2011. Five findings: 1. Nearly one-third of patients who underwent ACDF had no co- morbidities. Hypertension, renal disease and depression were among the most prevalent conditions. 2. The average cost of ACDF for hospitals was $18,622, and the average length of stay after ACDF was 1.7 days. 3. Hospitals' marginal costs rose $17,181 with inpatient death, $8,351 for patients with recent weight loss and $6,129 for metastatic cancer patients. Each factor was associated with a longer length of stay. 4. Costs and length of stay were the highest when a posterior fu- sion/instrumentation, revision anterior surgery or fusion of more than three levels occurred. 5. Average cost and length of stay were the highest among patients in the Western U.S., at $9,300 and 0.3 days more, respectively. "Hospital costs and [length of stay] after ACDF rise with increasing patient comorbidities. Stakeholders entering into bundled pay- ments should be aware of that certain patient, hospital and pro- cedure characteristics will consume greater resources," researchers concluded. n Orthopedic surgeons earn $482,000 average annual compensation, top Medscape's 2019 survey By Laura Dyrda M edscape released its Physician Com- pensation Report 2019, and orthopedic surgeons lead the pack. Orthopedic specialists receive $482,000 in av- erage annual compensation, making them the highest compensated specialists among all those surveyed by Medscape. Orthopedics have been among the top five earners over the past five years, according to the report. Orthopedists are followed by: • Plastic surgery: $471,000 • Otolaryngology: $461,000 • Cardiology: $430,000 • Dermatology: $419,000 The report also found orthopedics was at the bot- tom of the pack for percentage of women in the specialty, with 9 percent of orthopedists being women. n