Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1199901
27 PRACTICE MANAGEMENT California hospital acquires $1.5M robotic navigation system — 4 things to know By Alan Condon T he Spine Center at MemorialCare Long Beach (Calif.) Medical Center acquired an ExcelsiusGPS robotic nav- igation system from Globus Medical, P&T Community reported. Four things to know: 1. ExcelsiusGPS combines a robotic arm with navigation to im- prove accuracy in the placement of screws during spine surgery. 2. The system supports screw placement in several approaches including posterior cervical, posterior thoracic sacroiliac and posterior lumbar. 3. ExcelsiusGPS is designed to streamline the surgical workflow and reduce radiation exposure to surgeons and staff. 4. The device costs around $1.5 million. n New York ortho practice leaves Mount Sinai, partners with Health Plus Management — 4 insights By Eric Oliver C edarhurst, N.Y.-based South Island Ortho- pedics is forsaking its affiliation with Mount Sinai Health System and joining Health Plus Management group, Crain's New York reported. What you should know: 1. South Island is led by Eric Freeman, MD, who said that while he enjoyed working with hospitals, "I missed being my own boss and running my own clinic." 2. Health Plus Management supports physicians by managing the administrative side of practices and provides capital for expansion. 3. Dr. Freeman founded South Island in 1969. It cur- rently has two orthopedists and a physiatrist. 4. Health Plus Management is owned by investment firm InvestCorp. n New Hampshire hospital focuses on orthopedics amid merger talks — 3 things to know By Angie Stewart L aconia, N.H.-based Lakes Region General Hos- pital is betting on orthopedics as it considers merging with a large healthcare system, The Laconia Daily Sun reported. Three things to know: 1. Trying to recover from a heavy debt load and payment problems, the hospital is "deep, deep into discussion of a potential partnership," President and CEO Kevin Donovan told The Laconia Daily Sun. 2. Lakes Regional will maintain and enhance local care, including orthopedic services, to distinguish itself whether or not a deal transpires. 3. An aging local population is driving demand for or- thopedic care. The hospital recently hired an addition- al hand surgeon and extended job offers to "a couple more orthopedic surgeons," Mr. Donovan said. n How OrthoNY is trying to solve its recruiting problem By Eric Oliver W hen it came to recruiting, Albany, N.Y.-based Ortho- NY had issues competing with nearby New York City — so much so that COO Michele Brinkman had to think outside the box, the Albany Business Journal reported. What you should know: 1. After speaking with recruiters, Ms. Brinkman said physicians most often turned down the practice because they weren't fa- miliar with Albany, hadn't heard of the Capital region or just thought the practice was too small. 2. To overcome these issues, Ms. Brinkman put together a document that outlines what the Albany region has to offer. She is also considering offering sign-on bonuses and going to healthcare conferences to recruit in person. Since creat- ing the document, Ms. Brinkman said six candidates have expressed interest. 3. OrthoNY is looking to hire up to six more surgeons in 2020. If the practice used a recruiter for each hire, it could pay up to $120,000, funds that could be reallocated elsewhere. "It's a game," Ms. Brinkman said. "Recruitment's just compe- tition. It's [local, it's national] and it's fierce. We've got to stay ahead of that, and we've got to stay what I consider hungry." n