Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1242960
14 SPINE SURGEONS How COVID-19 affected 10 spine, orthopedic practices By Alan Condon T he widespread suspension of elective surgeries due to the COVID-19 pandemic is causing significant economic diffi- culties for device companies and practices in the orthopedic industry. Here is how 10 practices are dealing with the pandemic: 1. Clearwater-based Florida Spine Institute and its surgery center is laying off 62 employees and suspending operations due to mounting economic difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. 2. Cincinnati-based Beacon Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine fur- loughed 219 employees, including both administrative and clinical workers at its practice and surgery centers. 3. Pinnacle Regional Hospital in Overland Park, Kan., which special- ized in spinal fusion procedures, closed its doors and terminated all employees. More than 100 physicians, nurses and other healthcare workers will be laid off over the next two weeks. 4. Michigan Head and Spine Institute physician owners took a 45 per- cent pay cut to pay employees during the pandemic. 5. New England Orthopedic Surgeons in Springfield, Mass., is fur- loughing more than half its workforce. 6. OrthoCarolina closed the Hip & Knee Center in Charlotte aer one of its physicians tested positive for COVID-19. e practice also piv- oted to telehealth. 7. Lehigh Valley Physician Group in Allentown, Pa., is furloughing 900 staff members in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 8. Texas Back Institute in Plano canceled elective cases and transi- tioned to telemedicine to conduct follow-up visits or initial visits with patients. e surgeons continued to perform face-to-face services for patients with critical spine care issues, according to TBI President Is- abdor Lieberman, MD. 9. Philadelphia-based Rothman Orthopaedics cut staff member hours from 40 to 20 hours during the pandemic and employees were able to file for unemployment while still receiving benefits. Its surgeon part- ners are temporarily foregoing during the pandemic. 10. Watson Clinic in Lakeland, Fla., is furloughing more than 388 employees and cutting senior administrators' pay. e clinic saw rev- enues fall $600,000 per day aer Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' March 20 executive order required all hospitals to cease non-emergency pro- cedures. n BECKER'S ASC REVIEW 27TH ANNUAL MEETING: THE BUSINESS AND OPERATIONS OF ASCS October 29-31, 2020 | Swissotel, Chicago REGISTER NOW! bit.ly/2vBEJWX | registration@beckershealthcare.com | 800.417.2035 72+ PHYSICIANS, 171+ ADMINISTRATORS, OWNERS, CEOS, MEDICAL DIRECTORS AND DIRECTORS OF NURSING FROM ASCS SPEAKING; 216+ SPEAKERS TOTAL K E Y N O T E S Caitlin Zulla Chief Executive Officer, Surgical Care Affiliates Dan Nielsen Founder, Chief Executive Officer and Publisher, America's Healthcare Leaders Katie Lawrence MHA, CMPE, Director, Ambulatory Optimization and Integration, Prisma Health Tucker Carlson Host, "Tucker Carlson Tonight"; Founder, The Daily Caller Dara Torres Olympic Gold Medal Swimming Champion Peyton Manning NFL Legend William Prentice Chief Executive Officer, Ambulatory Surgery Center Association