Becker's Spine Review

24 PRACTICE MANAGEMENT Texas hospital suspends $120M spine tower build over economic challenges By Alan Condon C ovenant Medical Center in Lubbock, Texas, is temporarily suspending construction of its six-story spine and orthopedic tower, according to a press release published by KCBD. Construction of the $120 million facility has been pushed back to at least the third quarter to reduce operating expenses and protect caregiver jobs. Like most healthcare facilities, the hospital experienced a significant drop in revenue due to the cessation of elective surgeries in March, which has affected the hospital's 2020 financial projections. The 220,000-square-foot inpatient facility will be used to treat spine, cranial neurosurgery and complex orthopedic trauma patients. CMC plans to open the tower by the first quarter of 2022. n Orthopedic surgeon compensation hits $511,000: 6 takeaways By Laura Dyrda M edscape released its Physician Compensation Report 2020, which included compensation and practice management information for orthopedic surgeons. Medscape surveyed 17,461 U.S. clinicians across 30 specialties between Oct. 4, 2019, and Feb. 10, 2020. Around 3 percent of respondents were orthopedic surgeons. Here are the key orthopedics-specific takeaways from the report: 1. Orthopedic surgeons reported average annual compensation of $511,000 in 2019. They were the top-compensated specialists, followed by plastic surgeons at $479,000 and ENT specialists at $455,000. 2. Orthopedic surgeons reported $96,000 as their average incentive bo- nus pay per year. Orthopedic surgeons reported $96,000 as their aver- age incentive bonus pay per year, the highest of any specialty. Orthope- dists and ENT specialists were also among the highest bonus recipients. 3. Despite being the top-compensated specialty, only 60 percent of or- thopedists feel fairly compensated. 4. Orthopedic surgeons reported having among the lowest percentage of women in the specialty; 11 percent of orthopedists reported being women. 5. Orthopedists reported spending around 13.7 hours per week on pa- perwork, about the same as plastic surgeons and ENT specialists. 6. Orthopedists said around 18 percent of their claims are denied or have to be resubmitted, and on average, hospitals spend around $118 per claim that is appealed. n Colorado hospital to open $12M orthopedic expansion By Angie Steweart P ioneers Medical Center in Meeker, Colo., will open an 11,000-square-foot facility expanding spine and orthopedic services July 8, The Business Times reports. Four things to know: 1. The center features two ORs, three recovery rooms, six inpatient hospital rooms and a clinical space. 2. The expansion cost more than $12 million and provides space for about 15 more staff at the hospital. 3. The hospital acquired Stryker's Mako system for robotic-assisted joint replacement procedures last year. 4. Colorado Advanced Orthopedics performs the full spectrum of spine and orthopedic services at the hospital. n

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