Becker's Spine Review

45 PRACTICE MANAGEMENT 8-surgeon orthopedic group joins Central Maine Healthcare By Laura Dyrda S pectrum Orthopaedics-Auburn in Lewiston, Maine, has joined Central Maine Healthcare. The practice has eight orthopedic surgeons and four physician as- sistants at two locations, which will continue to function as normal. Spectrum Orthopaedics-Auburn changed its name to Central Maine Healthcare Orthopedics after officially becoming part of the health system March 1. The transaction expands Central Maine Healthcare's footprint of orthopedic services. Orthopedic practices around the country have similarly joined hospitals recently. DeKalb, Ill.-based Midwest Orthopaedic In- stitute became part of Chicago-based Northwestern Medicine last fall. n SCL Health buys Montana orthopedic group By Carly Behm S CL Health acquired Butte-based Montana Orthope- dics. Montana Orthopedics' four physicians and 29 em- ployees will transition to SCL Health Medical Group, according to a March 16 news release. The practice will remain at its current location, and SCL Health pa- tients can access orthopedic services. "Montana Orthopedics has a desire to grow across the region by adding locations, physicians and services to our current practice," physician Nick DiGiovine, MD, said. "We believe that partnering with SCL Health will provide the best opportunity to grow and continue pro- viding our high level of services across the region on be- half of the communities and patients we serve today." n 'Colleagues, not competitors': Orthopedic groups partner on new facility at Connecticut hospital By Alan Condon A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Connecticut Orthopaedic Institute at St. Vincent's Medical Center in Bridgeport was held Feb. 24, four years aer sister hospital MidState Medical Center in Meriden debuted the institute's first location. e center features a 35,000-square-foot in- patient unit, 35 private rooms and a wide portfolio of surgical technologies designed to deliver the highest quality orthopedic care, according to John Irving, MD, a total joint specialist who co-directs the institute with spine surgeon Gerard Girasole, MD. "is is a very collaborative effort," Dr. Irving told Becker's. "ree large orthopaedic groups in the region came together as colleagues, not competitors, to develop protocols and share in the success of the center — a hospital with- in a hospital. e No. 1 goal is the outcomes of our patients." e program includes orthopedic surgeons from Connecticut Orthopaedics in Hamden, Danbury-based OrthoConnecticut and Fair- field-based Orthopaedic Specialty Group, as well as neurosurgeons from the Ayer Neuro- science Institute and the community. "By far, the biggest hurdle the project had to overcome in recent months has been the COVID-19 pandemic and the operational im- pact that has had on the hospital system," said certified physician assistant Andrew Turczak, senior director of operations at Connecticut Orthopaedic Institute. "Fortunately, the nuts and bolts of the program — people, proto- cols and processes — we've been able to fol- low the blueprint from our sister hospital at MidState." Now, the challenge facing many orthopedic providers is patients' reluctance to have sur- gery until they have been vaccinated, but Dr. Irving insists the institute has the right people and protocols in place to protect patients from the coronavirus and provide great outcomes. "From environmental services to our anes- thesia program to nursing care and physical therapy, we're an integrated program with the same goal in mind," Dr. Irving said. "We have developed protocols and work together as a community of physicians and allied health to arrive at a consensus to ensure the best out- come for our patients while delivering an ex- ceptional concierge experience. "With those protocols in place, we've been able to apply for the advanced total joint cer- tification [with e Joint Commission]. We're expecting a review and hopefully certification later in the year." St. Vincent's hip and knee replacement pro- gram holds e Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval, and its spine program was named an Aetna Institute of Quality for Spine Surgery. e orthopedics program is equipped with Stryker's Mako robot, Globus Medical's Ex- celsiusGPS and Medtronic's Stealth naviga- tion system. St. Vincent's is also the first acute care hospital in Connecticut to implement 7D Surgical's Machine-vision Image Guid- ed Surgery System, a radiation-free tool for spine surgery, according to Mr. Turczak. "It's a very interesting time," Dr. Irving said. "We're in a transition period in both spine and total joint surgery. We've embraced ro- botic technology and have a number of sur- geons trained to use it." n

• Cover