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PRACTICE
MANAGEMENT
Spine surgeons on
Instagram: 10 physicians
building a social
media following
By Alan Condon
M
ore patients are using online platforms such as Instagram,
Facebook and YouTube to seek information on medical
conditions, treatment options and physicians. Spine
surgeons, recognizing the value of social media, are using such
platforms to build their brand, engage and educate patients, and
strengthen their referral base.
Here are 10 spine surgeons making a name for themselves on Instagram:
1. Elvis Francois, MD. Resurgens Orthopaedics (Atlanta)
Instagram followers: 276,000
Fellowship: Harvard Medical School/Beth Israel Deaconess Medical
Center (Boston)
Residency: Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minn.)
2. Daniel Choi, MD. Spine Medicine & Surgery of Long Island
(Syosset, N.Y.)
Instagram followers: 18,300
Fellowship: Harvard Medical School/Beth Israel Deaconess Medi-
cal Center
Residency: Rutgers New Jersey Medical School (Newark)
3. Chester Donnally III, MD. Texas Spine Consultants (Addison)
Instagram followers: 14,700
Fellowship: Rothman Orthopaedic Institute (Philadelphia)
Residency: University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine
4. Fernando Villamil, MD. Spine by Villamil MD (Tulsa, Okla.)
Instagram followers: 13,500
Fellowship: Harvard Spine Fellowship
Residency: University of Puerto Rico (San Juan)
5. Steven Cyr, MD. SASpine (San Antonio)
Instagram followers: 12,000
Fellowship: Mayo Clinic
Residency: Wilford Hall U.S. Air Force Medical Center (Lackland,
Texas)
6. Greg Khounganian, MD. GSK Spine (Encino, Calif.)
Instagram followers: 11,600
Fellowship: Southern California Orthopedic Institute (Van Nuys, Calif.)
Residency: SUNY Downstate Medical Center College of Medicine
(New York City)
7. Jamie Gottlieb, MD. Gottlieb Spine (Denton, Texas)
Instagram followers: 11,400
Fellowship: Texas Back Institute (Plano)
Residency: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (Dallas)
8. Juan Uribe, MD. Barrow Neurological Institute (Phoenix)
Instagram followers: 6,400
Fellowship: University of Miami
Residency: Hospital San Vicente de Paul (Heredia, Costa Rica) and
University of South Florida (Tampa)
9. Betsy Grunch, MD. e Longstreet Clinic (Gainesville, Ga.)
Instagram followers: 3,500
Fellowship: Duke University Medical Center (Durham, N.C.)
Residency: Duke University Medical Center
10. Michael Gallizzi, MD. e Steadman Clinic (Vail, Colo.)
Instagram followers: 3,000
Fellowship: Duke University Medical Center
Residency: University of Missouri-Columbia n
UVA Health orthopedic
supercenter becomes 1
of 4 on East Coast
By Alan Condon
T
he University of Virginia Health System in Charlottesville
opened a 195,000-square-foot campus that provides
the breadth of orthopedic care under one roof.
There are only three facilities of its size on the East Coast:
Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, the Emory
University Orthopaedics & Spine Hospital in Atlanta and
the University of Florida Health Orthopaedics and Sports
Medicine Institute in Gainesville.
Rochester, N.Y.-based UR Medicine is also on track to
open a $240 million orthopedic campus this year and
Danville, Pa.-based Geisinger is expected to open a $180
million orthopedic faciltiy in 2024.
The campus, which opened in February, comprises 90
exam rooms, four operating rooms (with plans to expand
to six), surgery support, imaging services and a pharmacy.
Bobby Chhabra, MD, chair of UVA Health's orthope-
dic surgery department, described the facility as "a
game-changer for orthopedic care in our region."
"Not only is it a very convenient place for patients to
receive the full breadth of orthopedic care, but it's a very
team-centric environment as well," Dr. Chhabra said. "It's
a wonderful place to work, and that will help us recruit
and retain the best team members in what is a very chal-
lenging labor market right now."
The campus unites all of UVA Orthopedics' outpatient
clinics and brings the health system's musculoskeletal
care, research and education under one roof. An educa-
tion center and bioskills lab have also been included to
train orthopedic residents and fellows.
"All our education needs were incorporated into this build-
ing so that we could recruit the best residents and fellows
and medical students, and we can provide an optimal
environment where they can learn," Dr. Chhabra said. n
