Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1477870
26 PRACTICE MANAGEMENT Neurosurgeon named in Washington lawsuit closes Ohio practice By Alan Condon D aniel Elskens, MD, a neurosurgeon who allegedly performed unnecessary spine surgeries while practicing at Providence St. Mary Medical Center in Walla Walla, Wash., is closing his practice at Firelands Regional Medical Center in Sandusky, Ohio, according to the Sandusky Register. The June 8 report said Dr. Elskens, a surgeon with Firelands Physician Group, is leaving the practice to return to his home state of Michigan. He joined the group in July 2018. Dr. Elskens and Jason Dreyer, DO, were recently named in a lawsuit that alleged the neurosurgeons performed unnecessary procedures and defrauded federal insurance programs while practicing at Providence St. Mary's. The health system agreed to pay the $22.7 million to settle allegations in April, according to the Justice Department. n United Musculoskeletal Partners merges with Novum Orthopedic Partners By Carly Behm U nited Musculoskeletal Partners, led by Atlanta- based Resurgens Orthopaedics CEO Alex Bateman, merged with Dallas-based management services organization Novum Orthopedic Partners. The merger grows United Musculoskeletal Partners' footprint to almost 190 physician partners across Colorado, Georgia and Texas, according to a July 20 news release. Denver-based Panorama Orthopedics and Dallas- based Arlington Orthopedic Associates are also joining Resurgens Orthopaedics as co-founding partners of United Musculoskeletal Partners. "I believe this partnership of elite orthopedic groups, backed by WCAS and AMCP, will be transformative, as we come together to deliver the very best patient care and drive innovation and growth," Mr. Bateman said in the release. "This merger will allow UMP to continue adding like-minded practices to our footprint, as we build the leading musculoskeletal enterprise in the nation." United Musculoskeletal Partners was formed in December 2021 when Resurgens Orthopaedics gained private equity investment from New York City-based Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe. n HSS surgeons react to 13th top orthopedic hospital ranking by US News By Carly Behm N ew York City-based Hospital for Special Surgery was named the No. 1 hospital for orthopedics for the 13th year in a row by U.S. News & World Report. The hospital was also named No. 3 in rheumatology nationwide, according to a July 26 news release. U.S. News evaluated more than 4,500 hospitals across 15 specialties for its 2022-23 rankings. HSS outperformed other hospitals in spinal fusion, hip fracture and hip and knee replacements. In 2021, HSS surgeons completed 36,870 orthopedic procedures, and nearly 446,000 nonsurgical consultations were done by clinicians. "Our extraordinary focus on musculoskeletal conditions enables us to provide highly specialized, patient-centered care to help people get back to what they need and love to do," Bryan Kelly, MD, the organization's surgeon-in-chief and medical director, said in the release. "A combination of factors has enabled HSS to achieve outstanding outcomes: the highest standards in patient care and safety; our dedication to evidence-based medicine, including advances in technology; our seminal research in the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions; and our commitment to training the physicians, surgeons and investigators who will help shape the future of musculoskeletal care." S. Louis Bridges Jr., MD, PhD, physician-in-chief and chief of rheumatology, said in the release: "We will continue to respond to changes and challenges in healthcare by embracing an integrative care approach that addresses the needs of the whole person. Our goal is to improve our patients' lives with innovative, evidence-based treatments and dedicated research to advance the field." n