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31 ORTHOPEDICS 91.6% of Spine Surgeons Have Financial Ties to Industry: 5 Things to Know By Laura Dyrda A new study published in Spine examined the relationship between spine surgeons and industry. Study authors gathered data from the Open Payments database to deter- mine industry payment prevalence among orthopedic and neurospine surgeons. There were 5,898 spine surgeons included in the data. However, the study did not include ownership or research payments. Study authors examined training, experience, practice setting and degree type of each surgeon. Here are the findings: 1. Nearly all — 91.6 percent — of spine surgeons reported at least one finan- cial relationship with industry. 2. On average, spine surgeons receive $994.07 from industry per year. 3. Around 6 percent of the surgeons in the database received more than $1 million from industry and accounted for 83.5 percent of all payments. 4. Factors associated with industry payments were: • Orthopedic training • Academic practice setting • Male gender • Practicing in the West or South 5. There was a strong inverse relationship between the years of experience and number of industry payments, according to a linear regression analysis. n HCA Reports $140M Hit from Hurricanes, Expects 31% Drop in Q3 Profit By Ayla Ellison N ashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare ended the third quarter of 2017 with net income of $426 million, down 31 percent from $618 million in the same period of the year prior, according to a prelimi- nary earnings statement released Wednesday. HCA, which operates more than 170 hospitals, saw revenue increase 4.1 per- cent year over year to $10.7 billion. However, the company's rising expenses offset its revenue gains. HCA said it took a $140 million hit from hurricanes Harvey and Irma in the third quarter of this year. The hurricanes caused HCA to incur additional expenses and miss out on revenues. The Texas Medicaid Waiver program also took a toll on HCA finances. The company said it took a $50 million hit related to the program in the third quarter of this year. HCA saw an increase in patient volume in the third quarter of 2017. Same- facility admissions and emergency room visits were up 0.6 percent and 0.3 percent, respectively, year over year. However, HCA said the hurricanes stifled growth in admissions and ER visits in the third quarter of 2017. n Fired Swedish Health Neurosurgeon Receives $17.5M Award in Wrongful Termination Suit By Laura Dyrda A n arbitrator awarded former Seattle- based Swedish Health neurosurgeon David Newell, MD, millions of dollars in connection with his firing last year, which he contends was due to questioning the practices of a colleague; the health system disagrees, according to the Seattle Times. Here are five things to know: 1. Dr. Newell reportedly raised internal concerns about Johnny Delashaw, MD, another former Swedish neurosurgeon. At the time, Dr. Delashaw was a "star surgeon" with the system, but has since faced scrutiny and the state suspended his license. Swedish dismissed Dr. Newell last year, and he sued the system for lost earnings and emotional distress. 2. In addition to the firing, Dr. Newell argued Dr. Delashaw was instrumental in "disman- tling" his practice and harassing him. 3. Swedish Health contested the decision and is challenging the arbiter's award. e health system reportedly fired Dr. Newell for not disclosing he spent time in jail connected to a local prostitution sting. 4. Swedish Health is also contesting the lost earnings award, reporting that Dr. Newell would need to perform 3,000 complex brain- aneurysm repairs per year to equal the award amount. 5. Dr. Newell continues to perform surgeries at Swedish's Cherry Hill campus in Seattle, and the state will hold a hearing next month about whether to reinstate Dr. Delashaw's license. n

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