Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/984530
18 SPINE SURGEONS Former Swedish Neuroscience Institute Chair Dr. Johnny Delashaw claims conspiracy — 5 things to know By Megan Wood F ormer Seattle-based Swedish Neuroscience Institute Chair Johnny B. Delashaw, MD, claims he has proof of a conspiracy to push him out of his previous employment, e Seattle Times reports. Here are five things to know. 1. During a state medical hearing, Dr. Delashaw alleged an anonymous source sent him records proving other physicians colluded with e Se- attle Times to remove him from his position. In a motion, his lawyers said this proves other physicians were "fabricating complaints against Dr. Delashaw, and enlisting friendly nurses and a physician to provide pro- tected health information to the media," e Seattle Times reports. 2. Dr. Delashaw is pointing to this alleged email exchange between phy- sicians and e Seattle Times to try to reinstate his medical license, which Washington suspended in May 2017. His lawyers presented 121 pages of "electronic correspondence," in which two physicians allegedly had a conversation revealing one offered information to e Seattle Times. 3. However, e Seattle Times reported an attorney for one of the physi- cians involved said the emails were a forgery. e other physician's lawyers hired a forensic analysis of the physician's email account; the firm didn't discover the alleged email. 4. Dr. Delashaw's March 2017 resignation came after The Seattle Times published an investigative report in February 2017 on the spine and neurosurgery services at Providence Health & Services Swedish-Cherry Hill hospital. The report raised suspicions around the hospital's invasive brain and spine procedures generating around $500 million in net operating revenue in 2015 as well as seeing higher Medicare reimbursement per inpatient visit than any other hospital of its size. 5. Dr. Delashaw brought in 661 inpatient cases resulting in more than $86 million in billed charges within his first 16 months at the hospital. e Se- attle Times reported medical staff filed complaints against Dr. Delashaw regarding patient care, inappropriate surgeries, little accountability and other issues. n Chronic opioid users have 33% relative increase in likelihood of repeat spinal fusion within 1 year — 8 takeaways By Megan Wood R esearchers from The Ohio State University Wex- ner Medical Center in Columbus investi- gated the impact of chronic opioid therapy on complications following spinal fusion surgery. The study included 24,610 lumbar spinal fusion pa- tients; 5,550 of the patients were taking opioids for more than six months before their surgery. Some fac- tors associated with an increased rate of chronic opi- oid therapy include tobacco use disorder, drug abuse/ dependence, anxiety, depression and inflammatory arthritis. Spine published the study. Here are eight takeaways. 1. The researchers discovered complications were more prevalent among patients with long-term opi- oids use. 2. The likelihood of surgical wound complications was 19 percent higher for chronic opioid users compared to those who used for six months or less, for the first 90 days post-surgery. 3. Chronic opioid users also saw greater odds of emer- gency department visits and hospitalizations for the first 90 days post-surgery. 4. The study found a 31 percent relative increase in emergency visits for chronic opioid users to treat lum- bar spine pain following spinal fusion. The group also saw an 80 percent relative increase in hospital admis- sions to treat lumbar spine pain in the same timeframe. 5. Those patients on chronic opioid therapy before surgery were eight times more likely to continue tak- ing opioids one year post-spinal fusion. 6. The chronic opioid users also had a 33 percent rela- tive increase in the odds of a repeat spinal fusion with- in one year. 7. Higher care costs also plagued the chronic opioid users. 8. The researchers concluded, "As we head toward a value- and outcomes-based reimbursement system, spine surgeons need to incorporate preoperative opi- oid use into their surgical decision making." n Dr. Delashaw alleged an anonymous source sent him records proving other physicians colluded with The Seattle Times to remove him from his position.