Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/984530
26 PRACTICE MANAGEMENT NJ pain specialist allegedly orchestrated $4.4M kickback scheme — 4 insights By Eric Oliver C lion, N.J.-based Garden State Pain Management physician Todd Koppel, MD, allegedly received 790 patient referrals and billed payers approx- imately $4.4 million through a kickback scheme, NJ. com reports. Here's what you should know. 1. Dr. Koppel, a pain management physician, allegedly paid five chiropractors to refer patients to him from 2006 to 2016. 2. ree of the chiropractors involved pled guilty to being involved with other kickback schemes. 3. A grand jury charged Dr. Koppel with first-degree con- spiracy and money laundering, second-degree misconduct by a corporate official, healthcare claims fraud and other minor charges. 4. If convicted, Dr. Koppel faces up to 30 years in prison and/or a $650,000 fine. n Washington physicians develop website to determine spine surgery success rate: 5 takeaways By Mackenzie Garrity P hysicians across Washington created a website to help patients suffering from back and leg pain predict if spinal fusion procedures will relieve their symptoms, according to Reuters. Here are five takeaways. 1. The calculations are based off 1,965 adults seen at 15 Washing- ton hospitals from 2012 to 2015. All patients were candidates for lumbar spine surgery. 2. The physicians recommend a patient use the website with their physician unless he or she is fluent in technical details, such as how he or she ranks on the American Society of Anesthesiologists' physical status classification system. 3. Patients can view how insurance type, use of prescription opi- oids and decision to delay surgery may affect surgery success. 4. Physicians found 58 percent of patients with moderate to se- vere symptoms reported symptom relief after surgery compared to the 43.8 percent of patients who opted out of surgery. 5. A majority of patients, 68.5 percent, who underwent spinal fu- sions experienced improved back pain compared to the 53.4 per- cent of patients who did not undergo surgery. n 5 reasons why orthopedic practices, ASCs are ripe for private equity investment By Laura Dyrda A s total joint replacements move into the outpatient setting, PE Hub Network posted an article by MHT Partners' Patrick Krause, who wrote independent orthopedic groups, especially those with ASCs, are "an interesting area for investment." Here are five key points from the article. 1. Private equity firms have been investing in other outpa- tient specialties, such as ophthalmology and dermatology; investors can use a similar strategy when investing in or- thopedic practices. 2. More orthopedic procedures are migrating into outpa- tient centers, which means there are more physician prac- tice leaders looking to add ASCs. They have the potential to improve the quality of care and build their reputations at these centers. 3. Episodic care is becoming more prevalent in orthope- dic surgery, and physicians with an ASC as well as imaging, physical therapy and rehabilitation can control the quality and cost of the episode of care. As a result, orthopedic sur- geons can negotiate bundled deals. 4. The number of patients needing hip and knee replace- ment surgeries is expected to increase significantly over the next decade; by 2030, around 4 million Americans will have hip and knee replacements per year. 5. When physicians partner with private equity firms, they are able to "monetize part of the value of their practice to- day, maintain their salary and earnings while also having the opportunity to share in growth." n