Here are eight things for spine surgeons to know for Thursday, Aug. 29, 2013.
Artificial disc replacement is more effective short term for degenerative disc disease, study says.
Disc replacement surgeries may be more effective in the short term than spinal fusion for treating degenerative disc disease, according to a recent study in the ANZ Journal of Surgery. Researchers found ADR patients had much lower pain scores than fusion patients after two years. That result leveled off after five years, at which point the surgical outcomes have little difference.
LDR's Mobi-C becomes first cervical disc approved for two-level indications.
Austin, Texas-based LDR's Mobi-C Cervical Disc has been approved by the FDA for two-level indications, making it the only cervical disc in the country approved to treat more than one level in the cervical spine. The Mobi-C is a cobalt chromium alloy and polyethylene prosthesis. It is designed to be bone-sparing and serve as an alternative to fusion.
Physician payments drop with payer credit card use.
Some insurance companies have begun using credit cards to reimburse providers, which means steep transaction fees lower the payment below contracted rates. The American Medical Association sent a letter to CMS earlier this month asking the regulatory body to prohibit this type of payment from insurance companies. The letter also requested providers be encouraged to adopt new electronic funds transfer standards.
Interventional Spine receives minimally invasive fusion device patent.
Irvine, Calif.-based Interventional Spine received a patent related to the Opticage expandable fusion cage and PerX360 system for minimally invasive lumbar interbody fusion. The PerX360 system allows for a 360 fusion to be performed through two incisions.
Physicians can expect pay increases of 2.4% in 2014.
Physicians across all organization types can expect to see median salary increases of 2.4 percent for 2014. The data included in the survey by Hay Group covers 132 physician specialties. Physicians in group-based practices can expect to see larger pay increases, to the tune of 3.7 percent, than those in hospital-based settings, who will see pay increases of 2.2 percent.
The Spine Journal report: 80% of people support surgeon-industry relationships.
A survey of 610 people in the general public found that most people feel disclosures of surgeon relationships with industry is important, but most said it wouldn't keep them from seeing their surgeon. Around 80 percent of the respondents felt the surgeon-industry relationship was ethical and had either beneficial or no influence on the quality of healthcare.
Surgeons think twice about industry relationships after Sunshine Act.
The Sunshine Act has gone into effect, which means device companies will report on gifts and compensation individual physicians receive on a public website to launch September 2014. As a result of the disclosures, many physicians are rethinking their relationships with device companies. The website will report gifts and meals in addition to speaking and consulting fees.
InVivo Therapeutics appoints interim CEO, CFO to replace Francis Reynolds.
InVivo Therapeutics Holdings has appointed Michael J. Astrue as interim CEO and Sean Moran as acting CFO in the wake of former CEO and CFO Francis Reynolds resigning his posts due to a medical condition. Mr. Moran currently serves as the company's director of finance. Mr. Astrue is the non-executive chairman of the board at Vivus biopharmaceutical company. Both appointments are effective immediately.
More Articles on Spine:
6 Steps to Improve Spine Patient Safety & Reduce Associated Healthcare Costs
42 Statistics on Salaries Offered to the Top 20 Recruited Physician Specialties
Top 20 Physician Specialties Most-Recruited
Disc replacement surgeries may be more effective in the short term than spinal fusion for treating degenerative disc disease, according to a recent study in the ANZ Journal of Surgery. Researchers found ADR patients had much lower pain scores than fusion patients after two years. That result leveled off after five years, at which point the surgical outcomes have little difference.
LDR's Mobi-C becomes first cervical disc approved for two-level indications.
Austin, Texas-based LDR's Mobi-C Cervical Disc has been approved by the FDA for two-level indications, making it the only cervical disc in the country approved to treat more than one level in the cervical spine. The Mobi-C is a cobalt chromium alloy and polyethylene prosthesis. It is designed to be bone-sparing and serve as an alternative to fusion.
Physician payments drop with payer credit card use.
Some insurance companies have begun using credit cards to reimburse providers, which means steep transaction fees lower the payment below contracted rates. The American Medical Association sent a letter to CMS earlier this month asking the regulatory body to prohibit this type of payment from insurance companies. The letter also requested providers be encouraged to adopt new electronic funds transfer standards.
Interventional Spine receives minimally invasive fusion device patent.
Irvine, Calif.-based Interventional Spine received a patent related to the Opticage expandable fusion cage and PerX360 system for minimally invasive lumbar interbody fusion. The PerX360 system allows for a 360 fusion to be performed through two incisions.
Physicians can expect pay increases of 2.4% in 2014.
Physicians across all organization types can expect to see median salary increases of 2.4 percent for 2014. The data included in the survey by Hay Group covers 132 physician specialties. Physicians in group-based practices can expect to see larger pay increases, to the tune of 3.7 percent, than those in hospital-based settings, who will see pay increases of 2.2 percent.
The Spine Journal report: 80% of people support surgeon-industry relationships.
A survey of 610 people in the general public found that most people feel disclosures of surgeon relationships with industry is important, but most said it wouldn't keep them from seeing their surgeon. Around 80 percent of the respondents felt the surgeon-industry relationship was ethical and had either beneficial or no influence on the quality of healthcare.
Surgeons think twice about industry relationships after Sunshine Act.
The Sunshine Act has gone into effect, which means device companies will report on gifts and compensation individual physicians receive on a public website to launch September 2014. As a result of the disclosures, many physicians are rethinking their relationships with device companies. The website will report gifts and meals in addition to speaking and consulting fees.
InVivo Therapeutics appoints interim CEO, CFO to replace Francis Reynolds.
InVivo Therapeutics Holdings has appointed Michael J. Astrue as interim CEO and Sean Moran as acting CFO in the wake of former CEO and CFO Francis Reynolds resigning his posts due to a medical condition. Mr. Moran currently serves as the company's director of finance. Mr. Astrue is the non-executive chairman of the board at Vivus biopharmaceutical company. Both appointments are effective immediately.
More Articles on Spine:
6 Steps to Improve Spine Patient Safety & Reduce Associated Healthcare Costs
42 Statistics on Salaries Offered to the Top 20 Recruited Physician Specialties
Top 20 Physician Specialties Most-Recruited