We do our best to keep IONM companies informed about the latest within the healthcare industry.
By Admin | August 22, 2019
As reported in Modern Healthcare, on June 15, 2019, Grays Harbor Community Hospital and its Harbor Medical Group discovered databases containing patient electronic health records (EHRs) had been hit by ransomware, which encrypted files across its network. Hackers demanded a ransom of more than one million U.S. dollars in bitcoin, a cryptocurrency. After contacting the FBI, Grays Harbor was advised to not pay the ransomware and is working with security experts to recover the affected databases and re-establish access to the entire electronic medical record (EMR). It is also working with third-party cybersecurity experts to upgrade security systems and protocols, and implement more robust backup procedures.
By Admin | August 21, 2019
A complex brain aneurysm was removed through a unique bypass surgery. Neurosurgeon D. Shyam said that the patient approached the hospital after complaining of frequent headaches and double vision. Scan revealed that a large aneurysm or an abnormal vessel dilation was located in the brain. If ruptured, it could cause sudden loss of life or a stroke.
By Admin | August 20, 2019
MiRus received FDA 510(k) clearance for its Galileo spine alignment monitoring system. Galileo received the 2018 Spine Technology Award at the North American Spine Society meeting for excellence and innovation in spine surgery navigation. The device is a non-optical real-time measuring system for segmental and global sagittal spine alignment.
By Admin | August 19, 2019
Ten spine surgeons reveal the trends in healthcare that could have a negative impact on spine surgeons and care delivery in the future. Timothy Witham, MD. Johns Hopkins Bayview (Baltimore): The usual issues, mainly insurance companies dictating the way we care for patients and limiting the opportunities for patients to receive certain treatments.
By Admin | August 16, 2019
A $4.2 million settlement was reached on July 3 in Niedzwiadek v. Anmuth, the Atlantic County case of a Southampton woman who died following routine neck surgery after the physician who was supposed to be monitoring her signals remotely allegedly was out driving and making phone calls.
By Admin | August 15, 2019
NuVasive, a company based in San Diego, California, is releasing its Pulse system. The product combines a number of technologies, including neuromonitoring, global alignment, rod bending, imaging with radiation reduction, and navigation, to help surgeons perform spinal procedures.
By Admin | August 14, 2019
John O'Brien, a former insurance industry executive, will step down less than one year after his appointment as senior advisory to HHS Secretary Alex Azar on drug-pricing reform. He had worked for HHS since March 2017 and also previously worked for CMS.
By Admin | August 13, 2019
Hi. I'm Dr Stephen Krieger, the neurology residency program director at Mount Sinai in New York. I'm here at the American Academy of Neurology 2019 meeting in Philadelphia to tell you about an education research project that we presented this year. We have been very interested in why students become neurologists. This is a topic of interest in our field. A recent publication by Gutmann and colleagues[1] looked at some of the reasons why students said they wanted to be neurologists.
By Admin | August 12, 2019
NuVasive has announced the launch of its Pulse integrated technology platform. According to a press release, “Pulse is the first, single platform to include multiple technologies designed to help surgeons adopt more efficient, less disruptive surgical approaches in all spine procedures.”
By Admin | August 09, 2019
OSLO, Norway — All patients with trigeminal neuralgia (TN) should undergo MRI, a new guideline for diagnosing and treating this condition recommends. The guideline, developed by a task force of the European Academy of Neurology (EAN), also recommends that neurovascular contact (NVC) should not be used to confirm a diagnosis of primary TN but to determine whether surgery is warranted.
By Admin | August 08, 2019
Shoulder Replacement Implants Market Introduction Shoulder replacement is a surgical procedure that replaces the original ball and socket surfaces of the shoulder with similar shaped prosthetic implants. Various types of shoulder replacement procedures can be performed depending on the needs of patients. Some of the procedures include total shoulder replacement, reverse shoulder replacement, partial shoulder replacement, shoulder resurfacing, and revision shoulder arthroplasty. Embedding the right prosthetic implant depends on the type of surgical procedure to be performed. For instance, use of HemiCAP implants is an active alternative to a total shoulder replacement procedure.
By Admin | August 06, 2019
Here are eight key developments from Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic in the past year, focused on its orthopedic, spine and neurosurgery services. 1. The Mayo Clinic revealed plans to build a $233 million oncology facility on its Jacksonville, Fla., campus which will feature proton beam therapy, which is used for tumors of the spine, brain and neck among others. The treatment was introduced at Mayo's Rochester, Minn.-based campus in 2015 and Phoenix campus in 2016.
By Admin | August 05, 2019
Teleneurology is one branch of the expanding field of telemedicine. In this exclusive MedPage Today video from the recent American Academy of Neurology's annual meeting in Philadelphia, Marisa McGinley, DO, of the Cleveland Clinic, discusses the technology's advantages and limitations for neurologists. Following is a transcript of her remarks: I think that teleneurology is not going to be the right fit for every single encounter with a patient, and it's also kind of [based on] us, as a field, learning about where it can be additive and not subtractive. Admittedly, there's a lot to figure out in that respect.
By Admin | August 02, 2019
AGRA: Neurosurgeons of Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and ..
By Admin | August 01, 2019
Andrew Freese, MD, is a neurosurgeon at Suburban Community Hospital in East Norriton Township, Pa. Here, Dr. Freese discusses what technology he is most excited about in spine, thoughts on how to tackle the opioid epidemic and more.
By Admin | July 31, 2019
Newport Beach, Calif.-based Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian showcased Surgical Theater's virtual reality medical imaging technology in a tour of its ORs, reports The OC Register. Three insights:
By Admin | July 30, 2019
Out of the Middle, a coalition of leading health care providers, applauds today's introduction of the bipartisan Protecting People from Surprise Medical Bills Act. This is the only legislative framework before Congress that takes patients out of the middle of medical billing disputes, continues to ensure patients have access to health care services when and where they need them, and provides a level playing field for physicians and insurers.
By Admin | July 29, 2019
n recent times, spine surgery has seen a major change in its procedure. What was traditionally done as “open surgery” which involved the complete exposure of the anatomy, can now be done with lesser damage to the body. This spine surgery treatment is called Minimally Invasive Surgery and has been around for quite some time.
By Admin | July 25, 2019
On Feb. 7, the AANS and the CNS joined more than 100 state and national medical societies in sending Congress a letter outlining organized medicine’s core principles on so-called “surprise medical bills.” Given growing concern over the practice of unanticipated medical bills — largely driven by narrow insurance networks, which leaves some patients on the hook with the bill if they receive care from an out-of-network provider — Congress and the Trump Administration are considering legislation and/or regulations to address this problem.
By Admin | July 23, 2019
For months, Sovereign Valentine had been feeling progressively run-down. The 50-year-old personal trainer, who goes by "Sov," tried changing his workout and diet to no avail. Finally, one Sunday, he drove himself to the hospital in the small town of Plains, Mont., where his wife, Jessica, happened to be the physician on call. "I couldn't stop throwing up. I was just toxic."
By Admin | July 19, 2019
Both the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) and the North American Spine Society (NASS) have praised an extremely rare tri-partisan Washington initiative (Democrats and Republican in Congress; President Trump) to act on the sometimes-huge surprise medical bills patients receive after surgery. At the same time, Trump was expected to issue an executive order, possibly this work week (May 28-31) which would require caregivers to publicly post prices and might send the Justice Department after so-called regional health care monopolies (see below).
By Admin | July 18, 2019
CMS found serious care deficiencies at Houston-based MD Anderson Cancer Center during two investigations this spring, according to the Houston Chronicle. CMS investigated the facility in early April and mid-May after MD Anderson reported an adverse event involving a blood transfusion in December 2018. Regulators found issues involving nursing care, laboratory services, patient rights, institutional oversight and quality assurance, according to CMS letters cited by the Chronicle.
By Admin | July 17, 2019
Months ago, I reviewed medical claims for an employer interesting in reducing its annual increases in healthcare costs. The employer had an ordinary health plan for its covered members: a $1000 deductible and a $2500 out-of-pocket maximum. Granted, these member responsibilities might be a tough challenge for its low-wage workers but overall it was a common plan.
By Admin | July 15, 2019
The Department of Justice charged three Oklahoma-based physicians, including an orthopedic surgeon, are charged with violating the anti-kickback statute for their role in a scheme dating back to November 2012.
By Admin | July 12, 2019
The spine surgeon's ability to negotiate payer contracts and approval for procedures and new technology is an important part of running an effective practice. Here, four spine surgeons discuss the big payer trends in spine and identify opportunities for the future.
By Admin | July 11, 2019
The son of a Burlington County woman who died after neck surgery is set to receive $4.2 million to settle a case involving a doctor who was allegedly out driving and making phone calls instead of remotely monitoring the operation.
By Admin | July 09, 2019
A new study published in Spine examines 90-day readmission rates for lumbar spine surgery. The study authors used the 2014 Nationwide Readmission Database to examine data for elective, inpatient, primary lumbar spine surgery patients. There were 169,788 patients included in the analysis.
By Admin | July 03, 2019
Bacterial infections following spinal fusion occur at a rate of approximately 12.7%.1 These infections most commonly involve Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus, and are linked to reprocessing (rewashing and resterilizing) pedicle screws and exposure inside “sterile-field” in spinal surgery.2-4 Reprocessed screws have been found to harbor corrosion, biofilm, endotoxins, fatty tissue, and soap residue mixed with fat, whereas exposed pedicle screws in “sterile-field” become contaminated.3-5 New research suggests that avoiding reprocessing altogether and shielding pedicle screws intraoperatively with an impermeable guard can prevent or reduce the degree of contamination and resulting surgical site infections (SSIs).4 SpineUniverse spoke with coauthors of this study—Aakash Agarwal, PhD, Neel Anand, MD, and Jeffrey C. Wang, MD—to determine the magnitude of the issue, and how to prevent surgical site contamination linked to pedicle screws in spine surgery.
By Admin | July 01, 2019
The infection of the surgical site following a neurosurgery operation is one of the most complex complications facing specialized surgical nursing, due to its potential danger for the appropriate recovery of the patients.
By Admin | June 28, 2019
Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is an extremely painful yet rare orofacial pain condition, and clear understanding of its mechanism and management remains an enigma.1 Originally known as tic douloureux due to its characteristic facial tics, this disorder may be described as a paroxysmal unilateral facial pain along the distribution of one or more branches of the trigeminal nerve. The maxillary and mandibular branches of the trigeminal nerve are most commonly affected, followed by the ophthalmic branch.2 The incidence of TN is 4 per 100,000 individuals, but increases to 20 per 100,000 in those over age 60. It is more common in females, with a 3:2 female:male ratio, and typically presents in individuals aged 50 or older.1
By Admin | June 26, 2019
Stephen Kalhorn, MD, is a professor of neurosurgery at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. He treats patients for spinal cord, brain and spinal column disorders, including degenerative conditions affecting the spine such as neck pain, spine fractures and scoliosis among others. Here Dr. Kalhorn discusses innovations in spine, how to tackle the opioid epidemic and more.
By Admin | June 24, 2019
When a Neurology Consult Is Unnecessary
By Admin | June 19, 2019
A new Texas law aims to protect patients like Drew Calver, pictured here with his wife, Erin, and daughters, Eleanor (left) and Emory, in their Austin, Texas, home. After being treated for a heart attack in April 2017, Calver, a high school history teacher, got a surprise medical bill for $108,951.
By Admin | June 19, 2019
Both the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) and the North American Spine Society (NASS) have praised an extremely rare tri-partisan Washington initiative (Democrats and Republican in Congress; President Trump) to act on the sometimes-huge surprise medical bills patients receive after surgery. At the same time, Trump was expected to issue an executive order, possibly this work week (May 28-31) which would require caregivers to publicly post prices and might send the Justice Department after so-called regional health care monopolies (see below).
By Admin | June 19, 2019
On Feb. 7, the AANS and the CNS joined more than 100 state and national medical societies in sending Congress a letter outlining organized medicine’s core principles on so-called “surprise medical bills.
By Admin | June 17, 2019
A study run at five military and veterans' hospitals has identified the first highly-scalable intervention for addressing cognitive deficits that can occur after mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI). The study results were presented at the 9th Annual Traumatic Brain Injury Conference in Washington DC. The intervention studied was the brain training app BrainHQ, made by Posit Science.
By Admin | June 14, 2019
Motor cortex stimulation (MCS) is an intracranial, invasive method for treatment of chronic pain. Main indications for MCS are central post stroke pain, neuropathic facial pain, phantom limb pain and brachial plexus or spinal cord injury pain. Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) with burst waveform has been proved to be more effective than tonic mode in chronic pain. Necessity to replace depleted batteries of motor cortex tonic stimulators gave us an opportunity of applying burst stimulation. The objective of the pilot study was to evaluate the effects of burst stimulation applied on motor cortex in patients with chronic pain syndromes as well as comparison to tonic mode.
By Admin | June 13, 2019
A brain aneurysm can happen to anyone at any time, even if they’re more common in people over the age of 40. It’s important to understand which brain aneurysm risk factors you can’t avoid and the ones you can take control of yourself.
By Admin | June 11, 2019
Troy Vincent Sr., the executive vice president of football operations at the National Football League, recently posted five “myths” about youth football and related injuries, as well as “facts” to debunk each myth, on his Facebook page. The document has come under fire in some circles because it has been said the league’s sole intent in issuing it is to refute some of the beliefs that playing tackle football at the high school and lower levels is unsafe.
By Admin | June 08, 2019
This year's American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting featured a nook of the exhibit hall called the Innovation Hub. Per the AAN website, it was intended to "…offer dynamic, interactive opportunities to explore the brain's final frontiers."
By Admin | June 05, 2019
Wednesday morning, October 10, 2018. I was standing in an OR, 2,500 km away from my home and my medical school, trying to recall the five layers of the scalp to answer the question posed by Dr L., a seasoned neurosurgeon who was the leading physician in my first ever observation of a neurosurgical procedure. It was my starting day as a clinical attachment student in the neurosurgical oncology department of a National Health Service Hospital in the United Kingdom, and I was waiting to participate in a craniotomy for the removal of a malignant brain tumor.
By Admin | May 31, 2019
Scoliosis is an abnormal curve of the spine. Often diagnosed in early adolescence, most cases show symptoms such as uneven shoulders, waist or hips, says the American Association of Neurological Surgeons.
By Admin | May 30, 2019
The outline of a forthcoming House proposal to end surprise medical bills has drawn mixed reactions from healthcare groups.
By Admin | May 24, 2019
The United States Department of Justice has announced that it has broken up a $1.2 billion Medicare scam that sold unneeded orthopedic braces to seniors around the country.
By Admin | May 21, 2019
A spinal fusion has been the traditional treatment for a herniated disc but Sanjay Jatana, MD, a fellowship-trained cervical spine specialist at a Denver-based spine center within Spine Center Network, says that may no longer be the case.
By Admin | May 16, 2019
Over the past month, six spine and neurosurgeons joined new practices or were promoted to new leadership roles within their organization.
By Admin | May 09, 2019
Improvements were sustained at 10 years for patients treated with the Mobi-C cervical disc in the trial that led to its approval by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2013, a new study shows.
By Admin | May 02, 2019
New medical evidence shows improved mechanical fixation with a novel inset shoulder implant that minimizes surgical complications and may increase the longevity of artificial shoulder replacements. This new study in the Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery demonstrates, for the first time, successful long-term results with a promising new technology that is gaining the attention of shoulder surgeons.
By Admin | April 30, 2019
New research suggests chronic inflammation may be a useful biomarker for future cognitive decline in later life.
By Admin | April 22, 2019
Researchers from the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center have found that a genetic mutation seen in about half of all brain tumors produces a response that prevents radiation treatment from working. Altering that response using US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs restores tumors’ sensitivity to radiation therapy, extending survival in mice.
By Admin | April 17, 2019
Professional soccer players may be vulnerable to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a new study suggests.
By Admin | April 09, 2019
Texas lawmakers on Monday advanced a bill that would extend legal cover to state-licensed professionals who deny services based on their faith, according to the Dallas News.
By Admin | April 04, 2019
Kaiser Permanente paid Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh about $114,000 for about 20,000 copies of her self-published children's books while the healthcare organization was seeking a lucrative contract from a spending board controlled by the mayor, The Baltimore Sun reported this week.
By Admin | April 01, 2019
An increased demand for stroke evaluations at St. Charles Bend has overwhelmed community neurologists, leading to an overhaul of stroke care at the hospital and the injection of new stroke care expertise.
By Admin | March 26, 2019
Emergency and urgent hospitalizations are associated with an increased rate of cognitive decline in older adults, report researchers at Rush University Medical Center. Results of their study, published in the Jan. 11, 2019, online issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology, shows that hospitalization may be a more of a major risk factor for long-term cognitive decline in older adults than previously recognized.
By Admin | March 21, 2019
A college freshman who thought her headaches were symptoms of a common cold that she had picked up after moving into her new dorm this fall has been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. Laura Nuttall, 19, has already undergone brain surgery and radiotherapy for the tumors, but her family says that they’re not sure how much time she has left.
By Admin | March 18, 2019
The Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) has updated it's evidence-based guidelines for the treatment of adults with metatstic brain tumors, first published in 2010.
By Admin | March 15, 2019
Big belly, small brain? As if muffin toppers didn’t have enough to deal with, a new study that an expanding waistline triggers a shrinking brain.
By Admin | March 11, 2019
"The American Academy of Neurology believes that a specific, uniform standard for the determination of brain death is critically important to provide the highest quality patient-centered neurologic and end-of-life care," Dr. James A. Russell from Lahey Hospital and Medical Center, Burlington, MA, told Reuters Health in an email interview.
By Admin | March 07, 2019
This operative video is a detailed look at minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion.
By Admin | March 04, 2019
A woman received nearly $375,000 from her insurance company over several months for treatment she received at a California rehabilitation facility. A man received more than $130,000 after he sent his fiancée's daughter for substance abuse treatment. Those allegations are part of a lawsuit winding its way through federal court that accuses Anthem and its Blue Cross entities of paying patients directly in an effort to put pressure on health care providers to join their network and to accept lower payments.
By Admin | February 25, 2019
Adult and pediatric spine surgeries have increased in numbers over the last several years (1). Given the difficult nature of spine surgery, ranging from simple lumbar decompression to advanced spinal deformity, iatrogenic neurologic injury is a rare but real complication. Recent studies have shown that the annual incidence of perioperative neurologic deficits after cervical and lumbar spine surgery increased by 54% from 0.68% in 1999 to 1.05% in 2011 (2). These neurologic complications are especially prevalent (up to 8%) in procedures requiring vertebral column resections (VCR). Given these findings, a reliable method of detecting potential neurologic complication during spinal surgery is essential (3,4).
By Admin | February 22, 2019
This paper explores the vast Truven MarketScan database (IBM, Armonk, New York) to compare costs associated with transsphenoidal microsurgical and transsphenoidal endoscopic approaches, using data derived from healthcare claims to multiple health plans and employers in 2010 to 2014.
By Admin | February 15, 2019
Focused ultrasound (FUS) thalamotomy and deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the ventral intermediate nucleus of the thalamus provide similar benefits for patients with essential tremor, according to two presentations delivered at the annual meeting of the North American Neuromodulation Society. The techniques’ surgical procedures, associated risks, and adverse event profiles may influence neurologists and patients in their choice of treatment.
By Admin | February 12, 2019
A Clovis High School teacher is quickly recovering after having technology-aided open brain surgery in December. Brain mapping technology was used during the procedure at Covenant Health to remove a part of Marco Hicks’ brain that was causing epilepsy and debilitating seizures.
By Admin | February 05, 2019
Orthopedists as a group are suffering more stress from being metaphorically chained to electronic health records systems (EHRs) than any other specialty, a new study says.
By Admin | January 31, 2019
With Texas making headlines regarding its uninsured rate and rural hospital closings, the Texas Medical Association has a tall task ahead of the 2019 legislative session in Austin. The 2018 election saw Democratic gains across the country, including Texas, but the state still remains in Republican hands. Legislators will have a chance to improve some of the state’s most persistent problems, and the TMA hopes to represent physicians and uphold its mission of improving the health of all Texans.
By Admin | January 28, 2019
Anxious about your aging brain? The study was published this week in the online medical journal for the American Academy of Neurology. However, specialists who are not yet convinced of its effects would find this new study as a "randomized, clinical trial" that proves its beneficial result, via WSLS.
By Admin | January 23, 2019
While football helmets have come a long way from their initial leather design—which only featured a little, if any, padding—the potential for concussions and reducing injury has maintained at the forefront of the industry.
By Admin | January 16, 2019
One of the toughest decisions facing someone with MS is whether to begin treatment with a disease-modifying therapy (DMT). Equally tough, I think, is deciding which DMT road to travel — because there are three roads that can be followed.
By Admin | January 14, 2019
If you want to understand the shifting sands of healthcare, you'll find no better place than the nonprofit provider track during the infamous JP Morgan Healthcare Conference that took place this week in San Francisco.
By Admin | January 09, 2019
The Public Health Act was enacted as part of the Affordable Care Act, which requires hospitals to make a public list of the hospital’s standard charges starting this year, but the posted price doesn’t tell the full story. Insurance, a person’s health, and the negotiated rate between insurers and providers complicates the out-of-pocket payment, the posted prices might not mean much to the average consumer.
By Admin | January 07, 2019
As recently as a month ago, Bryan Williams had to plan every day carefully, making the most of the time between when his medications kicked in and when they wore off, leaving him exhausted and in pain.
By Admin | January 02, 2019
A brain tumor isn’t always cancer, and it’s not always a devastating diagnosis.
By Admin | December 29, 2018
A herniated disc can cause pain, numbness or weakness in an arm of a leg, but there are plenty of treatments designed to help.
By Admin | December 18, 2018
Despite the fact that neurosurgery is critical to treating a variety of medical conditions — from brain tumors and strokes to aneurysms, disorders of the spine and more — many people don’t know much about it. For one thing, many think that neurosurgery simply refers to brain surgery — and while it does include brain surgery, it also encompasses much more. The term is actually short for neurological surgery, and it involves the diagnosis and treatment of disorders or injuries that affect any part of the nervous system, including the brain, spine, cervical spine (neck) and nerves throughout the body.
By Admin | December 11, 2018
Games are the building blocks for five-year-old Rebecca Roper of Enid. She's having fun at her latest physical therapy appointment, building a wall out of huge cardboard blocks. Soon they switch to tossing balls, and then Rebecca holds her therapist's hand tightly as she walks barefoot along a stretch of wooden board.
By Admin | December 04, 2018
The era of routine robotic-assisted spinal surgery is on the horizon. Despite the hype, however, there remains little market penetration, with affordability and the degree of value-added by such technology representing significant barriers to complete disruption of standard practice.
By Admin | November 27, 2018
Orthopedics company Bio2 Technologies has received FDA approval to begin enrollment in an IDE clinical study to evaluate its Vitrium bioactive glass as a cervical interbody fusion device. Vitrium will be evaluated as a structural device that facilitates bone remodeling via a gradual conversion from Vitrium to the patient’s own bone.
By Admin | November 21, 2018
In spine surgery, "arthrodesis" is the term used to describe fusion of adjacent vertebrae following removal of an intervertebral disc. Arthrodesis is achieved by placing a bone graft or bone graft substitute between the vertebrae to bridge the empty space so that new bone can grow between. "Pseudarthrosis" is the term used to describe failure of this expected new bone growth.
By Admin | November 19, 2018
In a survey of about 1,600 active neurologists, the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) found that 60 percent experienced at least one symptom of burnout. A high number of neurology residents (73 percent) and fellows (55 percent) were also affected by burnout. With such a high rate of burnout among neurologists, the AAN began mitigation attempts at the individual, organizational and national levels at the same time as they measured burnout.
By Admin | November 13, 2018
A recent study has concluded that the clinical benefits of a minimally invasive surgical technique appear to “diminish” as a function of fusion length. The data, which examined the relationship between open versus minimally invasive lumbar fusion and the number of levels fused, were presented by Virginie Lafage (Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, USA) at the North American Spine Society (NASS) annual meeting (24–29 September, Los Angeles, USA).
By Admin | November 09, 2018
Low back pain is the leading cause of work-related disability in the United States!
By Admin | November 06, 2018
For those of you who are 65 or older and covered by Medicare, medical care may soon change for the worse, as many doctors see it.
By Admin | October 30, 2018
John Sarcona was at a baseball game when his mother Joanne found the bloodied T-shirts in his laundry hamper. His bedding was bloody too, and she knew something had gone terribly wrong.
By Admin | October 25, 2018
Medtech companies in the spinal market are rushing to join the robotic revolution, with Medtronic (NYSE:MDT) and Globus Medical (NYSE:GMED) leading the pack, according to a Leerink Partner analyst’s note from the North American Spine Society’s 2018 annual meeting.
By Admin | October 23, 2018
Results of a preoperative score — the readmission after posterior spine fusion or RAPSF score — can help predict which patients are likely to require readmission after elective one- and two-level posterior lumbar fusion. Furthermore, it may help during joint decision-making to assess whether a patient is indicated for surgery or requires presurgical optimization, a presenter said.
By Admin | October 17, 2018
The incidence of cervical and thoracic spine fractures has increased, especially in white females ages 80 to 89, according to a study reported at the North American Spine Society Annual Meeting in Los Angeles, Sept. 26-29.
By Admin | October 15, 2018
LOS ANGELES — The evolution of total disc replacement prostheses over time from devices with constrained cores to ones with more mobile cores may ultimately help mitigate adjacent segment disease in patients, according to results of a post hoc analysis presented at the North American Spine Society Annual Meeting.
By Admin | October 12, 2018
LOS ANGELES — Patients undergoing outpatient anterior cervical discectomy and fusion may have a greater risk for perioperative complications than patients who undergo the surgery as an inpatient procedure, according to results presented at the North American Spine Society Annual Meeting.
By Admin | October 10, 2018
Spineology Inc., an innovator in anatomy-conserving spine surgery, is excited to announce that John Chi, M.D., M.P.H., Associate Professor of Neurosurgery at Harvard Medical School and the Director of Neurosurgical Spinal Oncology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, presented 12-month outcomes data from Spineology’s SCOUT clinical trial at the recent annual meeting of the North American Spine Society (NASS) in Los Angeles, California.
By Admin | October 04, 2018
Two of the largest nonprofit health systems in Texas have signed a letter of intent to merge into a combined entity. Baylor Scott & White Health and Memorial Hermann Health System say they are coming together to increase integrated and cost-effective healthcare that is focused on the consumer.
By Admin | October 02, 2018
People who improve their health and fitness post-40 can expect a healthier and happier time of it in midlife.
By Admin | September 28, 2018
Research published in Neurosurgery found outpatient spine procedures are just as safe or safer than procedures performed in an inpatient setting.
By Admin | September 26, 2018
Patients suffering from mental and neurological disorders, including autism, ADHD and dementia, could benefit from new developments in brain scanning technology.
By Admin | September 25, 2018
Important research by Barrow Neurological Institute neurosurgeons and University of Washington (UW) scientists on novel imaging technology for malignant brain tumors was published in the August issue of the Nature journal, Scientific Reports.
By Admin | September 19, 2018
Holly Pittard is a Brody medical student who has an interest in physical medicine and rehabilitation as well as family medicine. For those of you who may have never met doctors who specialize in PMR, they are nerve, muscle, bone and brain experts who treat injury or illness nonsurgically to decrease pain and restore function. You can read more about PMR at www.aapmr.org. Here is what Holly wants you to know.
By Admin | September 17, 2018
This article was reported and written in a collaboration with ProPublica, the nonprofit investigative journalism organization. Dr. José Baselga, the chief medical officer of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, resigned on Thursday amid reports that he had failed to disclose millions of dollars in payments from health care companies in dozens of research articles.
By Admin | September 12, 2018
An artificial intelligence platform identified neurological diseases in CT scans 150 times faster than human clinicians.
By Admin | September 06, 2018
Not moving is the worst thing you can do for back pain. When you've been cleared to exercise, try these core-strengthening moves instead.
By Admin | September 04, 2018
The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) and the American Epilepsy Society (AES) have provided new recommended practice guidelines for the management of new-onset and treatment-resistant epilepsy with anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs).1,2 The new guidelines highlight the evidence supporting the use of lamotrigine, vigabatrin, levetiracetam, pregabalin, gabapentin, and zonisamide for reducing the frequency of seizures in new-onset focal epilepsy and treatment-resistant epilepsy.
By Admin | August 30, 2018
Thinning of retina linked to loss of brain cells that control movement The eyes may be a window to the brain for people with early Parkinson's disease. People with the disease gradually lose brain cells that produce dopamine, a substance that helps control movement. Now a new study has found that the thinning of the retina, the lining of nerve cells in the back of the eye, is linked to the loss of such brain cells.
By Admin | August 27, 2018
The growing interest in PEEK-OPTIMA™ spinal implants in China received further impetus at the 11th Congress of the Chinese Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons (CAOS) held in partnership with the North American Spine Society (NASS). At this event, Fule Science & Technology Development, Beijing, and Invibio Biomaterial Solutions partnered to demonstrate the new Uplifter® Expandable Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion Device in a hands-on workshop in Shanghai.
By Admin | August 22, 2018
Zavation, an employee-owned medical device company that designs, develops, manufactures and distributes medical device products, announced today the launch of a fenestrated Facet Screw system and a Sacroiliac (SI) Screw system.
By Admin | August 20, 2018
In 2008, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons developed the NeuroPoint Alliance to improve the quality of neurosurgical care. The database is a central registry for members to track acquisitions, analysis and clinical data reporting. Here are five things to know about the nonprofit organization:
By Admin | August 14, 2018
The path to value-based care in healthcare is becoming murky. After a few years of heightened promise and hope, the current and near future reality...
By Admin | August 14, 2018
As blockchain technology has moved from cryptocurrency to other fields, one of New York’s medical schools has opened a center to study its us...
By Admin | May 29, 2018
The new market report on Intraoperative Neuromonitoring Market includes data for important years 2018, the post year of the estimate is 2018 and the projection period is 2018 to 2026. Intraoperative Neuromonitoring Market is anticipated to hit the Mark of US $ 4.01 Bn 2026 with expanding at a CAGR of 4.7% in 2018 to 2026.
By Admin | May 29, 2018
The Intraoperative Neuromonitoring Market is anticipated to hit $ 4.01 Bn by 2026 with a CAGR of 4.7% during the forecast period 2018 to 2026 in terms of shipment and revenue, respectively during the projection period 2018-2026. The Global Intraoperative Neuromonitoring Market is observing an active growth, increasing rate of Topical Excipients, favorable compensation policies, and increased government funding. The Global Intraoperative Neuromonitoring Market has been sectioned On the basis of product type.
By Admin | May 29, 2018
Global Intraoperative Neuromonitoring Market 2018 Report presents a professional and deep analysis on the present state of the Global Intraoperative Neuromonitoring market which was achieved using the meticulous qualitative insights and the statistical data of the market. The research methodologies were applied during the analysis to prepare the whole document as well as the chronological data that was collected and verified through several important studies.
By Admin | May 29, 2018
The “Global Intraoperative Neuromonitoring (Ionm) Market” report is the comprehensive compilation highlight the key players operating in market. The report analyses the key trends including product introduction, new business approaches, collaborations, technological development and various other stats applicable in the competitive market by the major market players.
By | May 29, 2018
Global Intraoperative Neuromonitoring (IONM) Devices Sales Market research report will help you take informed decisions, understand opportunities, plan effective business strategies, plan new projects, analyse drivers and restraints and give you a vision on the industry forecast. Intraoperative Neuromonitoring (IONM) Devices Sales Market report would come in handy to understand your competitors and give you an insight about sales; volumes, revenues in the Intraoperative Neuromonitoring (IONM) Devices Sales industry. Both established and new players in Intraoperative Neuromonitoring (IONM) Devices Sales industry can use report to understand the market.
By | May 29, 2018
The Department of Neurosurgery at the Mount Sinai Health System is one of the first hospitals in the country to use Modus V™, a hands-free, robotically controlled digital microscope that provides advanced visualization in the operating room. The system features a robotic arm with a high-definition camera that projects digital images of neuroanatomy on larger monitors. The system is an alternative to the traditional operating microscope, a mainstay in modern neurosurgery that features an ocular, or eyepiece, used by the surgeon to see magnified images of the brain.
By Admin | May 09, 2018
The report Neurosurgical Prosthesis Market 2018 presents a widespread and fundamental study of Neurosurgical Prosthesis industry along with the analysis of subjective aspects which will provide key business insights to the readers.
By Admin | May 09, 2018
The Report entitled Global Monopolar Forceps Market 2018 analysis the important factors of the Monopolar Forceps market based on present industry situations, market demands, business strategies utilized by Monopolar Forceps market players and their growth synopsis.
By Admin | May 09, 2018
Noah Pernikoff, a young American, is back to his daily life in New York City after becoming the very first patient in the world to go through a complex three-part, robotic-assisted surgery. The robotic arms made the surgery possible for the multidisciplinary team at Penn to remove a rare tumor from Noah’s neck successfully. The tumor was removed from the junction where the skull meets the spine.
By Admin | May 09, 2018
As if the prospect of neurosurgery isn't daunting enough, the idea of having to remain awake for the procedure is enough to turn many Parkinson's disease sufferers off potentially life-changing deep brain stimulation surgery altogether. But now researchers at the Bionics Institute in Melbourne have discovered a unique brain signal that might allow electrodes to be inserted at the correct location in the brain without the patient being conscious.
By Admin | May 09, 2018
The research report on “Global MI Neurosurgery Devices Market” delivers detailed prognosis on current and forecast market situation of MI Neurosurgery Devices in the assessment period, 2018-2023. The report examines MI Neurosurgery Devices market growth history, sales channel, manufacturers profiled in MI Neurosurgery Devices industry, a market share of product type, application and scope of a region in detail.
By Admin | May 09, 2018
Robots are in homes, factories and also in hospitals. Robot-assisted surgery has been around since at least 1985. Since then, robots have been used in developing minimally invasive surgeries such as laparoscopies using flexible fiber optic cameras. The first robotic surgical system, the daVinci Surgery System, received FDA approval in 2000. In a recent advance, a robot was used to cut a precise hole in a skull and it took only 2½ minutes rather than the usual two hours, a game changer for neurosurgery.
By Admin | March 14, 2018
Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar told a room of hospital executives that the Trump administration is going to give more power to patients, whether hospitals, drug companies, and insurance companies like it or not.
By Admin | March 12, 2018
Hospitals have never been held accountable when it comes to healthcare costs, says Dr. Josh Luke, a healthcare futurist, University of Southern California faculty, hospital CEO. In his latest article for Forbes, he outlines the insanity of how hospitals have never had to disclose prices for services and procedures before they take place, a practice unlike any other industry.
By Admin | February 28, 2018
Wired Magazine has an article detailing how Apple is planning on making electronic health records (EHRs) available through people’s iOS devices. Google made a similar move but failed. However, Apple has a track record of doing what others can’t.
By Admin | February 26, 2018
Trump’s proposed plans to lower the costs of pharmaceuticals have many skeptics who say much more needs to be done, an article by FierceHealthcare says.
By Admin | February 12, 2018
An online retailer, a holding company and a bank could disrupt healthcare as we know it. The three companies, Amazon.com, Berkshire Hathaway and JP Morgan Chase, are banding together to circumvent the complicated web of the U.S. healthcare system and provide their own health services to their employees.
By Admin | February 05, 2018
Between 2016 and 2017, the number of uninsured Americans rose by 3.2 million people, leaving 12.2 percent of the population without health insurance.
By Admin | January 31, 2018
Dr. Wilder Penfield was a pioneer of neurosurgery, having published brain maps in 1937 and 1950 that surgeons still use today. He also created the Montreal procedure, along with his colleague Herber Jasper, which uses electrical probes on a patient’s brain while he or she is awake in order to find the locations of seizure activity.
By Admin | January 29, 2018
According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, 300 to 400 physicians commit suicide every year. During the physician training period, around 28 percent experience a major depressive episode compared to seven percent in the general U.S. population.
By Admin | January 22, 2018
Much was said on Capitol Hill about health care, but not too much was done in 2017. Here are Politico’s 10 key takeaways from the first year of health care under the Trump administration.
By Admin | January 15, 2018
There were two twin boys conjoined at the head, but before being wheeled into the operating room, their team of surgeons was able to plan ahead with 3D models of the boys’ actual sculls. Taken from CT scans, the models were created with a 3D printer, and they gave the surgeons the unique ability to accurately assess every step of the very complex surgery.
By Admin | January 10, 2018
It isn’t a secret that 2017 was full of political drama surrounding healthcare. And the uncertainty will definitely continue into 2018. There will also be cybersecurity threats, social determinants of patients’ health, and focusing on the patient experience to face, according to Benjamin Isgur, leader of PwC's Health Research Institute.
By Admin | January 08, 2018
In a remote Italian region lives a few hundred people over the age of 90. They have shown to be in excellent mental health, even if their bodies are showing their age.
By Admin | December 13, 2017
Could CVS’s $69 billion purchase of one of the largest health insurers in the U.S. change the healthcare game?
By Admin | December 11, 2017
Apple has partnered with Stanford University to create an app for the latest iWatch that can hopefully detect heart irregularities. Together, they’re launching a study to see if the app can indeed help patients.
By Admin | December 06, 2017
Patient portals provide an easy way for patients to see their lab results, prescription information, doctor’s notes, and more, from the convenience of home--and without having to call and wait.
By Admin | December 04, 2017
Doctors take care of us, but who’s taking care of the doctor? Studies are showing that doctors are increasingly hitting burnout status and suffering from depression, which in turn leads to their making medical errors.
By Admin | November 29, 2017
Fitness trackers like Apple’s popular iWatch and the Fitbit can already monitor a wearer’s sleeping habits, heart rate and steps with impressive accuracy.
By Admin | November 27, 2017
When CVS, the well known pharmacy chain, considered purchasing Aetna, one of the nation’s largest health insurers, it shed some light on the future of American healthcare.
By Admin | November 20, 2017
If you fall behind on your health insurance payments, you generally have 90 days to pay before any sort of penalty, thanks to the Affordable Care Act.
By Admin | November 15, 2017
Dr. Adrienne Boissy, chief experience officer of Cleveland Clinic Health System, believes empathy plays a huge part in patient care.
By Admin | November 13, 2017
Ochsner Health Care of Louisiana is using technology in order to keep tabs on patients in real time, even offering assistance right after they “go out of bounds.”
By Admin | November 06, 2017
Senators Lamar Alexander, Republican of Tennessee, and Patty Murray, Democrat of Washington, have a bipartisan plan to to fund critical subsidies to insurers and hopefully stabilize the health insurance market in the wake of President Trump’s order to cut funding.
By Admin | November 01, 2017
If you’re on Medicare, it’s the time to renew your coverage for 2018, but there’s a right way and a wrong way to obtain your coverage.
By Admin | October 30, 2017
Since Congress hasn’t been able to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, as promised, President Trump is now taking it upon himself with an executive order that he recently teased at a meeting with former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.
By Admin | October 25, 2017
Right now, the United States isn’t producing enough doctors to fill the many spots needed in order to care for our population. Without doctors immigrating from other countries, we would have a severe lack of healthcare providers.
By Admin | October 18, 2017
At birth, citizens of Singapore can expect to live almost three years longer than in Britain or the US, not to mention infant mortality is far lower. The population also pays far less for healthcare than the US, ranking sixth in the world in quality where we rank 37.
By Admin | October 16, 2017
With a higher focus on using technology to keep up with patient records, many doctors complain that they’re simply data entry clerks and not doctors. But the truth is, doctors aren’t being taught what their data entry makes possible--saving even more lives than before.
By Admin | October 09, 2017
In Louisiana and Oklahoma, families spend 1.7 percent of their income, on average, on health expenses. In New York and New Jersey, families averaged closer to one percent. However, US News ranked Louisiana and Oklahoma in the bottom five states when it comes to healthcare.
By Admin | October 04, 2017
John Cassidy, staff writer at the New Yorker, has been writing about politics and economics for the paper since 1995. In his 20-plus years, he’s seen much happen. His latest article outlines the most recent attempts by the Trump administration to repeal, replace, re-do the Affordable Healthcare Act, otherwise known as Obamacare, and why they keep failing and trying again.
By Admin | October 02, 2017
Of the women who work and have kids under 18, 94 percent of those women make healthcare decisions for people other than themselves. They research doctors, ailments, hospitals, insurance, and everything else that comes with monitoring someone’s health.
By Admin | September 27, 2017
When it comes to technology, MIT is one of the top authorities. In their online technology review, they have posted a solution for making electronic health records safer, yet more accessible for care providers, while allowing clinics and hospitals to keep using the software they want to.
By Admin | September 25, 2017
Some areas are prone to flooding. And most of us will at some point need very expensive medical care, thanks to longer lifespans. But for some reason, people have purchased less flood insurance in the last five years--9 percent less in Houston and 15 percent less in Florida.
By Admin | September 20, 2017
With the recent storms hitting Florida and Texas, hospitals in those areas have done their best to remain open in order to help people heal. But just like houses and other businesses, hospitals also suffer damage, lose electricity, and face the many other problems the rest of the community does.
By Admin | September 18, 2017
In an opinion piece written for thehill.com, contributing columnist James Gelfand outlines his reasons to protect the employer-sponsored health insurance system.
By Admin | September 13, 2017
While many Houston residents are reconstructing their homes and dealing with the obvious ramifications from Hurricane Harvey, one water-infrastructure security expert is more concerned with the remaining water.
By Admin | September 11, 2017
The future of healthcare puzzles everyone from patients to experts, but one thing we can probably count on is an increase in healthcare gaming.
By Admin | September 06, 2017
There are currently no mechanisms in place to protect patients from stolen identities in order for others to bill fraudulently or receive care.
By Admin | August 30, 2017
USA Today posted a list of over 20 health care numbers that relate to everything from salaries to how the US compares to other countries. Here’s a sampling:
By Admin | August 28, 2017
It looks like being good to others is good for you, as well. Using brain scans, scientists in Switzerland discovered that even small acts of generosity or charitable promises triggered brain changes that made subjects happier.
By Admin | August 21, 2017
It is no secret that Amazon has hired high-profile executives with healthcare experience, fueling rumors that the company is going to somehow enter the healthcare sector.
By Admin | August 16, 2017
What makes one brain cell different from the next? Scientists are finally on the verge of figuring that out and unlocking the mysteries of how our brains actually work.
By Admin | August 14, 2017
If it’s a machine on a network, it can be hacked. One man found that out when he went to get a cup of coffee and discovered a strange message on the coffee machine, a message he had just reported to IT from his computer.
By Admin | August 09, 2017
The Senate Health Committee is reserving the first week in September for bipartisan hearings in order to strengthen the individual healthcare marketplace.
By Admin | August 07, 2017
Medical device manufacturers, the FDA, healthcare providers, and insurers want to ensure that solutions are indeed providing value to patients, but no one is sure how to collect the necessary data.
By Admin | August 02, 2017
Crowdfunding sites were started to help people raise money for causes, whether it was taking donations for a race, trying to get some money for school, or doing something nice for someone else. But attempting to raise money for medical services quickly became a popular topic, and the trend isn’t going anywhere.
By Admin | July 31, 2017
Amazon has brought on health experts into their corporate family, and that has some investors thinking they may offer pharmaceutical offerings, and more, in the future.
By Admin | July 24, 2017
The proposed healthcare bill that’s dominating headlines needs 50 votes in the house to pass. As of now, it won’t get those 50 votes.
By Admin | July 19, 2017
The plan to repeal and replace the Obama Administration’s Affordable Care Act, AKA Obamacare, isn’t going well.
By Admin | July 17, 2017
Behavioral economics is based on the principle that most people will not change their behavior when given facts. A prime example is the former governor of New Jersey John Corzine’s refusal to wear a seat belt, even though there’s countless data and evidence that proves they save lives. He was nearly killed in an automobile accident in 2007 because he wasn’t wearing his seat belt.
By Admin | July 12, 2017
Healthcare has been front and center of every news cycle for weeks, especially since Republican senators were penning their proposal behind closed doors.
By Admin | July 10, 2017
The Senate released their plans for the future of healthcare to the country, ending the speculation about what will happen to taxes, Medicaid, and pre-existing conditions. Here are the facts:
By Admin | July 05, 2017
By April 2019, all Medicare cards will be replaced with new ones that use a unique identification number and will not contain a patient’s social security number.
By Admin | July 03, 2017
The Washington Post has done some digging and has come out with a comprehensive list of predictions concerning the Senate’s revisement of the much anticipated health care overhaul.
By | June 26, 2017
Texas was the only state holding out on allowing complete telehealth services, requiring patients and physicians or care providers to meet in-person before using any phone or Internet devices to diagnose and treat.
By Admin | June 21, 2017
Thirteen members of Congress have been working on a new healthcare plan, putting them at front and center of the issue. But thirteen Senators have the real power, according to political publication Roll Call.
By Admin | June 19, 2017
The Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Cybersecurity Task Force released their findings pertaining to cyber security and the healthcare industry. They are urging for a unified effort among sectors--payers, providers, medical device manufacturers, research institutions and software developers--to help stop attacks like the recent WannaCry ransomware attack which impacted dozens of hospitals.
By Admin | June 14, 2017
Can the spread of disease be curbed by not shaking hands? UCLA hospitals are going to find out. Handshakes were banned in neonatal intensive care wards at two of their hospitals in an effort to keep infections from spreading.
By Admin | June 12, 2017
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO), a nonpartisan scorekeeper, will evaluate the Republican healthcare proposal to replace the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare.
By Admin | June 07, 2017
The WannaCry cyber attack ravaged systems worldwide, and now the EternalBlue ransomware attack is also proving that many healthcare systems are far from prepared.
By Admin | June 05, 2017
There are no plans for committee hearings to publicly vet a new health care bill currently being written to replace and repeal the Affordable Care Act. Thirteen GOP senators have been selected to meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays in closely guarded meetings at the U.S. Capitol.
By Admin | May 31, 2017
Hackers attacked computer systems worldwide with stolen software from the National Security Administration. Dubbed the “Wannacry” ransomware outbreak, the hackers locked healthcare personnel out of their computers by exploiting a known vulnerability in the Windows operating system.
By Admin | May 22, 2017
Insurance rates could skyrocket, going up as much as 60 percent in Maryland, if certain Affordable Care Act provisions go away.
By Admin | May 17, 2017
Some areas don’t have large enough populations to support big hospitals, but the communities still need emergency and other medical care. Micro-hospitals can fill the healthcare gap.
By Admin | May 15, 2017
Insurance companies are hesitant to negotiate with freestanding emergency rooms and urgent care centers according to Dr. Carrie de Moor, President and CEO of Frisco-based Code 3 Emergency Physicians and chairman of the American College of Emergency Physicians’ Freestanding Emergency Centers Section.
By Admin | May 10, 2017
The Legatum Institute, a US-based think tank, reviewed several countries with successful healthcare systems. They measured each country’s performance based on basic physical and mental health, health infrastructure and preventative care.
By Admin | May 08, 2017
Chances are, you’ve used Yelp for restaurant reviews or to assess the skills of a local plumber, but have you ever looked up a hospital? If you’re like a majority of people, you have.
By Admin | May 03, 2017
The popular opinion among doctors is that they do not want to go back to the days of paper record keeping, but they do not enjoy the electronic health record (EHR) software of the post-meaningful use world.
By Admin | May 01, 2017
During an interview with Fox Business Network's Maria Bartiromo, President Trump hinted that healthcare reform and infrastructure changes could be a package deal moving forward.
By Admin | April 24, 2017
The healthcare industry is far behind the banking, retail, and financial sectors when it comes to securing data. And with the implementation of electronic records, more patient data is becoming available with little or no protections.
By Admin | April 19, 2017
Healthcare is attractive to hackers, and experts predict that things will get far worse before they get better.
By Admin | April 17, 2017
Only about 25 percent of young people, 18-34 year olds, want Obamacare repealed, 16 percent specifically wanting it to be repealed and replaced.
By Admin | April 12, 2017
Does telemedicine help patients more effectively than in-person care and does it save money? The findings are all over the place.
By Admin | April 10, 2017
Despite the healthcare bill known as TrumpCare being pulled before a Congressional vote, House Republicans promise that a new bill will appear in its place.
By Admin | April 03, 2017
In other industries, the acquiring and merging of companies generally leads to more expensive products and services, and the recent trend of healthcare providers joining one another to create larger hospital systems has many worried about future costs.
By Admin | March 29, 2017
It looks like patients fare better while hospitals are under inspection, reports the Joint Commission. In fact, patients are far less likely to die within 30 days of admission while the Joint Commission is present and supervising.
By Admin | March 27, 2017
The American Medical Association, AMA, has launched PatientsBeforePolitics.org in order to help keep both patients and physicians informed about the upcoming changes to repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act, ACA.
By Admin | March 22, 2017
Texas is currently one of the last states to require that physicians and patients meet in-person before allowing any future telehealth services be allowed. However, mHealth Intelligence reports that a compromise bill is heading towards the Legislature that would eliminate this mandate.
By Admin | March 20, 2017
House Republicans have put forward a bill to replace the Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obamacare. Known as the American Health Care Act, the bill is predicted to cut the national deficit at the cost of 24 million Americans losing health care coverage.
By Admin | March 15, 2017
Things don’t appear to be going smoothly for the plans to repeal and replace Obamacare, AKA the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
By Admin | March 13, 2017
Wearable fitness trackers are here to stay, and health insurers are jumping on the bandwagon.
By Admin | March 08, 2017
The statistics are sobering: One in three health records may have been compromised in 2016. But why?
By Admin | March 06, 2017
Right now, patients and physicians in Texas must have a face-to-face meeting before any telehealth services can be used. Texas remains one of the last states in the US with such a mandate.
By Admin | March 01, 2017
When it comes to adopting and implementing electronic health records (EHR), the 14-hospital system of Texas Health Resources has a long history of being advanced.
By Admin | February 27, 2017
Dr. Sinicropi of the Midwest Spine & Brain Institute in Minnesota expects spine care to move to the forefront of medical care in the coming years. Here are five reasons why:
By Admin | February 22, 2017
One of the nation’s largest health insurance providers, UnitedHealthcare, is accusing Dallas lab network Next Health for sticking the insurer with over $100 million in unnecessary drug and genetics tests.
By Admin | February 20, 2017
Republicans on Capitol Hill seem to be leaning towards incorporating health savings accounts (HSAs) into their Affordable Care Act (ACA) replacement plans.
By Admin | February 15, 2017
A recent study asked low-income adults about their Medicaid coverage since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Individuals in four states were polled, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Kentucky, all of which received expanded Medicaid benefits under the ACA, and Texas, which did not.
By Admin | February 13, 2017
Robert Grand, an attorney specializing in the ACA with the Chicago office of Barnes & Thornburg LLP, worked on the inaugural committee for president Donald Trump as well as the executive committee of Vice President Mike Pence’s Indiana gubernatorial campaign.
By Admin | February 08, 2017
When a patient has been treated at an in-network facility, but an out-of-network doctor treats him, that patient will most likely find himself the financial victim of balance billing, a nationwide problem that is more prolific in the Lone Star State.
By Admin | February 06, 2017
If the Affordable Care Act, ACA, also known as Obamacare, were repealed without a replacement, Texas’ individual marketplace would be severely impacted, said Anne Dunkelberg, associate director of the Austin-based Center for Public Policy Priorities.
By Admin | February 01, 2017
Level Two Advertising, in particular owner Kelly Wade Loter, helped served as a middleman between physicians and Forest Park Medical Center.
By Admin | January 30, 2017
The Joint Commission and CMS continue their ban on doctors texting treatment orders, citing that texting can complicate communication and processes.
By Admin | January 25, 2017
Surgeons and healthcare executives were of the 21 people indicted by a federal grand jury in Dallas in conjunction with the Forest Park Medical Center kickback scandal.
By Admin | January 23, 2017
Steve Love, president of the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council, sees many things happening in the future of healthcare in Texas, but he knows in order to move forward, everyone needs to do their part.
By | January 11, 2017
The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) is urging the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services citing three major roadblocks for healthcare practitioners in comments to Andy Slavitt, head of CMS acting administrator.
By Admin | January 09, 2017
Robert DeMichiei, CFO and executive vice president for the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, has a plan to help healthcare provider organizations move towards the value-based payment model.
By Admin | January 04, 2017
President-Elect Donald Trump has selected Tom Price, an orthopedic surgeon with a long congressional history of loyally promoting the interests of doctors, to be his Secretary of Health and Human Services.
By Admin | December 28, 2016
The passage of the Affordable Care Act allowed nearly 20 million Americans to obtain health care; prior to the act, they were unable to.
By Admin | December 21, 2016
According to the American Customer Satisfaction Index, there was a 4.3 percent increase in positive consumer sentiment when it came to their health insurance providers. In fact, all major health insurance providers experienced some sort of uptick with their customers’ overall satisfaction.
By Admin | December 19, 2016
Healthcare in the US, not just the Affordable Care Act, is complicated. MACRA, for example, is a 300-page document. CMS released their implementation plan for MACRA, and that document is 1,000 pages.
By Admin | December 14, 2016
Dr. Andrea Gurman, president of the American Medical Association, says that policy makers have the opportunity to reduce physician burdens, allowing them more time to spend with patients while lowering costs.
By Admin | December 05, 2016
In the gambling world, it’s called Monte Carlo, a concept that helps determine outcomes when there are variables to consider.
By Admin | November 28, 2016
The Internet was originally an insecure network designed to allow scientists to collaborate, not to be the backbone of our economy, says former NSA senior counsel Joel Brenner.
By Admin | November 23, 2016
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services are looking to monetize patient outcomes instead of patient volume, and to incentivize that, they’re focusing on primary care physicians.
By Admin | November 21, 2016
Add healthcare to the list of industries who are finding comfort and convenience in cloud-based data sharing.
By Admin | November 14, 2016
How many people do you know who wear some sort of data tracker on their wrist? And how many people track their diets or sleep on their smart phones?
By Admin | November 09, 2016
MACRA’s merit-based, incentive payment system will have an effect on any physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, and certified registered nurse anesthetists who bill over $30,000 a year and provide care to a minimum of 100 patients under traditional fee-for-service Medicare.
By Admin | November 07, 2016
“Oftentimes end users think technology protects them from more than it really does,” said Mark Parkulo, MD, of the Mayo Clinic. “‘The institution wouldn’t let these things come through, right?’ When you tell them there is no way to block everything, they become more aware of the importance of monitoring it.”
By Admin | November 02, 2016
Andy Slavitt, the acting administrator of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), advised health providers to be the pace cars for transition to care under MACRA.
By Admin | October 31, 2016
The Department of Human Health and Services put out a challenge: design a medical bill that actually makes sense to consumers.
By Admin | October 26, 2016
In order to provide coordinated, person-centered care, it is necessary for accountable care organizations (ACOs) to engage consumers and patients on a more regular basis.
By Admin | October 19, 2016
Rather than pursuing Medicaid expansion, the Texas State Health Committee has decided to prioritize the renewal of the 1115 Transformation Waiver, which was originally set to expire.
By Admin | October 17, 2016
Patient therapy and medical training are entering the popular worlds of augmented and virtual reality.
By Admin | October 12, 2016
The largest health insurance companies are backing out of markets, changing their plans, and raising their costs at unprecedented rates, yet are still losing money. And it may not be their faults, according to an op-ed piece by D Magazine.
By Admin | October 10, 2016
Dr. William C. Watters III is currently an orthopedic physician with Houston Methodist Hospital. With a career over 20 years old, he has served as president of the North American Spine Society, was a founding member and former chair of the NASS evidence-based guidelines committee, and was a founding member and former chair of the registry development committee.
By Admin | October 05, 2016
Becker’s Spine Review interviewed Dr. Thomas Scully, a neurosurgeon with Northwest NeuroSpecialists in Tucson, AZ, about the evolution of surgery and how value-based care will impact patients in the future.
By Admin | October 03, 2016
Meet the millennial patient, who approaches healthcare very differently from his or her parents. Millennials are those born generally between 1982 and 2000 and are now the largest generation.
By Admin | September 30, 2016
Originally slated to begin January 1, 2017, the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) will now allow providers to meet requirements at a pace of their choosing.
By Admin | September 28, 2016
According to a survey conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation, an increasing number of Americans would like to have online access of their health records.
By Admin | September 26, 2016
The FBI plans to begin a public conversation about electronic privacy, said FBI Director James Comey.
By Admin | September 21, 2016
“The hospital can be a very difficult and dangerous environment for old and frail people,” says Bruce Leff, director of the Center for Transformative Geriatric Research at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
By Admin | September 19, 2016
The Texas Association of Business (TAB) released two surveys, one to businesses offering health plans and one to the general public, asking how and why people sought care, where they went, and if they would desire calling or video conferencing with their physicians.
By Admin | September 14, 2016
The Altarum Institute's Center for Sustainable Health Spending released a report titled “Health Sector Economic Indicators” which highlights eight trends in the sector. All findings are from June 2016.
By Admin | September 12, 2016
In a letter obtained by the Huffington Post, Aetna CEO Mark Bertolini informs the Department of Justice that if the DOJ sues to block Aetna’s planned merger with Humana, then Aetna would begin to pull out of health insurance exchanges.
By Admin | September 07, 2016
If you’re looking for a great restaurant, you may go to Yelp and read customer ratings. This model works wonders for food, hotels, and businesses, but the same model is being adopted to evaluate doctors and surgeons, and many are wondering if it tells the entire story.
By Admin | August 31, 2016
Facebook, Twitter, and the other forms of social media have impacted how we obtain news, share information, and learn about the world around us. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that it has also changed the way patients and practitioners interact, learn about health care, and even behave.
By Admin | August 29, 2016
In July of 2016, a four-person panel was held at the D Magazine offices to discuss the necessary steps--and risks--companies and payers need to take in order to minimize healthcare costs.
By Admin | August 24, 2016
Independent practices have been expressing concern over MACRA, specifically that they will not be able to comply with the new laws.
By Admin | August 22, 2016
With the increased usage of digital health records, the threat of hacking increases. Ransomware is a threat which limits a user’s ability to access information until a ransom is paid. It encrypts data, rendering records unreadable by healthcare providers.
By Admin | August 17, 2016
Becker’s ASC Review compiled a list of six things to watch out for in regards to healthcare spending from 2015 through 2025.
By Admin | August 08, 2016
The federal government is considering delaying MACRA because independent practices argue they will not be able to complete the necessary additional paperwork without impacting patients or joining larger hospital groups.
By Admin | August 03, 2016
Over 1,300 independent primary care doctors and specialists have come together as part of a new clinically integrated network, TXCIN, in order to obtain value based contracts from large insurance companies, including Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas and Cigna.
By Admin | August 01, 2016
In the largest sweep in seven year history of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, authorities served 61 warrants to healthcare practitioners who stand accused of bilking Medicare and Medicaid for over $900 million.
By Admin | July 27, 2016
Whether you’re ready or not, you may start seeing bundled payments for spine and orthopedics sooner rather than later. There remain some definite challenges, which may not be completely addressed before the rollout, so practices are doing what they can to prepare.
By Admin | July 25, 2016
In the heated political battle of ridding the U.S. of the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare, Republicans in the House have introduced a new idea they’re calling a healthcare backpack. The idea is that individuals could use government-alloted tax credits in order to purchase the health insurance they want.
By Admin | July 18, 2016
Insurance providers are shrinking their networks, and independent practices are claiming it makes them unable to compete in a market where they have no share.
By Admin | July 13, 2016
Cigna, known to be one of the main health insurance companies, is combining personnel from its HealthSpring and Qualcare Alliance Networks to form a new company called CareAlliance, LLC. The purpose is to provide advisory and management services, technology infrastructure, and data analytics to assist providers in tracking patient outcomes.
By Admin | July 11, 2016
Richardson-based Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas has reported losses of $592 million in 2015, and $416 million in 2014. Its parent company, Health Care Services Corporation out of Chicago, Illinois, has also reported losing over $2 billion on “Obamacare” plans in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Illinois, and Montana.
By Admin | July 06, 2016
A comprehensive study performed by two researchers from Johns Hopkins University pulled data from 3,000 different hospitals: 59 percent nonprofit, 25 percent for-profit, 16 percent public. They found that on average, hospitals marked up their services $5.40 for every dollar in patient care costs incurred. Medical City charged $7.70 for every dollar.
By Admin | July 05, 2016
In order to survive, smaller hospitals sometimes merge with larger chains. This gives the small hospitals the ability to negotiate with insurance companies and share in cost savings while cutting overlapping services. However, when hospitals look out for their own interests, patient health can get put last.
By Admin | June 29, 2016
A joint study conducted by the RAND Corporation and the American Medical Association reports that the diversity of new healthcare payment models and increasing amounts of data are overwhelming physician practices.
By Admin | June 27, 2016
If the goal is happy patients, then doctors need to be taken care of first. A study conducted by the American Medical Association in conjunction with RAND Health reports a few of the barriers between physicians and job satisfaction, including complications with electronic health records, payers, and income stability.
By Admin | June 22, 2016
Is there a financial incentive for surgeons to perform spinal fusions? Yes, according to a study conducted by Senate Finance Committee Republicans. Findings show that when doctors have ownership interests with medical-device makers, surgeons generally earn commissions with sales. These same surgeons tend to perform excessive or unnecessary operations in order to earn additional income from commissions.
By Admin | June 20, 2016
In their weekly series of questions, Ask Spine Surgeons, Becker’s Spine Review asks about clinical, business and policy issues affecting spine care. This time, they ask about the biggest changes surgeons have witnessed over their careers. Four surgeons weighed in.
By Admin | June 17, 2016
The New England Journal of Medicine conducted a study to find out which physician behaviors lead to malpractice claims. Results aren’t surprising; patients like to be treated like people and respected. The five key findings are:
By Admin | June 15, 2016
Geisinger Health System of Danville, PA, has enacted their ProvenExperience program, which sounds a bit crazy, even though it was the brainchild of a psychiatrist. Essentially, patients are asked to rate their experiences, list positives and negatives, and request some or all of their co-payment back--up to $2,000--if they feel reparations are necessary. The craziest part? The hospital will always repay the amount, no questions asked.
By Admin | June 13, 2016
Before intraoperative neuromonitoring existed, surgeons could do one of two things to detect neurological deficits in their patients. One, they could have anesthesiologists slowly wake up patients enough to respond to stimuli during surgery. Or two, they could just complete the surgery and test each patient once they naturally woke up.
By Admin | June 09, 2016
A review of patient charts, x-rays, and CT scans evaluated the accuracy of pedicle screw placement in order to gauge the relationship of screw misplacement with morbidity.
By Admin | June 09, 2016
Lower back pain seems to be getting worse and worse for adults in the United States. It is the fifth most common reason for adults to visit the doctor, as well as their most frequently reported discomfort. This correlates with the documented rise of lumbar fusion and other back surgeries. In fact, between the years of 1993 and 2001, total lumbar fusions increased 356%.
By Admin | June 08, 2016
When it comes to the complexities of the human spine and all of the delicate parts it protects, most surgeons side with the use of IONM for invasive procedures, like correcting deformities and removing tumors. Many of those same surgeons would also say that neuromonitorning is unnecessary for simple, by-the-book procedures, like microdiscectomies or laminectomies. However, the pressure to always monitor no matter the surgery is growing, especially when it comes to the risk of malpractice lawsuits.
By Admin | June 01, 2016
It appears that providers open to adopting bundled payments are able to increase their patient volumes from payers seeking cost-effective care, according to a survey reported in Spine Journal.
By Admin | May 25, 2016
A study published in Spine Journal (February 2016 - Volume 41 - Issue 4 - p 344–352) concludes that providers can increase patient volumes from payers by adopting bundled payments. Becker’s Spine Review lists their four conclusions from the study taken from interviews with 24 stakeholders across 18 organizations. Collectively, these organizations perform around 12,000 inpatient spine surgeries each year.
By Admin | May 16, 2016
When it comes to spine surgery and neuromonitoring, there is no medical standard of care to determine if IONM should or should not be used.
By Admin | May 13, 2016
Physician-Owned Distributorships (PODs) lead to unnecessary and overly complicated procedures, often use illegal business practices, and are finding ways to circumvent anti-kickback laws.
By Admin | May 10, 2016
"Further, respondents indicated surgery preauthorization does not lead to appropriate reimbursement in approximately one-third of the cases,” states a study conducted by the International Society for the Advancement of Spine Surgery.
By Admin | March 16, 2016
A new performance-based payment model, created to encourage hospitals and physicians to collaborate, may violate the Stark Law,
By Admin | March 16, 2016
Health and Human Services (HHS) has made a move that will help initiate a better healthcare delivery system
By Admin | March 09, 2016
Researchers conducted a five-year study to determine whether cervical total disc replacement (TDR) carries less risk
By Admin | March 09, 2016
When it comes to back pain, a patient can expect four different courses of action if he sees four different physicians.
By Admin | March 02, 2016
On February 5, 2016, the Dallas Morning News reported that federal investigators were examining a local pharmacy in potential violation of anti-kickback laws.
By Admin | March 02, 2016
Alexander Vaccaro, MD, and Charles Fisher, MD, examined six areas of spinal intervention to determine if clinical norms were the best course of action.
By | March 02, 2016
The Forest Park Medical Center with multiple campuses around the Dallas/Fort Worth area filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy near the end of 2015.
By | February 26, 2016
Dallas-based organizations Baylor Scott & White Health and Tenet Healthcare plan to co-own five hospitals in the North Texas region.
By Admin | February 26, 2016
Medscape, part of WebMD Health Professional Network, has listed the best and worst physicians of 2015.
By Admin | February 26, 2016
A surgeon’s job doesn’t end once he or she leaves the operating room. When it comes to the health of both patients and the practice, documentation plays a key role in improving healthcare.
By | February 26, 2016
Neuromonitoring is a valuable tool that helps keep patients safe, and the numbers back up that claim.
By Admin | February 26, 2016
Representative Greg Bonnen, a neurosurgeon, introduced House Bill 2978 on behalf of the Texas Neurodiagnostic Society.
By Admin | February 26, 2016
Dr. Richard Vogel, neuroscientist and board-certified neurophysiologist, wrote an informative article about dorsal column mapping intramedullary spinal cord tumor surgery.
By | February 26, 2016
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas replaced their Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plans in the Affordable Care Act's federal exchange and the private individual market with Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) plans.
By | February 15, 2016
With new and emerging technologies come new ways for patients and doctors to interact. Telehealth includes virtual visits, remote patient monitoring, mobile health applications, and online patient education. It has the ability to revolutionize healthcare as we know it.
By Admin | December 21, 2015
The Austin American Statesman posted an article in November 2015 about how some intraoperative neuromonitoring companies are making backdoor deals with hospitals and surgeons in order to inflate their profits at the expense of insurance companies.
By Admin | June 21, 1987
MINNEAPOLIS - A new study finds that people who have movement problems, symptoms that cannot be explained by an underlying disease, may have chemical changes in specific areas of the brain. The study is published in the June 5, 2019, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. These symptoms, which include tremors, muscle contractions or problems with walking, are called functional or psychogenic motor symptoms.
By Admin | August 22, 2019
This paper1 explores the vast Truven MarketScan database (IBM, Armonk, New York) to compare costs associated with transsphenoidal microsurgical and transsphenoidal endoscopic approaches, using data derived from healthcare claims to multiple health plans and employers in 2010 to 2014.
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