In This Issue

SpineLine Podcasts

Commentary

Editor's Message Primary Care – Undervalued by Medicare and Unappreciated by Specialists F. Todd Wetzel, MD
From the Desk of the President Declining Physician Reimbursement and the Impact of Intersociety Conflict Scott Kreiner, MD

Current Concepts

Invited Review Rethinking Follow-Up Durations in Surgical Clinical Trials: The Case for Short-Term Assessments in Rapid Innovation Environments Kai-Uwe Lewandrowski, MD; Mauricio G. Pereira, MD, PhD; Alexandre Siciliano, MD; Abduljabbar Alhammoud, MD; John C. Elfar, MD; Sergio Luis Schmidt, MD, PhD; Paulo Sérgio Teixeira de Carvalho, MD, PhD; Morgan P. Lorio, MD, FACS; Stenio Karlos Alvim Fiorelli, MD, PhD; Marcos Arêas Marques, MD; Sandoval Lage Sobrinho, MD; Rossano Kepler Alvim Fiorelli, MD, PhD
Literature Review Inpatient Versus Outpatient Laminotomy for Lumbar Disc Herniation Alexandros F. Pappajohn, BA; Jonathan N. Grauer, MD
Section Spotlight A Synopsis of the 2024 Spinal Cord Injury Guidelines by AO Spine Praxis: What Have We Learned? What are the Challenges and Knowledge Gaps? Konstantinos Margetis, MD, PhD; Rajiv Saigal, MD, PhD; Yi Lu, MD, PhD; Michael G. Fehlings, MD, PhD

Socioeconomics & Politics

Ethics January/February Ethics Reader Poll Results Michael Klein, MD, MS, FACS
Ethics March/April Ethics Reader Poll
Advocacy NASS Participates in 2025 AMA National Advocacy Conference R. Dale Blasier, MD

NASS News

NASS Clinical Traveling Fellowship Report: Five Months That Changed My Life
NASS International: Forty Years as the Backbone of Global Spine Care
Global Spine Collaboration at the Forefront: NASS to Host Second International Annual Meeting in Taipei
NASS 2025: Take a Sneak Peek at a Bold, New Meeting
With an Assist From NASS, Uzbekistani Child is Poised for Life-Changing Surgery Jeff Karzen
NASS Launches First Innovation NetWORK Summit Event This Summer
20 Under 40 Update: Schoenfeld Develops Guide to Get Your Research Published
Your Perspective Matters: Help NSHF Understand Bone Health Challenges

Cover

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SpineLine Podcasts

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Editor in Chief F. Todd Wetzel, MD Deputy Editor Jason Friedrich, MD

Editorial Board Dustin Anderson, MD Akhil Chhatre, MD Olumide A. Danisa, MD Edward Dohring, MD Jonathan N. Grauer, MD Manish K. Kasliwal, MD Niranjan U. Kavadi, MBBS Panagiotis Korovessis, MD, PhD Kai-Uwe Lewandrowski, MD Philip Louie, MD Mohammed Macki, MD Vivek Mohan, MD, MS Ripul R. Panchal, DO, FACS Christopher P. Silveri, MD Miles L. Singer, DO Anuj Singla, MD Assem Sultan, MD

Founding Editor in Chief Stuart M. Weinstein, MD, 2000-2006

Past Editors in Chief Eeric Truumees, MD, 2006-2012 Thomas Mroz, MD, 2012-2013 William J. Sullivan, MD, 2013-2018 Jonathan N. Grauer, MD, 2019-2020

Editorial Staff Kelly Campbell, MS, Director of Publications Jeff Karzen, Assistant Director, Publications Jessica Vander Naald, Graphic Designer

Purpose SpineLineTM, a peer-reviewed publication of the North American Spine Society, is published bimonthly to educate and inform NASS members on medical, ethical and policy matters in the field of spine and health care. SpineLine serves as the primary publication for the NASS membership: (1) to educate and inform NASS’ multidisciplinary members on issues of interest and relevance to spine care and research, and assist them in providing quality, cost-effective patient care; and (2) to communicate and promote the policies, professional activities and products of the association.

Statements or opinions expressed in SpineLine are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent positions of the North American Spine Society.

© 2024, North American Spine Society, a not-for-profit corporation. ISSN 1531-4111

Disclosure Policy

In compliance with the NASS uniform disclosure policy (available at https://www.spine.org/Portals/0/Assets/Downloads/WhoWeAre/DisclosurePolicy.pdf), SpineLine authors are asked to disclose all financial arrangements. An indicator code (see key at right) reflecting that disclosure (including the supporting company or institution) will appear at the end of each article. Direct or indirect remuneration: Royalties, Stock ownership, Private Investments, Consulting, Speaking and/or teaching arrangements, Trips/travel

Position held in a company: Board of Directors, Scientific Advisory Board, Other office

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Other: Relationships outside the one-year requirement Levels of support: A: $100 to $1000 B: $1,001 to $10,000 C: $10,001 to $25,000 D: $25,001 to $50,000 E: $50,001 to $100,000 F: $100,001 to $500,000 G: $500,001 to $1M H: $1,000,001 to $2.5M I: Greater than $2.5M

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NASS Board of Directors

Scott Kreiner, MD President

William Mitchell, MD First Vice President

Christopher P. Kauffman, MD Second Vice President

Patrick C. Hsieh, MD, MS, MBA Secretary

D.J. Kennedy, MD Treasurer

Zoher Ghogawala, MD, FACS Past President

Eric J. Muehlbauer, MJ, CAE Executive Director

Richard L. Skolasky, ScD Administration Council Director

Alan S. Hilibrand, MD Education Council Director

Steven W. Hwang, MD Evidence Analysis & Research Council Director

Karin R. Swartz, MD Health Policy & Advocacy Council Director

Andrew Schoenfeld, MD Strategic Growth Council Director

Sandeep Gidvani, MD Appointed Member

Michael G. Fehlings, MD, PhD, FRCSC Appointed Member

Byron J. Schnieder, MD Appointed Member

Roger Härtl, MD  At-Large Member

Noam Stadlan, MD Committee on Ethics & Professionalism Liaison

Michael Y. Wang, MD Industry Relations Liaison