Alan Condon

An orthopedic surgeon’s multimillion-dollar win against a Texas surgery center has been taken back.

Spine surgeon Chukwuka Okafor, MD, is opening a surgery center this year to capitalize on the accelerating trend of outpatient migration, The Ledger reported July 6.

Bettendorf, Iowa-based Gastroenterology Associates on June 28 became part of Genesis Health Group, the largest multispecialty group in the region, according to Quadcities.com.

Texas Health Surgery Center, a multispecialty facility, opened June 18 in Waxahachie, according to The Waxahachie Sun.

Rockville Centre, N.Y.-based Catholic Health has opened a 4,000-square-foot outpatient center, which is staffed by a primary care specialist and an orthopedist, the Long Island Business News reported June 25.

Employers are increasingly exploring direct contracting options for orthopedic care, which can provide an additional revenue stream for ASCs as commercial payers continue to reduce reimbursement rates and narrow their networks.

Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus will begin construction on an orthopedic and surgery center later this year, NBC4i.com reports.

Improved marketing efforts, direct-to-employer contracting and the expansion of telemedicine are some of the trends expected to play a key role in the future of outpatient spine and orthopedic surgery.

Biotech company Prometheus Biosciences has received $10 million from German company Dr. Falk Pharma after reaching a milestone under its collaboration agreement.

The American Journal of Gastroenterology has published positive results from a phase 3b clinical trial evaluating Linzess on multiple abdominal symptoms in adult patients with irritable bowel syndrome with constipation.