Paul Slosar, MD, is a spine surgeon and president of SpineCare Medical Group at the San Francisco Spine Institute.

The Health Care Service Corporation, the parent corporation for the Blue Cross/Blue Shield plans for Illinois, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas issued a new draft policy for lumbar spinal fusions.

Here are 15 hospitals expanding their spine and neurosurgery services.

James D. Schwender, MD, is a staff surgeon at Twin Cities Spine Center in Minneapolis. During his career, Dr. Schwender has served as president for the Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery and is a fellow of the Scoliosis Research Society and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Dr. Schwender is also a member of the North American Spine Society.

Choll Kim, MD, is a spine surgeon at the San Diego Spine Institute and an expert in computer-assisted minimally invasive spine surgery. He has trained specialists nationwide to use image guidance and navigation technologies.

SurgLine International has formed SurgLine MDC Holdings, a Delaware Limited Liability Corporation, as a wholly owned subsidiary.

Todd Albert, MD, is the president of Rothman Institute and chair of the department of orthopedic surgery at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. He also serves as co-director of reconstructive spine surgery and the spine fellowship program at Thomas Jefferson University.

Anna Jaques Hospital in Newburyport, Mass., has added a spine center to its surgical offerings, according to a Newburyport News report.

Dennis Crandall, MD, is founder and medical director of Sonoran Spine Center in Phoenix.

Here are eight spine surgeons discussing the future of spinal fusions.