Small Hospitals Boost Bottom Lines With Back Surgeries
An increasing number of small California hospitals are providing spinal fusions and other back surgeries for patients covered under workers' compensation insurance. In 2010, spinal fusion surgery made up 40% of inpatient hospital charges to California's workers' compensation system, a 10% increase from 2001.
- "In Small California Hospitals, the Marketing of Back Surgery" (Carreyrou et al., Wall Street Journal, 2/9).