Spinal Column: New blog on spinal disorders

Nov 11 2010

Clinicians seeking insight into the latest research on spinal disorders—and its impact on their everyday clinical practice—will find it in "The Spinal Column," a new weekly blog found on the Spine website. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading provider of information and business intelligence for students, professionals, and institutions in medicine, nursing, allied health, and pharmacy.

"The Spinal Column" provides a destination for discussion of important new studies affecting the diagnosis and treatment of spinal deformity and dysfunction—with a special focus on how new scientific findings translate into interventions that will benefit patients. "Our blog is specially targeted to generate discussion of how new research knowledge will affect the care of our patients with spinal disorders," comments Dr. Adam Pearson, Web Editor for Spine and spine fellow at the Rothman Institute.

Worldwide Forum for Discussion of Clinically Oriented Research
"The Spinal Column" is online now at www.spinejournal/blog/SpinalColumn. In each weekly post, one of the Spine editors presents and discusses a new high-impact research paper, highlighting the clinical relevance of the research discussed. In invited commentaries, study authors provide their viewpoint on the issues raised.

In a unique interactive feature, readers are invited to comment on the new research and how they think it will affect their practice. Readers are also encouraged to post questions for Spine authors and editors. "Our goal is to provide a worldwide forum for discussion of the latest trends and discoveries that can and should impact our everyday work with patients," adds Dr. Pearson.

"The Spinal Column" was launched this past summer. In its first few months, posts have covered topics ranging from counseling for patients with spinal trauma, to evidence-based medicine for worker's compensation patients, to options for bone grafting. In the months ahead, the blog will provide a new venue for discussion of the "Evidence-Based Recommendations for Spine Surgery," published biannually in Spine. Access to "The Spinal Column" and the articles under discussion is free of charge to all visitors to the Spine website.

The editors of Spine believe their new blog provides an innovative approach to raising awareness and critical interpretation of high-impact new research for orthopedic surgeons, neurologists, and other professionals caring for patients with spinal disorders. "We are faced with an ever-increasing flow of new research, at a time when it's essential to practice in an evidence based manner for optimal clinical results and cost-effectiveness," comments Dr James A. Weinstein, President of the Dartmouth Hitchcock Clinic and Director of the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice and Editor in Chief of Spine. "We think 'The Spinal Column' will provide a valuable opportunity for engaging and productive dialog among researchers and practitioners, always with the foremost goal of improving patient care."

Source: Spine