Coalition for Spine Health Newsletter: December 2022
Welcome to the inaugural newsletter of the Coalition for Spine Health! We are excited to launch this collaboration of some of the leading spine health organizations in the world. The Coalition’s member organizations work to advance groundbreaking patient treatment options and share research findings. In addition, the Coalition will highlight leaders in the spine health field, create innovative learning opportunities for patients, and advocate for access to quality care. Spine conditions affect one third of our population, and create the number one cause of disability. Working together the Coalition will amplify educational information to enhance patient-informed choice. Together, we believe we can transform the landscape of spinal healthcare while improving the well-being of millions of people.
Member Updates
NATIONAL SPINE HEALTH FOUNDATION (NSHF)
In an effort to raise awareness of spine health during the holiday season, NSHF has issued a Holiday Spine Health Safety Guide. It highlights ways to protect your back while shopping, decorating, wrapping, party-going and traveling over the holidays. Knowing how to care for your spine during the holidays with proper movement and nutriton can keep you enjoying the festivities of the season!
NORTH AMERICAN SPINE SOCIETY (NASS)
The North American Spine Society hosted it’s Annual Meeting in Chicago in October, featuring state of the art technologies and training opportunities for spine experts. As a global multidisciplinary medical organization, NASS is dedicated to fostering the highest quality, ethical, value-based and evidence-based spine care through education, research and advocacy. Working with NSHF, an exciting patient education Spine-Talks program was created. NSHF invited 3 world renowned robotic surgery experts to appear on the panel geared to helping patients understand the ways innovative technology is used in the OR and how the field of modern spine surgery is evolving. This engaging and informative panel is available at the below link.
SETTING SCOLIOSIS STRAIGHT FOUNDATION (SSSF)
The Setting Scoliosis Straight Foundation (SSSF) is a non-profit organization that supports the research efforts of the Harms Study Group, a collaborative group of surgeons focused on pioneering scoliosis research efforts. The SSSF is devoted to empowering families impacted by scoliosis through education, connection, and awareness. The foundation aims to ensure evidence-based information is easily accessible and spent decades creating educational videos. The SSSF YouTube channel features video chapters that comprise a Scoliosis Handbook, helping patients navigate the journey from diagnosis to treatment completion. Surgeon members of the Harms Study Group answer Frequently Asked Questions and infographics are utilized to explain Scoliosis-related topics in under 1 minute. Recordings of all patient education webinars and in-person events from 2016 to current are available, as well as videos with helpful tips for patients and caregivers, videos summarizing research publications, and inspiring patient stories. The SSSF remains dedicated to advancing the understanding of scoliosis.
CERVICAL SPINE RESEARCH SOCIETY (CSRS)
The Cervical Spine Research Society held it’s 50th Annual Meeting in San Diego in November. CSRS partnered with NSHF to develop a patient survey about the cervical spine. Using the data collected from this survey, the current and past Presidents of CSRS answered the most prevalent questions from patients in a Spine-Talks program filmed at the CSRS Annual Meeting. CSRS is a multidisciplinary organization of individuals interested in clinical and research problems of the cervical spine.