From excelling in the delivery of patient care during the COVID-19 pandemic to making more time for family, the proudest achievements of four spine surgeons this year are detailed here.

Chapel Hill-based University of North Carolina Health will onboard a medical illustrator in January.

The Golisano Children's Hospital of Southwest Florida in Fort Myers launched a neurosurgery program to help reduce the need to transfer children and infants to larger health centers, the Fort Myers News-Press reported Dec. 21.

Here are 39 spine surgeons who moved to new practices in 2021:

Elvis Francois, MD, a spine surgeon who shot to fame with his musical performances on "The Masked Singer" on FOX, has joined Atlanta-based Resurgens Orthopaedics, the Henry Herald reported Dec. 18.

The Michigan Board of Medicine is investigating Avery Jackson, MD, who is accused of issuing questionable mask waivers to more than 90 students across Detroit, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Pfizer's Xeljanz drug was approved by the FDA to treat active ankylosing spondylitis in adults.

From leaders to surgical tech pioneers, here are 50 spine surgeons to know:

Minimally invasive surgery is associated with higher chances of patient satisfaction three months after surgery compared to open procedures in lumbar spinal fusion cases, a study published in the Journal of Neurosurgery found.

The shrinking pool of independent physicians is contributing to rising costs in care for patients, while low reimbursement from CMS is placing an increasing burden on providers, according to Alex Vaccaro, MD, PhD.

Here's where employers are looking to hire spine surgeons, per LinkedIn's job search tool:

Balloon kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty procedures for spinal fractures were found to help reduce oral opioid use and decrease payer costs, according to a study published in Osteoporosis International.

After two weeks out with a neck injury, New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones will undergo an MRI on Dec. 13 at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, Fansided reported.

From trends in physician compensation to emerging technologies and what's going on in the medical device industry, here are 11 observations on the spine industry in 2021:

Spine surgeon Frank Cammisa, MD, was named chief medical officer of Orthobond.

From studies on cost-effectiveness in spine and orthopedic care to the learning curve using surgical robots, here are the studies Becker's covered in 2021 that garnered the most interest from readers:

Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital is expanding its neuroscience center.

Over the next five years, minimally invasive technologies such as robotics and endoscopy are expected to become more prominent in spine surgery, and hospitals may be used only for complex cases on patients with significant comorbidities.

The Congress of Neurological Surgeons named Elad Levy, MD, president-elect.

From television stars to athletes, here are seven spine cases that made headlines in 2021: