Educational Resources

Scoliosis, a guide for Patients and Families was written to help guide you and your family through the journey of getting the best possible care for childhood scoliosis. Written by experts in the field, this guide is meant to answer the real-life questions you need to know about all the advances in scoliosis care available. Patient stories provide a unique perspective “from kids to kids” about different types of scoliosis and scoliosis treatment.

An indispensable resource for spine surgery professionals at all levels of experience, Safety in Spine Surgery: Transforming Patient Care and Optimizing Outcomes addresses today’s key issues in this complex field. Editor, Michael Vitale, MD, Chief Quality Officer in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Columbia University Medical Center, leads an outstanding team of spine surgeons and other healthcare professionals who provide clear guidance in improving the care and safety of adult and pediatric patients undergoing surgery for disorders of the spine.

Scoliosis Tracker is a unique app designed to allow you to measure, record and track childhood scoliosis in your children and/or patients as well as provide appointment reminders, educational content and a lot more!

• Digital Scoliometer to accurately measure spine rotation and screen for the need for Xray
• Ability to track and record patient growth as well as curve progression over time
• Patient checklist to track compliance with conservative scoliosis care (eg bracing, Vit D and Physical therapy)
• Rich educational content regarding all aspects of paediatric scoliosis
• And more

Unsustainable healthcare costs and sophisticated predictive modeling based on large-scale medical data is rapidly changing models of healthcare delivery. The shift towards a value-based, consumer-driven industry has created an urgent need for validated tools to increase cost efficiency, reduce rates of adverse events, and improve patient outcomes. Value-based approaches to spine care will be presented, highlighting models for the future. These approaches stress cost effectiveness and sustainable approaches to spinal disease, where quality and safety are paramount.

Welcome to the Center for Conservative Spine & Scoliosis Care at Columbia Orthopedics. We understand that scoliosis can be a frightening diagnosis and that you will have many questions. We have designed this book to provide you with general information about scoliosis and the non-operative treatment options available to you at Columbia.

Here at Columbia Orthopedics we have assembled a group of scoliosis experts who work together with families to create an individualized care plan for every patient. We do this by offering the most up-to-date, safest, and effective treatment options, as well as the support and guidance of our specialists.

Columbia Orthopedics is dedicated to providing sensitive, age-appropriate care to children and their families throughout their scoliosis journey. We understand that the emotional impact of scoliosis can be as intense as the physical demands and we are here to support you.

Dear Parent,

This book contains information that will help guide and prepare you for your child’s upcoming spine surgery. Your primary care provider and any other doctors that care for your child may also be interested in some of this material, so feel free to share it with them.

Our spine service here at New York-Presbyterian/ Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital (MSCHONY) is one of the top programs in the country. Our clinical and academic expertise are second to none. We have a broad experience taking care of children with spinal deformities ranging from the otherwise well teenager with idiopathic scoliosis to the medically complicated child with underlying neuromuscular problems. We have used this experience to develop best practice guidelines, many of which are used nationally, that help us deliver the safest and best experience for you and your child.