Michael Vitale MD MPH

12/03/2025

So honored to participate in the kickoff event of the Italian Institute for Spine Surgery Safety last Thursday, Thanksgiving morning via Zoom. Dr. Brodano and colleagues are poised to spread the word about spine surgery safety and will surely make care better for patients in Italy and elsewhere. I hope my presentation in Italian was more or less intelligible! 🇮🇹

12/03/2025

New on the blog: Reflections on a 10-week sabbatical, lessons from high-achieving leaders, and a renewed perspective on how to sustain meaningful impact over time.
Read the full post below:

As I prepare to return to the operating room and the office, I look back on this ten-week "forced sabbatical" with deep gratitude: gratitude to my surgeon and friend, Christopher Ahmad; to my partners for covering for me; and to my patients whose schedules were disrupted.

11/19/2025

I recently joined the Straight From The Hip podcast to talk about one of my favorite topics: how to make surgery safer.

We discussed how high-stakes spine surgery has reshaped the way we think about teams, errors, and systems under pressure.

We broke down the core principles of planning, standardization, human factors, effective checklists, and psychological safety in the OR.

We also explored innovation in navigation and robotics, and how to bring new technology into the OR without introducing new failure modes.

Finally, we talked metrics, outcomes, and why the future of quality in orthopedics relies on transparency, benchmarking, and shared learning.

Listen at the link below:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/12tUrm8oGsR1k2iBdfIWmm?si=SBVMlsAkSqiF6lmnGpbk3w

Straight From The Hip · Episode

11/06/2025

Our November Bracing Group is coming up — and this one is extra special!

Join us for a gentle movement session led by one of our Schroth therapists and certified yoga instructor. We will have snacks, crafts, and time to connect with other brace buddies and parents.

📅 Date: November 13
🕓 Time: 4:30–6:00 PM
📍 Location: CHONY Tower 103 — Meeting Room off the Lobby
💻 Zoom participation available

Let us know if you can make it by registering here:
https://form.jotform.com/252886234637063

11/05/2025

Amazing engagement and contributions from members of our Pediatric Spine Research Factory today pre ICEOS! Record attendance at this go-to meeting for all things pediatric spine. So humbled to have been able to play a role in leading this group over the past year!

https://pediatricspinefoundation.org/

10/31/2025

As my sabbatical winds down, I have been reflecting on legacy and what it means to “hand off” well.
Read my new blog post: The Art of the Handoff
👉

Seven weeks out from surgery, my shoulder is feeling fantastic, and I can practically feel the operating room pulling me back. I’m scheduled to return to work in just a few weeks, which means the delightful, often surprising gift of this recovery time is nearing its end. This sense of finitude has...

10/27/2025

It was a true honor to visit Dr. Noelle Larsen and the Department of Orthopedic Surgery here at Mayo Clinic as their visiting professor. I learned so much from my time with this incredible team at such an outstanding institution.

10/22/2025

Happy Medical Assistants Recognition Day! A huge shoutout to our amazing MAs, Carolyn and Evelyn! Thank you for being the backbone of our team and for all that you do to support our patients.

10/18/2025

Halloween is just around the corner! Show off your costume paired with your brace and send us a pic before 10/31 to be featured on our social media accounts!

10/15/2025

Thrilled to be part of this extraordinary case-based webinar led by my partners, Drs Zeeshan Sardar and Larry Lenke! For those interested in my talk on Tether, I share the latest results regarding lumbar tether about 30 minutes in, along with some thoughts on how the future of lumbar tether may involve an apical fusion. Hope you enjoy it!

👉 Watch here: https://broad-water.com/webinars/level-selection-correction-techniques-for-adolescent-idiopathic-scoliosis/

October 7, 2025 | 8 PM EST Drs. Zeeshan Sardar and Lawrence Lenke lead an expert panel of faculty for a case-based discussion on Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS). The session highlights decision-making and surgical strategies with a special focus on: Level Selection: principles and controversie...

10/15/2025

I'm thrilled to see my friend and our Chair, Dr. William Levine, receive well-deserved recognition for his exceptional leadership of our Department over the years. We're lucky to have him steering the ship! 🎉👏
https://www.beckersspine.com/orthopedic/5-physicians-leading-top-hospitals-orthopedic-departments/