CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Family-owned orthopedics leader Medacta International is heading into 2017 with significant momentum in its U.S. spine business, including the appointment of a new Medical Director following breakout business performance in 2016. Effective immediately, noted spinal surgeon and data scientist S. Raymond Golish, MD, PhD, MBA will serve as Medical Director of the Medacta USA Spine Division. Dr. Golish will support Medacta’s U.S. subsidiary in its spine product development and commercial activities, helping the company expand upon its culture of collaboration, clinical excellence, and evidence-based and patient-centric innovation.

Dr. Golish is a fellowship-trained spinal surgeon, medical device and data scientist, and experienced healthcare administrator and executive. He currently acts as Medical Director of Spinal Surgery and of Clinical Trials at Jupiter Medical Center (Jupiter, Florida) and is a practicing spinal surgeon at Florida Spine Center in Palm Beach, Florida. He serves as Chairman of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) Biomedical Engineering Committee and Chairman and Director of the Board for the Research Committee of the North American Spine Foundation. From 2012 to 2016, he was a voting member on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Devices Panel. Dr. Golish received his PhD and MD from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2002 and 2004, respectively. He completed his spinal surgery fellowship at Stanford University in 2010 and received his MBA from Duke University in 2013.

“With his diverse experience as a surgeon, medical data scientist and expert in U.S. regulatory affairs, Dr. Golish will be an important addition to the Medacta spine team as it continues to introduce methodical, thoughtful and evidence-based innovations,” said Francesco Siccardi, Executive Vice President of Medacta International. “His steadfast dedication to patient safety and the role that medical device innovation can play in improving life aligns well with our ideals at Medacta, and we are thrilled to have him on board as we look to meet our ambitious growth targets in the year ahead.”

Dr. Golish joins Medacta following an impactful year. The company’s Spine Division experienced more than 140 percent sales growth in 2016 and now boasts five consecutive quarters of 24 percent quarter-over-quarter growth. Last year, the Division increased its customer base by 105 percent and added more than 40 new field agents selling its products in the U.S.

“Medacta’s key differentiator is its unique corporate culture, which focuses on excellence in patient care, quality, evidence and innovation in a way that moves the field forward while keeping safety paramount,” said Dr. Golish. “It’s an exciting time for Medacta as a whole, but especially for its Spine Division, which experienced transformative growth in 2016 and is poised to meet or even exceed upon the bold growth targets set for 2017.”

In 2016, Medacta’s Spine Division unveiled three new products, including the MySpine Low Profile Guide. Dr. Golish was one of the first U.S.-based surgeons to utilize the 3D-printed pedicle screw guide following its FDA clearance in October 2016. The pedicle screw guide builds on the MySpine Standard Profile, named by Orthopedics This Week as a Best New Technology for Spine Care when it was released in 2014.

About Medacta

Medacta^® International is a world leading manufacturer of orthopedic implants, neurosurgical systems, and instrumentation. Medacta’s revolutionary approach and responsible innovation have resulted in standard of care breakthroughs in hip replacement with the AMIS^®system and total knee replacement with MyKnee^® patient matched technology. Over the last 10 years, Medacta has grown dramatically by taking a different approach and placing value on all aspects of the care experience from design to training to sustainability. Medacta is headquartered in Castel San Pietro, Switzerland, and operates in over 30 countries. To learn more about Medacta International, please visit www.medacta.com or follow @Medacta on Twitter.