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SpineConnect: Providing Avenues for a Collaborative Knowledge Base Toward Education in Spine The mission of SpineConnect is to create a collaborative community of spine healthcare professionals seeking the advancement of basic and applied science. The organization provides infrastructure and resources for identifying emerging areas of interest in spine medicine, recognizing the contributions of its membership, and providing avenues for implementing a collective knowledge base toward education and technological innovation. Scientists and clinicians have become increasingly reliant on web-based platforms for supporting research endeavors and clinical practice. The opportunity for expanded collaboration among scientists and professional colleagues holds the promise of more effective interdisciplinary approaches to problem solving and patient care. The information technology platform of SpineConnect is a Web-based approach for facilitating interoperability of communication tools and databases between consulting physicians and scientists. In collaboration with the research department at Durango Orthopedic Associates and SpineColorado, SpineConnect is currently proposing multi-center clinical studies to private and federal-funding agencies that will serve as a proof of concept for SpineConnect technology. Specific applications that will be implemented in these proposed studies are: publishing the goals and methodology for the study design and sharing anonymous data among the centers in compliance with federal regulations for protecting patient privacy. The result will be increasingly robust study design and efficient construction and maintenance of large databases from many different sites. Beyond the contributions of technological services, the SpineConnect infrastructure is a novel strategy for collaborators to publish and develop their collective intellectual property outside of or as an adjunct to existing venues. In support of these efforts, the vision of SpineConnect includes support services for conducting basic research and education, clinical trials, and product development.
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