Managing host nation and orthopaedic war injuries

Maureen Leahy

Since October 2001, more than 34,000 U.S. military personnel have sustained musculoskeletal injuries in Iraq and Afghanistan. In addition, military orthopaedic surgeons face unique challenges in providing host nation orthopaedic care in these countries. New treatments and research opportunities designed to address these challenges were the subject of the Orthopaedic War Injuries Symposium, “Advances in Research, Treatment, and Host Nation Care,” held during the AAOS 2010 Annual Meeting.

In defense of patients, in defense of doctors

Peter Pollack

Symposium examines issues surrounding expert witness testimony Given a lack of national tort reform, is there a fair and just way to protect the rights of harmed patients and improve medical safety within the economy of sustainable medicine? That was the question asked at “Beyond Medical Liability Reform: Keeping Our House in Order,” a symposium held during the AAOS 2010 Annual Meeting. Moderator Alexander R.

“You have a lot of influence, but…”

Peter Pollack

Former Representative urges greater physician involvement in politics “I cannot emphasize enough the importance of involvement in the political process—for everybody, but particularly for physicians,” said James McCrery III, former Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives and featured speaker at the 2010 Orthopaedic Political Action Committee luncheon on March 10. “Physicians generally are well thought of across the board.

Matalin: Democrats are doomed

Terry Stanton

By Terry Stanton AAOS Now Exclusive: Interview with James Carville AAOS Now: What’s your outlook for the 2010 Congressional elections? Ms. Matalin: To sum up the 2010 midterms, I’d say, relative to the passage of the current healthcare legislation, it’s doomed if you do, doomed if you don’t. Passing healthcare reform threatens the Democrats, because it would keep the opposition united.

Carville: GOP should have negotiated

Peter Pollack

AAOS Now Exclusive: Interview with Mary Matalin Even Democratic strategist James Carville admits that the Democrats will lose seats in the 2010 election, but partisan politics won’t have a permanent impact on their agenda. AAOS Now: Is Washington paralyzed by partisanship right now, and if so, why? Mr. Carville: Well, I don’t know if it’s paralyzed but it is partisan. There’s not very much cross-voting.

Obama gets his wish

Nick Piatek; Mary Ann Porucznik

In a late-night vote—and without a single Republican supporter—the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (HR 3590), the healthcare reform bill that the Senate had passed on Dec. 24, 2009. The final tally was 219 to 212. The vote sent the bill to the White House for President Obama’s signature.

Concerns surrounding HR 3590

Although the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will enable many more Americans to purchase and keep their health insurance, several of its provisions do not correspond to the AAOS “Principles of Healthcare Reform and Specialty Care.” In particular, the AAOS believes that the following issues are problematic and need to be addressed.