Quality Initiative Results in Practice Changes, Cost Savings

A quality improvement project aimed at increasing the use of removable braces instead of casting to treat distal radius buckle fractures (DRBFs) at two pediatric centers changed minds and resulted in significant savings, according to a report presented at the 2017 annual meeting of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand.

Approaching Retirement with Dignity and Foresight

Antonia F. Chen, MD, MBA; Richard H. Rothman, MD, PhD; Lawrence D. Dorr, MD

Aging surgeons may face diminution of physical strength, visual acuity, and coordination that gradually impair performance. Drawing the curtain on surgery can be one of the most difficult decisions affecting an orthopaedist’s life. In this roundtable discussion, Antonia F. Chen, MD, MBA, speaks with Richard H. Rothman, MD, PhD, and Lawrence D. Dorr, MD, on maintaining skills, monitoring one’s own performance, and finding value outside the operating room. Dr.

Have You Heard the Latest Medical Liability Risk?

Michael R Marks, MD MBA; Daniel R. Schlatterer, DO, MS

On June 20, 2017, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Supreme Court handed down a 4–3 decision that has the potential to rock the world of medical liability. The justices ruled that surgeons, in order to obtain informed consent, have the duty to provide their patients with information about the risks, benefits, and alternatives of a particular procedure. Furthermore, surgeons must deliver that information personally. Who is responsible?

Making the Case for Collecting PROMs

Alyssa DelPrete

In a recent American Alliance of Orthopaedic Executives (AAOE) survey, only 35 percent of the participating practices are collecting patient-reported outcomes measures (PROMs). However, most practices indicated they are collecting patient satisfaction surveys (61 percent) and identified quality measures (71 percent) (Fig. 1). Orthopaedic practice executives, particularly those from small practices, may not be shocked by these figures.

Orthopaedic Surgeons Play Key Role in Device Recalls

Patrick Maher, MD; Chatón T. Turner, Esq.; Kenneth L. Urish, MD, PhD; the AAOS Biomedical Engineering Committee

Orthopaedic surgeons are in a unique position to discover possible issues with orthopaedic devices. Accordingly, the surgeon’s role in ensuring the quality of those devices cannot be overstated. This responsibility requires surgeons to report device failures to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and to understand the hospital’s role in reporting as well. Recent innovations in arthroplasty have resulted in many positive advances for patients.