Low Complication Rate Reported from New Outpatient TJA Facility

Terry Stanton

A study tracking patients who underwent total joint arthroplasty (TJA) at a newly opened outpatient facility reported a low number of adverse events during the facility's first year of operation. The study, presented in a scientific poster at the AAOS Annual Meeting, reported results for 432 patients who underwent either total hip arthroplasty (THA; n = 177) or total knee arthroplasty (TKA; n = 255) in the outpatient surgery center over 13 months.

Patient Safety Experts to Participate in Summit

William J. Robb III, MD; Paul Zemaitis, MPH

Despite the many technological advances in health care, surgical adverse events leading to patient harm still exist. As a leader in the patient safety movement, AAOS aims to help healthcare organizations work together to address the many issues and challenges involved in providing safe, high-quality care. Together with the American College of Surgeons, AAOS will sponsor the National Surgical Patient Safety Summit (NSPSS), Aug. 4–5, in Rosemont, Ill.

Trends and Recent Research in Hip Arthroscopy

Dean K. Matsuda, MD

It has been 4 years since the last AAOS Now update on advances in hip arthroscopy. Since then, arthroscopic techniques and the field of hip preservation have rapidly evolved. This updated overview explores some of the latest hot topics, technical advancements, and emerging evidence-based studies in hip arthroscopy. As in any evolving field, current information and analysis is subject to change.

Standardizing Patient-reported Outcome Measures

Maureen Leahy

As health care shifts its focus from volume to value, use of performance measures, such as patient-reported outcomes, has become increasingly important. "The question isn't whether or not we need to collect patient-reported outcomes, but rather 'Which measures do we use to collect them?'" said Mark S. Vrahas, MD, Robert W. Lovett Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, Orthopaedic Trauma Initiative, Harvard Medical School. Dr.

Making the Distinction Between Sex and Gender

Emily Brook, BA; Emily Curry, BA; Elizabeth G. Matzkin, MD

The number of published scientific articles examining male and female differences in orthopaedic medical conditions has increased during the past 25 years due to the National Institutes of Health Revitalization Act of 1993, which ensured the inclusion of women and minorities in clinical research. However, publications have inconsistently used the terms "sex" or "gender" to describe differences between males and females in research.

Making Old Bones Young Again

Amber Blake

Researchers at the University of Toronto have been studying mice in the hopes of gaining a better understanding of how bone ages. According to their most recent study, presented at the 2016 Orthopaedic Research Society (ORS) annual meeting, old mice retain the capacity for bone repair when they are exposed to a circulation of youthful blood.

Improving Prosthetics for Amputees

Amber Blake

Complications commonly associated with traditional socket prostheses, such as pressure sores and instability, have led to an increased interest in improved methods for attaching prosthetic devices to amputees. One approach gaining popularity is the use of a direct transcutaneous osseointegrated implant that allows for a more stable connection to the skeleton, enabling greater control of the prosthetic limb and heightened sensory feedback.

Searching for Ewing Sarcoma Genetic Triggers

Catherine Rategan

Ewing Sarcoma is the third most common primary malignancy of bone. Most cases occur in patients who are between 10 and 20 years of age. In addition, the disease has a high propensity to metastasize. The cure rate for patients with localized disease is between 60 percent and 70 percent when treated with standard multi-agent chemotherapy protocols and surgical excision or radiation therapy.

Performance Measures Update: Orthopaedic Preferred Measure Set

The Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) began in 2007 as the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative, a voluntary, incentive-based program for practitioners that was designed to better ensure high-quality healthcare services for Medicare beneficiaries. The program as it is known today will sunset on Dec. 31, 2016, as required under the Medicare Access and CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program) Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA).

Big Data Supports Benefits of Sexual Dimorphism Research

Laura Bruse, MD

The AAOS Women's Health Issues Advisory Board (WHIAB) seeks to advocate, advance, and serve as a resource for research on sex and gender differences in musculoskeletal health for a variety of audiences, including orthopaedic surgeons, policymakers, and the general public. However, many orthopaedic surgeons may ask, "Why should musculoskeletal research efforts direct resource dollars to sexual dimorphism?" The answer is "Big Data."

The "PROs" of Using AJRR to Meet CJR Requirements

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) model, which first went into effect on April 1, 2016, requires hospitals within 67 geographic regions (known as metropolitan statistical areas, or MSAs) to bundle payments for lower extremity joint replacement (LEJR) procedures. Because data must be submitted from July 1 to Aug. 31, 2016, the 794 hospitals in areas designated as MSAs should be conscious of the steps they will take to qualify.