Issue

AAOS adopts new clinical practice guidelines

Mary Ann Porucznik

During its May meeting, the AAOS Board of Directors adopted two new clinical practice guidelines—one on the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome and the other on the prevention of symptomatic pulmonary embolism (PE) in patients undergoing total hip or total knee arthroplasty. Joshua J.

Do you want tap water or Evian?

James H. Beaty, MD

The AAOS has studied the topic of technology assessment for more than 20 years. In all that time, you’d think we could come to a conclusion, but deciding what to do about technology assessment is not easy. James H. Beaty, MD What is technology assessment?

A Pat on the Back to…

Andrew L. Chen, MD, MS, and Nina R. Lightdale, MD, winners of the first-ever American Foundation for Surgery of the Hand-Health Volunteers Overseas Young Surgeon Traveling Fellowship. New members of the Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons’ executive committee and board of trustees for Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research (CORR): Randall E. Marcus, MD, president; Bert J. Thomas, MD, first vice-president; Christopher P. Beauchamp, MD, second vice-president; Mary I.

Board takes professional compliance action

The Board of Directors of the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) recently voted to expel Howard M. Berkowitz, MD, of Atlanta. The action was taken under the provisions of Paragraph 8.2.e of the AAOS Bylaws, which state that professional compliance action may occur for specific reasons, including felony conviction. On March 21, 2007, Dr. Berkowitz pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of felony fraud. The indictment against Dr.

Industry News

CMS won’t pay for artificial disks On May 25, 2007, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a national non-coverage decision for all lumbar artificial disk replacements. CMS had previously issued a national non-coverage decision for the Charité disk replacement, the only legally marketed disc replacement at the time. Essentially the decisions are the same and apply to Medicare beneficiaries older than age 60.

Setting AAOS Now Straight

Retirement, reimbursement generate responses Retiring physicians? I read the article by Charles D. Hummer III, MD, in the May issue of AAOS Now (“The Aging Surgeon: How old is too old?). You recommended [that older surgeons] do something like volunteer work. I am about to be retired by my group involuntarily in a month.

Corporate Advisory Council tackles technology, conflicts of interest

Mary Ann Porucznik

Group fosters communication, addresses areas of mutual concern for AAOS, industry The Corporate Advisory Council (CAC), a group of nearly 50 companies serving the orthopaedic market, serves as an important link between AAOS fellows and industry.

Upcoming Orthopaedic Meetings of Interest

Listed below are upcoming meetings through October 2007 that may be of interest to orthopaedic surgeons. For more information, contact the source listed. Aug. 1-4 Eastern Orthopaedic Association 38th Annual Meeting Fairmont Empress Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada Web site: www.eoa-assn.org Aug. 1-4 Southern Orthopaedic Association 24th Annual Meeting Fairmont Empress Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada Web site: www.soaassn.org Aug.

Dr. Henry Mankin—Teacher, scientist, friend

Peter Pollack

Some may know Henry J. Mankin, MD, as the recipient of the 2004 AAOS Diversity Award, or as the author of several hundred research papers and books such as his recent Pathophysiology of Orthopaedic Diseases. With an active career that spans more than five decades and continues to go strong, Dr. Mankin’s experience reflects the development of orthopaedic surgery as a profession. “When I attended medical school, we really taught each other,” Dr. Mankin begins.

Do you have what it takes to volunteer overseas?

Peter Pollack

Teach–Travel–Learn workshops open doors to other cultures If you ever considered volunteering your services in a developing country, you probably had a lot of questions about what such service would involve. Maybe you wondered whether your family would be welcome, or perhaps you wanted to know more—about the customs of the country, the state of the medical facilities and personnel, or the safety of the water supplies or on the streets—before you signed up.

Ethics for 21st century medicine

George L. Lucas, MD

Medical professionalism can be defined as the ability to meet the relationship-centered expectations required to practice medicine competently. Over the years, various programs have been instituted to teach ethics and professionalism, but at the end of the day, an informal curriculum is central to their development. Albert Schweitzer summed this up by saying, “Example is not the main thing in influencing others, it is the only thing.”

Heels make news—and newsmakers turn to AAOS

Nicholas DiNubile, MD

Academy serves as authoritative source for orthopaedic information Recently, it seems that heels—whether on women’s dress shoes or children’s roller shoes—have been making news. Because we all know that “the heel bone’s connected to the leg bone…knee bone…hip bone…back bone,” other parts of the musculoskeletal system are also in the news.

AOFAS initiates new military visitation program

Judy Datz

“Humbling” was the word many participants used to describe the day that 18 members of the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) took part in a new educational initiative—a military visitation program at Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) in Washington, D.C. In the words of one attendee, the experience turned out to be “possibly the best one-day course I ever attended.”

AAOS Now, July 2007