Orthopaedic leaders take on Capitol Hill

G. Jake Jaquet

NOLC participants seek support from legislators to fix flawed Medicare reimbursement formula, developing advocacy strategies at the state level For more than two decades, the AAOS Board of Councilors (BOC) has convened the National Orthopaedic Leadership Conference (NOLC) each spring in Washington, D.C., bringing together the leadership of orthopaedic societies from around the country.

Fellowship adopts new Standards of Professionalism

Richard N. Peterson, JD

Bylaws amendments, resolutions also endorsed The ballots are in and the votes have been counted. By an overwhelming majority, AAOS fellows adopted recommendations on six resolutions, five proposed changes to the AAOS Bylaws, and two new Standards of Professionalism (SOPs)—on Advertising by Orthopaedic Surgeons and Orthopaedist-Industry Conflicts of Interest. This brings the number of SOPs in the AAOS Professional Compliance Program to six.

Payment issues strike a chord with readers

This letter is in response to those concerns expressed by Dr. Doug Nuelle in the March/April issue of AAOS Now. He articulates well the frustration all of us feel. The individual practitioner is defenseless in a marketplace controlled by the government and large insurance companies. I have a modest proposal. We all know individual stories of doctors dropping all insurance and going back to the way it was when Dr.

Chicago delivers on promise to New Orleans

When the AAOS moved the 2006 Annual Meeting from New Orleans to Chicago in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau (CCTB) and local hotels pledged that $10 per room per night booked would be donated to rebuilding New Orleans. Last month, that pledge was fulfilled when representatives from the CCTB and the 67 participating hotels presented checks totalling nearly $900,000 to two New Orleans institutions.

WHO endorses AAOS African educational initiative

Lynne Dowling

World Health Organization to add orthopaedic consultant In April, the World Health Organization (WHO) endorsed a new AAOS educational venture—the Africa Cooperative Education (ACE) program, which is scheduled to launch in Accra, Ghana, in November 2008. WHO also agreed to collaborate as a cooperative partner and to lend its world-renowned expertise and reputation to help maximize the impact of the ACE program. What is the ACE program?

From falls to falling asleep, orthopaedic surgeons reach out through media

Nicholas DiNubile, MD

The AAOS and the National Athletic Trainers’ Association collaborated on a fall prevention campaign for our growing older population. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, almost 1.9 million people older than age 65 were treated in emergency departments for injuries sustained from falls in 2004. A more alarming statistic is that falls are the leading cause of deaths from injury among older Americans. Jay D. Mabrey, MD, of Dallas, served as the Academy’s spokesperson.

Sandra R. Gordon elected NAMC VP

The National Association of Medical Communications (NAMC) has elected AAOS director of public relations Sandra R. Gordon as vice-president. She is the first nonphysician to be elected to the Board of Directors and the first to be an officer.

Orthopaedics runs in the family

Jennie McKee

Fathers, sons, and brothers share a love of orthopaedics When Leon Levine, MD, was considering an area of medicine to specialize in during the 1940s, orthopaedic surgery was not at the top of his list. “No one, including me, was really interested in orthopaedics,” says Dr. Levine. “The only conditions the orthopaedic guys handled were things like flat feet, osteomyelitis, and scoliosis.” But the military changed his mind.

Industry News

Smith & Nephew introduces antimicrobial barrier dressing Smith & Nephew Wound Management has just introduced Acticoat Site, a silver-coated antimicrobial barrier dressing specifically designed to help manage infection risks around intravenous lines, central venous catheters, and external fixation sites.

A pat on the back to….

New Board members of the Mid-America Orthopaedic Association: Timothy C. Fitzgibbons, MD, president; Lynn A. Crosby, MD, first vice-president; John S. Toohey, MD, second vice-president; Gordon R. Bell, MD, secretary; David C. Markel, MD, member at-large; Daniel J. Berry, MD, immediate past president. Todd J.

In Memoriam

Otis E. Bridgeford, MD Lakewood, Wash. April 17, 2007 George H. Chambers, MD Jordan, Ark. unknown Alfred E. Daly, MD Saint Paul, Minn. Feb. 1, 2007 William M. Davis, MD Copley, Ohio March 14, 2007 Delbert L. Fischer, MD Avon, Ohio May 7, 2007 Everett J. Gordon, MD Boca Raton, Fla. Nov. 10, 2006 Edward D. Hillard, MD Tuscaloosa, Ala. May 9, 2007 James K. Horstman, MD Fort Collins, Colo. March 1, 2007 Stuart H. Lewis, MD Newtown Square, Penn.

A six-pack of SOPs?

S. Terry Canale, MD

S. Terry Canale, MD So what are SOPs? It’s not a new soap, or a new handheld device. Until 4 months ago, I thought SOPs were simply “standard operating procedures,” or maybe “scope of practice,” or “sign operative permit.” Considering the reaction to the first issue of AAOS Now, I guess many of our readers were also in the dark. But gradually, we’re coming around to accepting one more acronym. For AAOS members, SOPs are “Standards of Professionalism.” But just what does that mean?

Access to care for the elderly – An emerging issue?

Alan S. Hilibrand, MD

For more than 40 years, the Medicare program has guaranteed access to health care for the nation’s elderly population. The program has protected senior citizens from the skyrocketing costs of American health care while working Americans shouldered more of the costs of their own care through rising premiums and copayments. Recently, the Medicare program was extended to cover some of the costs of prescription drugs.

Advertising SOPs establish practical, “bright line” standards

In April, the AAOS adopted new Standards of Professionalism (SOPs) on Advertising by Orthopaedic Surgeons. AAOS Now Executive Editor G. Jake Jaquet sat down with Murray J. Goodman, MD, the chair of the BOC/BOS Professionalism Committee, to see what the new SOPs mean for the fellowship. Jaquet: What was the genesis of the new SOPs on advertising by orthopaedic surgeons?

Standards of Professionalism: Advertising by Orthopaedic Surgeons

At the core of the patient-physician relationship is a sense of trust. A patient trusts that the physician is knowledgeable and provides appropriate representations of his or her abilities. An orthopaedic surgeon who misrepresents his or her abilities or advertises musculoskeletal services in a false or misleading fashion damages the patient-physician relationship of trust.

Standards of Professionalism: Orthopaedist-Industry Conflicts of Interest

The primary focus of the orthopaedic profession is care of the patient. As part of their lifetime commitment to patients, orthopaedic surgeons must maintain specialized knowledge and skills through participation in continuing medical education programs, seminars, and professional meetings.

How effective are AAOS CME courses?

Alan M. Levine, MD

New policies will help measure whether courses meet their educational goals In 2006, the AAOS Council on Education undertook a year-long study on the educational effectiveness of the Academy’s continuing medical education (CME) programs. We wanted to know how effectively our courses and products were meeting their educational goals. Council project teams and staff investigated three areas of educational theory: needs assessment, educational methodology, and program evaluation.

Countdown begins to the 75th Annual Meeting

Frederick M. Azar, MD; Susan McSorley

As the AAOS approaches its Diamond Jubilee, the Annual Meeting Committee takes a look back at the educational approaches and opportunities such an event presents. In 1935, the AAOS Executive Committee (now the Board of Directors) made a major commitment—to produce a single educational product for the fellowship in the form of an Annual Meeting. Since then, of course, the Academy has produced hundreds of other educational products in a variety of formats.

OLC undergoes “stunning” $1.2 million upgrade

Jennie McKee

New technology keeps the OLC on the cutting edge Since it opened in 1994, the Orthopaedic Learning Center (OLC) in Rosemont, Ill., has been a preeminent facility for hands-on learning of orthopaedic surgical skills. And now, it’s even better. This 5,600-square-foot, custom-designed bioskills laboratory, which features 24 workstations equipped for use with cadaveric specimens and anatomic models, was recently upgraded with $1.2 million worth of digital, high-definition equipment.