Say what you mean, mean what you say, but don’t say it mean!

Recently, the AAOS completed a follow-up of a 10-year-old survey about what the public and patients think about orthopaedists (“Low-touch surgeons in a high-touch world,” AAOS Now, May 2009). I am pleased to announce that, compared to the 1998 survey, the 2008 survey found that people are more aware of what an ortho­paedist is and what he or she does.

Pat on the back...

John A. Bergfeld, MD, recipient of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) Mr. Sports Medicine Award and inductee into the AOSSM Hall of Fame. Per Renstrom, MD, and Giancarlo Puddu, MD, are the international inductees in the AOSSM Hall of Fame Mininder S. Kocher, MD, and Peter A. Indelicato, MD, new members of the AOSSM board of directors. Cato T.

AAOS responds to Obama’s amputation remarks

President Barack Obama The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW Washington, DC, 20502 August 13, 2009 Dear Mr. President: On behalf of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), I am writing to express our profound disappointment with your recent comments regarding the value of surgery and blurring the realities of physician reimbursements. The AAOS represents more than 17,000 U.S. board-certified orthopaedic surgeons who provide essential services to patients every day.

How are your interpersonal skills?

John R. Tongue, MD; Lewis Jenkins, MBA; Angie Wade

Why patient-centered communication is important Patient-centered care involves treating patients as partners, involving them in decision-making, and enlisting their sense of responsibility for their care while respecting their individual values and concerns. Orthopaedic surgeons have tended to focus mainly on the technical aspects of caregiving. Most patients, however, feel disengaged with the purely technical encounter.

Communication pitfalls and pearls

Dr. Amalgam is a 53-year-old orthopaedic surgeon and a partner in a mid-sized group practice. He has a simple model of clinical care: “find the problem and fix it.” But Dr. Amalgam also recognizes the need to improve his communication skills to enhance his practice and his status in the community. Although he is confident in his technical skills, Dr.

Just who is a doctor?

Charles N. Hubbard, MD

By Charles N. Hubbard, MD “Healthcare reform is coming … soon,” announced Steven Ondra, MD, neurosurgeon and healthcare advisor to the Obama administration, at this year’s National Orthopaedic Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C. “While the details have yet to be worked out,” he continued, “it is clear that promoting primary care is essential. There will be winners and there will be losers.” He didn’t say who would be in the latter category but he obviously felt we needed to hear that.

Exercise your right to fun!

Addy Kujawa

AAOS provides tools for safe play, learning enjoyment Read more about AAOS playgrounds On Tuesday, March 9—the first day of the 2010 Annual Meeting in New Orleans—the AAOS’ first Family Fitness and Fun Park build will take place. The Family Fitness and Fun Park will provide children, parents and grandparents the opportunity for physical activity together and will feature balance, flexibility, and strength equipment, as well as a walking/running track for aerobic exercise.

Fellows elect 2010 Nominating Committee.

In July, the AAOS fellowship elected six members of the 2010 Nominating Committee, and the AAOS Board of Directors appointed the chair at its meeting in June. The members of the 2010 Nominating Committee are as follows: Richard F. Kyle, MD (Minn.), Chair John T. Gill, MD (Texas) Douglas W. Jackson, MD (Calif.) Vincent D. Pellegrini, Jr., MD (Md.) Richard F. Santore, MD (Calif.) Peter J. Stern, MD (Ohio) Robert A. Winquist, MD (Wash.) Laura L.

Surgeon on the street

Does your practice have an electronic medical records (EMR) system or a picture archiving communications system (PACS), and if so, how do you like it? On August 9, the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine held a surgical skills course in Rosemont, Ill. AAOS Now asked attendees about their experiences using electronic medical records systems. Here’s what they said:

In Memoriam

L. Phaon Gambee, MD November 12, 2008 Vancouver, Wash. David W. Grainger, MD May 15, 2009 Spokane, Wash. Alexander Kalenak, MD September 9, 2008 Hershey, Penn. Matthew M. Mischinski, MD May 9, 2009 Pinehurst, N.C. Ernest F. Rillos, MD August 6, 2009 Yuma, Ariz. T. David Sisk, MD July 9, 2009 Germantown,Tenn. Eugene Willis Jr., MD August 11, 2009 Ellicott City, Md.