AAOS Strategic Plan 2008 – 2010

AAOS Vision

AAOS will be the authoritative source of knowledge and leadership in musculoskeletal health.

AAOS Mission

AAOS will serve our members and the profession, champion the interests of patients, and advance the highest quality musculoskeletal health.

Goals

The goals that follow are designed to advance the AAOS vision and mission and serve as the basis for all evaluations of achievement and performance.

Programs, Products, Services

To advance its mission, AAOS will offer programs, products, and services that reflect and respond to the evolving needs of current and prospective members, other health care providers, and patients.

To achieve this goal, AAOS will:

conduct a member needs assessment every three years
conduct periodic assessments of the needs of other health care providers and patients
analyze programs, services, and educational offerings at least annually to ensure the relevance of the strategic goals to the organization and to members’ needs
ensure that new programs are in place to address those programs that are of high importance to members but low in satisfaction rates

Public Policy

To advance its mission, AAOS will use its unified advocacy agenda to provide focus to and direct public policy activities and initiatives.

To achieve this goal, AAOS will:

give priority in the agenda to issues that rank high in importance to members and serve the interest of patients, including medical liability reform, patient centered care, reimbursement, patient safety, unfunded patient care, patient access to specialty care, research funding, and important emerging issues
develop a plan to manage members’ expectations about public policy issues and outcomes and to ensure that members view AAOS as their primary source of knowledge for public policy/advocacy
strengthen the AAOS Political Action Committee (PAC) by increasing the number of members who contribute

Research and Scientific Affairs

To advance its mission, AAOS will modify its research agenda to reflect those matters most important to members, patients, and other health care providers.

To achieve this goal, AAOS will include in its agenda:

technology overviews
guideline development
evidence-based training
timely updates on biologics and device safety and regulatory issues
supporting basic, translational, clinical and health services orthopaedic research and researchers

Communication

To advance its mission, AAOS will be positioned as the premier association for orthopaedic surgeons and will be recognized as the authoritative voice for good musculoskeletal health.

To achieve this goal, AAOS will:

utilize our unified external communication plan to ensure that all communication activities and programs focus on raising public awareness of the role of orthopaedists and emphasizing the importance of good musculoskeletal health
develop public relations strategies that enhance the public image of orthopaedic surgeons
utilize our unified internal communication plan to ensure that internal communication activities and programs raise member awareness of AAOS through promoting AAOS value, including education, advocacy, and research initiatives that are unique to AAOS and differentiate it from other organizations involved in musculoskeletal care

Membership

To advance its mission, AAOS will:

establish annual goals for each member category and develop programs to match the needs of members and future members
address professionalism and ethics

Diversity

To advance its mission, AAOS will foster diversity.

To achieve this goal, AAOS will work with members to:

understand and respond to the diversity of the patient population
promote the delivery of culturally competent care that is safe, timely, effective, efficient, equitable and patient centered to help address and reduce health care disparities
support efforts to diversify the profession and the orthopaedic work force

Unity

To advance its mission, AAOS will advocate for unity and for opportunities to collaborate with the orthopaedic specialty communities.

To achieve this goal, AAOS will:

include orthopaedic specialty interests in educational programming
advocate for orthopaedic specialty interests
provide for a place within its governance structure for representatives from specialty orthopaedic organizations
hold an orthopaedic unity summit in 2008
reach out to other orthopaedic–related organizations as appropriate
work with the specialty societies on an annual basis to identify and prioritize opportunities in the areas of education, advocacy, research, and communications

Fiscal Affairs

To advance its mission, AAOS will remain fiscally strong.

To achieve this goal, AAOS will:

tie the annual budget to the AAOS strategic plan
require business plans for all new initiatives
adopt an annual balanced budget
maintain the Permanent Fund at a minimum of 50 percent of budgeted operating expenses
ensure a unified fundraising agenda across the organization
develop assessment criteria which, at least annually, evaluate all of the work of AAOS that is to be incorporated into the budget

Structure and Governance

To advance its mission, AAOS will have a sharply focused governance operation supported by a contemporary staff structure.

To achieve this goal, AAOS will: