Clinical Guidelines and Performance Measures

Clinical Guidelines are valuable tools that will allow you to advance the physician-patient communications process and enhance the diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal conditions. The guidelines not only support referrals when working with managed care companies, but they can also be used as an educational tool when interacting with patients.

AAOS Procedures for Nominating Clinical Practice Guideline Topics

There is also a brief statement regarding Minimally Invasive Surgery available further down on this page.

Please select from the following list of guidelines currently available in PDF format from the AAOS:

• Summary of CTS Recommendations (16 KB)
• Diagnosis of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) Guideline (271 KB)
• CTS Work Group and Approval (10 KB)
• Diagnosis of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Supporting Documentation (4 parts)
  Diagnosis of CTS Part 1 of 4 (Evidence Report; 80 KB)
  Diagnosis of CTS Part 2 of 4 (Evidence Tables; 1.7 MB)
  Diagnosis of CTS Part 3 of 4 (Appendices; 645 KB)
  Diagnosis of CTS Part 4 of 4 (Figures; 1.4 MB)

 

• Summary of PE Recommendations (21 KB)
• Prevention of Symptomatic Pulmonary Embolism (PE) Guideline (322 KB)
• PE Work Group and Approval (12 KB)
• Prevention of (PE) Supporting Documentation (3 parts)
  Prevention of PE Part 1 of 3 (Evidence Tables; 98 KB)
  Prevention of PE Part 2 of 3 (Extraction Tables A-H; 1.2 MB)
  Prevention of PE Part 3 of 3 (Extraction Tables K-Z; 857 KB)

Note: Please see this PDF (185 KB) document for a Key to symbols used in the guidelines.

Guidelines were created by work groups consisting of Academy and Specialty Society members who have attended workshops on how to develop, review, evaluate, and revise evidence-based guidelines. Each of the work groups is currently involved in one of these projects.

* To print guidelines, set printer to landscape and use 11" x 17" paper.

Minimally Invasive Surgery

For more information, please see Advisory Statements on “Minimally Invasive and Small Incision Joint Replacement Surgery” from The American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons:

• Patient Advisory Statement: www.aahks.org/pdf/MIS_position_statement.pdf
• Physician Advisory Statement: www.aahks.org/pdf/MIS_phys_adv_stmt.pdf

Other Guidelines Resources

Other guidelines are available through the National Guidelines Clearinghouse.

Information on performance and quality measures can be obtained from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

If you have any questions or comments related to guidelines, please contact Janet L. Wies, Manager, Clinical Practice Guidelines.