AAOS Now

February AAOS Now Available Now!

Read the full issue here.

Disposal of Unused Opioid Medications: Aligning Patient Needs and Provider Expectations

T.K. Miller, MD; Malek Bouzaher, BS, MS; Susan Giampalmo, BS; and Joseph T. Moskal, MD
Through the support of a grant from AAOS to the Virginia Orthopaedic Society, Carilion Clinic Orthopaedics and the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine completed an investigational study of the beliefs, perceptions, and practices regarding opioid medication disposal among orthopaedic patients and providers in southwestern Virginia.

AAOS Commits to Strengthening Its Practice Management Portfolio

John Cherf, MD, MPH, MBA, and Cindy Bracy
In early 2018, the AAOS Board of Directors created a Practice Management Task Force to conduct an internal and external assessment of the AAOS practice management portfolio. The audit determined that although AAOS has a significant amount of practice management content, it is dispersed throughout the organization and lacks a centralized hub for member access. AAOS staff worked to identify solutions to consolidate and reorganize practice management content and developed a new mission and vision statement for practice management moving forward.

2018: Academy Delivers on ‘Form Follows Function’ Promise

David A. Halsey, MD
In his final President’s Message, David A. Halsey, MD, reflects on the Academy’s latest achievements, including building new models for governance and strategy, growing partnerships with other orthopaedic subspecialty societies, enhancing member benefits, and supporting advocacy. He also looked to the future, welcoming Kristy L. Weber, MD, as the incoming Academy president.

Physiatry in an Orthopaedic Practice Can Be A Win-win for Surgeons and Patients

David Schiff, MD
The addition of physiatrists to an orthopaedic practice can enable orthopaedic practices to offer a variety of additional services, including acupuncture, electromyography, and epidural steroid injections. The additional services can increase the group’s orthopaedic care, making it more efficient and effective.

AAOS Strives to Reduce Surgical Risk with New Online Toolkit

K. Keely Boyle, MD; Alan M. Reznik, MD, MBA; and Michael S. Pinzur, MD
Most of a patient’s surgical risks are present before we make the decision to operate. Understanding and mitigating such risks have become vital aspects of surgical planning. The new online AAOS Surgical Risk Reduction Toolkit is designed to help identify patient-specific risk factors that can be medically optimized throughout the care episode and to provide resources to help doctors and patients manage and optimize specific risks.

Military and AAOS Collaboration Yields New CPG on Acute Compartment Syndrome

Terry Stanton
During its December 2018 meeting, the AAOS Board of Directors approved a clinical practice guideline (CPG) on Management of Acute Compartment Syndrome. The CPG is the first of a series of planned guidelines funded by the Department of Defense and created by a collaborative effort of military and civilian surgeon members of the Major Extremity Trauma and Rehabilitation Consortium and Academy research staff.

Learn How to Safely Use Humor to Improve Your Practice

Christopher Chiodo, MD
A well-timed joke or witty comment makes us feel good. In the office setting, a patient encounter enhanced by a shared laugh brings warmth and authenticity to the patient-doctor relationship. But, as with any surgical instrument or intervention, we must learn to use humor responsibly and safely.