Study Assesses Predictive Value of Hospital Frailty Risk Score for AEs After Joint Arthroplasty
A retrospective study published online in The Journal of Arthroplasty evaluated the use of the Hospital Frailty Risk Score (HFRS) to predict adverse events (AEs) following total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The HFRS was calculated for 8,250 THA and TKA patients. Patients with immediate or high frailty risk had higher rates of reoperation; transfusion; readmission; and surgical, internal, Clavien-Dindo grade IV, and other complications. Upon multivariate logistic regression analyses, a high HFRS independently predicted reoperation; readmission; and internal, surgical, and other complications.
Study: Subchondral Bone Changes in Medial Gutter in Chronic Ankle Instability
A study published online in Foot & Ankle International analyzed changes in the subchondral bone of the medial gutter of chronic ankle instability (CAI). CT imaging was performed on 35 CAI ankles and 35 controls. The CAI group had a significantly higher mean Hounsfield unit (HU) ratio than the control group. HU ratios in at least 10 degrees of talar tilt angle were significantly higher than those in less than 10 degrees in the CAI group, but HU ratios did not largely differ regardless of osteoarthritis change in the medial gutter.
Study: Geographic Distribution of U.S. Female Orthopaedic Surgeons
A study published in the July issue of Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research ® observed significant variation in the geographic distribution of female orthopaedic surgeons across the United States. The researchers queried two Medicare databases to identify orthopaedic surgeons with at least 11 Medicare claims in one year for a single procedure type. Physicians were then grouped by geographic region. Female orthopaedic surgeons were more prevalent in New England (7.3 percent) and the Pacific region (6.5 percent) than the South Atlantic (4.5 percent) and East South Central regions (3.5 percent). The variation was more significant compared to that of other specialties and male orthopaedic surgeons.
The COVID-19 public health emergency, which was set to expire on July 25, has been extended for a second time. The latest renewal means the emergency will now extend for another 90 days. The public health emergency has allowed for policies including a 20 percent Medicare inpatient add-on payment for COVID-19 patients, COVID-19 tests covered by insurance without cost-sharing, relaxed telemedicine restrictions, and more.
Deadline Approaching for Paycheck Protection Program
The well-known Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is designed to incentivize small businesses to keep their employees on staff and is one of the only programs that offers short-term, government-backed loans that will be forgiven if employers maintain payroll during the emergency. The deadline to apply for a PPP loan is Aug. 8.
Academy Registry Program Now Captures COVID-19 Data
The Academy’s Registry Program is now collecting COVID-19 data through the capture of the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision code for COVID-19 confirmed diagnosis, U07.1. The new code is enabled across each of the AAOS registries, comprising the American Joint Replacement Registry, Shoulder & Elbow Registry, Musculoskeletal Tumor Registry, and American Spine Registry, the latter a collaborative effort between the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and AAOS.
OrthoInfo, the AAOS patient education website, is seeking an editor-in-chief. This position begins on Jan. 1, 2021. The editor-in-chief oversees editorial planning and content development for the website, directs the OrthoInfo Editorial Board, recruits new authors, and peer reviews articles included in each monthly website posting. Applicants should have previous editorial experience writing patient education material and/or working on a website, as well as an abiding interest in patient communication and a strong commitment to its value in the patient’s health care. The application deadline is Aug. 12.
