Today’s Top Story
Support SGR repeal as part of National Call to Action Day.
A bipartisan coalition has introduced identical bills in both houses of the U.S. Congress to repeal the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula and avoid an approximate 21 percent reduction in Medicare reimbursement scheduled to take effect April 1. AAOS and the American Medical Association (AMA) are urging physicians across the United States to participate in a National Call to Action Day today, March 24, by contacting their senators and representatives and urging them to support SGR repeal. The following three avenues are suggested:

  • Sending an email to lawmakers reinforcing the urgent need for SGR repeal.
  • Contacting legislators through social media channels using the hashtags #SGR and #FixSGR.
  • Calling lawmakers via the AMA toll-free Physicians Grassroots Hotline at 800-833-6354.

Read more…
Write a letter to your legislators through the AAOS Action Center…
Read more in today’s AAOS Now Daily Edition…
Read more in AAOS Advocacy Now…
    American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) President Frederick M. Azar, MD, states, “The AAOS commends congressional leadership for introducing legislation to permanently repeal and replace the SGR formula. We appreciate the tremendous effort leadership and committees have put into SGR reform and urge Congress to enact a permanent solution before the current patch expires.” Read more…

Other News

Last chance to vote for 2015 AAOS leadership!
Online voting is still open on the AAOS website but voting closes tomorrow, March 25, at 1 p.m. PDT. The results of the balloting will be announced on Thursday, March 26, during the 2015 Association business meeting at the AAOS Annual Meeting. The new leaders will take office at the conclusion of the 2015 Annual Meeting. The 2015 Nominating Committee has identified and announced the following candidates for the named positions:

  • Second Vice-President: William J. Maloney, MD (Calif.)
  • At-Large Member of Board of Directors (no age designation): Howard R. Epps, MD (Texas)
  • At-Large Member of the Board of Directors (under age 45): Daniel C. Farber, MD (Pa.)
  • Member of the National Membership Committee: Robert M. Orfaly, MD (Ore.)
  • Four nominees to the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (ABOS):
    • Joshua J. Jacobs, MD (Ill.)
    • Keith Kenter, MD (Ohio)
    • Gregory A. Mencio, MD (Tenn.)
    • Dean C. Taylor, COL, MD (N.C.)

Submit your ballot…(member login required)

Don’t miss the AAOS Annual Meeting opening ceremony!
The Annual Meeting opening ceremony will feature comments from Dr. Azar on the theme “Standing United for Our Patients and Our Profession.” In addition, the opening ceremony will feature a report from Karen Hackett, AAOS chief executive officer, and a welcome to China as the 2015 Guest Nation. The opening ceremony will take place Wednesday, March 25, 4 to 5:30 p.m., in Venetian Ballroom E at the Venetian/Sands Expo Center. Read more…

Study: Surgical approach may not affect patient function 6 weeks after THA.
Data from Scientific Poster P008 presented at the AAOS Annual Meeting suggest that patients who undergo either direct anterior approach (DAA) total hip arthroplasty (THA) or posterior approach (PA) THA may have similar early subjective and objective functional outcomes. The research team randomized 52 THA patients between the ages of 18 years and 85 years to undergo THA via either DAA (n = 27) or PA (n = 25). They analyzed patient-reported outcome scores and instrumented measures of function, and compared length of hospital stay and number of days to discontinued use of an assistive ambulatory device between the two patient groups. Although DAA THA patients were discharged from the hospital earlier, walked without an assistive device earlier, and had better pain relief at 6 weeks, none of the other patient-reported or objective functional measures differed between the two groups. Scientific Poster P008 is on display in Academy Hall G at the Venetian/Sands Expo Center. Read more…
Read the abstract…
     AAOS has set up a website to view Scientific Posters electronically. To view this poster, simply click the following link, select the “search” button, and enter “#P204” (without quotes, with pound sign) in the search field, then click the “find” button. When the poster title comes up, click that, then click the “view ePoster” button. Search AAOS Scientific Posters…

Read the Annual Meeting editions of AAOS Now on your tablet!
For the first time, the AAOS Now Daily Edition is now available for electronic devices capable of reading files in ePub format, including the iPhone and iPad, Android devices, and desktop computers (unfortunately, Amazon Kindle does not currently accept ePub files). To download and view the ePub version of AAOS Now Daily Edition, visit the link below and log in using your AAOS username and password. If you have any comments or questions, please email Peter Pollack, electronic content specialist, at ppollack@aaos.org.
Download and read AAOS Now Daily Edition in ePub format…(member login required)

Call for volunteers: ACR Appropriateness Criteria Expert Panels on Musculoskeletal and Neurological Imaging.
AAOS seeks to nominate members to the American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria Expert Panels on Musculoskeletal and Neurological Imaging. The representatives will work with the panels to develop and update topics for select musculoskeletal, neurological, and pediatric conditions. Applicants for this position must be active fellows, candidate members, candidate members osteopathic, candidate member applicants for fellowship, or candidate member applicants for fellowship osteopathic with experience in evidence-based guidelines. In addition, all applicants must provide the following: an online AAOS CAP application, a current curriculum vitae, a 100-word biosketch, and a letter of interest highlighting his or her expertise in the subject area and a statement that he or she is able to participate in full capacity. All supporting materials must be submitted by March 29, 2015 at 11:59 p.m. CT, to Kyle Shah at shah@aaos.org.
Learn more and submit your application…(member login required)