Today’s Top Story
FDA announces recall of Zimmer Biomet SpF PLUS-Mini and SpF XL IIB Implantable Spinal Fusion Stimulators.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced a Class I recall of Zimmer Biomet SpF PLUS-Mini and SpF XL IIB Implantable Spinal Fusion Stimulators due to higher than allowed levels of potentially cytotoxic chemicals found during routine monitoring procedures. The stimulators are implanted into the patient’s back during spinal fusion procedures, and provide constant electrical stimulation to the surgical site. FDA states that use of the affected products may cause serious adverse health consequences, including but not limited to, chronic infections, long-term hospitalization due to additional surgical procedures, paralysis, and death.
AAOS issued a Patient Safety Member Alert regarding this issue. Read the FDA statement…

Other News

Zimmer Biomet issues corrective safety notice for cementless unicompartmental knee system.
Biomet UK Ltd. has initiated a voluntary field safety corrective action involving the Cementless Oxford Partial Knee Unicompartmental Knee Replacement System, a product that is also marketed in the United States. The company has noted a trend in tibial plateau fractures involving specific components of the system, and states that an investigation into cause has revealed the importance that certain steps in surgical technique are followed to reduce the risk of such fractures Read the company statement (PDF)…
Read the Biomet technique instructions (PDF)…

Study: Increase in obese TJA patients may be linked to increases in revision and infection.
A study published in the July issue of the journal Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research finds that an increase in the number of obese patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty (TJA) may be related to growing trends of revision and infection following TJA. The research team reviewed data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database and other public sources. They found that 39 percent of total hip arthroplasty patients were obese in 1998, compared to 52 percent of THA patients in 2011. Similarly, 57 percent of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients were obese in 1998, compared to 70 percent of TKA patients in 2011. Over the same period, the research team identified increasing prevalence of obesity with rates of THA and TKA revision and rates of THA and TKA infection. Read the abstract…

Study: One-quarter of nursing home residents may be colonized with resistant bacteria.
Findings published in the May issue of the American Journal of Infection Control suggest that many nursing home residents may be colonized with multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria (MDR-GNB). The researchers conducted a meta-analysis of eight studies covering 2,720 nursing home residents. They found that reported MDR-GNB colonization ranged from 11.2 percent to 59.1 percent, with a pooled prevalence of 27 percent. Read more…
Read the abstract…

Article looks at challenges, opportunities in Medicare QPP.
An article in HealthLeaders Media summarizes the implementation of the Medicare Quality Payment Program (QPP). QPP was established under the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act. The article highlights the following two payment tracks under QPP:

  • Starting in 2019, most clinicians receiving reimbursement through QPP will be paid through the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS), which features data reporting in four performance categories that drive payment bonus and penalty mechanisms
  • Clinicians participating in MACRA-approved alternative payment models (APMs) such as the Medicare Shared Savings Program can earn 5 percent payment bonuses

So-called QPP “pick-your-pace” reporting began this year, with associated payment adjustments set to begin in 2019. Starting in 2018, most providers will be required to participate in QPP data reporting, with increased financial consequences for clinician compensation. Read more…

CMS to eliminate Social Security numbers from Medicare cards; offers new CCM materials for patients and professionals.
The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) states that Social Security numbers will be removed from Medicare cards as part of a fraud reduction initiative. New cards will be issued using a unique, randomly-assigned Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) number in place of the current Social Security-based Health Insurance Claim Number (HICN). CMS will begin mailing new cards in April 2018 to meet a congressionally mandated deadline to replace all Medicare cards by April 2019. The agency states that there will be a 21-month transition period, during which providers will be able to use either the MBI or the HICN. Read more…
     In other news, the CMS Chronic Care Management Resource has published new flyers and posters to help patients and healthcare professionals understand chronic care management (CCM) services. The materials address a variety of conditions, including osteoarthritis, and are available free to healthcare providers. Set up an account and order resource materials…

Call for volunteers: Diversity Advisory Board.
Aug. 1 is the last day to submit your application for a position on the Diversity Advisory Board. The Diversity Advisory Board provides resources to assist AAOS members in providing culturally competent care to diverse populations, and develops and implements strategies to overcome barriers faced by minorities when choosing orthopaedics as a career. The following positions are available:

  • Chair
  • Communications Cabinet liaison
  • Education Council liaison
  • Member-at-large (one opening)

Applicants for the chair and liaison openings must be active fellows; applicants for the member-at-large opening must be active fellows, candidate members, candidate members osteopathic, candidate member applicants for fellowship, candidate member applicants for fellowship osteopathic, associate members orthopaedic, or associate members osteopathic. Learn more and submit your application…(member login required)