The Importance of Outcome Measurement in Orthopaedics

Excerpt

Value in healthcare can be defined as the ratio of the benefits that accrue to patients from treatment received to the dollars spent providing that treatment. It is widely believed that healthcare in the United States is moving from a volume-driven paradigm to a system that increasingly rewards value in healthcare delivery. How can orthopaedic surgeons measure the value and the quality of care they deliver to their patients? The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS), in its position paper Public Reporting of Provider Performance [1] states: “The AAOS believes that systems for measuring and reporting quality in health care should continue to evolve and expand. The current generation of quality measures, which primarily rely on process measures and administrative data, have not yet been proven to accurately correlate with improved functional outcomes, which are the primary outcomes of interest to patients who undergo orthopedic procedures.” Most patients elect to undergo orthopaedic surgery to relieve pain and improve physical function. In order to demonstrate value, orthopaedic surgeons must assess the results of their surgical interventions by measuring the degree of pain relief and improved physical function the patient experiences after surgery. …