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The American Joint Replacement Registry (AJRR), part of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) Registry Program, is the largest orthopaedic hip and knee registry in the world by annual procedure count. The AJRR 2018 Annual Report’s at-a-glance summary of key insights related to total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is shared below. This summary format and content is a perennial favorite of our blog readership. We have tracked and reported these measures in previous years and some trends have emerged. The blog also discusses some of the Registry’s new analytic capabilities and what they contribute to current and future Registry findings.

A patient-reported outcomes program can help you choose the right surgeon and facility.

In this article, the AAOS Registry Program’s Public Advisory Board (PAB) member Timothy Mojonnier shares his personal experience as a joint replacement surgery patient. This article is not a substitute for physician recommendations.

Guest Blogger:
Timothy M. Mojonnier
President, Mojonnier & Associates
Educator, Loyola University

My symptoms appeared ten years ago while playing tennis. As I moved towards the net, I felt a stabbing pain in my right knee, so severe that I could barely walk. Upon returning home and getting x-rays, my orthopaedic specialist delivered the news: I had osteoarthritis. She indicated it was likely that I would eventually require a knee replacement; however, for eight years I was able to avoid the surgeon’s scalpel through a combination of physical therapy and medication.

This article was originally published in the December 2018 issue of AAOS Now, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons' (AAOS) monthly news magazine.

The National Evaluation System for health Technology Coordinating Center (NESTcc), an initiative of the Medical Device Innovation Consortium (MDIC), announced the first round of NESTcc test-cases that address topics of high priority from the medical device industry using real-world data and evidence.

“It’s exciting to reveal this milestone for NEST with the launch of these first test-cases… with health systems and coordinated registry networks through the NESTcc network collaborators,” said Rachael Fleurence, PhD, executive director of NESTcc.

The initial concepts were submitted in January 2018 through a public call open to medical device manufacturers. The test-cases will address two primary objectives. First, they will explore the feasibility for the medical device industry to work with real-world data sources and NESTcc’s initial set of network collaborators. Second, the test-cases will help identify areas where NESTcc could play a role in reducing transaction costs (e.g., contracting, institutional review board, data-sharing agreements, publication policies).

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) RegistryInsights™ provides users with an overview of their submitted procedures and of the registry as a whole. From the homepage, users can navigate to the American Joint Replacement Registry (AJRR) and new Shoulder & Elbow Registry, the musculoskeletal tumor pilot, and other offerings as they become available.

This article was originally published in the December 2018 issue of AAOS Now, the AAOS' monthly news magazine.

It’s been a year of milestones and trailblazing accomplishments for the AAOS Registry Program. In its 2018 Annual Report, having completed its reintegration within AAOS, the AJRR tallied 1,186,955 procedures from 1,067 institutions from 2012 to 2017, establishing the AJRR as the largest orthopaedic registry by annual procedure count.

"Registries are tools to help the medical profession collect data, report, and benchmark to define patient-centered quality care to identify potential procedural or implant problems before they become widespread public health issues," said AAOS President David A. Halsey, MD. "Other national joint replacement registries such as the Swedish Hip Arthroplasty Register have proven that monitoring survivorship can reduce revision rates. That translates into reducing direct medical costs and, more importantly, improving patient care and quality of life."

What to Expect - And Helpful Advice

Guest Blogger:
Richard F. Seiden, Esq.

In this article, the AAOS Registry Program’s Public Advisory Board (PAB) member Richard Seiden shares his personal experience as a joint replacement surgery patient (he’s had hip replacements, knee replacements, and shoulder replacements). Mr. Seiden offers patients with joint issues helpful advice to better prepare for dealing with pre-, day-of-, and post-surgical needs. This article is not a substitute for physician recommendations.

Since The Joint Commission and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) announced their Advanced Total Hip and Total Knee Replacement (THKR) collaboration in September, The Joint Commission has announced it will implement a new requirement for hospitals, critical access hospitals, and ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). The new requirement appears in the program-specific eligibility criteria, as well as Performance Measurement (DSPM) Standard DSPM.4, Element of Performance (EP) 2b in the Comprehensive Certification Manual for Disease-Specific Care. This blog addresses an update to The Joint Commission requirements.

Upon publication of the new requirement, hospitals and ASCs began asking which registries would be sufficient to fulfill it. Based on questions from organizations about registries that meet the new THKR certification requirements, The Joint Commission researched registry options and convened discussions with the AAOS and other stakeholders.

Based on information collected, The Joint Commission has revised the program-specific requirement and DSPM.4, EP 2b to require that THKR-certified organizations participate in the American Joint Replacement Registry (AJRR). This requirement revision is designed to improve the safety and quality of services for patients electing to undergo total joint arthroplasty by selecting a robust and well established national registry to provide benchmarked performance data that can drive care processes improvements.

New Data, New Initiatives, and New Collaborations

The American Joint Replacement Registry (AJRR), part of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) Registry Program, releases its 2018 AJRR Annual Report on hip and knee arthroplasty data today at the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons (AAHKS) 2018 Annual Meeting. The Annual Report is also available for download. AJRR is the largest orthopaedic registry in the world based on annual procedures submitted. Analysis of the latest Registry data yields new insight into U.S. hip and knee arthroplasty practice. This is the fifth annual report that AJRR has released.

This article was originally published in the October 2018 issue of AAOS Now, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons' (AAOS) monthly news magazine.

First Module Will Cover Shoulder Replacement

October is a milestone month for the Academy’s Registry Program, as it launches the Shoulder & Elbow Registry (SER). Building on the success of the American Joint Replacement Registry (AJRR)—the trailblazer data depository and resource for U.S. knee and hip arthroplasty that last year was reintegrated under the AAOS umbrella—SER will be previewed at the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) meeting Oct. 11–14 and make its formal debut at the Academy’s Fall Meeting Oct. 25–27.

Pick Up Your Copy of the New AJRR Annual Report on November 2

The American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons (AAHKS) 2018 Annual Meeting promises an outstanding program. The American Joint Replacement Registry (AJRR) is looking forward to attending and seeing you in Dallas, Texas, on November 1 – 4, 2018.

The AAHKS Annual Meeting attracts orthopaedic surgeons specializing in hip and knee replacement from around the world, fellows just starting their careers, and orthopaedic surgical team members. Where can you engage with AJRR during your visit? At the podium, in the poster exhibition, and in the Learning Center/Exhibit Hall. Be sure to visit the AJRR exhibit (Table #4) and pick up your copy of the new AJRR 2018 Annual Report.

On September 26, 2018, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) announced collaboration with The Joint Commission to incorporate AAOS clinical expertise into standards development and performance measurement requirements for Total Hip and Knee Replacement (THKR) Certification. The Joint Commission established the voluntary advanced certification in 2016 for accredited hospitals, critical access hospitals, and ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) seeking to elevate the quality, consistency, and safety of their services and patient care.