Root Cause Analysis and Actions for the Prevention of Medical Errors: Quality Improvement and Resident Education

The quality of care delivered by orthopedic surgeons continues to grow in importance. Multiple orthopedic programs, organizations, and committees have been created to measure the quality of surgical care and reduce the incidence of medical adverse events. Structured root cause analysis and actions (RCA2) has become an area of interest. If performed thoroughly, RCA2 has been shown to reduce surgical errors across many subspecialties. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education has a new mandate for programs to involve residents in quality improvement processes. Resident engagement in the RCA2 process has the dual benefit of educating trainees in patient safety and producing meaningful changes to patient care that may not occur with traditional quality improvement initiatives. The RCA2 process described in this article can provide a model for the development of quality improvement programs. In this article, the authors discuss the history and methods of the RCA2 process, provide a stepwise approach, and give a case example. [Orthopedics. 2017; 40(4):e628-e635.].

Informal (Hallway) medical consultation in orthopedics-is it as common as it seems?

INTRODUCTION

Informal (hallway) medical consultation is an integral part of the physician's work. As musculoskeletal complaints are very common, orthopedic surgeons stand in the frontline of this practice. Many of these consultations are poorly, if at all, documented, thus imposing a potential medical danger to the patient and a medicolegal danger to the surgeon. We conducted this first study to examine whether this practice is common among the orthopedic surgeons in university hospital.

METHODS

In this prospective study, a 2-month record of informal consultations was kept. Six orthopedic surgeons-two joint reconstruction surgeons, one spine surgeon, two arthroscopy and sports medicine surgeons, and a shoulder surgeon participated. They recorded the details of the consulter, whether the consultation was for himself or somebody else, the major complaint, and whether it was a second opinion. All patients were advised to go to the formal orthopedic consultation and no advice or treatment was given. At the end of 2 months, each surgeon was asked to evaluate the percentage of cases he had failed to report.

RESULTS

During the 2-month period, 158 people asked for informal (hallway) consultations. 11 of them (7%) were physicians, 114 (72%) were other hospital personnel, 26 (17%) were unrelated to hospital, and 6 (4%) were treated patients' relatives. 93 (59%) of consultations were about the consulter himself and the rest were about a relative or a friend. 41 (26%) were requests for a second opinion. The estimated percentage of not reported cases was 10-40%; when the number of consultations was corrected for these figures, it reached 208 consultations in 2 months.

DISCUSSION

In this prospective study, six participating surgeons recorded 158 informal consultation requests in 2 months. If a correction is performed, it averages 0.6 consultations a day for a surgeon (or, if only workdays are counted-0.8 consultations a day). Orthopedic surgeons should be aware of this frequent habit and send these patients to a formal consultation.

Inferior reliability of VAS scoring compared with International Society of the Knee reporting system for abstract assessment

INTRODUCTION

Knowledge of how abstracts may be se-lected for medical conferences in an efficient and reliable manner is sparse. To improve abstract selection, the Danish Orthopaedic Society implemented the International Society of the Knee (ISK) quality-of-reporting system and visual analogue scale (VAS) scoring for abstract evaluation at its 2014 Annual Congress. We sought to find out if a simple VAS score was more reliable than a multiple-question system for assessment of over-all abstract quality.

METHODS

A total of 214 abstracts were submitted for review. All abstracts were reviewed by 3 reviewers using a VAS score and the ISK score. Of the 214, 71 abstracts were reviewed again 6 months later to estimate intra-rater agreement.

RESULTS

The VAS and the ISK score were poorly correlated (r = 0.64), and the ISK score demonstrated a better intra- and interrater agreement (p < 0.001). The VAS scores of all abstracts were more widely distributed than the ISK scores, which clustered around values in the 50-70 range. Chronbach's alpha for the ISK score was 0.66 (95% confidence interval: 0.62-0.68).

CONCLUSIONS

The VAS score has a poorer intra- and interrater agreement than the ISK score, and the two scores do not correlate well. VAS scores were more widely distributed, which is beneficial when selecting a scientific programme, but the score is unreliable. We continue to use the ISK score, although its reliability may still be improved.

FUNDING

none.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

not relevant.

The Japanese Orthopedic Association Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire (JOABPEQ): A validation of the reliability of the Thai version

BACKGROUND

The Japanese Orthopedic Association Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire (JOABPEQ) was developed by the Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) for assessment of lower back pain and lumbar spinal disease. We aimed to translate the JOABPEQ into Thai and test its reliability and validity in the Thai context.

METHODS

The original JOABPEQ was translated into Thai in accordance with international recommendations. Then 180 lumbar spinal disease patients (mean age 58.58 ± 11.97, 68.3% female) were asked to complete the Thai version of the JOABPEQ twice at 2-week intervals. Test-retest reliability was analyzed using the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). Internal consistencies were analyzed using Cronbach's alpha, while the construct validity was compared with the Thai version of the modified SF-36, and tested using the Spearman's rank correlation coefficient.

RESULTS

The Thai JOABPEQ showed satisfactory test-retest reliability in all parameters (Intra-class Correlation Coefficient 0.761-0.862). The variables low back pain, walking ability, social life function, and mental health had satisfactory internal consistency (the respective Cronbach's α was 0.798, 0.721, 0.707, and 0.795). Only the lumbar function parameter showed moderate reliability (Cronbach's α = 0.654). All of the variables in the Thai JOABPEQ had a statistically positive correlation with the correspondent Thai SF-36 subscales (Spearman's rank correlation p value < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The Thai version of JOABPEQ had satisfactory internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and construct validity; it can be used as a reliable tool for assessing quality of life for lumbar spinal disease patients in Thailand.

The Japanese Orthopedic Association Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire: A Turkish validation study

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to apply cross-cultural adaptation and validity assessment to the Turkish translation of the Japanese Orthopedic Association Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire applied to patients conservatively monitored for lumbar disc hernia and narrowing of the lumbar canal.

METHODS

The questionnaire was translated into Turkish based on guidelines. In respect of the comprehensibility of the obtained pre-final version of the questionnaire, a pilot test was applied to 20 healthy individuals. The patients were requested to complete the final version of the questionnaire after an orthopedic and physical therapy assistant doctor (resident) had completed the diagnosis and demographic information. To evaluate the retest reliability, the test was applied a second time, 14 days (±3 days) after the first application, again in the Orthopedics and Physical Therapy Outpatient Clinic.

RESULTS

The study was completed with a total of 215 individuals, comprising 107 patients and 108 healthy volunteers. When Turkish version of the questionnaire scale was evaluated of the patients and healthy volunteers together, the internal consistency was determined at the levels of Cronbach's α excellent. The lowest correlations of all the questionnaire scale items with the scale sub-dimensions was at the level of r = 0.509, which demonstrated that there was a sufficient validity level of the Turkish translated questionnaire scale. A statistically significant direct correlation at a high level was seen between the pre and post points in all the scale sub-dimensions.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of the current study showed that Turkish version of the questionnaire had sufficient reliability and validity in the evaluation of low back pain and resulting dysfunction and disability in patients with LDH and narrowing of the lumbar canal.

Agreement between a physiotherapist and an orthopaedic surgeon regarding management and prescription of corticosteroid injection for patients with shoulder pain

BACKGROUND

Physiotherapists increasingly manage shoulder referrals in place of orthopaedic doctors. Better understanding the agreement between these professionals will help inform the safety, quality and potential costs of these care models.

OBJECTIVE

To establish the level of agreement between a physiotherapist and an orthopaedic surgeon regarding diagnosis, management and corticosteroid injection, in a representative sample of orthopaedic shoulder referrals.

DESIGN

Blinded inter-rater agreement study.

METHOD

274 public orthopaedic shoulder patients were independently assessed by a physiotherapist and an orthopaedic surgeon. Management, subacromial corticosteroid injection, diagnosis and investigation decisions were compared using inter-rater reliability statistics.

RESULTS

Agreement between the physiotherapist and the orthopaedic surgeon was near perfect for surgical versus nonsurgical management (Gwets agreement coefficient AC1 = 0.93, 95%CI: 0.90-0.93), safety of injection (AC1 = 0.85, CI: 0.79-0.91) and investigations requested (AC1 = 0.87, CI: 0.83-0.91); substantial for the presence of subacromial pain (AC1 = 0.74, CI: 0.66-0.81) and diagnosis (AC1 = 0.72, CI: 0.66-0.78); and moderate regarding delivery of subacromial corticosteroid injection as an immediate treatment (AC1 = 0.48, CI 0.33-0.53), with the physiotherapist less inclined to select corticosteroid injection as the first intervention.

CONCLUSION

In this study a physiotherapist with prescribing and injection training made decisions analogous to those of an orthopaedic surgeon at initial consultation for orthopaedic shoulder pain, including the safe identification of patients for subacromial injection, without prior screening of referrals by orthopaedic doctors.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Australia and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, number 12612000532808.

Access to orthopaedic spinal specialists in the Canterbury public health system: quantifying the unmet need

AIM

The aim of this project was to determine the unmet need within the public health system for patients referred for elective Orthopaedic Specialist Spinal assessment and treatment in the Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) region.

METHODS

Between January 2014 and January 2015 data was collected from all elective referrals to the CDHB Orthopaedic Spinal Service. During this period, the number of available outpatient appointments was set by the CDHB. Within this clinical capacity, patients were triaged by the four consultant surgeons into those of most need based on the referral letter and available radiological imaging. Those unable to be provided with a clinical appointment were discharged back to their GP for ongoing conservative care. Of those patients that received specialist assessment and were considered in need of elective surgical intervention, a proportion were denied treatment if the surgery was unable to be performed within the government determined four-month waiting time threshold.

RESULTS

During the study period, 707 patients were referred to the CDHB orthopaedic spinal team for elective specialist assessment. Of these, 522 (74%) were declined an outpatient appointment due to a lack of available clinical time. Of the 185 patients given a specialist assessment, 158 (85%) were recommended for elective surgery. Ninety-one (58%) were denied surgery and referred back for ongoing GP care due to unavailable operating capacity within the four-month waiting list threshold. Within this group of 91 patients, 16 patients were declined on multiple occasions (14 patients twice and two patients on three occasions).

CONCLUSIONS

This study quantifies the unmet need for both Spinal Orthopaedic Specialist assessment and, if warranted, surgical management of elective spine conditions within the Canterbury public health system. It highlights the degree of rationing within the public health system and its failure to adequately provide for the Canterbury Public.

The Need for Clinical Hand Education in Emergency Medicine Residency Programs

BACKGROUND

Complaints related to the hands, wrists, and fingers comprise approximately 3.7 million emergency department visits annually. The complexity of this subject can confound timely diagnosis and treatment, particularly if the treating physician has not received specialized training. We set out to determine whether emergency medicine training in the USA provides adequate preparation for dealing with the identification, management, and treatment of hand, wrist, and finger injuries.

METHODS

The curricula for 160 accredited U.S. emergency medicine programs were obtained. Each of these was examined to see whether a clinical "hand" rotation was included as a required module. Clinical hand rotations were then classified by length of rotation, the postgraduate years in which they were offered, and if they were offered as stand-alone modules or combined with other rotations.

RESULTS

Of the 160 programs, 21 (13.1%) require a clinical hand rotation. Sixteen offer a dedicated module, and five are part of another rotation. The mean amount of time dedicated to hand education was 3 weeks. The 16 dedicated hand rotations had a mean duration of 2.69 weeks; combined rotations were 4 weeks. Four incorporated hand education in the first postgraduate year (PGY-1), 13 into the second (PGY-2), and 3 into the third (PGY-3).

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the preponderance of hand injuries seen by emergency physicians, the clinical and legal pitfalls that accompany these conditions, and the benefits to be gained from specialized training, very few programs emphasize clinical hand training in an equivalent fashion.

Accuracy of Athletic Trainer and Physician Diagnoses in Sports Medicine

It is standard practice in high school athletic programs for certified athletic trainers to evaluate and treat injured student athletes. In some cases, a trainer refers an athlete to a physician for definitive medical management. This study was conducted to determine the rate of agreement between athletic trainers and physicians regarding assessment of injuries in student athletes. All high school athletes who were injured between 2010 and 2012 at 5 regional high schools were included in a research database. All patients who were referred for physician evaluation and treatment were identified and included in this analysis. A total of 286 incidents met the inclusion criteria. A total of 263 (92%) of the athletic trainer assessments and physician diagnoses were in agreement. In the 23 cases of disagreement, fractures and sprains were the most common injuries. Kappa analysis showed the highest interrater agreement in injuries classified as dislocations and concussions and the lowest interrater agreement in meniscal/labral injuries and fractures. In the absence of a confirmed diagnosis, agreement among health care providers can be used to infer accuracy. According to this principle, as agreement between athletic trainers and physicians improves, there is a greater likelihood of arriving at the correct assessment and treatment plan. Athletic trainers are highly skilled professionals who are well trained in the evaluation of athletic injuries. The current study showed that additional training in identifying fractures may be beneficial to athletic trainers and the athletes they treat. [Orthopedics. 2016; 39(5):e944-e949.].

Validity of the Japanese Orthopaedic Association scoring system based on patient-reported improvement after posterior lumbar interbody fusion

BACKGROUND CONTEXT

The Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scoring system is a physician-based outcome that has been used to evaluate treatment effectiveness after lumbar surgery. However, patient-centered evaluation becomes increasingly important. There is no study that has examined the relationship between the JOA scoring system and patients' self-reported improvement.

PURPOSE

The purpose of the present study was to validate the JOA scoring system for assessment of patient-reported improvement after lumbar surgery.

STUDY DESIGN

This is a retrospective review of prospectively collected data.

PATIENT SAMPLE

The patient sample included 273 mail-in responders of the 466 consecutive patients who underwent posterior lumbar interbody fusion for spondylolisthesis between 1996 and 2008 in a single hospital.

OUTCOME MEASURES

The outcome measures were the JOA scoring system and patients' self-reported improvement.

METHODS

Two hundred seventy three patients were divided into five anchoring groups based on self-reported improvement from "Much better" to "Much worse." Outcomes (ie, recovery rate, amount of change from preoperative condition, and postoperative score) based on the JOA scoring system were compared among groups. Using the patient's self-reported improvement scale as an anchor, the association among each of the outcomes was examined. The cutoff point and the area under the curve (AUC) that differentiated "Improved" from "Neither improved nor worse" was calculated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.

RESULTS

The recovery rate and postoperative score were significantly different in 9 of 10 pairs of anchoring groups. The amount of change was significantly different in six pairs. Spearman correlation coefficient for the 5-point scale anchors of patients' self-reported improvement was 0.20 (p=.001) for the baseline score, 0.31 (p<.001) for the amount of change, 0.55 (p<.001) for the recovery rate, and 0.56 (p<.001) for the postoperative score. According to ROC analysis, the best cutoff points and AUCs were 13 points and 0.69, respectively, for the amount of change, 67% and 0.73, respectively, for recovery rate, and 23 points and 0.72, respectively, for postoperative score.

CONCLUSIONS

The JOA scoring system is a valid method for assessment of patients' self-reported improvement. Patients' self-reported improvement is more likely to be associated with the final condition, such as postoperative score or recovery rate, rather than the change from the preoperative condition.

Referring wisely: orthopedic referral guidelines at an academic institution

OBJECTIVES

To develop local orthopedic guidelines for use in referral decision support and electronic consultation programs at University of California, San Francisco Health.

STUDY DESIGN

Modified Delphi method.

METHODS

We performed a 2-phase modified Delphi study to identify consensus between primary care and orthopedic clinicians for common musculoskeletal problems.

RESULTS

Clinicians agreed that confirming patient interest in an orthopedic procedure should be completed prior to referral in 81% of clinical scenarios, as well as conservative management in 80%, physical therapy in 60%, and x-ray prior to referral in 42% of scenarios. Clinicians agreed an MRI should not be performed prior to referral in most (58%) clinical scenarios.

CONCLUSIONS

In the absence of national guidelines, a process for local guideline generation is needed in order to provide nuanced and detailed decision support at the point of referral. The Delphi method proved an effective process to achieve this end.

An assessment of the Chilean National Examination of Orthopaedic Surgery

BACKGROUND

The Chilean National Examination of Orthopaedic Surgery (EMNOT) has been administered since 2009. It was developed to determine whether individual residents are meeting minimal knowledge standards at the end of their training programs.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective evaluation of the EMNOT for all years it has been administered (2009-2015). The test was analyzed for content, taxonomy of questions asked (1: direct recall; 2: diagnosis; 3: evaluation/decision-making), residents' performance, difficulty index and discrimination index.

RESULTS

During the years of EMNOT administration, the most frequently tested areas have been pediatric orthopaedics (22.9 %), spine (13.8 %), general orthopaedics (13.8 %) and musculoskeletal trauma (9.9 %). A significant increase in questions with images was observed, as well as a significant decrease in the percentage of Type 1 and an increase in Type 3 questions. The Difficulty Index showed a medium level of difficulty for all years the examination has been administered. The Discrimination Index showed good discrimination in 2009, fair discrimination from 2010 through 2012, and excellent discrimination from 2013 through 2015.

CONCLUSION

The EMNOT has evolved over several years to include better quality questions, better discrimination, and a more representative distribution of questions covering the different orthopaedic sub-specialties. This examination represents an effective instrument for quality assurance of orthopaedic residency programs in Chile.

On Track to Professorship? A Bibliometric Analysis of Early Scholarly Output

Academic productivity, demonstrated by a record of scholarly publication, is the main criterion for academic promotion. Nevertheless, there are no data on early-career productivity milestones to guide young faculty members aspiring to attain professor status. We performed a bibliometric analysis to determine the number of scholarly papers published by current professors of orthopedic surgery within 5 years after their having acquired American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery certification (termed early scholarly output). Median early scholarly output for all professors (N = 108) was 11 publications. We found medians of 5 first-author and 2 last-author publications, and 4 publications in Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research or Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. Median number of papers cited at least 50 times by year 5 was 2. The median number of total citations was 29.5, and median Hirsch index (h-index) was 3. Faculty who were clinical professors published fewer papers and acquired fewer citations than faculty who were promoted but did have the clinical descriptor. Professors certified after 1995 were more productive than those certified before 1990. This descriptive study provided benchmark data on early scholarly productivity of current professors of orthopedic surgery and demonstrated this benchmark has risen in more recent years.

Outcome Measure Development

Measuring patient-reported outcomes is the current method for conducting clinical research. Creating a new outcome measure is an exhaustive process that should be carefully monitored and concentrated on only important and common conditions. The evaluation of an existing outcome measure should involve assessing its internal consistency, reliability, floor and ceiling effects, validity, and ability to measure clinically meaningful change. The most important characteristic of a patient-reported outcome is that it is developed with direct input from its target patient population. Item generation and reduction is the most critical step in the development process because it "guarantees" that patients have communicated what is important to them and represents content validity. Outcome measures should not change; rather, they should demonstrate responsiveness by being reproducible and reliable if a patient's clinical condition is stable or reflect differences if a patient's clinical condition varies. Validation is an iterative process and requires patients from different settings and circumstances.

Patient radiation doses in various fluoroscopically guided orthopaedic procedures

All orthopaedic fluoroscopic procedures performed using C-arm guidance were monitored for 1 y. The type of procedure, fluoroscopy time (T), kerma-area product (KAP) values and number of radiographs (F) were recorded. The two most often performed techniques were as follows: intramedullary nailing (IMN) of intertrochanteric/peritrochanteric (IP) fractures (101 cases, 49.3 %) and antergrade IMN of femur or tibia shaft (TS) fractures (28 cases, 13.7 %). For the remaining procedures, none accounted for >5 %, categorised as 'various' (76 cases, 37 %). Large variations in T, KAP and F were observed. For IMN of IP fractures, antergrade IMN of femur and TS fractures and for various procedures, respectively, median values were T--2.1, 2.2 and 0.6 min, KAP--6.3, 6.3 and 0.6 Gy cm(-2) and F--21, 2.2 and 6.7. The patient doses during fluoroscopically guided procedures are relatively low compared with other interventional procedures.

Recommendations for Evaluating and Selecting Appropriately Valued Outcome Measures

The changing healthcare environment has essentially mandated that outcome scores play an increasing role in orthopaedic research and clinical care. Value is defined as the best outcome at the lowest cost. The reasoning behind the collection of outcome scores can be examined from several perspectives. The process of selecting an appropriate outcome measure involves analyzing its psychometrics in addition to other aspects, such as responsiveness, reliability, validity, and the ability to detect change in a reasonable manner. A minimal clinically important difference measures clinical change, and a minimal detectable change measures statistical change. Orthopaedic surgeons are most interested in minimal clinically important differences because they indicate meaningful clinical changes. Guidelines for selecting appropriately valued outcome measures include the consideration of patient-reported outcomes, proper psychometrics, validated scores, and cost effectiveness.

Hospitalist Co-management of Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgical Patients at a Community Hospital

PURPOSE

The benefits of hospitalist co-management of pediatric surgical patients include bettering patient safety, decreasing negative patient outcomes, providing comprehensive medical care, and establishing a dedicated resource to patients for postoperative care. The purpose of this study was to characterize the nature of patients co-managed by a pediatric hospitalist. The authors hypothesize that hospitalist co-management is safe and efficacious in pediatric orthopaedic surgical patients who are admitted to a community hospital.

METHODS

A retrospective review was performed of all pediatric orthopaedic surgical patients admitted to a community hospital who were co-managed by a pediatric hospitalist. Indications for hospitalization included pain control, antibiotic infusion, and need for neurovascular monitoring. Parameters of postoperative care and co-management were assessed, including presence of complications, medication introduction or adjustment by the hospitalist, follow-up adherence, and readmission/complication rates after discharge.

RESULTS

Thirty-two patients were assessed with an average age of 8.8 years. Twenty-five percent of patients had an associated comorbidity, including asthma, attention deficit disorder, and/or autism. The pediatric hospitalist added pain medication to the original postoperative orders placed by the orthopaedics team in 44 percent of patients (14 of the 32) either for breakthrough pain or better long-term coverage. Additionally, 25 percent of patients had pain medication adjusted from the original dosing and schedule. The hospitalist team contacted the surgeon about the four patients (12.5 percent). In three of the cases, the surgeon was contacted to discuss pain medication, and one patient woke up agitated from anesthesia, necessitating a visit from the surgeon on the pediatrics floor. The length of stay was one day for all patients. The hospitalists rounded on and discharged patients the subsequent morning. All patients were given a follow-up appointment and schedule by the hospitalist team, and every patient followed up accordingly within ten days of discharge. No complications or hospital readmissions occurred within thirty days of discharge.

CONCLUSION

Hospitalist co-management of pediatric orthopaedic surgical patients in a community hospital allows for better medical comorbidity and medication management. Hospitalists can provide closer observation during the inpatient stay and help streamline communication between providers and patients while allowing the surgeon the ability to be more mobile. Co-management is safe and efficacious in pediatric orthopaedic surgical patients who are admitted to a community hospital.

Why Measure Outcomes?

The concept of measuring the outcomes of treatment in health care was promoted by Ernest Amory Codman in the early 1900s, but, until recently, his ideas were generally ignored. The forces that have advanced outcome measurement to the forefront of health care include the shift in payers for health care from the patient to large insurance companies or government agencies, the movement toward assessing the care of populations not individuals, and the effort to find value (or cost-effective treatments) amid rising healthcare costs. No ideal method exists to measure outcomes, and the information gathered depends on the reason the outcome information is required. Outcome measures used in research are best able to answer research questions. The methods for assessing physician and hospital performance include process measures, patient-experience measures, structure measures, and measures used to assess the outcomes of treatment. The methods used to assess performance should be validated, be reliable, and reflect a patient's perception of the treatment results. The healthcare industry must measure outcomes to identify which treatments are most effective and provide the most benefit to patients.

What Do Reported Learning Curves Mean for Orthopaedic Surgeons?

Practicing orthopaedic surgeons must assess the effects of the learning curve on patient safety and surgical outcomes if a new implant, technique, or approach is being considered; however, it remains unclear how learning curves reported in the literature should be interpreted and to what extent their results can be generalized. Learning curve reports from other surgical specialties and from orthopaedic surgery can be analyzed to identify the strengths and weaknesses of learning curve reporting. Single-surgeon series and registry data can be analyzed to understand learning challenges and to develop a personalized learning plan. Learning curve reports from single-surgeon series have several limitations that result from the limited dataset reported and inconsistencies in the way data are reported. Conversely, learning curve reports from registry data are likely to have greater generalizability, but are largely beneficial retrospectively, after data from a sufficient number of surgeons are assessed. There is a pressing need for surgeons to develop improved and consistent standards for learning curve reporting. Although registry data may provide better prospective measures in the future, the implementation of such registries faces several challenges. Despite substantial limitations, single-surgeon series remain the most effective way for practicing surgeons to assess their learning challenge and develop an appropriate learning plan.

Can improved quality of care explain the success of orthogeriatric units? A population-based cohort study

BACKGROUND

admission to orthogeriatric units improves clinical outcomes for patients with hip fracture; however, little is known about the underlying mechanisms.

OBJECTIVE

to compare quality of in-hospital care, 30-day mortality, time to surgery (TTS) and length of hospital stay (LOS) among patients with hip fracture admitted to orthogeriatric and ordinary orthopaedic units, respectively.

DESIGN

population-based cohort study.

MEASURES

using prospectively collected data from the Danish Multidisciplinary Hip Fracture Registry, we identified 11,461 patients aged ≥65 years admitted with a hip fracture between 1 March 2010 and 30 November 2011. The patients were divided into two groups: (i) those treated at an orthogeriatric unit, where the geriatrician is an integrated part of the multidisciplinary team, and (ii) those treated at an ordinary orthopaedic unit, where geriatric or medical consultant service are available on request. Outcome measures were the quality of care as reflected by six process performance measures, 30-day mortality, the TTS and the LOS. Data were analysed using log-binomial, linear and logistic regression controlling for potential confounders.

RESULTS

admittance to orthogeriatric units was associated with a higher chance for fulfilling five out of six process performance measures. Patients who were admitted to an orthogeriatric unit experienced a lower 30-day mortality (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.69; 95% CI 0.54-0.88), whereas the LOS (adjusted relative time (aRT) of 1.18; 95% CI 0.92-1.52) and the TTS (aRT 1.06; 95% CI 0.89-1.26) were similar.

CONCLUSIONS

admittance to an orthogeriatric unit was associated with improved quality of care and lower 30-day mortality among patients with hip fracture.

Understanding and Taking Control of Surgical Learning Curves

As surgical techniques continue to evolve, surgeons will have to integrate new skills into their practice. A learning curve is associated with the integration of any new procedure; therefore, it is important for surgeons who are incorporating a new technique into their practice to understand what the reported learning curve might mean for them and their patients. A learning curve should not be perceived as negative because it can indicate progress; however, surgeons need to understand how to optimize the learning curve to ensure progress with minimal patient risk. It is essential for surgeons who are implementing new procedures or skills to define potential learning curves, examine how a reported learning curve may relate to an individual surgeon's in-practice learning and performance, and suggest methods in which an individual surgeon can modify his or her specific learning curve in order to optimize surgical outcomes and patient safety. A defined personal learning contract may be a practical method for surgeons to proactively manage their individual learning curve and provide evidence of their efforts to safely improve surgical practice.

The influence of rating volume in the effects of expert versus patient online ratings

Gaining access to ratings has become much easier due to the internet and research shows that they are of influence on consumer decision making. At healthcare comparison websites, patients are gradually sharing their opinions online whereby the number of ratings can differ significantly per provider. Because patients may lack the necessary skills and information to judge health care quality, some platforms complement patient ratings with an expert rating. It is unclear however which source has the biggest influence on decision making. A previous study found that generally people seem to follow their peers, but only when they are in large numbers. Otherwise, they follow the expert. The present study aims to find out how many peers are necessary to "overrule" the expert. An online experiment is conducted and the results indicate that rating volume does play a role in the effects of patient versus expert ratings. This finding can, for example, support platform providers in understanding how to use online ratings to ensure that patients benefit most of them.

Assessment of an implant-skin interface scoring system for external skeletal fixation of dogs

OBJECTIVE To assess intraobserver repeatability and interobserver and in vivo versus photographic agreement of a scoring system for the implant-skin interface (ISI) of external skeletal fixation (ESF). SAMPLE 42 photographs of ISIs from 18 dogs for interobserver agreement and intraobserver repeatability and 27 photographs of ISIs from 6 dogs for in vivo versus photograph agreement. PROCEDURES An ISI inflammation scoring system was developed. It included scales for 6 metrics (erythema, drainage amount, drainage type, swelling, hair loss or lack of hair regrowth, and granulation tissue). Photographs of the ISI of ESF were obtained by use of a standard protocol and evaluated to determine intraobserver repeatability and interobserver agreement (Cronbach α; 4 raters) of the ISI score. Agreement between in vivo and photographic ISI scores (2 raters) and correlation between median scores across metrics were evaluated. RESULTS 42 photographs met the inclusion criteria. Overall intraclass correlation coefficients ranged from 0.922 to 0.975. Interobserver overall Cronbach α ranged from 0.835 to 0.943. For in vivo versus photographic assessment, 27 ISIs in 6 dogs and their photographs were evaluated. The Cronbach α for both raters ranged from 0.614 to 0.938. Overall, the Cronbach α ranged from 0.725 to 0.932. Mean photographic scores were greater than mean in vivo scores for each metric. Pearson correlation coefficients ranged from 0.221 to 0.923. Erythema, swelling, and granulation were correlated with all other metrics. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE In this study, an ISI scoring system used in this study had high repeatability and agreement and may therefore be considered for use in clinical situations. Photographic scores were not equivalent to in vivo scores and should not be used interchangeably.

[New routines in orthopedics department yielded more efficient care and more satisfied patients. Physiotherapist and team make the first assessment in new visits to the spine surgeon]

There is a shortage of spine surgeons in Sweden. To guarantee the legal right to healthcare, many counties must hire doctors, with increasing costs. In our new out-patient department routine, the majority of the patients are examined by a physiotherapist at their first visit. History taking and clinical and radiographic examinations are discussed in a team conference, and possible candidates for spine surgery are selected for an appointment with a spine surgeon. Furthermore, the patients were more satisfied with the new routine and management plan.

Femoral Neck Fracture After Arthroscopic Femoroplasty of the Hip

Hip arthroscopy is an increasingly common procedure, particularly for the treatment of femoroacetabular impingement. Various complications have been previously reported, and the authors sought to further evaluate the safety of this procedure. This study was conducted to identify the incidence of femoral neck fracture as well as treatment and outcomes after arthroscopic femoroplasty. In April 2013, a survey was administered to 28 established hip arthroscopists regarding the breadth of their experience, including the total number of hip arthroscopies and proximal femoroplasties performed and the number of postoperative femoral neck fractures. Fracture type, patient age, patient sex, time to fracture, comorbidities, treatments, and outcomes were queried. The study identified 27,200 total arthroscopies and 14,945 proximal femoroplasties performed by the surgeons, with 11 postoperative proximal femur fractures. The incidence of proximal femur fracture after arthroscopic femoroplasty was 0.07%, based on combined data of high-volume hip arthroscopists at multiple medical centers. Mean time to fracture after arthroscopic femoroplasty was 40.5 (±26.6) days postoperatively. The male-to-female ratio was approximately 1:3 for those with fracture, and mean patient age was 52 (±13) years. More than half of the fractures were caused by violation of weight-bearing precautions. All patients had improvement in symptoms after treatment. Femoral neck fracture after arthroscopic femoroplasty is a rare complication for established hip arthroscopists. It is most common in women and patients older than 50 years. Treatment is based on the severity of the fracture, and patients have improved outcomes after treatment.

Evaluating a Ward-based Foundation Year 1 (FY1) System in an Orthopaedic Setting

BACKGROUND

Various models of hospital in-patient cover arrangements for junior doctors have been utilised in the United Kingdom. Some settings follow a team-based system for junior doctors and some a ward-based system. The aim of this study was to determine staff's satisfaction rates with regard to a ward-based system for Foundation Year 1 (FY1) doctors in relation to continuity of patient care and doctors' training.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The Orthopaedic department of a District Teaching Hospital in the United Kingdom moved to a ward-based system for the FY1s from a previous team-based system. A questionnaire was administered to FY1s, nursing staff and senior doctors asking their satisfaction rates.

RESULTS

42 practitioners were questioned. They included 15 FY1s, 15 ward nurses and 12 senior doctors. 73.3% of FY1s were satisfied with the ward-based system with regard to continuity of patient care and 40% of them were very satisfied/satisfied with it with regard to achieving training objectives. All nurses, 66.7% of FY1s and 66.7% of senior doctors were very satisfied/satisfied with the ward-based system for achieving service provision (p=0.053). All nurses and 60% of FY1s preferred the ward-based system (p=0.017). All nurses and 66.7% of senior doctors rated the ward-based system as being much better/better than team-based at achieving service provision (p-0.028).

CONCLUSIONS

1. Our results suggest that a ward-based system for FY1s can be successfully implemented in an orthopaedic setting. 2. Ward-based system confers high satisfaction rates with regard to care provision and continuity of care. 3. Taking into account training needs and substitutes for structured team work would be an area for improvement.

From Research to Practice: Which Research Strategy Contributes More to Clinical Excellence? Comparing High-Volume versus High-Quality Biomedical Research

The question when and to what extent academic research can benefit society is of great interest to policy-makers and the academic community. Physicians in university hospitals represent a highly relevant test-group for studying the link between research and practice because they engage in biomedical academic research while also providing medical care of measurable quality. Physicians' research contribution to medical practice can be driven by either high-volume or high-quality research productivity, as often pursuing one productivity strategy excludes the other. To empirically examine the differential contribution to medical practice of the two strategies, we collected secondary data on departments across three specializations (Cardiology, Oncology and Orthopedics) in 50 U.S.-based university hospitals served by 4,330 physicians. Data on volume and quality of biomedical research at each department was correlated with publicly available ratings of departments' quality of care, demonstrating that high-quality research has significantly greater contribution to quality of care than high-volume research.

Higher Rate of Revision in PFC Sigma Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty With Mismatch of Femoro-Tibial Component Sizes

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) systems permit a degree of femoro-tibial component size mismatch. The effect of mismatched components on revision rates has not been evaluated in a large study. We reviewed 21,906 fixed-bearing PFC Sigma primary TKAs using the Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint Replacement Registry, dividing patients into three groups: no femoro-tibial size mismatch, tibial component size > femoral component size, and femoral component > tibial component. Revision rates were higher when the femoral size was greater than the tibia, compared to both equal size (HR = 1.20 (1.00, 1.45), P = 0.047) and to tibial size greater than femoral (HR = 1.60 (1.08, 2.37), P = 0.019). Potential mechanisms to explain these findings include edge loading of polyethylene and increased tibial component stresses.

Agreement among ASES members on the AAOS Clinical Practice Guidelines

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) has recently developed several clinical practice guidelines (CPG) involving upper extremity conditions. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the practice patterns of members of the American Shoulder and Elbow Society (ASES) with regard to the CPGs. An e-mail survey was sent to the 340 members of the ASES. The survey contained 40 questions involving the subject matter of the 2 existing AAOS CPGs pertaining specifically to the shoulder: Optimizing the Management of Rotator Cuff Problems and the Treatment of Glenohumeral Joint Arthritis. Overall, 98 responses were obtained, for a response rate of 29%. Only 19 of 47 CPGs were not "inconclusive" and a recommendation was actually made. A majority (more than 50%) of surgeons agreed with 17 (90%) of 19 of these AAOS recommendations. A strong majority (more than 80%) adhered to 13 (68%) of 19 recommendations. There were 4 consensus recommendations, and more than 50% agreed with all of them. Of the 5 moderate recommendations, more than 50% agreed with 4 of them. There were 10 weak recommendations, and more than 50% of surgeons agreed with 9 of them. There was more than 80% agreement on 18 of 28 inconclusive recommendations. Although the AAOS CPGs are not meant to be fixed protocols, they are intended to unify treatment and/or diagnosis of common problems based on the best evidence available. Despite the majority of the AAOS CPG recommendations for rotator cuff problems and glenohumeral arthritis being inconclusive, most surgeons agree with most of the CPG recommendations.

Not all approved antibiotic-loaded PMMA bone cement brands are the same: ranking using the utility materials selection concept

In the literature on in vitro characterization of approved antibiotic-loaded poly(methyl methacrylate) bone cement brands, there is no information on the basis for selection of a given brand for use in cemented arthroplasties. This shortcoming is addressed in the present study. It involved determining four key properties (fatigue limit, fracture toughness, polymerization rate, and phosphate buffered saline diffusion coefficient) for six brands and then using the mean property values, in conjunction with a materials selection methodology, called the utility concept, to rank the brands. It is emphasized that the present work is an illustration of a rational approach to selection of a cement brand and, as such, the study findings are not intended to be recommendations regarding clinical use or otherwise of a brand.

Improving visual estimates of cervical spine range of motion

Cervical spine range of motion (ROM) is a common measure of cervical conditions, surgical outcomes, and functional impairment. Although ROM is routinely assessed by visual estimation in clinical practice, visual estimates have been shown to be unreliable and inaccurate. Reliable goniometers can be used for assessments, but the associated costs and logistics generally limit their clinical acceptance. To investigate whether training can improve visual estimates of cervical spine ROM, we asked attending surgeons, residents, and medical students at our institution to visually estimate the cervical spine ROM of healthy subjects before and after a training session. This training session included review of normal cervical spine ROM in 3 planes and demonstration of partial and full motion in 3 planes by multiple subjects. Estimates before, immediately after, and 1 month after this training session were compared to assess reliability and accuracy. Immediately after training, errors decreased by 11.9° (flexion-extension), 3.8° (lateral bending), and 2.9° (axial rotation). These improvements were statistically significant. One month after training, visual estimates remained improved, by 9.5°, 1.6°, and 3.1°, respectively, but were statistically significant only in flexion-extension. Although the accuracy of visual estimates can be improved, clinicians should be aware of the limitations of visual estimates of cervical spine ROM. Our study results support scrutiny of visual assessment of ROM as a criterion for diagnosing permanent impairment or disability.

Does video gaming affect orthopaedic skills acquisition? A prospective cohort-study

INTRODUCTION

Previous studies have suggested that there is a positive correlation between the extent of video gaming and efficiency of surgical skill acquisition on laparoscopic and endovascular surgical simulators amongst trainees. However, the link between video gaming and orthopaedic trauma simulation remains unexamined, in particular dynamic hip screw (DHS) stimulation.

OBJECTIVE

To assess effect of prior video gaming experience on virtual-reality (VR) haptic-enabled DHS simulator performance.

METHODS

38 medical students, naïve to VR surgical simulation, were recruited and stratified relative to their video gaming exposure. Group 1 (n = 19, video-gamers) were defined as those who play more than one hour per day in the last calendar year. Group 2 (n = 19, non-gamers) were defined as those who play video games less than one hour per calendar year. Both cohorts performed five attempts on completing a VR DHS procedure and repeated the task after a week. Metrics assessed included time taken for task, simulated flouroscopy time and screw position. Median and Bonett-Price 95% confidence intervals were calculated for seven real-time objective performance metrics. Data was confirmed as non-parametric by the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Analysis was performed using the Mann-Whitney U test for independent data whilst the Wilcoxon signed ranked test was used for paired data. A result was deemed significant when a two-tailed p-value was less than 0.05.

RESULTS

All 38 subjects completed the study. The groups were not significantly different at baseline. After ten attempts, there was no difference between Group 1 and Group 2 in any of the metrics tested. These included time taken for task, simulated fluoroscopy time, number of retries, tip-apex distance, percentage cut-out and global score.

CONCLUSION

Contrary to previous literature findings, there was no correlation between video gaming experience and gaining competency on a VR DHS simulator.

A multi-centred audit of secondary spinal assessments in a trauma setting: are we ATLS compliant?

PURPOSE

The global incidence of spinal cord injuries varies with the developed world having improved survival and 1 year mortality in a poly-trauma setting. This improved survival has been estimated at 20 % in a recent Cochrane review of Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS).The aim of this audit is to evaluate the management of patients with suspected spinal cord injury by the trauma and orthopaedic team in three centres in South Wales.

METHODS

A retrospective case note review of the secondary survey was performed. Inclusion criteria were patients 18 years and above, with poly-trauma and presenting to Accident and Emergency department at the treating hospital. We used ATLS guidelines as an audit tool and reviewed the documentation of key components of the secondary assessment.

RESULTS

Forty-nine patients were included (29 males, 20 females) with an average age of 53.7 years (19-92 years). We found that completion of all components of the secondary survey for spinal injury was poor, 29 % receiving a digital per rectal examination despite suspected spinal injury. Paralysis level was not documented in 20.4 % of patients. Medical Research Council grade was only documented in 24.5 % although was assessed in 73.5 %. The secondary survey took place after 2 h in 54.6 % of patients.

CONCLUSION

We found that the documentation of the performance of a secondary survey was poor. We found that most patients included in this study are not currently meeting the minimal standard suggested by the ATLS guidelines.