Surgeon Decisions Under the Microscope: Value-Based Reimbursement

As value-based care models continue to reshape orthopedic reimbursement, a new study published in the July 15, 2025, issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons offers timely insights into how surgeon-driven variables influence patient outcomes—and ultimately, reimbursement—for total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

Titled “Evaluating Surgeon-influenced Factors for Total Knee Arthroplasty Value-based Reimbursement”, the study was conducted by Drs. Ryan Sutton, Juan Lizcano, Chad A. Krueger, P. Maxwell Courtney, James J. Purtill, and Matthew S. Austin. Their team analyzed 4,324 TKA patients, examining how perioperative decisions correlate with standardized quality benchmarks commonly used in value-based care: the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) and Short Form-12 (SF-12) metrics.