The COVID-19 pandemic has altered lives around the globe, not with just the suffering and loss of life, but also in the way we fulfill our missions in life.
Orthopedic surgeons have had to adapt to a new era of orthopedics with an increased demand for telemedicine, and shorter hospital stays with more out-of-hospital options for care. Early in the pandemic, when only emergency procedures could be performed, some practices had trouble keeping their doors open.
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) too had to adapt during the pandemic, still supporting its members using primarily virtual platforms. The 2020 annual meeting also had to be transformed into a virtual meeting.
While this year’s meeting physically took place in San Diego, California, the mark of COVID was still visible with all the social distancing measures and the smaller-sized sessions.
Despite all this, however, there was a sense of optimism as attendees were excited about the opportunity to learn from and connect with each other. Something they could only do virtually the year before.
Challenges Met
AAOS Immediate Past President Joseph A. Bosco, III, M.D., FAAOS, and current AAOS President Daniel K. Guy, M.D., FAAOS spoke about the work of the Academy during the pandemic during their remarks at the annual meeting.
“For the past 18 months, the pandemic has presented us with unforeseeable challenges, we met and bested each one,” Bosco said.
“We never ceased serving the public. When we were told to stop doing elective surgeries, we continued to perform emergency procedures and even volunteered on emergency wards. We never wavered in our commitment to our patients and the Academy never wavered in its commitment to us,” he continued.
“If anything, the uncertainty of the last 18 months has proven that the Academy and each member of our profession are made of the right stuff. Our mettle was tested, challenges were bested, and our collective character forged by decades of service was revealed. And frankly our country is the better for it. Something each of us should be proud of.”
Bosco added that the Academy continued to focus on its strategic plan, never dissolving into crisis mode. Their mission never abated.
He and current AAOS President Guy recounted all the good the Academy has accomplished during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Academy worked with state and local and federal governments to make sure its members had the resources to survive the pandemic, and to be able to emerge from the pandemic ready and able to provide high quality care for their patients.
The Office of Government Relations immediately began advocating on the surgeons’ behalf working with friends in government to make sure they received the resources necessary to keep their practices viable. Through these efforts, over 1,500 practices received close to $250 million in federal grants.
The Academy also continued work on the Biologics Initiative including building an app that provides biologics outcomes data. The AAOS Resident Orthopaedic Core Knowledge Program, AKA the ROCK, was also completed through the work of over 500 volunteers.
ROCK provides core foundational knowledge that will help them pass their Boards and feel confident in their Orthopaedic In-Training examination scores.
Despite having to hold more programs virtually in 2020, Bosco said they were able to continue to provide the best and latest scientific knowledge across all orthopedic specialties.
The AAOS has also, with the support of the Orthopaedic Trauma Association, launched a Fracture & Trauma Registry as a part of the AAOS Registry Program.
The new registry is collecting data on ankle fracture, distal femur fracture, hip fracture in a collaborative module with the AAOS American Joint Replacement Registry, and proximal humerus fracture in a collaborative module with the AAOS Shoulder & Elbow Registry.
Guy added, “We may have dimmed the lights on our headquarters, but the staff has never stopped working for you. The Academy overcame social distancing by providing a myriad of virtual learning opportunities.”
The video theatre has grown to over 120 videos, and is used more than 900 minutes each day, he said, and they provided residents with a virtual in training exam.
The Academy also built a COVID Resource Center. AAOS members took full advantage accessing this online over 30,000 times each month, Guy said.
“We have not taken our foot off of the accelerator. This past August we held out first in-district advocacy event. Fifteen hundred of our colleagues met with members of Congress in their home districts and offered valuable input on issues impacting the care of our patients.”
An Inspiring Meeting
Despite the latest Delta variant and travel restrictions there were an estimated 2,950 U.S. physicians, 224 international physicians and 1,625 other healthcare professionals at the 2021 annual meeting. A record number of posters were also submitted, and 185,000 CME Credits claimed. There were also 23,000 unique Orthopedic Video Theater visitors.
While COVID-19 travel restrictions prevented some presenters and attendees from making this year’s annual meeting, for those who could get to San Diego, it was a busy conference full of friends, cutting edge science and a passion for helping patients.
Those early in their careers were given opportunity to learn from well-seasoned pros. And experienced surgeons were able to mentor the newest generation of surgeons and help shape the future of orthopedics.
During Influencer Series, veteran surgeons like Dr. Matt Provencher were able to share pearls of wisdom from their years in the field. Other sessions highlighted important issues and new technologies that are coming down the pike in the next five years.
Pain management and concerns over opioid addiction were evident in the number of studies and presentations covering the topic. One session explored the potential for narcotic-less surgery and one study highlighted a concern over opioids being overprescribed to children and adolescents following common orthopedic procedures.
Biologics was another hot topic, especially the constantly evolving FDA policy on them. Sports medicine topics also took center stage including one study that looked at the effects of COVID-19 on youth athletes particularly when it came to studies on concussions in young athletes, depression and anxiety.
This year’s annual meeting was also a chance to recognize 2020 award recipients who didn’t get their time in the spotlight last year because the meeting was virtual, and to introduce the new award winners for 2021.
Reflecting on his time at the annual conference, Bosco told OTW, “The AAOS 2021 Annual Meeting experience was an intimate four-days of collaboration, innovation, and education. The meeting reunited the musculoskeletal community in-person for the first time in nearly two years and we felt the excitement as we gathered together in San Diego. The event provided a variety of hands-on opportunities to learn, listen, ask questions, meet new people, and reunite with colleagues. We are committed to creating another safe and healthy experience in Chicago in 2022.” Bosco said.
Just Like Babe Ruth
As Bosco symbolically passed the baton to current AAOS President Guy at the meeting, he said, “The best part of being president is the opportunity to serve and lead the organization that represents all that is good about our profession. My year as president has been transformational. For this, I am humble and grateful.”
Guy congratulated Academy members on their hard work during the past 18 months. “Enjoy the good, accept the bad and do it again. We have absorbed our losses and celebrated our wins and will do it all over again. That is perseverance,” he said.
“Babe Ruth once remarked ‘every strike brings me closer to the next homerun” and Ruth is famous for hitting 714 of those out of the park. Yet during his career he was known as the king of strikeouts 1,330 times. For him though that was just the price of doing business, and he continued to step up to bat, enjoying the good and excepting the bad and then doing it all over again. We, and I do mean all of us have likewise stayed in the game, we have absorbed our losses, we’ve celebrated our wins.”
“As orthopedic surgeons we have faced challenges and persevered like Babe Ruth every strike has brought us closer to a homerun.”
