The metric that changes a practice rarely shows up in a daily report. For three orthopedic surgeons, it was something they started tracking themselves — a wait time, an outcome score, a range of motion reading.
The right number, consistently tracked, does one of two things: it surfaces a problem you didn’t know you had, or holds you accountable to one you already knew about.
Ask Orthopedic Surgeons is a series of questions posed to orthopedic surgeons and leaders around the country about clinical, business and policy issues affecting orthopedic care. Becker’s invites all orthopedic surgeons and specialists to respond.
Next question: What is one assumption about patient behavior or compliance that you’ve had to revise based on experience?
Please send responses to Cameron Cortigiano at ccortigiano@beckershealthcare.com by 5 p.m. Central time Sept. 28.
Note: Responses were lightly edited for clarity and length.
Question: What is one data point or metric you’ve started tracking that’s changed how you run your practice?
Nicholas Grosso, MD. President of The Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics and MedVanta (Bethesda, Md.): One metric has changed the way we think about delivering orthopedic care: the average time it takes a patient to see an orthopedic specialist. Nationally, that wait is about 17 days. For someone with a musculoskeletal injury, that often means unnecessary visits to the emergency room or urgent care, delayed treatment and a more frustrating experience for patients.
Once we understood the scope of that problem, we challenged ourselves to address it. That led us to develop VantaStat, a mobile app and dedicated urgent care line that connects patients directly with an orthopedic specialist, offering same-day or next-day appointments, 365 days a year. Rather than navigating multiple stops within the healthcare system, patients can begin with the physician best equipped to treat their injury.
For patients, it means faster access to expert care, avoiding unnecessary emergency room visits and getting back to work, sports and daily life sooner. For our physicians, it creates a better front door to orthopedic care, expands access to the communities we serve and allows us to compete based on what matters most — delivering the right care at the right time.
Elizabeth Matzkin, MD. Orthopedic Surgeon and Chief of Women’s Sports Medicine of Brigham and Women’s Hospital (Boston): For more than 15 years I have collected patient-reported outcome measures on all my patients. This is data I can use to make sure I am providing valuable and high-quality care.
Alireza Nazemi, MD. Orthopedic surgeon of DISC Tarzana (Calif.): Something that I find useful in practice is the goniometer. I find range of motion (ROM) exceedingly important for both my surgically and conservatively managed patients. Since it applies to every joint, I measure ROM objectively, often taking two or three efforts and recording the best one. I learned this method from the worker’s compensation system. Since ROM is routinely recorded in physical exams, paying close attention to the details regarding it is very beneficial. Any practice can adopt this method practically without adding an additional burden to the physician. Measuring ROM accurately and precisely affords a practical way to track my patients’ progress.
At the Becker’s 32nd Annual Meeting: The Business and Operations of ASCs, taking place October 29-31 in Chicago, ASC leaders, surgeons and healthcare executives will explore strategies to drive growth, enhance operational performance, navigate reimbursement challenges and prepare for the future of ambulatory surgery. Apply for complimentary registration now.
