Here are five things to know:
1. AHRQ awarded $12 million to the University of Massachusetts department of orthopedics and physical rehabilitation to develop the Function and Outcomes Research for Comparative Effectiveness in Total Joint Replacement project.
2. The FORCE-TJR project is co-led by Patricia Franklin, MD, who directs the registry data coordination center, and David Ayers, MD, the lead surgeon.
3. The University of Massachusetts has spent years refining the process of weaving in PROs and has partnered with DatStat, a population health company.
4. The University of Massachusetts’ orthopedic department has been focused on PROs for some time now, recognizing it’s a natural area to start since the patient’s perspective is vital to understanding pain and function not easily determined by an X-ray or physical exam.
5. The FORCE-TJR objectives include:
- Determining the best timing of joint replacement;
- Comparing the impact of certain implants versus others;
- Tracking pre-surgery pain and function and postsurgical outcomes;
- Providing feedback to orthopedic surgeons about their patients and outcomes compared with other orthopedic surgeons
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