The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) has incorporated the American Joint Replacement Registry (AJRR), a nonprofit organization dedicated to collecting and reporting on hip and knee joint replacement procedures. AAOS believes this proposed option is a patient safety best practice. The goal of a national joint registry is to monitor device performance, thereby allowing early recognition of underperforming processes or devices and supporting continued clinical learning.
“In 2009, AAOS has made great strides in bringing the American Joint Replacement Registry to reality. We have now incorporated. And, we currently are in the process of forming project work groups to tackle data, governance and oversight issues.” said John Callaghan, MD, first vice president of the AAOS and orthopaedic surgeon at the University of Iowa.
The AAOS has researched and determined the best course of action for starting and administering a national joint registry, one that would include:
privacy safeguards for patients;
legal protections for device makers and physicians;
a plan to begin capturing data as early as 2010; and
infrastructure to capture at least 90% of all procedures.