The Journal of bone and joint surgery. American volume
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J Bone Joint Surg Am · Jun 2020
Geospatial Mapping of Orthopaedic Surgeons Age 60 and Over and Confirmed Cases of COVID-19.
Although elective surgical procedures in the United States have been suspended because of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, orthopaedic surgeons are being recruited to serve patients with COVID-19 in addition to providing orthopaedic acute care. Older individuals are deemed to be at higher risk for poor outcomes with COVID-19. Although previous studies have shown a high proportion of older providers nationwide across medical specialties, we are not aware of any previous study that has analyzed the age distribution among the orthopaedic workforce. Therefore, the purposes of the present study were (1) to determine the geographic distribution of U.S. orthopaedic surgeons by age, (2) to compare the distribution with other surgical specialties, and (3) to compare this distribution with the spread of COVID-19. ⋯ Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
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J Bone Joint Surg Am · Jun 2020
Telemedicine in the Era of COVID-19: The Virtual Orthopaedic Examination.
With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the shifting of clinical care to telemedicine visits has been hastened. Because of current limitations in resources, many elective surgeons have been forced to venture into utilizing telemedicine, in which the standards for orthopaedic examinations have not previously been fully developed. We report our experience with protocols and methods to standardize these visits to maximize the benefit and efficiency of the virtual orthopaedic examination. ⋯ In the setting of outpatient injury evaluations, a systematic virtual examination can aid in triaging and managing common musculoskeletal conditions. With the rapid incorporation of telehealth visits, as well as the unknown future with regard to the pandemic, the utilization and capabilities of telemedicine will continue to expand. Future directions include the development of validated, modified examination techniques and new technology that will allow for improved interactive physical examinations, as we rapidly move forward into the realm of telemedicine due to unexpected necessity.