Orthopaedic surgeons control a substantial component of health care expenditures in the United States. Therefore, we have the opportunity and the responsibility to spend these resources wisely in ways that improve the comfort and function of our patients without unnecessary cost. As a specialty we are innovators. Our innovations characteristically involve doing more – more complex imaging, more complex implants and more complex systems for inserting them. However, as pointed out in the podcast Innovation 2.0: Do Less there is often an opportunity to innovate by simplifying and taking away elements that do not improve our patients’ comfort and function.
This post shows relevant information presented at an instructional course lecture at the recent meeting of the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons, led by Uma Srikumaran entitled “Green Orthopaedics”.
Here are four examples where “less is more”.
Green Example #1
Green Example #2
Green Example #3
