Hot Topics in Orthopaedics: Medicare Advantage Patient Characteristics and SSI Prevention Measures

In this episode, Marc and Mo discuss two recent articles that caught their eye. The first article focuses on the distinct demographic and clinical characteristics of patients who are enrolled in Medicare Advantage vs. traditional Medicare (thereby limiting the utility of CMS data for TJA research), and the second article focuses on routinely changing gloves and instruments before wound closure as a simple and frugal strategy for preventing SSI. 

Links: 

• Wang JC, Piple AS, Chen XT, Bedard NA, Callaghan JJ, Berry DJ, Christ AB, Heckmann ND. The Rise of Medicare Advantage: Effects on Total Joint Arthroplasty Patient Care and Research. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2022 Oct 26. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.22.00254. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36367757. https://bit.ly/3WxCwTZ 
• Large Database and Registry Research in Joint Arthroplasty and Orthopaedics. https://bit.ly/3YR5Nuo 
• NIHR Global Research Health Unit on Global Surgery. Routine sterile glove and instrument change at the time of abdominal wound closure to prevent surgical site infection (ChEETAh): a pragmatic, cluster-randomised trial in seven low-income and middle-income countries. Lancet. 2022 Nov 19;400(10365):1767-1776. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(22)01884-0. Epub 2022 Oct 31. PMID: 36328045. https://bit.ly/3YQAkZl 

Subspecialties: 

• Hip 
• Knee 
• Infection 
• Orthopaedic Essentials