January 1996 Bulletin

Strategic Plan for 1996-1997

The following Strategic Plan was adopted by the Board of Directors, December 8, 1995.

Mission Statement

The mission of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons is to foster and assure highest quality and most cost-effective musculoskeletal health care through:

• education of orthopaedists, other providers of health care and the public;
• promotion of research;
• communication with other professionals and the public; and
• leadership, through advocacy, in the development of health care policy.

Vision Statement

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons will be the preeminent organization providing high quality programs to advance musculoskeletal health care. The Academy's programs will be responsive to the needs of the public and the profession in a rapidly changing environment and will be provided in innovative, ethical and fiscally responsible ways.

Patient Care

Value Statement

The ideal approach to care of the patient with musculoskeletal disease is a team comprised of orthopaedists and other providers of musculoskeletal care. Working collaboratively to coordinate patient care, each provider should participate in a way which maximizes the quality and cost-effectiveness of the overall care.

Goal

Develop programs and relationships that will improve the quality of musculoskeletal care by exploring a variety of health care delivery systems.

Objectives

1. Work with other organizations representing providers of musculoskeletal services to develop systems of patient management that will be physician-controlled, cost-effective and preserve timely access to specialty care. These cooperative efforts may include research, provider education, patient education, advocacy and patient care models and tools.
2. Identify, monitor and develop models of musculoskeletal health care delivery that maximize the quality and cost-effectiveness of care.
3. As new delivery models are developed, provide programs to assist orthopaedic surgeons to redefine their roles, appropriate to local and regional needs.

Education

Value Statement

Education is the fundamental endeavor of the Academy which allows us to deliver highest quality and most cost-effective patient care and to advance the profession.

Goal

Be responsive to the educational needs and desires of musculoskeletal professionals by promoting the acquisition of current, relevant knowledge and skills in creative, affordable, efficient and accessible ways to deliver the highest quality patient care.

Objectives

1. Provide a multifaceted array of educational programs for the fellowship and other orthopaedic surgeons.
2. Provide educational content in practice management for orthopaedic surgeons, including programs to help orthopaedists with their practices in the changing socioeconomic environment.
3. Focus on developing and delivering relevant home-study programs for orthopaedic surgeons, using the appropriate educational and communications technologies.
4. Provide educational content in musculoskeletal medicine for health care professionals, other providers and patients.
5. Provide educational content in computer skills, telemedicine and medical informatics.
6. Develop and validate methods to measure the educational effectiveness in both teaching and learning related to our programs and products; implement teaching methods validated as effective.
7. Evaluate whether present educational programs and products on general orthopaedics need to be supplemented and, if required, develop programs and products to meet this need.
8. Evaluate the breadth and depth of our relationships with specialty societies in educational activities.
9. Provide educational content on the implications of advances in biotechnology for patient care, cost-effectiveness and scope of practice for orthopaedists and other providers.
10. Provide educational content on the ethical implications of biotechnology and changes in health care delivery and financing.

Health Policy

Value Statement

The Academy's health policy program is proactive and responsive to the needs of the public and the profession.

Goal

Influence the direction of health care
delivery.

Objectives

1. Advocate policies and programs that
   will maintain and improve the quality of musculoskeletal care.
2. Regularly determine which health policy and practice issues members believe the Academy should address and what positions to take.
3. Preserve access to the highest quality, cost-effective specialty care.
4. Promote the highest standards of professional and ethical behavior.
5. Monitor and collect data for decision makers and become an informational resource on orthopaedic work force matters.
6. Advocate fair payment for services provided.

Research

Value Statement

High quality, ethical basic and clinical research is the foundation and future of musculoskeletal care.

Goal

Promote basic and clinical research of the musculoskeletal system.

Objectives

1. Actively develop programs that promote outcomes and effectiveness research.
2. Promote public and private funding for basic and clinical musculoskeletal research.
3. Actively develop clinical algorithms and practice parameters.
4. Develop a national database on patients with musculoskeletal disease which will provide information on patient care outcomes and resource utilization.
5. Monitor and address emerging issues in biotechnology related to research, regulation and patent issues.

Organizational Issues

Value Statement

The Academy is a flexible, efficient and fiscally responsible organization composed of ethical professionals involved in musculoskeletal care. These professionals communicate and collaborate in the development of education programs, research activities and advocacy of the highest quality musculoskeletal health care.

Goal

Be a fiscally responsible organization which responds rapidly to the needs of its members.

Objectives

1. Develop a flexible organizational culture that ensures a rapid response to meet the changing needs of the members.
2. Develop an organizational mindset that insures that the Academy remains fiscally responsible.
3. Develop collaborative relationships with orthopaedic state, regional and specialty societies that facilitate joint development of strategies and programs.
4. Implement and use high tech communication capability to directly interact with members on a regular basis.
5. Carefully explore the development of special interest groups within the structure of the Academy, including international members, allied health categories and others as identified and as appropriate.

Revised December 1995