‘Click’ opens vast arthritic knee library
A new CD-ROM produced by the Academy is virtually bursting with information about the arthritic knee–645 megabytes worth, plus more at a special Academy web site. Nearly 60 physicians contributed to the CD-ROM’s content, the vast majority of which was created specifically for "The Arthritic Knee."
This CD-ROM is similar in concept to "The Athlete’s Knee," says Jay Mabrey, MD, chair of the AAOS Electronic Media Education Committee, but it’s been taken to the next level.
"It has quite a unique feature," says Dr. Mabrey, who developed the CD-ROM along with Seth Leopold, MD; Aaron Rosenberg, MD; and Steven Woolson, MD. "While the disk is in your machine, you can click on your Internet access and be taken to a custom site that is available only to purchasers of the CD-ROM. There, you can access more information–updates and revisions, as well as a forum for discussion. So this is not a static product. That’s the coolest part."
This program brings together all the information necessary to understand how to treat adult patients with arthritis of the joints while focusing on the knee. Three in-depth arthritic patient case studies are presented–from the assessment interview through postoperative rehabilitation. Each case study has multiple decision-making pathways and immediate feedback to ensure that the user learns with each choice.
"Embedded within each case are videos, techniques, and we also have a scoring system. If you go through all three cases and take the exams, you can print out your score sheet, fax it to the Academy and receive up to 30 hours of Category 1 CME credit," Dr. Mabrey says.
Sections include:
The CD-ROM’s vast library includes more than 70 original commentaries, video demonstrations, 3-D animation, abstracts, images, interactive algorithms and multiple choice self-assessment tests.
"The library literally has hundreds of full-text articles and 45 minutes of demonstration video," says Dr. Mabrey. "It has sections on anatomy and biomechanics, management considerations, surgical considerations, alternative treatment and knee replacement."
In addition, AAOS guidelines on treatment of arthritis of the knee are presented in a new interactive format.
"The Arthritic Knee" is now available and is priced at $169 for members and $149 for residents. The Academy received an unrestricted educational grant in support of this program from Searle and Pfizer, Inc.