On October 13-14, 2016, Pittsburgh played host to the 2016 Fall Pennsylvania Orthopaedic Society meeting at the Fairmont Hotel in Downtown Pittsburgh with members attending from all over the state. Orthopaedic surgeons, mid-level providers, residents, administrators and students came together to discuss the new and enduring challenges facing Orthopedics. The theme for the meeting The Future of Orthopaedics: Patients, Providers, Preservation & Passion. The program was co-chaired by our department faculty member MaCalus V. Hogan, MD and featured a number of faculty from the University of Pittsburgh Department of Orthopaedics and the UPMC Orthopaedic Service Line.
The program offered key insights into improving practice management, avoiding the pitfalls of practice and call while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. A special presentation by the Pennsylvania Speaker of the House, Mike Turzai, outlined the great potential for collaboration between orthopedic surgeons and local and state government. Meghna Patel, the director of the Pennsylvania Prescription Drug Database Program, outlined the scope of the program and the role that it is intended to play in improving medical practice and addressing the opioid epidemic. Two local orthopedic surgery residents, James Irvine Jr. (UPMC) and Alan Slipak (Allegheny General Hospital) were presented with awards for research presentations that were felt to best advance orthopedic practice. Dr. Irvine's presentation was "ACL Reconstruction: Is There A Difference In Graft Motion For Bone- Tendon-Bone and Hamstring Autograft At 6 Weeks and 1 Year?"
Overall it was an extremely productive meeting that serves as a reminder of the value of local and regional collaboration amongst Orthopaedic medical professionals.