Not Gaining on Pain

2. Not Gaining on Pain • In the latest National Health Interview Survey (2012), 50%, or 126.6 million US adults, 18+, reported suffering from a musculoskeletal condition, which was twice as much as any other medical condition. • Only in US adults, age 75+, did another medical condition, circulatory, exceed musculoskeletal conditions, at 72% and 70%, respectively. • The US population of adults, 65+, will increase to 20% of the entire population by 2040 and 50% of these adults already have some form of arthritis; however, almost 67% of adults with arthritis are younger than 65.

3. The Price of Pain • The same National Health Interview Survey reported that almost 18 million US adults were unable to walk, rise from a chair and use the bathroom and participate in other common activities due to musculoskeletal conditions. • During 2012, back or neck pain was responsible for 25.5 million people losing an average of 11.4 days of work, or 290.8 million total lost workdays. This is significantly more than lost workdays due to chronic circulatory or respiratory conditions. • The estimated cost of medical care to treat all forms of arthritis and joint pain reached $580.9 billion during 2011, or a 131% increase from 2000. Joint replacement costs during 2011 totaled $66 billion.

4. Practice Data • According to the 2014 Physician Specialty Data Book (updated June 2015), there were 19,374 total active orthopedic surgery physicians, 18,622 of whom were involved in patient care. The others were teaching or doing research. • The Data Book reported that 95.4% of all orthopedic surgery physicians were men and 4.6% women. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) stated a similar ratio of its membership in its 2014 Census, or 92.1% and 5.0%, respectively. • The AAOS Census found that 35% of the members responding to the census survey said they worked in a private orthopedic group setting while 15% worked in a private solo setting and 15% in a hospital/medical center.

5. Striving for a Balanced Life • According to the Medscape Orthopedist Compensation Report 2016, 45% of orthopedists spent 30–45 hours per week seeing patients and 31% of self-employed and 36% of employed orthopedists spent 10–14 hours per week on paperwork and administration. • Male orthopedists spent a bit more time with each patient than female orthopedists: 9–12 minutes, 36% and 32%, and 13–16 minutes, 33% and 27%, respectively. • The Medscape Orthopedist Lifestyle Report 2015 found that 76.5% of orthopedists’ favorite pastime was spending time with their family; followed by exercise/physical activity, 72%; travel, 64%; and reading, 45%.

6. Managing Change • With the Affordable Care Act mandating value-based vs. volume-based performance for physician reimbursement, orthopedists, as many as other medical specialists, are still struggling to define value-based performance and how to collect required data. • Although there were double the number of physician practice mergers and acquisitions during Q1 2015 than Q1 2014, orthopedic and spine group practices continue to maintain their independence. • According to a recent University of California study of a group of orthopedic surgery patients, those that viewed physical therapy videos in their homes instead of traveling to a facility for therapy were more likely to exercise longer.

7. Advertising Strategies • For solo and small orthopedic practices to compete with the large-scale marketing efforts of national and regional groups, they should consider free seminars at 55+ communities and senior groups and organizations to explain treatments for arthritis, joint pain, etc. • To reach younger adults and weekend athletes of any age, orthopedists may want to partner with sporting goods stores, running and bicycle shops and other similar retailers to provide information on their Websites or during in-store seminars. • Orthopedists may also be able to obtain email lists of local running, bicycle, softball, bowling and similar sports clubs in exchange for free seminars or other services to implement a regular email marketing campaign with tips and ideas to treat pain.

8. New Media Strategies • Surveys and polls via social media and/or email marketing are excellent methods for orthopedists to remain engaged with patients, learn how to improve their services and treatments and share the results to generate interest in their practice from new patients. • Ask a few patients to maintain a journal of both text, photos and videos of their pain issues, treatments, surgery and recovery and post them on the practice’s social media platforms as well as the patients’. • Because those suffering from orthopedic conditions want to obtain as much detailed information about the latest treatments and surgical and recovery details, orthopedists can position themselves as the local experts by providing this information.