Houston Medical Center becomes a member of the Joint Replacement Registry

In continuing our mission of providing patient-focused care,

Houston Medical Center recently became a Charter member of the American Joint

Replacement Registry (AJRR), an independent, not-for-profit database designed

to store comprehensive data about joint replacement procedures and to help

physicians and artificial joint manufacturers improve the experiences of

patients who undergo joint replacement surgery.

More than a million hip and knee replacements are performed

each year in the United States, a number that is expected to increase as more

and more men and women remain active as they get older. The majority of

replacement surgeries are successful, offering patients years of trouble-free

use and helping patients resume their regular activities of daily living. But a

few patients – approximately seven percent, according to 2006 figures –

experience problems following surgery that require the artificial joint to be

replaced.

“Joining the AJRR will help ensure that we can continue to

provide patients with improved clinical outcomes,” said Stephen Machen,

Administrator for Houston Medical Center. “By participating with other

hospitals in sharing information about artificial joint performance and

physician and patient experiences, we can help joint replacement procedures

become safer nationwide, while enhancing our own patients’ experiences.”

The AJRR serves as a central clearinghouse for information

about joint replacements performed at Houston Medical Center and other member

hospitals and medical centers throughout the country that participate in the

registry. The AJRR aims to carefully monitor the artificial joint throughout a

recipient’s lifetime in a database containing information about the patient,

the surgeon who performed the procedure and the hospital or medical center

where the procedure took place. The data collected will help doctors more

quickly identify joints that are performing poorly, and will help them match

patients, procedures and devices to ensure that every patient has the best possible

outcome.

“Registries for joint replacement procedures and other

medical procedures and conditions have proven to be effective tools in

improving patient outcomes and reducing complications that can occur both

during and following surgical procedures,” said William J. Maloney, MD,

Chairman of the AJRR Board of Directors. “In fact, in countries where

registries have been created and used, revision rates have decreased

significantly, resulting in substantial cost savings and a better overall

patient experience.”

By offering a single source of data, doctors and other

healthcare professionals who use the registry can easily access data from

medical centers around the country and use that information to help them make

more informed recommendations to their patients, ultimately improving patient

care. Registry information about patient outcomes and experiences will also

help artificial joint manufacturers improve their products and identify

potentially faulty products, and can help reduce healthcare costs associated

with replacement procedures and follow-up care. All data collected by the AJRR

remains confidential to protect patient privacy.

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