Is Opioid-Limiting Legislation Effective for Hand Surgery Patients?

Background: The Rhode Island State Legislature passed the in 2016 to limit opioid prescriptions. We aimed to objectively evaluate its effect on opioid prescribing for hand surgery patients and also identify risk factors for prolonged opioid use.

Methods: A 6-month period (January-June 2016) prior to passage of the law was compared with a period following its implementation (July-December 2017).

Improving the online presence of residency programs to ameliorate COVID-19's impact on residency applications.

: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has created several challenges for residency programs and prospective interns alike during the upcoming application cycle, including the cancellation of away sub-internships and in-person interviews. Given prior research documenting that applicants' application and ranking decisions are significantly influenced by residency webpages, a potential solution to the loss of in-person experiences during the pandemic is the expansion of residency programs' online presence through their program websites, provision of virtual grand rounds and pseudo-away rotations, and enhancement of virtual interviews. This study seeks to summarize the existing literature on these areas and provide concrete suggestions for improving programs' virtual presence.

Larger Initial Opioid Prescriptions Following Total Joint Arthroplasty Are Associated with Greater Risk of Prolonged Use.

Background: The ongoing U.S. opioid epidemic threatens quality of life and poses substantial economic and safety burdens to opioid abusers and their communities, physicians, and health-care systems.

Timing of Surgery for Thoracolumbar Spine Trauma: Patients With Neurological Injury.

Study Design: Large multicenter retrospective cohort study.

Objective: The objective of this study was to analyze the effect of fusion timing on inpatient outcomes in a nationally representative population with thoracolumbar fracture and concurrent neurological injury.

Summary Of Background Data: Among thoracolumbar trauma admissions, concurrent neurological injury is associated with greater long-term morbidity.

Orthopaedic Surgery Faculty: An Evaluation of Gender and Racial Diversity Compared with Other Specialties.

Background: The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons has adopted the strategic goal of evolving its culture and governance to become more strategic, innovative, and diverse. Given the charge to increase diversity, a focus on assessing and increasing diversity at the faculty level may help this cause. However, an analysis of gender and racial diversity among orthopaedic faculty has not been performed.

Thoracic surgery program websites: Bridging the content gap for improved applicant recruitment.

Objective: To evaluate the website content of all US thoracic training programs, assessing the available content to identify areas for improvement.

Methods: A total of 98 accredited thoracic surgery fellowship and integrated residency programs were evaluated for the presence of 25 important online content items. Two authors assessed each website and social media page individually, and a third author resolved <4% of the initial data disagreement.

Opioid-Limiting Regulation: Effect on Patients Undergoing Knee and Shoulder Arthroscopy.

Purpose: To determine the effect prescription-limiting legislation passed in Rhode Island has had on opioids prescribed following arthroscopic knee and shoulder surgery at various time points, up to 90 days postoperatively.

Methods: All patients undergoing the 3 most common arthroscopic procedures at our institution (anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, partial meniscectomy, and rotator cuff repair) were included. Patients were selected from 2 6-month study periods (prepassage and postimplementation of the law).

The Current State of Nuclear Medicine and Nuclear Radiology: Workforce Trends, Training Pathways, and Training Program Websites.

Background: Nuclear medicine (NM) is a multidisciplinary field. Its overlap with nuclear radiology (NR) creates unique training considerations, opportunities, and challenges. Various factors impact the workforce, training needs, and training pathways.

Opioid-Limiting Legislation Associated With Reduced Postoperative Prescribing After Surgery for Traumatic Orthopaedic Injuries.

Objectives: To evaluate opioid-prescribing patterns after surgery for orthopaedic trauma before and after implementation of opioid-limiting mandates in one state.

Design: Retrospective review.

Setting: Level-1 trauma center.

Opioid-limiting legislation associated with decreased 30-day opioid utilization following anterior cervical decompression and fusion.

Background Context: Since 2016, 35 of 50 US states have passed opioid-limiting laws. The impact on postoperative opioid prescribing and secondary outcomes following anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) remains unknown.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of opioid-limiting regulations on postoperative opioid prescriptions, emergency department (ED) visits, unplanned readmissions, and reoperations following elective ACDF.

Has a Prescription-limiting Law in Rhode Island Helped to Reduce Opioid Use After Total Joint Arthroplasty?

Background: In the United States, since 2016, at least 28 of 50 state legislatures have passed laws regarding mandatory prescribing limits for opioid medications. One of the earliest state laws (which was passed in Rhode Island in 2016) restricted the maximum morphine milligram equivalents provided in the first postoperative prescription for patients defined as opioid-naïve to 30 morphine milligram equivalents per day, 150 total morphine milligram equivalents, or 20 total doses. While such regulations are increasingly common in the United States, their effects on opioid use after total joint arthroplasty are unclear.

Mandatory Prescription Limits and Opioid Utilization Following Orthopaedic Surgery.

Background: Since 2016, over half of the states in the United States have passed mandatory limits on opioid prescriptions, with limited evidence of effectiveness. In this study, we evaluated postoperative opioid prescriptions following orthopaedic surgery before and after the implementation of one of the earliest such laws.

Methods: Following the implementation of state legislation limiting opioid prescriptions for opioid-naïve patients, 2 patient cohorts (pre-law and post-law) were compared.

Critical Analysis of Hematology and Oncology Fellowship Web Sites in the United States.

Purpose: Prospective hematology-oncology fellowship applicants use program Web sites as a critical source of information. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the current content and comprehensiveness of hematology-oncology fellowship Web sites and to identify specific areas for improvement.

Methods: This study assessed the presence of 27 commonly evaluated program and application and curriculum and training informational items for Web sites of all accredited hematology-oncology fellowship programs in 2018.

Malpractice Litigation Following Traumatic Fracture.

Background: Poor clinical outcomes and adverse events following orthopaedic trauma are common, which may lead to litigation. To our knowledge, factors associated with litigation following fracture care have not previously been evaluated.

Methods: A retrospective review of fracture-related malpractice lawsuits from 1988 to 2015 was completed utilizing VerdictSearch (ALM Media Properties), a medicolegal database.

What's missing? An analysis of pediatric radiology fellowship website utility and recruitment potential.

Background: Pediatric radiology fellowship web pages convey practical information and provide an opportunity to impress upon visitors the mission and principles that are core to the program.

Objective: The goal of the study was to assess pediatric radiology fellowship program websites and identify potential areas for improvement because applications and enrollment have been steadily declining since 2013.

Materials And Methods: We evaluated 41 websites of pediatric radiology fellowship programs for 17 criteria.

Analysis of Accredited Gastroenterology Fellowship Internet-Available Content: Twenty-Nine Steps Toward a Better Program Website.

Goal: To assess publicly available content derived from official websites of accredited gastroenterology fellowship programs, specifically evaluating data pertinent to prospective applicants.

Background: The Internet provides access to key information for applicants applying to gastroenterology fellowship, particularly as competition drives applicants to apply to a large number of programs. Thus, it is important for fellowship program websites to be up to date and contain accurate and pertinent information.

Analysis of Abdominal Radiology fellowship website content and comprehensiveness.

Purpose: Fellowship programs' online content plays a key role in prospective Abdominal Radiology applicants' evaluation of programs. The purpose of this study is to examine the online accessibility of Abdominal Radiology fellowships, the comprehensiveness of the program websites' content, and evaluate whether specific program characteristics are associated with differentiated website comprehensiveness.

Methods: A list of 67 Abdominal Radiology fellowship programs was obtained from the Society of Abdominal Radiology (SAR) website.

Trends in the Orthopaedic Surgery Subspecialty Fellowship Match: Assessment of 2010 to 2017 Applicant and Program Data.

Background: Orthopaedic surgery has become increasingly specialized, and most trainees currently complete subspecialty fellowship training. The purposes of this investigation were to evaluate recent trends in U.S.

Effect of narcotic prescription limiting legislation on opioid utilization following lumbar spine surgery.

Background Context: Prescription opioid abuse is a public health emergency. Opioid prescriptions for spine patients account for a large proportion of use. Some states have implemented statutory limits on prescribers, however it remains unclear whether such laws are effective.

Ileus Following Adult Spinal Deformity Surgery.

Background: Postoperative ileus (POI) is a common complication after spine surgery, with particularly high rates after adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgery. Few studies have been conducted on predictors of POI following ASD surgery. The objective of this study was to determine risk factors for POI in patients undergoing ASD surgery and to determine association between POI and in-hospital mortality, length of stay, and total charges.