Promising breakthrough from the traditional model?

In recent years, the Department of Orthopaedics of the 309th Hospital of the People’s Liberation Army has insisted on patient-oriented and put forward the construction concept of “comprehensive orthopaedics” according to the requirements of discipline development, so that the diagnosis and treatment of orthopaedic patients no longer need to be transferred to multiple disciplines and can be effectively solved within the scope of orthopaedics as far as possible, which has been generally recognized by experts in the field and patients. With the aging of China’s population structure and the increasing demand for quality medical services, the development of the orthopedic specialty has put forward higher requirements. –In 2006, Director Ma led his team to propose a new medical model of “comprehensive orthopedics”. This medical model breaks the traditional single mode of relying on surgery to treat patients, and introduces doctors of orthopedic medicine, Chinese medicine, rehabilitation medicine and orthopedic surgeons to collaborate in the treatment of conditions, instead of the traditional sub-disciplinary consultation or simple combination of each other. The subspecialty groups work together to manage patients, conduct joint visits, formulate treatment plans, and provide perioperative management and follow-up, thus optimizing the medical resources of each subspecialty. In the past four years of operation, this model has effectively improved the quality of medical care, improved the doctor-patient relationship, promoted comprehensive patient recovery, and enabled the department to achieve a virtuous cycle of quality and economic benefits. The new scientific structure promotes balanced development. At present, our “Comprehensive Orthopedics” includes orthopedic surgery, orthopedic internal medicine, Chinese medicine and orthopedic injury, and rehabilitation medicine. The synergy of the various sub-disciplines not only helps to actively respond to the impact of the market economy under this model, but also, and more importantly, provides patients with more comprehensive, reasonable and convenient “one-stop” services. The perioperative management of orthopedics often involves a variety of diseases such as osteoporosis, hypertension, and diabetes, and if patients with osteoporosis do not cooperate with professional orthopedic treatment after fracture, secondary or tertiary fractures can easily occur. Many orthopedic diseases do not require surgical treatment, such as frozen shoulder and lumbar sprain. Many traditional “non-orthopedic diseases” are not treated systematically, such as osteoporotic pain, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, etc., which actually belong to the scope of orthopedic medicine. In ten years, China will enter an aging society, and comprehensive diagnosis and treatment is very important for elderly patients with orthopedic diseases, which also has great market potential. Taking into account the above factors, the construction concept of “comprehensive orthopedic department” in our hospital is in line with the needs of patients. With the economic development and social progress, the age structure and common diseases of orthopedic patients have changed. China’s current population structure is aging, and the number of orthopedic infectious diseases is decreasing while the number of degenerative diseases is increasing. The number of elderly patients with degenerative diseases of the cervical and lumbar spine and knee joints, and the number of elderly patients with osteoporotic fractures has increased significantly. Orthopedic surgery alone is not sufficient to deal with the new orthopedic problems, and it is necessary for the Department of Orthopedic Surgery to work together with the Department of Orthopedic Surgery to deal with osteoporosis and improve the patient’s tolerance for surgery. The Department of Orthopedics also took the lead in establishing the first osteoporosis club in China, guiding its members to prevent and treat osteoporosis scientifically in all aspects. From the data of patient follow-up survey, this initiative has better improved the treatment efficacy and satisfaction of patients.