National forum on short-stay joint replacements: Balancing patient safety and new models of care

MedTech & Diagnostics News: A national roundtable to discuss the advancement of short stay joint replacement models of care is being hosted by Australia’s largest non-government funder of health services research, HCF Research Foundation.

The demand for total hip and knee replacement surgeries is on the rise, fuelled by the increasing burden of osteoarthritis and an aging population. The Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint Replacement Registry (AOANJRR) and the United Kingdom (UK) National Joint Registry have reported that delays in accessing joint replacement surgery, combined with growing demand, need to be addressed.

“Without significant reform, the healthcare system will struggle to meet the increased demand for these procedures given our ageing population, longer life expectancy, and rising obesity rates,” stated Professor Ilana Ackerman, Deputy Director of the Musculoskeletal Health Unit at Monash University.

The roundtable is set to provide a unique opportunity for key stakeholders including clinicians, administrators, government representatives, consumers, and funders to bridge knowledge gaps and develop a better understanding of key challenges and enablers for broadly implementing short-stay models of care.

Concerns persist regarding the safety profile of short-stay joint replacement programs compared to traditional care pathways. A recent systematic review and meta-analysis by Professor Ackerman found “insufficient high-quality trial evidence to support the 90-day safety profile of short-stay joint replacement programmes compared to usual care” and “little evidence on factors informing optimal patient selection”.

Data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) reveal that almost 20% of total hip replacement patients and nearly 30% total knee replacement patients are waiting over a year for surgery in the public health system. Additionally, a significant proportion of these procedures are being shifted to the private system, highlighting its critical role in addressing the backlog.

Professor Claire Jackson AM, Chair of the HCF Research Foundation, said “This forum provides a great opportunity for knowledge sharing and learning across government, providers, funds, and consumers.

“By fostering a collective, non-partisan approach, we can better address the challenges facing our population and healthcare system, in support of the Foundation’s mission to improve health access and outcomes for all Australians.”

The HCF Research Foundation will collate and share the results of the roundtable in an upcoming report to be published later this year.

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