Experts recently gathered in London to discuss the potential impact of social changes on the specialty of orthopaedics, as well as highlighting key challenges in patient safety.
A congress hosted by the European Federation of National Associations of Orthopaedics and Traumatology (EFORT) and British Orthopaedic Association (BOA) recently discussed the challenges posed by changing patient demographics, the latest surgical techniques and potential for emerging technologies, as well as highlighting important issues affecting patient safety.
Epidemiological trends indicate that annual cases of hip fracture in Europe will double by 2050, experts told the EFORT Congress in London. Better data on fractures in elderly people are needed in order to plan the resources required and to optimise prevention strategies. Recent studies show that the number of trauma admissions related to road accidents has fallen, while age associated injuries have increased.
Björn E. Rosengren of Lund University, Sweden, pointed out that even minor social changes among the population and shifts in the age structure can have significant impacts on the demand for medical care. “Developing effective and economical prevention strategies and treatments for fractures has to be an urgent priority if we want to ensure that high quality care can be provided in the future,” Dr Rosengren commented.
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