COSNEWS - An official publication of the Clinical Orthopaedic Society

From the Editor
Health Care Reform: Don't forget to use common sense!

By James J. Hamilton, MD

To honor the Clinical Orthopaedic Society’s 100th Anniversary in 2012, The Board of Directors has announced the establishment of a COS Centennial Fund drive. Throughout its history, the COS has had a fundamental core value in the importance of the clinical exam. We have emphasized this throughout our history with live patient presentations where all attending can appreciate the finer nuances of an expert’s physical examination.

Today, many of our trainees are using sophisticated imaging tests as a substitute for a good physical exam followed by appropriate indicated imaging. This reliance on indiscriminate ordering of studies, rather than a well performed physical exam followed by indicated imaging studies, has resulted in many tests being ordered at great cost to society and individuals, as well as excessive radiation exposure to our patients.

After lengthy discussion, the Board established a COS Centennial Fund through OREF. This fund will provide a scholarship for ten residents to annually attend the COS meeting and participate in a special session designed to teach them the art of the physical exam coupled with the safe and cost-effective ordering of imaging studies. Mounting evidence is showing the potential harm of unnecessary imaging studies. This COS Centennial Fund will allow us to ensure future generations of orthopaedic surgeons will not lose this skill. We would also hope that the young leaders selected for this scholarship would desire to become members of our Society, carrying this effort forward to the generations after themselves.

A pledge card is being included in this newsletter and will also be available on the Society’s website. We are asking that each of you make a commitment to raise $500,000 in cash and deferred gifts by our centennial meeting in 2012. Special COS recognition will honor donors who make donations at the “Founder” level of $50,000; the “Benefactor” level of $20,000; the “Patron” level of $10,000; or the “Supporter” level of $5,000.

All donors will have the option of paying their cash pledges over three years. However, since donors making cash contributions at the Founder Level ($20,000) also qualify for OREF Shands Circle recognition, these donors may take up to five years to complete their cash pledge. Donors making a deferred commitment of $50,000 or more also qualify for recognition in the Shands Circle of the OREF with all the benefits that provides.

PLEASE NOTE: in distinction to the other donations we all have made to OREF where half the donation goes to the OREF general fund and half can be designated to a society of the donor’s choice, for this COS Centennial Fund drive, 100% of all donations will be credited to the Clinical Orthopaedic Society!

We would like to recognize the COS leadership who has already committed over $75,000 to this important effort:

BENEFACTOR:

Dabney Hofammann

PATRON:

Bess Brackett
James Hamilton
Frederick Meyer
Angus McBride

SUPPORTER:

Kenneth Moore
Ricardo Rodriguez
William Warner

We look forward to the successful completion of this drive celebrating our 100th anniversary. The COS has been an important part of all our professional lives. The participation of each of you in this drive will ensure that the Society will continue its mission of emphasizing the clinical exam for another 100 years.

Thank you for your support!

100th Anniversary Update