Pain Tracking Is Pain Relief — Why Observation Itself Is an Intervention
Instead of hearing 'it still hurts' at follow-up, have patients track their pain daily. Post-surgical pain tracking works not as placebo, but through three complementary mechanisms: perceived control, anti-catastrophizing, and expectation reframing.
Remote Monitoring After Knee Replacement: AAOS 2026 Confirms It Works — Even for Older Patients
New data from AAOS 2026 validates remote therapeutic monitoring after TKA in geriatric populations: no increase in complications, lower costs, and successful deployment at scale. Here's what it means for orthopedic practice.
Why Your Surgeon Should Be Tracking PROM After Joint Replacement — And Why Most Don't
Only 25% of joint replacement patients complete functional outcome tracking at one year. CMS now mandates 50% collection by 2028 or face payment penalties. PROM isn't just a questionnaire — it's the compass that shows both surgeon and patient the full picture of recovery.
CMS TEAM Model: What 741 Hospitals Must Do Now — The Mandatory Bundled Payment That Changes Orthopedic Practice
January 2026: CMS launched TEAM — the first mandatory bundled payment model covering joint replacement, spinal fusion, and CABG at 741 hospitals. PROM collection is required, 30-day episodes are tracked, and there's zero infrastructure funding. Here's what orthopedic practices need to do now.