UAB Department of Orthopaedic Surgery resident and faculty research was recently featured in the Journal of Surgical Education and the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

The first article “Association of State Legislation and Industry Compensation to Orthopaedic Residents: A 3-Year Review of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Open Payments Database” was authored by Bradley Wills, M.D. (graduated resident), Adam Almaguer, M.D., and Brent Ponce, M.D. The purpose of this study was to assess the characteristics of financial compensation to orthopaedic residents on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Open Payments Database in states with more restrictive regulations compared with those without additional restrictions.

The study found that overall, 41 percent of orthopaedic residents were reported on the CMS Open Payments Database with fewer transactions and less compensation going to residents in states with more restrictive legislature. Potential implications on resident education and research productivity remain unknown.

The article published in the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons “Open Payments Reporting of Industry Compensation for Orthopedic Residents,” was authored by Adam Almaguer, M.D., Bradley Wills, M.D. (graduated resident), Yvonne Chodaba, M.D., Alexandra M. Arguello, B.S. (research fellow), and Brent Ponce, M.D. The purpose of this study is to review reporting of payments to orthopedic surgery residents and identify the trends for which payments or transfers in value were received, with the knowledge that residents receiving industry payments are not legally required to be reported on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Open Payments Database.

The research found that, overall, 47 percent of orthopedic resident entities were reported on the CMS Open Payments Database. The vast majority of payments were related to education and grants. Residents should become familiar with how to navigate the Open Payments Database and be educated on maintaining appropriate relationships with industry. Almaguer is pleased with the results of both research studies.

“Industry plays a large role in orthopaedic resident education and helps to promote resident research. My hope is that these studies pave the way for increasing resident education on the topic of how orthopaedic residents can ethically interact with industry in a way that is mutually beneficial and promotes the highest quality of patient care.”

To learn more about ongoing research efforts within the department, visit our research page.