Shortage of orthopaedic surgeons could drive medical tourism demand
FRIDAY, March 24 (HealthDay News) -- Demand for total knee and hip replacements in the United States is predicted to increase so much by the year 2030 that there may not be enough orthopaedic surgeons to handle the workload, a new study has warned and this suggests that one of the drivers that may drive medical tourism or the globalisation of medical services is the shortage local medical resource even in rich companies.
The study projected that the number of first-time total knee replacements would soar by 673 percent, to 3.48 million, by 2030, while the number of first-time total hip replacements would increase by 174 percent to 572,000. Partial joint replacements are projected to increase by 54 percent in the next 25 years.
The findings were to be presented Friday at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons annual meeting, in Chicago.
The study also projected that total knee and hip revision joint replacement (repair or replacement of an artificial joint) surgeries will double by 2015. Currently, hip revisions are done more often than knee revisions, but that will likely change by 2007.
"There's definitely going to be a huge need for more orthopedic surgeons. If the massive expected demand for total joint replacement is not planned for before 2030, patients may end up waiting a long time for a new hip or knee," study author Steven M. Kurtz, director of the Philadelphia office of the engineering and scientific consulting firm Exponent Inc., said in a prepared statement.
One reason for the anticipated boost in joint replacement is increased patient acceptance.
"There are few procedures that return as much quality of life as joint replacement," said Kurtz, who is also research associate professor at Drexel University's School of Biomedical Engineering in Philadelphia.
Other factors influencing the demand for joint replacement include: an aging population with arthritis; increasing rates of obesity, which puts added stress on the knee and hip joints; and the fact that more baby boomers are remaining physically active later in life, which also affects the knees and hips.
Along with more surgeons, the growing demand for joint replacements also requires more economic resources and improved longevity of artificial joints, Kurtz said.
The study does not take account of how changing surgical technologies or pharmacological innovations may change the market over the time period. At Globe we are already seeing USA patients travelling to the Asian subcontinent to avoid both costs and for speed of treatment, especially for hip replacements.
The study projected that the number of first-time total knee replacements would soar by 673 percent, to 3.48 million, by 2030, while the number of first-time total hip replacements would increase by 174 percent to 572,000. Partial joint replacements are projected to increase by 54 percent in the next 25 years.
The findings were to be presented Friday at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons annual meeting, in Chicago.
The study also projected that total knee and hip revision joint replacement (repair or replacement of an artificial joint) surgeries will double by 2015. Currently, hip revisions are done more often than knee revisions, but that will likely change by 2007.
"There's definitely going to be a huge need for more orthopedic surgeons. If the massive expected demand for total joint replacement is not planned for before 2030, patients may end up waiting a long time for a new hip or knee," study author Steven M. Kurtz, director of the Philadelphia office of the engineering and scientific consulting firm Exponent Inc., said in a prepared statement.
One reason for the anticipated boost in joint replacement is increased patient acceptance.
"There are few procedures that return as much quality of life as joint replacement," said Kurtz, who is also research associate professor at Drexel University's School of Biomedical Engineering in Philadelphia.
Other factors influencing the demand for joint replacement include: an aging population with arthritis; increasing rates of obesity, which puts added stress on the knee and hip joints; and the fact that more baby boomers are remaining physically active later in life, which also affects the knees and hips.
Along with more surgeons, the growing demand for joint replacements also requires more economic resources and improved longevity of artificial joints, Kurtz said.
The study does not take account of how changing surgical technologies or pharmacological innovations may change the market over the time period. At Globe we are already seeing USA patients travelling to the Asian subcontinent to avoid both costs and for speed of treatment, especially for hip replacements.
<< Home