The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons formed a formal collaboration with Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association for quality outcomes data sharing.
The AAOS will make a pathway for reporting patient-aggregated data from consenting participants, according to a May 20 news release. Data from the American Joint Replacement Registry will be shared with the BCBSA to evaluate current and prospective Blue Distinction Centers for Knee and Hip Replacement
"Our relationship with AAOS allows seamless access to performance measure reports from consenting AJRR registry participants," Erin Barney, vice president of network solutions at BCBSA, said in the release. "We will include that data as part of our designation evaluations for this Blue Distinction program. The BDC designation, in turn, will help guide patients to find higher-quality, higher-value healthcare facilities that best fit their specialty care needs."