News Release

ALBERTA BONE AND JOINT HEALTH INSTITUTE
EXPANDS ACCESS TO EVIDENCE REVIEWS

Release:  April 23, 2007

 

CALGARY – The Alberta Bone and Joint Health Institute (ABJHI) announced today it has expanded access to its evidence reviews and plans to increase its review of orthopaedic clinical procedures.

The ABJHI said it has eliminated password access to its evidence reviews and moved them into the publicly accessible section of its website, www.albertaboneandjoint.com.  It is also inviting health care providers who participate with the ABJHI in developing new care paths to submit topics for review.

“A key role of the ABJHI is to advance research and knowledge to ensure the care Albertans receive for bone and joint problems is based on the best evidence available worldwide,” Dr. Ron Zernicke, ABJHI Executive Director, said.  “We want to encourage more health care providers to read our evidence reviews and, more importantly, to help us identify where conclusive evidence is needed.”

There are 15 evidence reviews currently available from the ABJHI’s website.  They are related to specific aspects of clinical procedures in hip and knee replacement and hip resurfacing, the effectiveness of treatments such as chiropractic and massage, the cost-effectiveness of hip resurfacing, and osteoarthritis.

The ABJHI plans to conduct additional evidence reviews this year on topics related to hip and knee replacement and to treatment of back and spine conditions.

Need for hip and knee replacements is growing in Alberta where the population is expanding and aging.  The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) reported last year that knee replacements doubled and hip replacements increased 38 per cent in the 10-year period to 2004-05. 

CIHI also reported that hip and knee replacements are increasing in younger patients.  The increase appears to be paralleling a rise in rates of obesity.  CIHI found that nationally the highest rate of increase in hip and knee replacements was in patients between the ages of 45 and 54.  These patients were also among the group that had the biggest proportion of obese people.

Obese people have a nine-fold risk of developing osteoarthritis – the leading cause of hip and knee replacements. 

About the Alberta Bone and Joint Health Institute
The Alberta Bone and Joint Health Institute is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to creating and maintaining a standard of bone and joint health and health care that is the best in the world.  ABJHI’s work is focused on improving access to and enhancing the quality and efficiency of care, advancing research and knowledge, and promoting prevention and wellness.  For more information, visit www.albertaboneandjoint.com.

 

Contact:          
Len Cocolicchio
403-670-0886
lcocolicchio@albertaboneandjoint.com