Hull Medical Engineering (HULMEC) group was established in 1992 as a collaboration of orthopaedic surgeons and various research groups from the University of Hull to promote multidisciplinary research especially the application of computers to aid in surgery. With the joint effort of researchers and surgeons CAOSS was developed. The key aim of the CAOSS has been to use intra-operative surgical planning using fluoroscopic based images, hence this system aids in performing those procedure which requires fluoroscopy namely dynamic hip screw guide wire insertion, distal locking of the screw and placement of cannulated hip screw. The major steps of CAOSS are the precision calibration of the fluoroscopic images, use of these images for accurate intra operative surgical planning, innovative planning algorithms, and a safe, rapid and accurate approach to trajectory execution. CAOSS has been used on the plastic bones in the laboratory setting and was found to be accurate. Presently CAOSS has been used in an ethically approved clinical trial for guide wire insertion for the DHS placement. Perceived Advantages of CAOSS Safe Passive system Non-invasive Surgeon maintains decision making Decreasing radiation exposure Reducing complexity of the procedure Reducing technical failures Reducing operating time Improving accuracy of implant placement Reducing bone damage (by reducing repeated guide wire insertion) Improving Patient outcome Cost Effective Easy to use
Healthcare organisations are accountable for improving the quality of their services, safeguarding high standards of care and meeting shorter waiting time targets. This presents a challenge of how to achieve such targets with limited resources. This paper looks at the hypothesis that adequate and appropriate clinical governance can be undertaken while increasing orthopaedic spinal clinic throughput in order to decrease outpatient waiting times. A spinal outpatient clinic was used as the test bed for the hypothesis of the project. The theoretical number of patients an individual consultant can see per session was calculated from recommended British Orthopaedic Association consultation times for new and follow-up cases. Patients were asked to complete the MODEMS (Musculoskeletal Outcomes Data Evaluation and Management System) questionnaire. A prospective randomised trial utilising a touch-screen computerised version of the questionnaire was also used. Time taken for outcome data management is included in the analysis. The time taken to see new and follow up patients was 31–42 and 24–35 minutes respectively. These times have implications in terms of waiting times and Director of Performance Management targets. The shortfall is calculated in terms of additional support necessary to reach these targets. Salary costs and infrastructural support costs are projected. The figure is likely to represent that required by any specialist clinic to realise the ideals of clinical governance and conservatively estimated to be £35, 000 per year. Total clinical governance and patient outcomes are inextricably linked. This is true of orthopaedic spinal surgery in that important information about clinical practice can be obtained. The organizational infrastructure and methods to implement data collection is technically feasible however is not without cost. In terms of economic evaluation the correct price for a resource is its opportunity cost. ‘Don’t just buy more healthcare, invent new healthcare’ is as incongruous as total clinical governance and increased capacity without support.
