about-aahks.pdf July 2014 | Page 4

ADVOCACY GIVING VOICE TO PROFESSIONAL CONCERNS: HEALTH POLICY AND ADVOCACY These are particularly challenging times for healthcare providers, which will require our continued efforts to ensure that the quality and value we bring to patients are not diminished. AAHKS works to represent the interests of our members and their patients. We devote considerable resources to the area of health policy, to help safeguard our ability to provide high-quality services to patients and ensure that legislative and regulatory activities do not result in interference with patient access to arthroplasty. Boots on the Ground This grassroots program is comprised of AAHKS members from all 50 states who maintain contact with their congressmen, senators and state societies, as well as stay in close communication with members in their state. This helps us to favorably shape policy at the federal and local level. RESEARCH Research Committee The committee evaluates and encourages submission of prospective clinical studies and multicenter studies that leverage the experience of the AAHKS membership to answer salient questions in the field of hip and knee arthroplasty. Preferred studies use a proven database and a database manager to facilitate these multi-center studies. The OREF annual giving fund, outside granting agencies, industry, and the AAHKS general fund provides financial support for these studies.