Jordan Cohen

Health professionals for a new century: transforming education to strengthen health systems in an interdependent world

Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA (Prof J Frenk MD); China Medical Board, Cambridge, MA, USA (L Chen MD); Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan (Prof Z A Bhutta PhD); George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA (Prof J Cohen MD); Independent member of House of Lords, London, UK (N Crisp KCB); James P Grant School of Public Health, Dhaka, Bangladesh (Prof T Evans MD); US Institute of Medicine, Washington, DC, USA (H Fineberg MD, P Kelley MD); School of Public Health Universidad Peruana Cayetano, Heredia, Lima, Peru (Prof P Garcia MD); Peking University Health Science Centre, Beijing, China (Prof Y Ke MD); National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa (B Kistnasamy MD); School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA (Prof A Meleis PhD); University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada (Prof D Naylor MD); The Rockefeller Foundation, New York, NY, USA (A Pablos-Mendez MD); Public Health professionals for a new century: transforming education to strengthen health systems in an interdependent world

Medical schools in sub-Saharan Africa.

Small numbers of graduates from few medical schools, and emigration of graduates to other countries, contribute to low physician presence in sub-Saharan Africa. The Sub-Saharan African Medical School Study examined the challenges, innovations, and emerging trends in medical education in the region. We identified 168 medical schools; of the 146 surveyed, 105 (72%) responded. Findings from the study showed that countries are prioritising medical education scale-up as part of health-system strengthening, and we identified many innovations in premedical preparation, team-based education, and creative use of scarce research support. The study also drew attention to ubiquitous faculty shortages in basic and clinical sciences, weak physical infrastructure, and little use of external accreditation. Patterns recorded include the growth of private medical schools, community-based education, and international partnerships, and the benefit of research for faculty development. Ten recommendations provide guidance for efforts to strengthen medical education in sub-Saharan Africa.

Adult Reconstruction Hip and Knee Fellowship Program Content and Accessibility

BACKGROUND The objective of the study was to assess the accessibility and content of accredited adult reconstruction hip and knee fellowship program websites. METHODS Using the online database of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons (AAHKS), we compiled a list of accredited adult hip and knee/tumor reconstruction fellowship programs. A full list of adult reconstruction hip and knee fellowship programs was gathered from the AAHKS website. The program website links they provided were evaluated. A Google search was conducted to identify program websites and analyzed for accessibility and content in 3 domains: program overview, applying/recruitment, and education. RESULTS At the time the study was conducted, there were 78 accredited adult reconstruction hip and knee fellowship programs identified through the AAHKS program directory. Three of the 78 programs identified had a functional link on the AAHKS fellowship program directory; however, Google search identified 60 websites. Eighteen programs did not have a website and were not evaluated for content. Data analysis of content in the domains of program details, application process/recruitment, and education revealed that most websites included a program description and director name with contact information. However, they were not as comprehensive in the application process/recruitment and education domains. CONCLUSIONS AAHKS provides a reasonable method of identifying programs. Yet, most programs can readily be identified using a Google search (76.9%). Although most fellowship program websites contained program details, there is still paucity of information for fellowship candidates.

Institute of Medicine's Global Forum on Innovation in Health Professional Education

Since 2009, a mysterious neurologic condition has afflicted thousands of northern Ugandan school children. This fatal disorder—known as nodding disease—leaves its victims stunted, mentally incapacitated, and often severely scarred or burned due to unexpected falls from epileptic-like seizures.1,2 The syndrome is characterized initially by cognitive impairments, followed by frequent head-nodding episodes that give the disorder its name. Over time there is a progressive deterioration of the childs condition that can result in death, often from secondary conditions like malnutrition and injury. The disease dates as far back as the 1960s and can be found in neighboring countries Tanzania and Sudan, where the syndrome was first described.

Efficacy of Revision Surgery for the Treatment of Stiffness After Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND Knee stiffness following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) may cause pain and reduced functionality, contributing to unsatisfactory surgical outcomes. Revision surgery remains a possible treatment for refractory postoperative stiffness. However, the efficacy of the procedure has not been systematically evaluated. METHODS A systematic review of the literature was performed to identify studies that reported on outcomes for patients who underwent revision surgery for postoperative stiffness after TKA. RESULTS Ten studies (including 485 knees) were reviewed. The most common etiologies of stiffness requiring revision TKA were component malposition, malalignment, overstuffing, aseptic loosening, arthrofibrosis, patella baja, and heterotopic ossification. Of 9 studies reviewing range of motion outcomes after revision TKA, 7 studies documented significant improvement and 2 found trends toward improvement. Seven of 8 studies documenting Knee Society knee scores and 7 of 9 studies documenting functional scores found improvement after revision TKA. All studies reporting on pain found improvement at final follow-up after revision TKA. CONCLUSION Revision TKA results in increased range of motion, improved functionality, and reduced pain in most patients who require surgery for stiffness. The present literature is inadequate to predict which patients will achieve adequate outcomes from revision TKA based on the specific etiology of their stiffness, although identification of the etiology may help in surgical planning. Surgeons performing revision TKA should counsel patients on the risks and benefits of undergoing revision surgery, with the understanding that outcomes for well-selected patients are generally favorable.

Prognostic Factors that Predict Failure of Manipulation Under Anesthesia for the Stiff Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review

Purpose Prognostic factors associated with Manipulation under anesthesia (MUA) failure remain unknown. Methods A systematic review of the literature was performed to identify studies that reported prognostic factors associated with MUA for postoperative stiffness. Results 7 studies analyzing prognostic factors associated with MUA outcomes were included. Several studies note pre-MUA ROM to be a significant prognostic factor affecting post-MUA ROM at final follow-up. Knees with <70° of flexion pre-MUA had less final flexion arc than those with >70°. Conclusions The strongest prognostic factor for decreased ROM after MUA is severe pre-MUA stiffness.

Efficacy of Manipulation Under Anesthesia for Stiffness Following Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND Knee stiffness following primary total knee arthroplasty can lead to unsatisfactory patient outcomes secondary to persistent pain and loss of function. Manipulation under anesthesia (MUA) remains a viable option for treatment of post-operative stiffness. However, the optimal timing and clinical efficacy of manipulation of anesthesia remains unknown. METHODS A systematic review of the literature was performed to identify studies that reported clinical outcomes for patients who underwent MUA for post-operative stiffness treatment. Repeat MUA procedures were included in the study but were analyzed separately. RESULTS Twenty-two studies (1488 patients) reported on range of motion (ROM) after MUA, and 4 studies (81 patients) reported ROM after repeat MUA. All studies reported pre-MUA motion of less than 90°, while mean ROM at last follow-up exceeded 90° in all studies except 2. For studies reporting ROM improvement following repeat MUA, the mean pre-manipulation ROM was 80° and the mean post-manipulation ROM was 100.6°. CONCLUSION MUA remains an efficacious, minimally invasive treatment option for post-operative stiffness following TKA. MUA provides clinically significant improvement in ROM for most patients, with the best outcomes occurring in patients treated within 12 weeks post-operatively. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER CRD42016052215.