NYS SOciety of ORTHOPAEDIC Surgeons

The New York State Society of Orthopaedic Surgeons (NYSSOS) is proud to present an evening of critical conversation and clinical strategy on Thursday, May 22, 2025, in Brooklyn. Titled "Breaking Barriers, Not Bones: Advancing Osteoporosis Care in Orthopedic Surgery," this complimentary dinner symposium brings together leaders in orthopaedics to confront one of the most urgent, yet often overlooked, public health challenges of our time: osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis is a chronic, progressive disease that affects over 54 million Americans and leads to more than 2 million fractures annually in the United States alone. Alarmingly, 1 in 2 women and up to 1 in 4 men over 50 will suffer an osteoporosis-related fracture in their lifetime, yet most go undiagnosed and untreated. After a first fracture, patients are up to 86% more likely to suffer a second fracture, and subsequent fractures are 2 to 3 times more costly to the healthcare system than initial ones. Despite these dire statistics, only a small fraction of patients receive appropriate osteoporosis therapy following a fragility fracture.

This evening event will provide clinical tools and policy, focused insights to close this dangerous treatment gap. Participants will gain:

• Strategies for early diagnosis and treatment - Tools to implement interdisciplinary fracture liaison services (FLS)
• Policy guidance to support local and state-level advocacy
• Resources to strengthen post-fracture care pathways

The United States consistently ranks among the lowest in treatment rates after osteoporotic hip fractures compared to peer nations. With the number of hip fractures projected to rise by 80% by 2050, the time for coordinated action is now. Models like Post-Fracture Care (PFC) programs have proven successful across health systems, reducing re-fracture rates, improving patient outcomes, and saving costs.

NYSSOS is committed to driving this change statewide, bridging the clinical care gap and advocating for sustainable healthcare policy that prioritizes bone health in vulnerable populations.

We invite you to be part of this change. Join us on May 22nd at Marco Polo Ristorante in Brooklyn for an evening of learning, networking, and mobilizing around a shared mission: preventing fractures before they happen.

Register today. Dinner is on us. Advocacy is on all of us.

For more details and registration, visit: https://nyssos.org

Advocacy in Action

On April 7th, NYSSOS members from across the state came together in Albany for a highly successful Advocacy Day. With over 27 meetings held with legislators and their staff, we walked the halls of the Capitol to ensure your voice was heard on the most pressing medical-legal issues affecting orthopaedic practice in New York. 

Key Issues Discussed:

1. Oppose S4423 / A6063 – The Grieving Families Act
   This bill could increase malpractice insurance premiums by nearly 50%, making it harder to maintain a viable practice in New York.
   
   

2. Support S1608 / A2305 – Strengthen Certificate of Merit Requirements
   Improves case legitimacy and transparency by reinforcing disclosure rules for expert witnesses in malpractice suits.
   
   

3. Support Workers’ Compensation Reform
   Advocating for fair reimbursement and policies that encourage physician participation in the system.
   
   

4. Support A3789 – Utilization Review Standards
   Seeks to streamline the administrative burden of utilization reviews and improve care delivery timelines.
   
   

5. Protect Scope of Practice – Oppose Unchecked Expansion
   We remain vigilant about proposals that expand podiatric surgery beyond appropriate training standards, which could jeopardize patient safety and the integrity of orthopaedic care.

Legislative Connections & Recognitions

This year’s Advocacy Day also featured meaningful conversations during our OrthoPAC reception with Senator Jessica Ramos, Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton, and Assemblymember Sarah Clark. During our awards breakfast, we proudly presented Assemblymember Michaelle Solages with the 2024 Legislator of the Year Award for her leadership in advancing legislation to license athletic trainers and for supporting efforts to gather data on podiatric surgical privileges prior to any changes in scope of practice.

As a Society, we are committed to strengthening relationships with lawmakers. If you are interested in hosting or joining in-district meetings with your representatives, please let us know, we’re here to support you.

Support the OrthoPAC of New York

Your involvement makes a difference. The OrthoPAC of New York helps amplify our voice in Albany, and your contributions fuel that work. Every dollar supports our advocacy on behalf of orthopaedic surgeons statewide. Contribute today!

Every member of the New York State Society of Orthopaedic Surgeons has the opportunity to provide input regarding the development of policies and positions impacting orthopaedic surgeons and we encourage you to get involved!

Did you know?

Resolutions propose a course of action to change policy, laws and regulations at the state and federal levels.

Working with NYSSOS Board of Directors, NYSSOS members have prepared and advocated for Resolutions at the Medical State Society of New York (MSSNY) House of Delegates meeting that have covered a variety of issues including: 

• Prior Authorization Reform
• Availability of Testing to Diagnose Periprosthetic Joint Infections
• Fair Health Transparency
• Use of High Molecular Weight Hyaluronic Acid to treat Knee Osteoarthritis
• Pathology Specimens

The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement (BNE) is taking important steps to improve practitioner utilization of the Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) Registry. This essential public health tool plays a vital role in saving lives, improving patient care, and keeping New York State communities healthy.

Legal Requirement:

In New York State, providers are required by law to consult the PMP Registry before writing a prescription for a controlled substance, with a limited number of exceptions. *

In January 2024, the NYSDOH BNE distributed a survey to identify barriers to checking the PMP Registry and opportunities for improvement of provider compliance with New York State law. Based on responses to this survey, educational materials were developed to bridge gaps in knowledge around PMP Registry use.

To refresh your knowledge on the PMP Registry, please follow this link to view the first of such materials:

New York State Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) Registry: Legal Duty to Consult.

* 10NYCRR Part 80 Section 80.63(2)

Snowbird patients - those who travel to warmer states for the winter - pose unique challenges for healthcare providers.

Read advice from MLMIC experts on how to navigate these issues.

The Workers’ Compensation Board (Board) continues its CMS-1500 webinar series this week, providing guidance to health care providers ahead of the August 1, 2025, deadline to electronically submit the CMS-1500 universal medical billing form through an approved electronic submission partner.

Webinar Details
Date: January 15, 2025
Time: 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Register Here

What You’ll Learn
This free, one-hour session will cover:

• An overview of the CMS-1500 form
• Benefits of electronic submission
• Available submission partners
• The submission process

There will also be a Q&A session at the end.

Additional Resources

• Visit the CMS-1500 section of the Board’s website for more details.
• Explore the What Providers Need to Know section to navigate the workers’ compensation system, including topics like billing, treating injured workers, and provider updates.
• Sign up for email or text updates to stay informed about this initiative, future webinars, and provider news.

Questions or Issues?
Email: MDO@wcb.ny.gov
Check the Webinar FAQs for troubleshooting help.

Have you recently checked your Physician Profile in your Health  your Health Commerce System Account? Maintaining an up to profile is part of your re-registration process. 

Key requirements:

• Your Physician Profile must be updated every two years
• Updates must be completed within the six months prior to your re-registration date

How to Check:

• Login to your HCS account to ensure your profile is current.

For more information about the New York State Physician Profile requirement, click here.

Dr. Tochi Iroku-Malize will lead three virtual sessions on Saturday, February 1st, Sunday, March 2nd, and Saturday, March 15th, from 7:45 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.

These sessions will focus on Designing Your Medical Career, Enhancing Physician Wellness and Wellbeing, and The Importance of Networking. Upon completing the three sessions, participants can earn up to nine continuing medical education (CME) credits.

To register, please see the links below:

• February 1: Designing Your Medical Career
• March 2: Enhancing Physician Wellness and Wellbeing
• March 15: The Importance of Networking

We are excited to announce that the New York State Society of Orthopaedic Surgeons (NYSSOS) is now accepting submissions from medical students to our poster competition, which will take place at our Annual Meeting on November 9, 2024, at the Opus Westchester in White Plains, NY.

This competition provides a unique opportunity for medical students interested in orthopaedics to showcase their research, clinical case reports, or advocacy efforts. We welcome submissions in the following categories:

• Clinical Case Reports: Highlighting new disease entities or unusual clinical features of known conditions.
• Research: Focused on clinical or laboratory-based research related to orthopaedics.
• Quality, Advocacy, and Public Policy: Addressing health systems improvement, patient safety, quality of care, or advocacy efforts in orthopaedic care.

Abstract Submission Guidelines:

1. Abstracts are limited to 450 words and should clearly state the purpose, methods, results, and conclusions of the study.
2. All submissions must be submitted online by Friday, September 20, 2024. Late submissions will not be accepted.
3. At least one co-author must be a NYSSOS member and you must be enrolled in a NYS medical school.
4. Selected abstracts will be chosen for poster presentation at the Annual Meeting.  Registration fee to attend the meeting for medical students is: $75.00
5. One submission per author is allowed.

To submit an abstract and review detailed submission guidelines, please visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/nyssosmedstudent.

Please note that all abstracts must follow the structure outlined in the competition regulations.

 This is a wonderful opportunity to present your work to a distinguished audience of orthopaedic professionals and gain valuable feedback.

We encourage you to participate and showcase your contributions to the field of orthopaedics.

We are excited to announce a new addition to this year’s New York State Society of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting and Symposium scheduled for November 9, 2024 at the Opus Westchester in White Plains, NY.

Alongside our traditional clinical sessions that focus on optimizing patient care and enhancing your practice's business management strategies, we are introducing an opportunity for you to engage with your peers like never before.

Submit a Challenging Case for Group Discussion!

This is your chance to present a complex or unique case that you've encountered. You'll have 15 minutes to present your case, followed by a moderated discussion, allowing you to gain insights and perspectives from fellow orthopaedic surgeons.