The number of Australians having joint replacements for osteoarthritis is growing at an “unsustainable” rate.
This is despite evidence that a quarter of patients don’t need surgery, say musculoskeletal experts.
A report by the muscle, bone and joint health charity MOVE and Medibank in 2016 showed 100,000 Australians received joint replacements to treat osteoarthritis of the hip or knee.
This totalled over $2 billion.
The Data
The data also show that between 1994 and 2014 Victoria had a 175% increase in hip replacements and 285% increase in knee replacements, with no sign of demand slowing.
To curb the costly trend, the report calls for a new national model of care.
“Surgery is not a panacea.
While surgery can be effective in the right circumstances, we also know that patients can have better clinical outcomes when they remain active and have greater access to allied health professionals” Medibank chief medical officer Dr Linda Swan says.
Professor Peter Choong director of orthopaedic surgery at St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney agrees.
He added that joint replacement surgery should be reserved for people with advanced joint disease.
Otherwise, he says, it can cause more problems than it solves. =
David L. Edwards is an author, Chinese medicine physician and acupuncturist. He is the author of The Body Fat Formula and The Pocketbook guide to Chinese medicine. David is the director of Barefoot Health and Wellness health programs.
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