Cost-effective trauma implant selection: AAOS exhibit selection.

Today's increasingly complex health-care landscape requires that physicians take an active role in minimizing health-care costs and expenditures. Judicious choice of implants, a fracture-driven treatment algorithm, capitation models, use of generic fracture implants, and reuse of external fixation constructs all represent mechanisms that can result in substantial savings. In some health-care environments, these cost savings programs may be directly linked to physician reimbursement in the form of gainsharing plans. Evidence-based critical evaluations of implant usage patterns are necessary to help control implant-related health-care spending but are lacking in the current literature. Physicians need to acknowledge their influence and responsibility in this realm and assume an active role to help reduce costs.