Our Vision

A healthcare system designed by patients

Our Mission

To develop tools to improve the delivery of patient-centered care

Members

VOICES Center for Health Policy is focused on improving the health of patients with musculoskeletal conditions. We use qualitative and quantitative methods to develop tools that improve the delivery of patient-centered care.

Our Research

Patient values and preferences should drive healthcare decisions.  Patients, and how they define quality, should be how our health system defines “quality.”  Our goal is to create these definitions from the patient perspective and create tools to improve healthcare delivery. 

Tools

We have developed several tools for preference elicitation in common orthopaedic conditions. These tools educate patients about their diagnosis and treatment options to help patients make a decision that aligns with their values and preferences

Recent Publications

Capacity Assessment Tool to Promote Capacity Building in Global Orthopaedic Surgical Outreach

Shapiro LM, Leversedge C, Katarincic JA, Leversedge FJ, Dyer GSM, Kozin SH, Fox PM, McCullough M, Agins B, Kamal RN. 

We developed a Capacity Assessment Tool for orthopaedic surgery (CAT-os) that could be utilized to evaluate and promote capacity building. The tool measures seven domains: partnership, profes- sional development, governance, community impact, finance, coordination, and culture. 

Click here to access the article. 

Is outpatient spine surgery associated with new, persistent opioid use in opioid-naïve patients? A retrospective national claims database analysis

Schultz E, Zhuang T, Shapiro LM, Hu SS, Kamal RN. 

We utilized a national administrative claims database to identify opioid-naïve patients who underwent common spine procedures. Outpatient lumbar and cervical spine surgery patients were significantly less likely to be new, persistent opioid users following surgery compared to inpatient spine surgery patients. Our results support the shift to outpatient spine procedures.

Click here to access the article. 

Is There a Critical Dorsal Lunate Facet Size in Distal Radius Fractures That Leads to Dorsal Carpal Subluxation? A Biomechanical Study of the Dorsal Critical Corner

Shapiro LM, Zhou J, Shah K, Frey C, Chan C, Kamal RN. 

We conducted a biomechanical study to evaluate the size of a dorsal osteotomy in the dorsal/volar plane of the lunate facet that leads to dorsal carpal subluxation. Distal radius fractures that include >40% of the "dorsal critical corner" are at risk for dorsal carpal subluxation and may require supplementary fixation.

Click here to access the article.