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Impact Statement and Summit Goal

Impact Statement
The cost of musculoskeletal disease in the United States is approaching $1 trillion each year and is likely to increase as the population ages and life styles become more active.  These increases are occurring at a time of an unprecedented debate on health care and possible redirection of major programs. Since overall health care expenditures in this country continue to rise, the current models for care delivery may not be sustainable, demanding new strategies to optimize health and improve quality of life.  To meet the challenges of a changing world and establish priorities for resource allocation in the future, the musculoskeletal health care community must define and measure the value of the care it provides.  The United States Bone and Joint Initiative (USBJI), the U.S. National Action Network of the worldwide Bone and Joint Decade, views this issue as critical and is convening this summit to address value from the perspective of patients, providers, industry and payers among others. 
In its summit, the USBJI will engage a broad range of stakeholders to consider value in musculoskeletal care.  By definition, value represents a standard or feature regarded as desirable or worthwhile.  While the value of care involves quality and cost-effectiveness, it transcends both in its impact on society.  Determining value in care demands consideration of societal as well as personal health and wellbeing that can result from diverse approaches for prevention and treatment.  Given the increasing costs of health care and the changing demographics, it is imperative that we focus attention now on the cost and cost-effectiveness of musculoskeletal care.  The USBJI is committed to a leadership role in improving the health of the nation and making value an important goal of musculoskeletal care in all of its dimensions.

Summit Goal
In the face of the realities described above, the goal of the Summit is to provide a platform to enable musculoskeletal specialty organizations to develop their own value proposition, and an opportunity for organizations with similar areas of interest to connect and collaborate on the development of needed guidelines and measures. A specific outcome of the Summit will be the development of a Consensus Statement, with priorities and framework for an action plan. The Consensus Statement will include the definition of musculoskeletal value, and consensus on how to measure value. The action plan framework will propose gaps in data, guidelines and evidence-based research, outcome and function measures that are required to support the value proposition for musculoskeletal care, and how value should be used.