AAOS to Modernize American Joint Replacement Registry to Simplify Data Collection and Support Outcomes-Based Care

Epic's Cloud-Based Technology Platform to Enhance Real-Time Clinical Insights

ROSEMONT, Ill., Sept. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Recognizing the need for greater efficiency and better patient outcomes, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) continues to invest strategically in its Registry Program to provide participating sites with streamlined, modernized data collection processes and actionable insights. As part of this ongoing evolution, AAOS will use Epic's cloud-based Community Registries for data collection and insights in the American Joint Replacement Registry (AJRR) in 2026.

This strategic initiative will make it easier for health systems to participate in AJRR by reducing the burden of data collection and making more information available in real time to improve patient care. According to James I. Huddleston, III, MD, FAAOS, chair of the AJRR Steering Committee, the integration reflects AJRR's priority of advancing patient care through data that can influence the quality and effectiveness of treatments across the nation.

"AAOS is committed to continuously evolving our Registry Program to meet the changing needs of orthopaedic surgeons, healthcare teams and their patients," said Dr. Huddleston. "The completeness of AJRR data directly impacts the quality of patient care. By modernizing our data collection infrastructure and rolling out the Minimum Data Set requirements, we're not just collecting information—we're providing surgeons and institutions with the high-quality, actionable data they need to guide treatment decisions and improve surgical outcomes in real-time. This AJRR integration with Epic Community Registries empowers participating sites to deliver evidence-based care while significantly reducing administrative complexity."

The integration of Epic's Community Registries will support AJRR participating sites in realizing transformative benefits:

• Enhanced Clinical Decision-Making: Automated data entry will give surgeons near real-time outcomes that can be benchmarked nationally, supporting more informed treatment decisions and improving clinical workflows.
• Improved Quality Improvement and Operational Efficiency: Clinicians and quality improvement teams will gain access to more complete, current data, while hospitals benefit from improved operational and financial efficiency through reduced administrative burden.
• Better Patient Outcomes: Streamlined data collection and actionable insights will support higher quality care, patient safety, and treatment outcomes across participating sites.
• Simplified Data Specification Adoption: Sites will transition to the new 2025 specifications within the Master Data Dictionary to meet AJRR's Minimum Data Set requirements, ensuring continuity as legacy specifications are phased out in 2026.

"With Community Registries, it'll be easier to participate in AJRR—saving hospitals time while strengthening data quality," said Mayank Abhishek, who leads Community Registries R&D at Epic. "What excites me most is the real-time insights to help clinicians advance orthopaedic care."

AJRR is the first AAOS Registry to implement this modernized data collection approach, with potential expansion of Community Registries to other AAOS registries based on the success of this initiative. The implementation will maintain AAOS' rigorous data security and privacy standards, with data transfer limited to specifications defined in active AJRR contracts.

To learn more about AJRR contact an AAOS Registry engagement associate at [email protected], call 847-292-0530 or click here.

AAOS Registry Program
The AAOS Registry Program's mission is to improve orthopaedic care through the collection, analysis, and reporting of actionable data. The American Joint Replacement Registry (AJRR), the Academy's hip and knee replacement registry, is the cornerstone of the AAOS's Registry Program, and the world's largest national registry of hip and knee joint replacement data by annual procedural count, with more than 4 million procedures contained within its database. Additional registries include the Musculoskeletal Tumor Registry (MsTR), the Shoulder & Elbow Registry (SER), and the American Spine Registry (ASR), a collaborative effort between the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and the AAOS. 

About the AAOS
With more than 39,000 members, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons is the world's largest medical association of musculoskeletal specialists. AAOS is the trusted leader in advancing musculoskeletal health. It provides the highest quality, most comprehensive education to help orthopaedic surgeons and allied health professionals best treat patients in their daily practices. AAOS is the source for information on bone and joint conditions, treatments, and related musculoskeletal health care issues; and it leads the health care discussion on advancing quality.

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SOURCE American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons